
Fr. Andrew offers a homily on mercy, justice and our response to acknowledge our sins as we reconcile with one another. (Given at Cathedral of Christ the King on December 2, 2020.)
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Fr. Andrew offers a homily on mercy, justice and our response to acknowledge our sins as we reconcile with one another. (Given at Cathedral of Christ the King on December 2, 2020.)
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Jesus offers two parables to illustrate how Heaven rejoices when we repent, revealing the positive power of this critical component of our Christian life.
Mass Readings – Thursday of the 31st Week of the Year
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The Psalm response echoes the grace revealed in the Gospel of Luke. When we count our blessings we open our hearts in faith to the healing power of Jesus Christ.
Mass Readings – Thursday of the 24th Week of the Year
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The Book of Sirach, the Psalmist and the Lord all proclaim the same message: God forgives us and demands that we forgive one another.
Mass Readings – 24th Sunday of the Year
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The Gospel of Luke offers us a powerful teaching from Jesus regarding how we interact with one another.
Mass Readings – Thursday of the 23rd Week of the Year
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Study: Recall a time when you received forgiveness. What did it feel like?
Pray: Is there someone you need to forgive? Ask the Lord for the courage and strength to do it.
Serve: Is there someone you need to ask for forgiveness? Be the first to foster healing in the relationship.
Mass Readings – 24th Sunday of the Year
Let’s take a quick look at a sketch of the readings:
On one hand the teaching is simple: if you want to be forgiven by God, start forgiving one another. It’s sound logic and makes complete sense…until you have something hard to forgive. Perhaps we have felt slighted or neglected, been hurt or experienced disappointment. Maybe we just don’t understand, or maybe we are choosing to interpret a situation in its worst possible light.
Forgiveness is the practical dimension of Christian love. After all, it’s easy to love people when we are comfortable, rested, calm and free of all distractions. The real test of our love happens when we can forgive one another in the light of Jesus Christ.
The Lord offers us the teaching of forgiveness with clarity and conviction. There is no middle ground. We forgive one another if we expect God to forgive us of our own sins. We forgive, knowing that we all stand in need of God’s forgiveness, so that by unlocking the gates of our hearts through forgiveness we can stand before the Lord ready to receive the grace of his mercy.
Two thoughts then emerge today:
May the Lord inspire us to be people of forgiveness as we practice his teaching and follow his example.
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Note: This post was first published on September 11, 2017.
The prophet Ezekiel and the Psalmist offer us beautiful words of comfort: the Lord washes away the impurities of our souls and gives us clean hearts.
Mass Readings – Thursday of the 20th Week of the Year
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Jesus offers a parable about the Kingdom of Heaven that offers us hope in God’s abundant mercy throughout our lives. Even to our last breath, the Lord extends to us compassion and grace. May we accept it today!
Mass Readings – Wednesday of the 20th Week of the Year
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Following Christ means that we are people who consistently and adamantly seek out opportunities to forgive. Forgiveness is essential…for our journey through this life and our admission to the next.
Mass Readings – Thursday of the 19th Week of the Year
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Jesus offers practical advice for dealing with broken relationships in a way that is empowering and crucial for our personal growth.
Mass Readings – Wednesday of the 19th Week of the Year
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