In the light of that first Easter day the disciples were transformed as they began to comprehend the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Freed from the fear of sin and death, they embraced their faith and changed the world. May we continue to follow their example as we allow Easter joy to fill our hearts and renew our lives.
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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
Mass Readings – 3rd Sunday of the Year
We know firsthand the different types of darkness that occur in daily life: fear, grief, loss, pain, anger, loneliness, rejection and doubt. In these moments we call upon the Lord – who casts out the darkness – so that we can live in the Light of Christ.
Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily Podcast
Mass Readings – Thursday of the 3rd Week of Advent
Jesus offers us a glimpse of the power and beauty of the Kingdom of God, inspiring us to live the Lord’s love today as we set our eyes on the world to come.
Study: Consider one thing you can do today to live your faith. What would it be?
Pray: Do you have any unfinished business that you need to complete? Ask the Lord for the strength and conviction to finish it.
Serve: Is there someone in your life who struggles with depression, fear, or doubt? How can you help them?
Mass Readings – 1st Sunday of Advent
We start a new liturgical year in the Church (that’s “Year A” if you need to use the Lectionary for Sunday readings and “Cycle I” for daily Mass) with a vision of the end of time when the Son of Man comes in glory.
Several key points emerge:
Advent gives us a rich – but very short – opportunity to prepare our hearts for Christmas. All of these points listed above serve as excellent reminders regarding how we live each day fully invested in the present moment. We live for the Lord, following his commands, so as to be ready whenever and wherever our lives will take the next turn in the road.
For when God calls us into eternity we hear that the unity, peace, and joy we glimpse in precious moments in this life will come to fulfillment. United in the Lord, we will join the heavenly host when this world passes away.
I invite us all to consider how we might do one thing better each day – to be more focused, more aware, more present – so that we can give glory and honor to Jesus Christ. We follow the Lord with all our hearts; may we make the most of every day to live our faith to the fullest.
May this Advent be a time of blessing for us all!
Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily Podcast
Mass Readings – Wednesday of the 19th Week of the Year, the Feast of St. Lawrence
Just as a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies – to produce much fruit – so our lives are offered in the world to bring a fruitful, spiritual harvest. May this offering be filled with joy, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily Podcast – Friday of the 6th Week of Easter
This is really two podcasts put together: some 5th graders from Cathedral school offered their reflections, and their thoughts are followed with the actual homily given at Mass. May we face the grief of this world with the faith of Christ…who will bring us to eternal joy.
Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily – Tuesday of the Octave of Easter
Both Peter and Mary Magdalene are transformed by the power of the resurrection: Peter, formerly bound by fear, is now on fire to spread the Good News; Mary, overcome by sorrow, is now filled with joy. What in our life needs to be touched by the power of Christ’s resurrection? How can Easter transform our lives today?
Study: Where in my life have I discovered God’s strength and grace? How have others helped me?
Pray: Where do I need God’s strength right now? Call upon the Lord with boldness to face the challenges of life.
Serve: How can I be an instrument of God’s strength to another? How can I help someone today?
Fr. Andrew’s Homily Podcast (7 minutes, given at Cathedral on April 4, 2015)
I can only imagine the surge of excitement that went through the disciples as the word was shared. Beyond the agony of the Cross and the sorrow of the Tomb on that first day of the week the message was proclaimed: He’s Alive!
And everything changes. This group of disciples – bound by fear and selfishness – are transformed with a new strength and conviction. Their encounter with the Risen Lord will empower them to face the obstacles of this world with joy and hope. They have seen the risen Christ…what is there to fear? They have embraced the one who has conquered sin and death – there is NOTHING that can shake their confidence in the light of Easter morning.
This same strength comes to us. Like the first disciples, we can turn to Jesus and allow his saving grace to renew us with a strength far beyond our own. We can claim a hope that sustains us in the midst of our challenges and struggles. The Easter sunrise brings light to the darkest corners of our hearts.
What in our lives needs to be touched by Jesus Christ? We are invited to boldly come forward, receive his resurrection strength, and face whatever this world presents with confidence: the victory of Christ enlivens us to travel through life with the conviction that the grace he gave his disciples continues in our hearts today.
May this Easter season be a time of transformation and renewal; a time where we embrace the gift of our lives with a new freedom and conviction. In the light of this Easter, may we follow the one who leads us from sin and death to the abundance of life…in this world, and the world to come.
Happy Easter!
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Walking with the Lord in Holy Week (March 9-12, 2015 – Our Lady of the Valley – Green Valley, AZ) This parish mission takes the listener on a journey with Christ – from his entry into Jerusalem, through the Last Supper, his Passion, and his Resurrection.
Study: Reflect on a time when you experienced something profoundly good. How did it shape you?
Pray: Are there needs in your life or in someone you know? Ask the Lord to touch and bless them with goodness.
Serve: How can you bring abundant goodness to another today? How can your service make a real difference in someone’s life?
2nd Sunday of the Year Readings
This week’s readings proclaim God’s goodness in a variety of ways:
We often talk about the Lord’s commandments as things we should NOT do. While this is often true and helpful, we can sometimes miss the point about all the ways our lives can DO things that are inspired (and indeed, commanded) by God. We are called:
Simply put, God’s goodness to us inspires us to share this abundant goodness with each other. We are invited to take hold of our lives and make the most of each day – loving and serving, forgiving and helping, blessing, healing, rejoicing, and renewing. We have been given the gifts of life and faith….let’s live them with power!
The gut check in all this flows from our fundamental attitude: do we live our faith with love, joy, and peace? Do people see goodness in the words we say and the actions we perform? Is our Christian witness evident in the manner and conduct of our interactions with others? May God’s goodness empower our lives to burn like a blazing torch – leading others closer to God and one another.
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The Wedding at Cana, Paolo Veronese; 1562, Louvre Museum, Paris, France.
Midnight Mass Podcast from the Cathedral – 95 Minutes
Fr. Andrew’s Christmas Homily Podcast
Like a bridge that connects two shores, Jesus Christ comes into our world to unite us to God and one another. Fully human like us, he teaches us about God and guides us to heaven. Fully divine, he has the power to overcome sin and death and bring healing and reconciliation to our lives.
Merry Christmas!
Catholic Inspiration – Podcast Archives of Homilies & Talks
Three Great Things 