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.
NOTE: This post was first published on February 26, 2014. I share it once again because I know that if we take a little time now to prepare our hearts then this holy season comes alive with grace and power. May this podcast and the ideas listed below help us all make this Lent the best ever!
Fr. Andrew’s Homily Podcast – Preparing for our Best Lent!
Web Resources from the US Bishops
Study: Looking back in my life, are there any activities, people, or situations that have helped me to grow?
Pray: Ask the Lord for the wisdom to recognize the Fruits of the Spirit and the courage to embrace them.
Serve: Look for an opportunity this Lent to offer a part of your life to helping another – especially someone who has no way to pay you back.
The season of Lent offers a powerful opportunity for conversion, spiritual growth, and developing our relationships with the Lord and one another. However, I also know that this season has a way of sneaking up on us. Life moves fast, and we can get caught up in any number of tasks – missing the necessary preparation and perspective to get the most out of these 40 Days.
As a guide, I suggest starting with the “Fruits of the Spirit” that St. Paul writes about in his letter to the Galatians (5:22-23). They are:
First, do we see these in our lives? Are there people, situations, interactions, locations (home, work, school, community) where we see consistent evidence of their presence? If so, then how can we help them flourish and grow? How can we create more opportunities to allow the Spirit to work in our lives?
Second, are these absent in our lives? Or worse, are their opposites present? Is hatred, despair, turmoil, and the like alive in our hearts? If so, how can we make the necessary changes to allow the Spirit into our lives?
Now here’s how this gets practical. It is often customary during Lent to “do” something or “give up” something for these 40 days. How about this…
Where do we look? Try this for starters…
“Doing” can include any number of things:
“Giving up” can look like this:
Using the “Fruits of the Spirit” as a measurement, we can quickly reveal the pattern of our lives. If it is spiritually fruitful, then we can strengthen this. If it is spiritually destructive, then perhaps this season of Lent gives us an opportunity to give it up and start directing our lives in better ways.
Furthermore, Lent has classic opportunities for Study, Prayer, and Service:
Study: Scripture, the Catechism, a Devotional, Spiritual Reading
Prayer: Mass, Confession, Rosary, Scripture, Devotions, Stations of the Cross
Service: at home, the neighborhood, the community, the Church
God keeps inviting, keeps forgiving, and keeps extending grace and mercy to all who seek it. Now is the time to get ready for a powerful Lent – where we turn to Jesus and allow His grace to transform our hearts. Give serious thought to what you can do to make this season special, and open your to heart to Jesus Christ.
What will you do? What will you give up? Make it a great Lent!
Are you looking for a quick and practical audio retreat? Perhaps this is for you…
The following three talks were given at a Catholic Men’s Retreat sponsored by the Knights of Columbus in Hayward, WI on September 13, 2014.
In these talks you will find a practical exploration of some ways that we can grow closer to the Lord through Study, Prayer, and Service; it should be no surprise to my readers! These “Three Great Things” are the very foundation of this site, and it seemed only fitting to spell out a few opportunities that we have to deepen our relationship with Christ.
All three talks are freestanding: you can listen to them alone or together as a set. It should become readily apparent, however, that these three are interrelated – prayer and service; service and study; study and prayer – they build, support, and give meaning and purpose to one another. Yet by engaging each one separately, it is my hope that we can tease out some everyday opportunities that foster our faith and offer ready made applications for life.
When you click on the underlined/bold text, you will be redirected to a site where you can hear the talks.
1st Talk – Study: Some intellectual ways we can learn and develop
2nd Talk – Prayer: Practical points that speak to different styles that help us cultivate our relationship with the Lord
3rd Talk – Service: A simple method and application to personal approaches that make a difference in the world
My prayer for 2015: that we all draw near to Jesus Christ (in any number of unique and practical ways) through our Study, Prayer, & Service!
I have begun to include podcasts of my homilies and talks. Forgive me if the formatting is a little awkward…I am learning!
This Advent reflection was one of the talks given at a retreat that was offered on December 6, 2014. Six categories are touched upon in this talk:
These areas are meant to help us do two things:
Click on this link below if you wish to hear this 40 minute presentation.
Advent Reflection – Seeking the Face of Christ
Study: When have I been swift to respond to the needs of others? When have I been slow?
Pray: Ask the Lord for the clarity of sight to perceive the real needs within my reach.
Serve: Don’t wait…do!
A Christmas Carol
Part I: Marley’s Warning
Every year I enjoy rereading the holiday story A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. I watch as many different movie and drama adaptations as I can, and I find in this simple tale much wisdom and insight.
The story recounts the life of Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserable old man who is visited on Christmas Eve by the ghost of his business partner, Jacob Marley. Marley informs Scrooge that he will be visited by three ghosts who will show him the error of his ways. During the visits we discover the story of Scrooge’s life, feeling both pity and anger at the circumstances and choices that have shaped him. As Scrooge slowly changes, he finally discovers the joy and spirit of Christmas – just in time for Christmas Day.
The ghost of Marley begins this amazing process. Marley is a wretched creature, wrapped in bandages and shackled by chains and heavy money boxes. His words to Scrooge are direct and without comfort: he must change his ways or suffer a fate worse than Marley’s.
Marley reminds Scrooge that the business of life is far greater than the work in their money counting house:
“Mankind was my business.
The common welfare was my business;
charity, mercy, forbearance and benevolence
were all my business.
The dealings of my trade
were but a drop of water
in the comprehensive ocean of my business!”
This warning speaks to us as well. Every day we pass through life amid opportunities to serve and love others. Yet preoccupation can take us away from the deeper issues of life, separating us from the very people and events that can lead us into blessed happiness.
As we prepare our hearts during this Advent season, may we take Marley’s warning to heart. We, too, must journey through this life, reaching out to those placed on our path. May we be vigilant, waiting for the day when Jesus will return. May we share the gift of our lives, anticipating the Christmas joy that awaits us.
Study: Reflect on some people who live their faith through their loving thoughts, words, and actions.
Pray: Is there a person or situation in your life that calls for greater charity? Ask the Lord for the wisdom and guidance to do it.
Serve: Is there someone in your life right now who would benefit from your time, attention, and/or effort? How can you help?
30th Sunday of the Year Readings
I thought I would take this week to talk about something that arises out of the gospel message. The question comes from the insight of Jesus in today’s reading. Simply put, what is the central and most important part of being a Christian? What should be the focus around which we build our lives?
The answer is explicit: LOVE.
Jesus takes the two commands, love of God and love of neighbor and links them as the heart of the Christian message – from which the teaching of the entire Scriptures finds its soul. Love is the sign of the Church, it is the proof of faith, and it is the reality which reveals to others the depth of our commitment as disciples of Jesus Christ.
But what do these commands mean for us? After all, the question for each of us is “How does the law of Love affect me? How do these commands shape my life?”
I look at this from three different angles:
* By how I THINK.
* By how I SPEAK.
* By how I ACT.
In other words, do my thoughts, words, and actions reveal the law of love in my life? When I look at myself in each of these areas do I measure up with the commands of Jesus?
Imagine that each of these parts of life could be made into a movie. I see myself watching “The Thoughts of Fr. Andrew,” followed by “The Words of Fr. Andrew,” and then “The Actions of Fr. Andrew.” Do I like what I see on the screen?
When we come to the end of our lives, I doubt if many of us will wish we had worked more, or earned more money, or bought more things. In the end I expect most of us will wish we had spent more time loving the people in our lives – through what we thought, said, and did.
This love, which comes from God, is intended for us to share while we are here on earth. Our faith tells us that one day the Lord will call us home. On that day may we find ourselves prepared; having loved one another in this life we will then step into eternal Love in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Catholic Inspiration – Podcast Archives of Homilies & Talks
Three Great Things 