Fr. Andrew’s Cathedral School Mass on Grandparents’ Day
Grandparents are a precious gift that God gives to us. May the time we share and the memories we build with our grandparents inspire us as we live our lives with their example of love.
Tag Archives: Jesus Christ
Our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of the Universe
Study: Recall a time when you carried out a difficult command. What gave you strength?
Pray: Is there a difficult situation facing you right now? Draw near to Christ in the Eucharist for wisdom and courage.
Serve: Actions speak louder than words…so how can your actions today show others that Christ is your King?
Readings for the Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of the Universe
We conclude the Church’s liturgical calendar with this Feast in honor of our Lord. The title is one that speaks to a role that appears in history, literature, and culture: the KING.
Here are some common key points to remember:
- The King is recognized as ruler
- The King’s power is acknowledged
- The King’s decrees are to be obeyed
Sounds simple, right? So how do we apply these concepts to Jesus? Consider this:
- If Christ is the ruler of my life, then all my words and actions must align with Him.
- I turn to Christ for strength in my moments of powerlessness.
- I act on Christ’s commands, obeying His teaching and precepts.
Practically, I suggest that we focus this week on three key commandments that Christ gave us:
- Forgive one another. Reread chapter 18 in Matthew’s gospel for a review.
- Come to Mass. Check out chapter 6 in John’s gospel, or Mt. 26:26-28.
- Love one another. Try John 15:12-17 for a refresher!
Remember: the King commands us to forgive, receive Him in the Eucharist, and love one another. These are not suggestions, or helpful hints when we have free time! These are commands…and as we acknowledge that Jesus is our King we also know that we can draw near to the Lord for the strength and wisdom we need to carry them out.
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This icon of Christ Pantocrator is on loan to the Cathedral of Christ the King from Fr. Andrew Ricci. “Pantocrator” may be literally translated into “Ruler of All” or “Almighty” and it is an ancient way of depicting Jesus.
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33rd Sunday of the Year – No One Knows the Hour – Catholic Inspiration
Life offers difficulties and multiple uncertainties. What’s more, no one knows the hour when we will be called by God out of this world. So how do we live?
Answer: Fully alive in the present moment!
How?
- What’s your “bucket list” of unfinished business? Get ‘er done.
- Perform a daily diagnostic. It’s called an Examination of Conscience.
- Dare to share your heart. Say “I love you” to the people in your life!
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Christ Renews our Lives. Catholic Inspiration
Fr. Andrew’s Presentation (31 minutes)
This talk was given to Confirmation students from the Cathedral and St. Francis Xavier parishes on November 11, 2015.
Note these four points:
- God made us to be united with Him
- Sin destroys our relationships with God and one another
- Christ restores the relationship through his life, death, and resurrection
- Each of us can choose to accept the gift of Christ and live as his disciple
This message is not just for kids preparing to be confirmed! May all of us see the beauty of life, confront our struggles, and embrace the gift of Christ’s saving grace.
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Daily Mass: God’s Wisdom in our Lives. Catholic Inspiration
Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily (Thursday of the 32nd Week of the Year)
God’s Wisdom brings light to our lives, helping us see clearly and inspiring us to shine with the grace and love of Christ.
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Daily Mass: The Example of St. Leo the Great. Catholic Inspiration
Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Podcast Homily (Feast of St. Leo the Great)
St. Leo’s life offers us three points to consider for our own faith:
- We are committed to a long journey
- There are challenges without
- There are challenges within
St. Leo, PRAY FOR US! Help us to turn to Jesus Christ as we face the blessings and burdens of life.
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33rd Sunday of the Year – No One Knows the Hour
Study: Recall a couple of times in your life – when you were prepared and when you were caught off guard. How did if feel? What was the outcome?
Pray: Do you have unfinished business in your life? Take your challenges to prayer and ask the Lord for wisdom and courage.
Serve: Is there a broken or wounded relationship in your life? Perhaps you might make the first move to bring healing and reconciliation to the situation.
33rd Sunday of the Year Readings
The first reading and the Gospel today are direct and to the point: there will be hardship and distress. Tribulation is part of the journey. Get ready!
And yet we can sometimes get caught in the (mistaken) sentiment that because we follow Jesus Christ everything is suppose to be sunshine and daisies. On the contrary – our faith puts struggle front and center, reminding us that we are called to be ready and prepared for the unexpected. Because just in case you were hoping for some secret sign from the Bible when the world will end, Jesus offers one of my all-time favorite lines of Sacred Scripture:
“But of that day or hour, no one knows,
neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Mark 13:32)
No one knows the hour….this is a very big deal. Remember these points:
- Difficulty, hardship, tribulation, and suffering are part of life.
- The unexpected happens! Deal with it.
- And we do not know the hour when our lives will be over…
So how do we live? The answer is simple – TODAY we speak and act so that if the Lord called us right now we would be ready. TODAY we say:
- “I’m sorry.”
- “I forgive you.”
- “I love you.”
- “Can I help you?”
- “Can you help me?”
We live our lives one day at a time – we can’t go back and we can’t go forward – it is only in the present moment that we can do and say. Thus, if we stay shackled to the past we can’t live today, and if we keep putting off what is needed we are wasting the moment we have. TODAY is our opportunity to address any unfinished business, to right wrongs and tell the people in our lives how we feel about them. In other words, today we squeeze out every opportunity we have to love the Lord and one another…
…for of that day or hour, no one knows.
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32nd Sunday of the Year – Giving Generously, as God Gives to Us – Catholic Inspiration
Fr. Andrew’s 32nd Sunday of the Year Homily Podcast
It’s all about blessings. God lavishes graces and blessings upon us…let’s take time to acknowledge them! And then out of gratitude…let’s consider how we might be a blessing to others! Consider today how we might share our time, talent, and treasure to bless the life of another…drawing us closer to the Lord and one another.
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Daily Mass: The God Who Welcomes Sinners. Catholic Inspiration
Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily Podcast (Thursday of the 31st Week of the Year)
Sometimes we need to be reminded that the Lord welcomes us every time we turn from our sins and seek God’s grace. If there is anything holding us back (you know…fear, doubt, worry, shame, sin, or some other spiritual junk) then perhaps today is our chance to return to the one who loves us completely.
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Daily Mass: a Life Infused with Love. Catholic Inspiration
Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily Podcast (Tuesday of the 31st Week of the Year)
Chapter 12 in Paul’s Letter to the Romans offers a beautiful exhortation to live our lives infused with the love of Christ. Below you will find the link to this daily Mass reading – make a copy and post it on your bathroom mirror as a powerful reminder!
Tuesday of the 31st Week of the Year Daily Mass Reading
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Catholic Inspiration – Podcast Archives of Homilies & Talks- Daily Mass: Apollos humbly accepts instruction about Jesus
- Daily Mass: Do not be afraid. Go on speaking, for God is with us.
- Daily Mass: The example of St. Matthias
- Daily Mass: Paul has limited success in Athens
- Daily Mass: God works through Paul in prison
- Daily Mass: The Gospel is accepted in Philippi
- Study, Pray, Serve: Ascension of the Lord
- 6th Sunday of Easter: When we walk together in faith, we mentor one another
- Daily Mass: St. Paul is guided by the Holy Spirit
- Daily Mass: Our faith in Christ guides our lives
Three Great Things 