Mass Readings – Wednesday of the 6th Week of Easter
The Lord promises us the Holy Spirit, who will guide us in truth. What challenges are you facing today? Call upon the Holy Spirit for the guidance you need!
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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!
Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily Podcast
Mass Readings – Tuesday of the 1st Week of Advent
Isaiah proclaims hope – that from a dead stump there will appear new life and the order of the world will change. Jesus invites us to look closely at what God is doing, as our hope in the Lord gives strength and meaning to how we live today.
Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily Podcast
Mass Readings – Thursday of the 30th Week of the Year
Sometimes life is a battle, where we face struggles and challenges that test our endurance, discipline and will. We turn to the Lord for the strength we need to face our fight, confident that Christ will guide us.
Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily Podcast
Mass Readings – Tuesday of the 12th Week of the Year
Hezekiah calls upon the Lord when the people of Israel were in grave peril. May we face the battles in our lives with the same conviction, calling upon the Lord for the strength, courage, and wisdom we need to carry on.
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And if you are in need of a little extra prayer support, call on St. Michael!
Prayer to St. Michael, the Archangel
Mass Readings – 12th Sunday of the Year
The Cross of Christ reveals how God entered into the heart of human suffering – to touch it, bless it, and redeem it – so that we might have the courage and strength to take up the crosses in our lives. What is your Cross? Do not be afraid, but call upon the Lord for the grace you need to take up your cross and walk the journey of life…with Jesus Christ by our side.
Study: Reflect on a time when you have experienced God’s grace first hand. How did the Lord help you?
Pray: Is there a situation or circumstance that seems bigger than you can handle? Call upon the Holy Spirit!
Serve: Check your heart…is the Spirit prompting you to help someone else right now? If so, how?
Pentecost Readings for Vigil Mass
Pentecost Readings for Mass during the Day
Question: Where do people get their strength to live their faith?
Answer: The Holy Spirit!
On this day we celebrate the infusion of grace that came upon the apostles following the Ascension of Christ into Heaven. The Lord said that he would ask the Father to send the Spirit – that the Church might always be guided and protected – with power and glory.
This is the Spirit that renews hearts that are weak and wounded. This is the Spirit that brings hope to those who are crushed with despair and fear. This is the Spirit that triumphs over the darkness of sin and restores our relationships with God and one another.
Let’s be clear: we can’t do it alone. We’re not suppose to! We are utterly and completely dependent on God: for our lives; our talents; and our opportunities to serve. The Spirit comes to us with the grace and strength that we need to fulfill the gift of life, giving glory to the Almighty for all that we have.
What’s more, we are called to communion – leaning on and supporting one another – and with the help of the Holy Spirit we deepen our relationships and reconcile when division and obstacles appear. Simply put, the Holy Spirit empowers us to live our lives at full power.
Call on the Spirit in your life. Ask the Holy Spirit for the wisdom, strength, and courage you need for whatever tasks are before you. This Spirit has been present to the Church since Pentecost, and this Spirit continues to empower and transform our lives today.
Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily – Friday of the 3rd Week of Easter
Some wonderful 2nd graders from Mrs. Hockenbrock’s class visit with Fr. Andrew about the conversion of St. Paul.
Fr. Andrew’s 21st Sunday of the Year Homily Podcast
Life is difficult. In the midst of our struggle to make good choices and carry out challenging tasks, we call upon God for the help we need. As we encounter Jesus Christ in Holy Communion to be strengthened for the burdens of life, we pray for Wisdom to choose wisely and Courage to carry it out.
Study: Recall a time when you were confronted with a tough decision. Who or what helped you to face your situation?
Pray: Are you facing a difficult time? Ask the Lord for wisdom and courage.
Serve: Is there someone in your life who is struggling with a challenge? How can you help them?
21st Sunday of the Year Readings
The crowds had listened to Jesus. They had seen the healings and witnessed the miracle of the fishes and loaves. They had been nourished body and soul by the Lord’s presence, and after hearing the “Bread of Life” discourse they began to doubt and walk away…
“This saying is hard, who can accept it?” – John 6:60
There are moments in life when we are called to confront a difficult situation. We are challenged to understand and carry out a task that may be unpleasant or unwelcome. We have a choice: we can walk away and allow events to run on their own, or we can engage the situation knowing that every step will be hard. What do we do?
Joshua expresses the nature of a tough decision in his words to the Israelites in the first reading:
“If it does not please you to serve the Lord, then decide today whom you will serve.” – Joshua 24:15
Let’s face it. There are times in life when we struggle to make and carry out the right choice. Perhaps we don’t know what to do; perhaps we know but we struggle to do it. Sometimes it can seem like the weight of the world rests on our shoulders as we muddle through hard sayings and tough decisions.
What are you confronting today? What challenges are set before you? May we ask God for two key gifts: Wisdom and Courage. We ask for wisdom to know what to do, and we pray for courage to carry it out!
Catholic Inspiration – Podcast Archives of Homilies & Talks
Three Great Things 