Mass Readings – Thursday of the Octave of Easter
The appearance of the Risen Lord to the disciples offers some insights about a central teaching of our faith: the resurrection of our bodies and life everlasting. May we use the gift of our own bodies as an offering in this life…in preparation for the body we shall receive one day in Heaven.
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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
Mass Readings – Wednesday of the Octave of Easter
Peter & John share their faith in Christ to bring healing to a beggar…who receives far more than a few coins. May we not only ask the Lord for what we truly need, but may we also open our hearts to the Lord so that we become His instruments – bringing the Good News to the world.
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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
Mass Readings – Tuesday in the Octave of Easter
Mary Magdalene is transformed from sorrow to joy in the light of the Risen Lord. She is sent forth by Jesus to proclaim a message of hope to the disciples, reminding us that we are also called to share the Good News of the resurrection through the witness of our lives.
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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
Study: Consider a time when you experienced joy in the presence of others. What caused it?
Pray: Draw near to the Risen Lord and ask for His grace in your heart to face whatever is before you today.
Serve: How can your life strengthen your family and friendships right now?
Mass Readings – 2nd Sunday of Easter
The readings today give us a snapshot of some key points that surfaced shortly after the Lord’s resurrection:
What do we see? Praise, gratitude, thankfulness, sharing, community life, overcoming doubt, facing trials, and rejoicing! In other words, this is what happens to a group of people who have been transformed by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
And I want to live like this.
Frankly, I want all of us to live like this. Filled with God’s grace, empowered by the Holy Spirit, engaging life at full throttle, dealing with difficulty through the power of faith….is there any other way to live?
So…in the light of these concepts that emerged from the fledgling Church…what’s keeping us from this? Has the resurrection of the Lord “sunk in” and touched our hearts? Do we understand what it means to say “The Lord is risen! He is risen, indeed!” as followers of Jesus Christ?
Do we get it?
We all have obstacles, challenges, and the reality of temptation and sin in our lives. That was true for the Early Church as well. But note this: they changed. In the light of the Risen Lord their lives were forever altered: praising God, facing hardship, working together, filled with joy.
This is our invitation today, and it works in three simple steps:
There is no better way to journey through this life!
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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
The Easter Season lasts 50 days, and many people ask, “Now what do I do?” This glorious season is meant to transform us by the light of the Risen Lord. Here are three key points from this Monday Conversation (22 Minutes):
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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
In the light of that first Easter day the disciples were transformed as they began to comprehend the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Freed from the fear of sin and death, they embraced their faith and changed the world. May we continue to follow their example as we allow Easter joy to fill our hearts and renew our lives.
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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
Study: When have you experienced a profound moment of change and growth? What brought it about?
Pray: Open your heart to Jesus Christ. Let the joy of the resurrection transform your life.
Serve: Claim your faith! Let your love for the Lord direct your thoughts, words, and actions – in whatever you face today.
Easter Day Readings Fr. Andrew’s Homily Podcast (posted April 20, 2014)
In the early hours of that first Easter Day we celebrate an incredible hope as word spread through the city of Jerusalem – Jesus is alive.
His followers had been crushed by the agony of the Cross. Lost – beyond all sense of pain, sorrow, and grief – from the darkness of their fear and despair they passed on the message: we have seen him, we have touched him, we have eaten with him – the Lord has been raised!
I have always been struck by the transformational effect the resurrection of Jesus had upon his disciples:
The same disciples who once fled for their lives will now go out into the world to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ. They will face persecution, suffering, and martyrdom in order to testify to the truth of Easter Day: the Resurrection of Christ. What’s more, they will do this with an overwhelming sense of conviction and strength.
No one can ignore the power of this effect. The encounter with the Risen Lord changes everything. What is there to be afraid of? Jesus has broken the chains of sin and death – we can face anything in this world with confidence. Jesus has triumphed, and in the light of Easter Day we now draw on his strength to face our battles with joy.
The death of Jesus on the Cross was for our sins; the resurrection of Jesus was for our lives. The power of Easter Day directs our attention to the sacred and precious gift of life. Life is worth fighting for, worth dying for, and worth living for – in this world and the next. The resurrection reveals God’s love for our lives; we are worth the sacrifice of the Cross and empowered to live with faith, hope, and love.
How will we live this great promise of faith? How will we allow the power of Easter to transform us? For remember: the moment we acknowledge the truth of the resurrection our lives fundamentally change. Directed by the saving work of Christ we now engage the world on new terms: we witness through word and action the love of Jesus each and every day. With our eyes fixed on heaven we boldly walk this earth as his disciples. We live our lives with real truth and power. We live our lives as God’s sons and daughters.
The authentic witness of our faith is THE WAY that people truly discover Jesus. It was true for the disciples on that first Easter Day, and it is true for disciples today.
Perhaps today is the day that our faith takes on a deeper meaning and purpose in our lives – placing Jesus first in all that we say and do. May this Easter Day fill our hearts with grace and power to live in the light of Christ. May we let the Lord into our hearts and allow our lives to be transformed by his love.
Christ is alive! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Study: How did you learn your Christian faith? When did it become something you claimed for your own?
Pray: This is a good time to count our blessings and draw near to the Lord in gratitude for the gift of life.
Serve: Perhaps there is someone to whom you might want to say, “I love you.” Perhaps this is a good time right now…
Fr. Andrew’s Homily Podcast (7 minutes, given at Cathedral on April 4, 2015)
This holy night finds the Church celebrating the profound mystery of Christ’s saving work. The Easter Vigil recalls the great moments of salvation history, rejoices with those who enter into full communion with the sacramental life of the Church, and is nourished by Eucharist. Here are the four key components:
The Liturgy of Light (or Lucernarium) begins the Easter Vigil. In the darkness the image of light is used to proclaim our hope in Christ. Several things happen:
The Liturgy of the Word recounts the epic story of salvation history through several Old Testament Scriptures:
We then move from the Old t0 the New Testament:
The Liturgy of Initiation then follows where those who have been preparing to enter the Church now receive their sacraments.
Finally, the Liturgy of the Eucharist allows the entire community to draw near to the altar to receive Jesus Christ in the sacrament of his Body and Blood. The newly baptized receive Holy Communion for the first time in the company of their fellow Catholics. Like every Mass:
The great promise of faith, founded upon God’s saving work through time in the history of salvation, is proclaimed on this holy night. May Christians around the world renew their faith in Jesus Christ – sharing his love and light with one another.
Christ our Light!
Study: Where have I made sacrifices in my life? What do these sacrifices reveal about my values and priorities?
Pray: Reflect on those who are suffering right now. Draw near to them in your prayer, asking the Lord to give them strength.
Serve: Who is carrying a cross in your life today? How can you help them?
Fr. Andrew’s Homily Podcast (10 minutes, given at Cathedral on April 3, 2015)
For what would you give your life? For who?
Perhaps this is too extreme as a starting point. Perhaps the first question should be where in my life have I made consistent sacrifices? Where in my life have I given up something because I believed in something more important?
Sacrifices reveal the depth and character of our heart. They show our values, principles, and convictions in straightforward and direct ways. Our sacrifices quickly point out the hidden parts of our soul – either to be confirmed/denied by the words we speak – and proclaim to others our inner self.
In general sacrifice means giving our lives – sometimes in simple service, minor inconveniences, labors of love, seasons of selflessness, or in extreme cases: offering our lives. We make sacrifices all the time.
So did Christ.
As we read the Passion of the Lord today we discover the love Christ has for every human soul; the Lord willingly hung upon the Cross for our sins – sacrificing his innocent life for the pains and hurts we have inflicted upon one another. His sacrifice reveals his love for us (even on our worst days) as something so precious that it is worth all the pain and humiliation that the devil could provide.
Where do we see ourselves in the Passion? What crosses have we been given to carry – participating in some small way with the Cross of Christ? Or are we like Simon of Cyrene or Veronica – assisting with others in their own journey to Calvary? Are we making sacrifices or offering support for others in their need? We read the Passion every year on Good Friday to remind ourselves not only of what the Lord has done for us, but also that we, too, have a part to play. Our crosses participate in the Cross of Christ; our support for one another shares in the comfort which others offered to Jesus.
May this Good Friday drive us to our knees – thanking the Lord for what he did for us, and inspiring us to walk willingly with others in their need.
This post was originally published on April 3, 2015
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Walking with the Lord in Holy Week (March 9-12, 2015 – Our Lady of the Valley – Green Valley, AZ) This parish mission takes the listener on a journey with Christ – from his entry into Jerusalem, through the Last Supper, his Passion, and his Resurrection.
Study: Reflect on the readings today. How is the Lord inviting you to serve? How has the Lord provided opportunities for you to receive him in Eucharist?
Pray: Go to Mass and recommit your life to Christ – giving your life and receiving from Him what you need.
Serve: Who has the Lord placed in your path to help? What can you do right now to make a difference?
Fr. Andrew’s Homily Podcast (8 minutes, given at Cathedral on April 2, 2015)
Assembled together on the night before he died, the disciples celebrated the Passover meal with Jesus. The recalled the great story of deliverance: how the people of Israel had been freed from bondage and slavery by God’s power through the prophet Moses. They remembered how the blood of the lamb marked the lintel and doorposts so that the Angel of Death would pass by the people as it brought devastation to the land of Egypt. They ate the unleavened bread, mindful that the Israelites were in such a hurry to depart Egypt that their own bread had not yet risen.
And in the context of this great story of freedom, Jesus teaches and commands them to do two crucial things:
The Lord demonstrates by his own example: he washes the feet of his disciples – work that is reserved for servants – and commands them to do the same for one another. There is no ambiguity in this moment, no chance to say it is merely a symbol. Christ shows them what to do and tells them to do it (John 13:1-15); the path that leads from freedom from sin and death is marked by our care for our brothers and sisters. Simply put, our lives are meant to be offered for others – giving ourselves in service.
During the course of the meal Jesus took that flat, unleavened bread and did something amazing. Again, he teaches them that “This is my Body” and “This is my Blood” (Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-26; Luke 22:14-23). Note: this is not some vague, hazy statement! The Lord defines the bread & wine in a new way, revealing to his disciples that he will nourish them as they embrace the new covenant of freedom through his death and resurrection. And then he commands them to “take and eat…and take and drink…”in his name.
Giving and Receiving. Offering our lives as we are strengthened by the Lord,we are fed so that we might live for one another. God blesses us with the gift of life and faith so that we in turn might be a gift to those around us. May we come frequently to the altar – fulfilling the command of Christ – so that we might be renewed to live each day for the one who died and rose for our salvation.
This blog was originally posted on April 2, 2015.
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Walking with the Lord in Holy Week (March 9-12, 2015 – Our Lady of the Valley – Green Valley, AZ) This parish mission takes the listener on a journey with Christ – from his entry into Jerusalem, through the Last Supper, his Passion, and his Resurrection.
Catholic Inspiration – Podcast Archives of Homilies & Talks
Three Great Things 