10th Sunday of the Year Readings
Just as Jesus restored to life the Widow’s Son in the Gospel of Luke, God can also touch our lives with power and grace. Two thoughts emerge:
Study: Recall a time when you experienced a profound sense of peace. What made this possible?
Pray: Ask for God’s peace to touch your life and the those you love.
Serve: Consider ways you can share the peace of Christ with others. Be an instrument of peace today.
I find the words of the Lord in the Gospel tremendously comforting:
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
Not as the world gives do I give it to you.
Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.” (John 14:27)
How often do we need to hear these words! How often do we find ourselves disturbed and upset by the frustrations and fears of life?! And yet, Jesus – who knows us better than we know ourselves – consoles and comforts us with a peace that flows on the wings of the Holy Spirit from the heart of Heaven.
We crave peace: in our hearts, our homes, our work, our community. There is a tranquility that comes when we are united with one another, free from discord, doubt and misunderstanding. God’s peace empowers us to walk through the challenges of life with a quiet conviction that we will face whatever comes before us with the guidance of Christ.
Two key thoughts thus emerge:
Are there parts of my life that hunger for peace? Bring them to prayer. Are there ways that I can be an instrument of peace, in my own life and in the lives of others? Act now. God’s peace is for the asking and the Holy Spirit is present to renew us with this blessed gift.
May we leave behind our fears and anxieties, turning to Christ for the strength and guidance we need to embrace our lives with joy.
Peace be with you!
Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily Podcast – Thursday of the 4th Week of Easter
This homily, which takes places during a Healing Mass that offers the Anointing of the Sick, shows how the healing we receive finds its source in the Lord’s grace. What’s more, we not only receive Christ’s healing, but we also serve as the Lord’s healing instruments to those around us.
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 Daily Mass Homily Podcast – Wednesday of the Octave of Easter
Two great readings! The road to Emmaus shows how two disciples encountered Christ; the miracle performed by Peter & John in the name of Jesus reveals how the disciples now continue the Lord’s work. We, too, are invited to encounter the Lord so that we can share what we have received with one another.
Study: Reflect on your life right now. What needs to be touched by the power of Christ’s resurrection?
Pray: The resurrection of Jesus brings power and hope to all believers; pray for God’s grace in your daily life.
Serve: How might the Good News of Christ shine through your words and actions today?
Fr. Andrew’s Homily Podcast
I continually marvel at the power of the Resurrection of Christ in the lives of the apostles. They are different people! Standing in the light of Easter, touching and speaking to the Risen Lord, they can’t go back – their lives are forever changed and empowered to proclaim Good News. Check this out:
Note this: it wasn’t the miracles, healings, or teachings of Jesus that brought about this change. It was the resurrection; all these people who formerly followed Jesus are transformed into a new creation by the experience of the Easter. They are freed from fear and no longer bound by sin. Their lives are shot through with grace, mercy, peace, and joy.
I want this. I want this for every person I meet, for every person I know, and certainly for my own heart. To bask in the light of Christ raised from the dead – to know that God has built a bridge that covers the gap from our weakness to the glory of Heaven – is to live with a power and conviction that brings the Lord’s life to a world in need of Good News.
So today:
Our faith is not a history lesson. Christ’s resurrection continues to bring change and renewal to our lives today. May we open our hearts to the Lord and allow Easter glory to shine in our lives.
Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily Podcast – Tuesday of the 4th Week of Lent
Anyone who farms or gardens knows the crucial need for water. Essential for life, water also calms our souls and heals our hearts. Today’s Old Testament and Gospel readings remind us that Christ is the flowing water that brings life to the world.
Study: Reflect on a time in life when you made a grave mistake or serious sin. How did you face it?
Pray: Is there something that is keeping you from the Lord or another person? Ask the Lord for the grace to reconcile.
Serve: Is there a situation in your life that offers you a chance to extend mercy? Consider ways to make it happen.
5th Sunday of Lent Readings – Year C
Fr. Andrew’s Homily Podcast
Have you ever been clearly in the wrong? Made a mistake that was self-evident and completely your own fault? Don’t worry…you’re in good company. As much as we don’t like to admit it or claim it, we have all fallen short of the Lord’s commandments. We sin.
There are a couple of easy traps that we need to avoid:
What we find in the Gospel today is something in between that exemplifies God’s Mercy. The woman caught in adultery (where’s the man?!) is dragged before the Lord and forced to stand out in her shame as the people try to trap Jesus.
His response is profound. “Let the one among you who is without sin, be the first to throw a stone at her.” One by one the realization of their own sins causes the crowd to dwindle away; they have all fallen short, and they have all been in need of mercy.
Yet the Lord is not done. After all, he is the only one without sin in the group! He alone has the right to carry out judgment. Yet this is what he says:
“Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin.”
Note both points:
In light of this Gospel I suggest the following takeaways:
As we embark on the last weeks of Lent, may we never fear to approach the Lord in our sins. For as we honestly claim our faults we draw forgiveness from the one who came to save and set us free.
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The image is taken from the movie The Passion of the Christ.
Fr. Andrew’s presentation on Mercy – 15 Minutes
How do we understand mercy as it applies to our lives? What does it mean and how can we practice mercy – both receiving and giving – in our interactions with the Lord and one another? This short talk offers some practical points and an example from Jesus in the Gospel of John. Given during the “24 Hours with the Lord” at the Cathedral on March 4, 2016.
Study: Reflect on a time when you were forgiven. What steps took place to make it happen?
Pray: Is there something in your life that’s prompting you to repent? Ask the Lord for the strength to do it!
Serve: Is there a situation in your life that you can help bring healing and reconciliation? How might you be an instrument of God’s grace?
3rd Sunday of Lent Readings – Year C
Here’s a quick recap of the readings this week:
On the one hand we hear how God takes pity on our plight, has great mercy, and longs to heal and love us. On the other hand, we also hear the crucial need to repent – to turn away from our sins and draw near to the Lord.
Remember this: God requires our repentance so that we can freely receive his mercy and forgiveness. Reconciliation means nothing if we aren’t sorry for what we have said and done. What’s more, without repentance we cannot begin to comprehend the unconditional love of Jesus on the Cross.
So what is our path to repentance? Consider these basic steps:
The Lord is calling us – out of his awesome grace, mercy, and forgiveness – to repent. Make this Lent extra special, and may all of us take the time to review our hearts and be about the business of God’s healing love.
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If you are looking for more material to help you this Lent, you might consider this list of presentations I have offered over the last couple of years. Feel free to check it out and share if you find it helpful:
Podcast Resources for a Powerful Lent
Catholic Inspiration – Podcast Archives of Homilies & Talks
Three Great Things 