Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily Podcast
Mass Readings – Friday of the 27th Week of the Year (Our Lady of the Rosary)
Jesus casts out a demon and speaks to the crowd of God’s power over evil…and our need to stay close to the Lord as we reject it.
Tag Archives: Sin
Daily Mass: Weeds and Wheat. Catholic Inspiration
Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily Podcast
Mass Readings – Saturday of the 16th Week of the Year
The parable of the weeds and the wheat speaks to both the reality of sin and final judgment. We know that sin is part of our lives, and we have the opportunity to seek the Lord’s forgiveness now…because one day we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.
Share this:
Daily Mass: Our Sins, Christ’s Sacrifice. Catholic Inspiration
Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily – Wednesday of Holy Week
“What will you give me?” is the question asked by Judas, and in our moments of temptation and sin it could easily be our own. And yet what we discover in these next few days of the Sacred Triduum is that Christ will answer the question with the blood of his Cross. Judas took silver and it ended in death; Jesus died on the Cross and it ended in eternal life. May we draw near to the Lord – especially in our times of need – to accept his sacrifice and receive his grace.
Share this:
5th Sunday of Lent – Claim the Mercy. Catholic Inspiration
Fr. Andrew’s 5th Sunday of Lent Homily Podcast
We all sin, and sometimes our disastrous mistakes become public humiliations. Yet like the woman in the Gospel today we encounter the Lord who simultaneously acknowledges the sin and blesses us with forgiving grace. Through an honest appraisal of our hearts and an open acceptance of God’s love we can be renewed to live with power and joy. Simply put, may we name the sin and claim the mercy.
Share this:
5th Sunday of Lent – Mercy!
Study: Reflect on a time in life when you made a grave mistake or serious sin. How did you face it?
Pray: Is there something that is keeping you from the Lord or another person? Ask the Lord for the grace to reconcile.
Serve: Is there a situation in your life that offers you a chance to extend mercy? Consider ways to make it happen.
5th Sunday of Lent Readings – Year C
Fr. Andrew’s Homily Podcast
Have you ever been clearly in the wrong? Made a mistake that was self-evident and completely your own fault? Don’t worry…you’re in good company. As much as we don’t like to admit it or claim it, we have all fallen short of the Lord’s commandments. We sin.
There are a couple of easy traps that we need to avoid:
- Assuming that it is no big deal, and downplaying our fault
- Making it an all-consuming mountain, beyond hope of redemption
What we find in the Gospel today is something in between that exemplifies God’s Mercy. The woman caught in adultery (where’s the man?!) is dragged before the Lord and forced to stand out in her shame as the people try to trap Jesus.
His response is profound. “Let the one among you who is without sin, be the first to throw a stone at her.” One by one the realization of their own sins causes the crowd to dwindle away; they have all fallen short, and they have all been in need of mercy.
Yet the Lord is not done. After all, he is the only one without sin in the group! He alone has the right to carry out judgment. Yet this is what he says:
“Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin.”
Note both points:
- Jesus acknowledges the sin. It is clearly and directly stated.
- Jesus extends mercy. His mercy begins her reconciliation and healing.
In light of this Gospel I suggest the following takeaways:
- What sins do we need to acknowledge, confess, and claim?
- What steps do we need to take to start the process of reconciliation?
- We draw near to Christ…who extends mercy to us!
As we embark on the last weeks of Lent, may we never fear to approach the Lord in our sins. For as we honestly claim our faults we draw forgiveness from the one who came to save and set us free.
**********
The image is taken from the movie The Passion of the Christ.
Share this:
3rd Sunday of Lent – Repent – Catholic Inspiration
3rd Sunday of Lent Readings – Year C
The Lord is blunt and direct in the Gospel today: we are called to repent…or perish. The life-and-death quality of this command reminds us that God’s grace is ready to wash us clean – if we open our hearts through repentance and turn to the Lord. As God directed Moses and led the people from slavery to freedom, may we discover new life in Christ when we repent and believe in the Good News.
********************
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
Share this:
Ash Wednesday. Catholic Inspiration
Ashes are common in our daily life – every fire leads to them. But note these two qualities:
- They are dirty
- They are lifeless
Welcome to the reality of sin: The ashes we wear are an outward sign that we wish to turn away from all that soils our souls and harms our hearts. May the words we hear today help us to seek the cleansing life that comes from Christ. The words are clear:
Repent, and Believe in the Gospel!
********************
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
Share this:
Daily Mass: A Seed of Faith in a World of Sin. Catholic Inspiration
Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily Podcast – Friday of the 3rd Week of the Year
The story of David and Bathsheba sounds like a Biblical soap opera, yet we are reminded that God’s grace overcomes sin – often through slow and steady growth that starts small. Like a mustard seed, our faith in Christ confronts the challenges of this world and grows into a love that casts out all sin in the light of Christ.
Share this:
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.
Share this:
Daily Mass: The Wages of Sin & The Gift of God. Catholic Inspiration
Thursday of the 29th Week of Ordinary Time Homily Podcast
St. Paul reminds us:
“The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)
May we acknowledge our sins and embrace the freely given gift of grace!
**********
This daily Mass homily was given at Cathedral of Christ the King on October 22, 2015.
Share this:
Catholic Inspiration – Podcast Archives of Homilies & Talks- "Carry Your Cross" Parish Mission: 3rd Night - Offering our lives for the Lord
- 4th Sunday of Lent: We call upon the Lord to see clearly in our lives
- "Carry Your Cross" Parish Mission: 2nd Night - Our response to Satan's obstacles
- Daily Mass: O God, be merciful to me a sinner
- "Carry Your Cross" Parish Mission: 1st Night - We confess that Jesus is Lord
- Daily Mass: The command to love
- Lenten Bootcamp: 4th Night - What we learn from our time, money, and the people in our lives
- Daily Mass: The Lord drives out demons
- Daily Mass: Jesus fulfills salvation history
- Daily Mass: The crucial need for forgiveness
Three Great Things 