Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily Podcast – Wednesday of the 2nd Week of Lent
Jesus teaches his disciples that to follow his example requires us to become servants, pouring out our lives for one another.
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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
There are many ways to get the most out of Lent. This gift that the Church celebrates every year provides an opportunity for spiritual renewal. Below you will find a short summary of some of the Homilies, Presentations and Retreats that I have offered over the last couple of years with themes that might speak to your own Lenten journey. Feel free to try any of these podcasts; if they are helpful, you are welcome to share them with others. After all, the purpose of the season is to draw our hearts to Jesus Christ!
Homilies
Preparing for Lent (13 Minutes) – This homily podcast offers some general helpful hints to consider as you get ready to enter into the season as a whole. Given at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Superior, WI on March 2, 2013.
Ash Wednesday (4 Minutes) – This short homily shows how messy, dirty, grimy ashes on the outside remind us of the messy, dirty, grimy reality of sin in our hearts. As we repent and believe in the Gospel, may we call upon the Lord to wash us clean with the grace of Jesus Christ. Given at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Superior, WI on Feb. 18, 2015.
Holy Thursday (8 Minutes) – At the Last Supper Jesus teaches and commands his disciples to receive his Body & Blood and give your life in service to others. In our reception of Holy Communion may we be strengthened and renewed to offer our lives, following the example of Christ. Given at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Superior, WI on April 2, 2015.
Good Friday (10 Minutes) – The Cross of Christ – ugly, filthy with the blood of countless victims, jagged, and splintered – becomes the sign of the depth and breadth of agony Jesus endured. As he embraces his suffering, the Cross becomes a bridge whereby he unites with all humanity, meeting us in our most profound moments of weakness and sin, and gives us hope through his triumph over death. We must understand the Cross in the light of Easter joy: For if we only focus on the Cross then we have no hope – life becomes dark and filled with despair; and if we only focus on Easter joy then we have no respect for the gift of the Lord’s Passion – we do not value the price He paid for our salvation. Given at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Superior, WI on April 3, 2015.
Easter (7 Minutes) – Their lives were changed; the sorrow cast from the shadow of the Cross is now transformed by resurrection glory…He’s alive! The grace of Jesus Christ inspired the disciples to go out to the world – carrying their crosses – with the power the Lord’s triumph. Christ brings this transformation to us today; his power continues to work in the world. May we open our hearts to the resurrection…and be transformed! Given at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Superior, WI on April 5, 2015.
General Presentations
Personal Prayer: Making it Real (46 Minutes) – How do we make our personal prayer real? This homily podcast highlights practical tips that bring power and meaning to our personal prayer. Given at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Superior, WI on April 11, 2015.
Personal Healing & Renewal (44 Minutes) – The presentation explores a four step process of personal healing and renewal: Acknowledgement; Diagnosis; Prescription; and Follow through. By examining four quadrants of human life (physical, intellectual, relational, spiritual) this presentation guides the listener toward personal growth in practical ways. Given to the Northern Waters Parish Nurse Group on October 9, 2015.
Christ Renews Our Lives! (31 Minutes) – This talk was presented to Confirmation students from the Cathedral and St. Francis Xavier parishes. 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. Given at the Cathedral of Christ the King on November 11, 2015.
Extraordinary Life! (36 Minutes) – This “Theology on Tap” presentation asks some big questions: Are you looking for some practical ways to transform your life? Do you long for something special, filled with power, purpose, and meaning? Fr. Andrew looks at 3 areas (Self, Others, God) and applies them to the ordinary and routine elements of daily life. Given at VIP in Superior, WI on October 22, 2015.
Prayer: Practical Pointers to Grow Closer to God (30 Minutes) – This “Theology on Tap” reflection offers some practical ways to strengthen your prayer life and grow closer to God. Some topics include: Time, Space, Location, and Preparation; Dealing with Distraction; Using resources – including Scripture and Devotionals; Finding what works for you. Given at Dubh Linh’s Pub in Duluth, MN on November 11, 2013.
Retreats
Knights of Columbus Men’s Retreat (September 13, 2014 – St. Joseph Church – Hayward, WI) This Catholic Men’s Retreat explores three ways we draw near to Jesus Christ and one another: study, prayer, and service.
Eucharist (March 8, 2014 – St. Dominic Church – Frederic, WI) This parish retreat focuses on Eucharist as the central expression of our Catholic faith.
Christian in a Changing World (February 22-24, 2014 – Cathedral of Christ the King – Superior, WI) This parish mission looks at three key concepts: Our direction in life; our spiritual fitness; putting our faith into practice.
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.
May this Lent be filled with grace and power – God bless you!
Fr. Andrew’s 5th Sunday of the Year Homily Podcast
God keeps calling, inviting us to respond. What’s holding us back? What grace do we need to pray for so that we can offer our hearts to the Lord and one another? Here I am Lord! I come to do your will.
Study: Recall a moment where you felt that God was prompting you to action. What motivated you to act? What held you back?
Pray: What grace do you need to carry out your current tasks? Storm heaven for the strength you require.
Serve: How can you make an ordinary action extraordinary? How can you do a little thing with great love?
5th Sunday of the Year Readings
Fr. Andrew’s Homily Podcast
The readings incorporate the theme of being sent on mission:
In all these cases some common points surface:
These are beautiful thoughts as we sit on the doorstep of Lent! Friends, God continues to call us – providing grace – that we might respond and offer our lives for service in the world. So let’s turn these points around from our perspective:
May our words follow the example of Isaiah in the first reading today: Here am I, Lord…send me!
Study: Consider an experience of suffering in your life. What lessons did you learn? How did you change and grow?
Pray: Many people carry heavy crosses every day…pray for them that they find the strength and grace they need.
Serve: Many people carry heavy crosses every day…how can you help them?
29th Sunday of the Year Readings
The readings today weave together around some common themes:
Let’s start with Jesus. The Lord’s mission included not only teaching and healing, but was most clearly articulated in his death and resurrection for the life of the world. Christ died for our sins – taking our place by his suffering on the Cross for the evil we have done. His resurrection blazes a trail for us that leads to Heaven.
It is crucial to note that suffering is the path, not the goal. God the Father did not choose Jesus to suffer out of a desire for pain, but to bridge the gap between the human and divine. The Lord is the High Priest whose suffering draws near to a wounded and broken humanity. Like us in all things but sin, Jesus embraces us as he stretched out his hands on the Cross.
The victory of the Resurrection reveals suffering as the doorway, a path that when taken purges and cleanses, through which Christ has passed to break the bonds of sin and death. Suffering does not end in suffering; it leads to a freedom in Christ that is filled with grace, mercy, and peace.
This message has elements of consolation and challenge for us today. The consolation? We look to Christ for our redemption – turning to the Lord whose saving death and resurrection give us eternal life.
The challenge? We are called to face our suffering, recognizing in the crosses of our lives the path of redemption that God sets before us. In other words, we drink from the cup of Christ’s suffering – but we do it with conviction, faith, and hope.
The suffering we face today is part of our transformation as disciples. We engage the challenges of this life, not because we welcome pain, but because we see God’s hand at work in our struggles to purify our hearts and desires. Through this process we offer our lives, following the example of Jesus Christ to bring life to those in our midst.
Drink from the cup. Consider the sufferings of today as an offering to the Lord – given out of love that our lives might be transformed into the image and likeness of Christ!
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La crucifixion, Philippe de Champaigne; 1644-1646, 800 x 600 pixels.
Fr. Andrew’s Holy Thursday Podcast (8 minutes)
This homily was given on April 2, 2015 at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Superior, WI.
At the Last Supper Jesus teaches and commands his disciples:
In our reception of Holy Communion may we be strengthened and renewed to offer our lives, following the example of Christ.
Study: Reflect on the readings today. How is the Lord inviting you to serve? How has the Lord provided opportunities for you to receive him in Eucharist?
Pray: Go to Mass and recommit your life to Christ – giving your life and receiving from Him what you need.
Serve: Who has the Lord placed in your path to help? What can you do right now to make a difference?
Fr. Andrew’s Homily Podcast (8 minutes)
Assembled together on the night before he died, the disciples celebrated the Passover meal with Jesus. The recalled the great story of deliverance: how the people of Israel had been freed from bondage and slavery by God’s power through the prophet Moses. They remembered how the blood of the lamb marked the lintel and doorposts so that the Angel of Death would pass by the people as it brought devastation to the land of Egypt. They ate the unleavened bread, mindful that the Israelites were in such a hurry to depart Egypt that their own bread had not yet risen.
And in the context of this great story of freedom, Jesus teaches and commands them to do two crucial things:
The Lord demonstrates by his own example: he washes the feet of his disciples – work that is reserved for servants – and commands them to do the same for one another. There is no ambiguity in this moment, no chance to say it is merely a symbol. Christ shows them what to do and tells them to do it (John 13:1-15); the path that leads from freedom from sin and death is marked by our care for our brothers and sisters. Simply put, our lives are meant to be offered for others – giving ourselves in service.
During the course of the meal Jesus took that flat, unleavened bread and did something amazing. Again, he teaches them that “This is my Body” and “This is my Blood” (Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-26; Luke 22:14-23). Note: this is not some vague, hazy statement! The Lord defines the bread & wine in a new way, revealing to his disciples that he will nourish them as they embrace the new covenant of freedom through his death and resurrection. And then he commands them to “take and eat…and take and drink…”in his name.
Giving and Receiving. Offering our lives as we are strengthened by the Lord, we are fed so that we might live for one another. God blesses us with the gift of life and faith so that we in turn might be a gift to those around us. May we come frequently to the altar – fulfilling the command of Christ – so that we might be renewed to live each day for the one who died and rose for our salvation.
Pastoral Note: This post was originally given on April 12, 2014. I share it once again in the hope that all of us will enter more fully into the gift of this sacred time. Fr. Andrew
Study: Recall a time in your life when you experienced death and new life. Where did you find the strength? Who helped you through this time?
Pray: Spend some time reflecting on the death and resurrection of Jesus this week. Read Mark 14-16; Matthew 26-28; Luke 22-24; and John 18-21. Take in as many prayer opportunities as possible in your parish.
Serve: Who in your life is dealing with life and death issues right now? How might you be present to them to offer help, comfort, or strength?
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We enter into the heart of the Christian mystery: Holy Week offers us a time to pause, reflect, and pray as the Church ponders on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
This mystery, often called the Paschal Mystery, recalls us to the saving work of the Lord. His death frees of from the burdens of sin and death, and his resurrection opens for us the path to eternal life. This mystery is profoundly experienced over the Triduum – the 3 Great Days:
On Holy Thursday we find ourselves in Jerusalem, eating with the disciples at the Lord’s Supper and feeling awkward as he washes their feet – wondering how we would react if he did that for us. We might identify with Peter or Judas – especially when we consider the times we have willingly betrayed or turned our back on the Lord.
On Good Friday we experience the physical pain, emotional abandonment, and personal humiliation on the path to Calvary (also called Golgotha or Skull Place) and look on with horror at the cruel death of Jesus. We might also consider the times we have helped others – as Simon did when he was forced to carry the Cross of Christ. And then we stand in profound sorrow with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, helpless as the innocent suffer injustice.
On Easter we wait in vigil and rise early in the morning with Mary Magdalen, only to find to our wonder and joy that the tomb is empty: Christ is alive! Our world, like that of the apostles, is changed forever as we experience new hope and life.
A word to the wise – we get out of Holy Week what we put into it. Here are some simple ways for an incredible experience.
May this be a time for all of us to grow closer to the Lord and one another.
Below are all the recorded homilies and presentations offered at the Parish Mission for Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church in Green Valley, AZ from March 7-12, 2015. Special thanks to the wonderful people at OLV for their hospitality – what a joy to be among you!
Sunday Homily Podcast – 3rd Sunday of Lent (Year B) – Saturday, March 7, 2015.
Monday Homily Podcast – Monday of the 3rd Sunday of Lent (Year I) – March 9, 2015.
Holy Week Presentation Podcast #1 – Palm Sunday – March 9, 2015.
Tuesday Homily Podcast – Tuesday of the 3rd Sunday of Lent (Year I) – March 10, 2015.
Holy Week Presentation Podcast #2 – Holy Thursday – March 10, 2015.
Holy Week Presentation Podcast #3 – Good Friday – March 11, 2015.
Thursday Homily Podcast – Thursday of the 3rd Sunday of Lent (Year I) – March 12, 2015.
Holy Week Presentation Podcast #4 – Easter – March 12, 2015.
In addition, I wish to thank the parishioners at St. Pius X Catholic Church in Solon Springs, WI who welcomed me to preach a concentrated version of this Mission on Saturday, February 28, 2015 – thank you for your kindness…these presentations grew out of our day together!
This is the 2nd of four presentations given at a Parish Mission on March 9-12, 2015 for Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church in Green Valley, Arizona.
Fr. Andrew’s Presentation Podcast #2 – Holy Thursday (33 minutes)
At the Last Supper on the night before he died, the Lord Jesus imparted two key commands that he gave to his disciples:
In SERVICE the Lord taught with through his example of washing the disciples’ feet. Found in John 13:1-15, Christ shows his disciples in a clear and direct way that following Jesus demands a call to serve one another. Service is the path that invites us to give our lives, sharing the unique skills, resources, experiences, and talents we have for the good of others.
In SACRAMENT the Lord defined the bread and wine as his body and blood. In addition to the Institution of the Eucharist found in Matthew, Mark, and Luke – St. Paul writes of this in 1st Corinthians 11:23-26. Jesus teaches his disciples about his Body & Blood, and then commands his followers to eat and drink. The Sacrament of the Eucharist is a crucial way in which we receive the Lord into our lives – providing us with the strength and grace we need to serve as his disciples.
Catholic Inspiration – Podcast Archives of Homilies & Talks
Three Great Things 