Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily Podcast – Friday of the 5th Week of Easter
Building on the Gospel readings over the last three days, the Lord commands us to love one another – bearing fruit in and through our lives.
Tag Archives: Love
Daily Mass: Remain in Christ’s Love
Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily Podcast – Thursday of the 5th Week of Easter
The words of Christ reveal links in a chain: Love of the Father…Love of Christ….our Love for one another. As yesterday’s illustration of vine/branches pointed out, our love is rooted in Christ and flows into the hearts of those around us.
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Daily Mass: The Vine & The Branches. Catholic Inspiration
Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily – Wednesday of the 5th Week of Easter
This beautiful image of Christ as the vine and ourselves as the branches beautifully reminds us of our dependence on the grace of God. May we stay close to Jesus, and allow his love to overflow our hearts!
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5th Sunday of Easter: The Command to Love. Catholic Inspiration
Fr. Andrew’s 5th Sunday of Easter Homily Podcast
5th Sunday of Easter Mass Readings
The readings reveal two aspects of the Church: growing & glorified. Through the times of both blessing and burden the command of Christ to Love shapes our lives as disciples, and directs us to love each and every day.
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Daily Mass: Christ heals us. Catholic Inspiration
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.
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5th Sunday of Easter – The Church on Earth and in Heaven
Study: Consider a moment when you felt unconditional love. How did you react?
Pray: Are there people in your life who are hard to love? Ask the Lord to soften your heart, and place in you the desire to want to love them.
Serve: Love is expressed in many ways. How can you share the Love of Christ with others today?
Let’s start with a quick overview of this week’s readings:
- 1st Reading – Paul & Barnabas are fostering the Church among the Gentiles
- Psalm – “I will praise your name forever, my king and my God.”
- 2nd Reading – John’s vision of a new heaven and a new earth
- Gospel – Jesus commands his disciples to love one another
The Easter season proclaims the Lord’s triumph over sin and death, and inspires us to fix our eyes on Heaven as our destination and goal. United together with the Lord, we understand that we are pilgrims passing through this world – and our words and actions have power and consequence.
Think about it. The Lord commands us to love. This is not some pleasant suggestion or good-idea-if-you-have-time-to-fit-it-in…this command is our call to action: Love flows from the heart of Heaven, and in our Love on earth we practice for the day when we will stand before the Author of Love itself.
And lest we get caught up in some sort of warm fuzzy feeling about Love, we know that this command is hard to carry out! Love demands our forgiveness, patience, mercy, gentleness, peace, and understanding. Simply put, we are called to Love as Christ loves us – by laying down our lives for one another.
Love, then, is not only a principal condition for Heaven, but for the Church on earth as well. Nothing reveals our sincerity and authenticity as Christians more fully than when Love shines through our words and actions.
Our goal is Heaven, and while here on earth the Church follows the example of Christ – loving God and one another. May others see the Lord’s Love in our lives today!
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3rd Sunday of Easter: A Love that fosters Faith in a time of trouble. Catholic Inspiration
Fr. Andrew’s 3rd Sunday of Easter Homily Podcast
Following the Lord does not mean that life is easy; rather, our faith gives us a strength to face the obstacles of life with the power of Christ’s love.
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Daily Mass: Life and Death. Catholic Inspiration
Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily Podcast – Thursday of the 2nd Week of Easter
Empowered by the Holy Spirit and filled with the love of the Risen Christ, the disciples continue to proclaim the Good News in the face of open hostility. May we take their example to heart as we draw near to the Lord for the grace we need to confront the challenges and obstacles of daily life.
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Daily Mass: A Love that casts out Fear. Catholic Inspiration
Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily Podcast – Wednesday of the 2nd Week of Easter
The Apostles continue to preach the message of Christ in the context of persecution. They are freed from fear! How is this possible? Where do they get their strength? The Gospel answer: the Love of Christ poured out through his Death and Resurrection has transformed them. May the Lord’s love cast out our fears as well.
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Head of Christ, Richard Hook.
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3rd Sunday of Easter – Strong Faith in Hard Times
Study: Reflect on an experience where your faith got you through a difficult time. What (or who) in particular helped you?
Pray: Offer up the needs of loved ones who are experiencing tough times right now. Pray for them!
Serve: Is there a way that you can offer fellowship or support for someone struggling? How can you lighten their load?
Fr. Andrew’s Homily Podcast
The power of Easter shines through the Scripture readings this week:
- 1st Reading – The Disciples face persecution for their witness
- Psalm – “I will praise you Lord, for you have rescued me.”
- 2nd Reading – John’s vision of Heaven, where angels worship Christ
- Gospel – Jesus asks Peter “Do you love me?” three times
The disciples, freed from fear, now boldly proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ. In fact, they wear their hardships like badges of honor – “rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.” (Acts 5:41)
A key point emerges: being a Christian does not mean that life will be easy. On the contrary! Striving to live in a manner worthy of Christ means that we will stand out and at times face hostility because we seek to live a Godly life. At times we will encounter obstacles, setbacks, personal failures, and perhaps even ridicule – yet even in our weaknesses and failures we draw on the strength of the Lord for grace, mercy, and life.
This strength is highlighted in the encounter between Jesus and Peter, which takes place on the shore of the Sea of Galilee after the resurrection. Peter has to face the Lord (the one he betrayed three times) and confront his own personal failure as he meets his friend and Savior. Coming to Jesus (who knows his heart) Peter admits his inadequacy even as he affirms his love for the Lord.
These readings give us hope! In tough times or smooth sailing, we turn (and return) to Christ for the wisdom and guidance we need. And if we fail, we fall facing Jesus, who will lift us back up with a grace and strength to help us in our adversity – asking only that we renew our love for the one who died and rose for our salvation.
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Catholic Inspiration – Podcast Archives of Homilies & Talks- Daily Mass: The Lord urges us to repent
- Daily Mass: We respond to the spiritual signs in our lives
- Daily Mass: The Lord sets a blazing fire upon the earth
- Daily Mass: Much is expected of those who have been given much
- Daily Mass: We are vigilant and prepared for the Lord
- Daily Mass: We take care to guard against all greed
- Study, Pray, Serve: 30th Sunday of the Year
- 29th Sunday of the Year: What will we make with the gift of our lives?
- Daily Mass: Will we stand up for the Lord?
- Daily Mass: Do not be afraid!
