Fr. Andrew’s 13th Sunday of the Year Homily Podcast
Jesus defines much of his ministry with clear examples of healing others, and the Gospel today gives us an insight about how we draw near the Lord. We have all had experiences where we long for healing. We have seen loved ones suffer, and many of us know first hand the presence of pain in our lives. May the example of Jairus and the unnamed woman inspire us to seek the healing grace of Christ!
Fr. Andrew’s 12th Sunday of the Year Homily Podcast
We get to live in this beautiful part of the country! From the wonder of creation we can get some insights into the power and love of God. May these insights inspire us:
With open eyes and willing hearts…may our love for the Creator be inspired by the creation we enjoy!
Study: Recall a place in nature that you find particularly calming. What is it about this location that touches your heart?
Pray: Take some time to enjoy the opportunities of nature near you.
Serve: How can you take care of the beauty of creation? What can you do right now for the care of the earth?
12th Sunday of the Year Readings
There are many beautiful places in the world, and I get to live in one of them. The forests of northern Wisconsin reveal color and majesty; the water in our streams, rivers, lakes and Great Lakes offer serenity and grandeur; the rolling hills of lush farmland exude the glory of life.
And I call this home.
Nature teaches many lessons: beauty, truth, life, death, change, growth, immensity, and wonder – to name just a few. Yet nature also reveals through its design and form some clues about the Author who created it all. Simply put, in the creation we see the signs of the Creator.
The first reading reminds us that the Lord fashioned the world. God speaks to Job, driving home the point that the power and significance of the planet derives from the the goodness of the Almighty. From the throne of Heaven God rules his creation far above the scope and understanding of the human heart.
In the Gospel today Jesus calms a stormy sea with a single word. The Lord who made the universe as power over it; at his command the earth obeys. Jesus, the Son of God, holds the world in his hands.
From these readings we might rightly assume the transcendent power of God. But there is more: Jesus Christ – the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords – reaches out from the awesome power of divine supremacy to enter our world and be known by the human heart. The Lord bridges the distance between Heaven and Earth, allowing us to come to know the one who made us; the Creator allows his creation to draw near.
Take some time this week and immerse yourself in the beauty of creation. Open your eyes to the wonder and glory that God lavishes upon us. Offer a prayer of thanksgiving and count your blessings – there is much in the world that soothes and calms our souls!
And remember this fact: the Divine Master who made all creation, died and rose for his creatures – so that we might be united with him forever in Heaven.
Nature teaches us that little seeds lead to big things. Life is a process of growth and change, and from the Gospel reading we can consider two points:
The Kingdom of Heaven is like a seed – it starts small but keeps growing! May we do the same, as individuals and united together, to grow in faith, hope, and love.
Study: Recall a time of profound change and growth in your life. What helped you become better?
Pray: Ask the Lord for the grace to face difficult challenges and embrace them.
Serve: Who in your life is confronting change right now? How can you help them?
11th Sunday of the Year Readings
Now that June is in full swing the color green is flourishing across the upper Midwest. Summer delights the eye with growth and life, and from my view along the shore of Lake Superior this is most evident in the beauty of trees.
I have walked Wisconsin forests my entire life, and I find a peace and serenity among the grandeur and power of trees. They anchor the soil, provide habitat for wildlife, shade for the weary, and a renewable resource for humanity’s handiwork.
Yet for the majesty of trees, they all start small – from a pine cone or an acorn, a “helicopter” seed or a shoot – massive trees have humble, tender beginnings.
Just like our faith.
We know from our own experience that all good things take time and effort to develop; growth and change occur through new encounters. The process reminds us of two key points:
In the first point we recognize opportunity and growth; in the second point we face obstacles with hope that these challenges will teach us new insights. Growth and change are part of life. What’s more, this change almost always begins from a small and humble beginning.
Where in your life do you have opportunities to grow? Where do you see challenges that will require new ways of thought and action? Take time to seek the Lord – to start small like a little seed – and grow in these moments into a new creation, guided and empowered to become more fully alive.
Now matter where we are in the journey of faith, may we open our hearts to God’s grace as we grow in faith, hope, and love as disciples of Jesus Christ!
Fr. Andrew’s Corpus Christi Homily Podcast
The miracle of the Mass touches our lives in a number of crucial ways: We hear the Word of God; we receive the Sacrament of Christ’s Body & Blood; we unite as the Lord’s disciples and pray together. Below are three key words that can help us experience this miracle more fully:
What happens before, during and after each Mass can transform our hearts and change our lives. May our communion with Jesus Christ nourish us for service in the world!
Study: Reflect on the Mass. What parts do you find most helpful?
Pray: Consider making a list of prayer needs for your use at Mass. Keep this list near you for reference when you go to Church.
Serve: Perhaps you know others who have been away from Mass for awhile. Consider making the effort to invite them to join you at Mass.
The Body and Blood of Christ Readings
The celebration of the Eucharist is the highest form of Christian prayer. Jesus defines the bread and wine and his body and blood, and then he commands his disciples to “take and eat…take and drink” in his memory. Besides the readings we will hear at Mass, some other crucial Scripture passages testify to this essential element of our faith:
What happens when we go to Mass? What do we encounter when we open our hearts to this hour long prayer? Here are few key points:
Of course in our fast paced, entertain-me-so-I-won’t-be-bored world, we can look upon the central prayer of the Church and wonder why the Mass doesn’t “get modern.” The reality is that the Mass continues to adapt to the culture and times. The real question is this: Do I come to the Mass with an open heart to encounter the Lord and his disciples? Do I come with a focus to offer my life to be renewed by Christ?
Here are seven ideas for getting the most out of Mass:
Jesus Christ gives us the gift of himself in every Mass. He defines what we do and commanded us to do it. Every time we come to Mass we encounter the Lord and allow his grace to transform our lives. May his Body strengthen our bodies; may his Blood flow through our veins.
After all, as his disciples, we have his work to do.
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The Last Supper, Leonardo da Vinci; 1494-1499, tempera on gesso, pitch and mastic, 460 cm x 880 cm, Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan, Italy.
Fr. Andrew’s Holy Trinity Homily Podcast
This homily was given on May 30, 2015 at St. William Church in Foxboro, WI.
The mystery of the Holy Trinity – there is one God, revealed in three Persons – communicates that God comes to us in communion. Indivisibly united, the Trinity teaches us that communion – being united together – is a key element to the practical experience of our lives.
Communion is crucial for all of us: family, friendship, co-workers, neighbors, classmates – even strangers – are all part of the fabric of our lives. Indeed, we can evaluate ourselves in a very real way by taking measure of our communion with one another.
Where our communion is vibrant, we grow; where it is wounded, we heal; and where it is broken, we come to the altar to receive Jesus Christ in Holy Communion to renew the communion of our hearts. May this communion within the Trinity transform and unite us with almighty God and one another.
Study: Reflect on the strongest relationships in our lives. What qualities and characteristics are present?
Pray: Ask the Lord for the guidance to see where we can build and renew our relationships.
Serve: Are there people around us that we need to forgive or assist? What steps can we take right now to start this process?
One God…Three Persons.
That’s the Trinity, and when you get right down to it, this central mystery of the Christian faith is just that – mystery. I have heard and used many images as illustrations to aid in understanding the Trinity:
These examples (and many like them) try to get at the notion of how something can be the same and different at the same time. How unity and diversity can be present at the same time; how the individual and the communal are manifested simultaneously.
It’s a mystery.
And at the heart of the mystery we have a communion of Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – a revelation that God comes to us in communion and invites us to be communion with others. We are not alone! God (in communion) invites us into this communion to create communion with one another.
Where do we find communion in our lives? Some obvious places:
You get the idea. Wherever two or more are present, the opportunity for communion is possible. The point: How strong is the communion we have have with God and one another? How united are we in faith, hope, and love?
May we reflect on the current state of our relationships today and renew them, allowing the grace of God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – to bless the communion we have with those around us.
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Trinity, Andrei Rublev; 1411-1427 (est.), Tempera, 142 cm x 114 cm, Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow.
Fr. Andrew’s Pentecost Homily Podcast
This homily was given at St. William Church in Foxboro, WI on May 23, 2015.
Like a gentle rain that nourishes and renews the earth, the Holy Spirit comes upon the world to bring life. The power of the Holy Spirit showers graces into our hearts with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. This happens in two profound ways:
A simple diagnostic tool: where do I see unity in my life? Where unity is present, we can build and grow stronger with the Spirit’s power. Where it is absent, we have the opportunity to call upon the Spirit for healing and transformation. Either way, come Holy Spirit!
Catholic Inspiration – Podcast Archives of Homilies & Talks
Three Great Things 