Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily Podcast – Friday of the 4th Week of Easter
Mrs. Hockenbrock’s 2nd graders from Cathedral School discuss common fears and how Jesus helps us face them.
Tag Archives: Strength
Daily Mass: Perseverance through Persecution. Catholic Inspiration
Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily – Wednesday of the 3rd Week of Easter
What gives people strength to carry on when the going gets tough? To hang in there when it is painful, difficult, or oppressive? The struggles of the early Church were sustained by their faith in Christ, who promised eternal life to all who believe in him.
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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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1st Sunday of Lent – Be with Me Lord, When I am in Trouble
Study: Reflect on a moment when you were in a critical need. What pulled you through?
Pray: Ask the Lord for grace regarding a difficult situation.
Serve: How can you be a helping hand to another?
Let’s take a look at these readings that help us kick off Lent:
- 1st Reading – a recap of how God saved the Israelites in Egypt
- Psalm – “Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.”
- 2nd Reading – “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
- Gospel – Jesus overcomes the Devil’s 3 temptations
Have you ever been in trouble? Serious trouble? End of your rope? Lost? Confused? Abandoned? Scared? Feeling like you cannot breathe because the air has gone out of your chest? Feeling utterly alone?
You’re in good company. People of faith for over 3000 years have called upon the Lord in their darkest moments – seeking guidance and strength.
And God provides. We don’t have to look very hard to find examples of pain and suffering, hardship and loss, struggle, catastrophe and sin. We also know that there are no promises that life will be easy and free from pain. What we know is simple: God walks with us and sustains us in our moments of need.
Of course this is only a half truth – God walks with us always! God never leaves us, but for some very human reason we seem to call out loud and strong when we recognize our need for the Lord. Isn’t it odd that we “get it” when we are in need…that many of us who dedicate our lives to Christ see much more clearly when the truth is self-evident?
Perhaps not. Perhaps what this first week of Lent shows us is that our need for God (always present in our lives) is most easily observed when we cannot hide from our need. For when we are in trouble, we are confronted with the clear and obvious reality that it is only with the Lord’s grace that we can be guided and sustained. In the times of our testing we discover both our limitations and the Lord’s love.
What are you facing in your life right now? What requires your own personal admission and acceptance of Christ’s mercy? Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble!
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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
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3rd Sunday of Advent – What Should We Do? Catholic Inspiration
Fr. Andrew’s 3rd Sunday of Advent Homily Podcast
“What should we do?” is an excellent question to keep before us in our daily prayer. We often know what needs to be done; sometimes it’s just hard to carry out. But there are also times when we come before the Lord searching for the direction, wisdom, and strength to live our faith with conviction and power.
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Daily Mass: Help Wanted! Catholic Inspiration
Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily Podcast (Thursday of the 2nd Week of Advent)
God offers to help us in the first reading today. Will we accept it? Will we open the door of our hearts and allow God’s grace inside? Help Wanted!
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29th Sunday of the Year – The Cup of Suffering – Catholic Inspiration
Fr. Andrew’s 29th Sunday of the Year Homily Podcast
Jesus Christ shows us that suffering is a pathway, not a destination. Through suffering we experience a purification – whereby we grow and discover new insights through the process of challenge, pain, and difficulty. God permits suffering that we might be changed…for the good. For remember: the suffering of Good Friday will be transformed into the joy of Easter Day.
We are thus consoled and challenged by these words. Consoled, in that we take hope that the triumph of Christ on the Cross will one day be our triumph. He understands our suffering (he’s already been through his own) and we can cling to his mercy and grace.
Challenged, in that we are invited to drink from the cup of suffering. Like Christ, we pray that the cup will pass by, but like Christ we will accept what God sets before us – opening our hearts to God and allow this process to transform us.
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24th Sunday of the Year – Walk the Walk, Together! – Catholic Inspiration
Fr. Andrew’s 24th Sunday of the Year Homily Podcast
Where do we find the strength to keep going when life tries to knock us off course?
- We lean on others
- We lean on the Lord
Yes! We can walk the walk…with a little help from on earth and in Heaven.
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21st Sunday of the Year – Facing Difficulties with Wisdom & Courage – Catholic Inspiration
Fr. Andrew’s 21st Sunday of the Year Homily Podcast
Life is difficult. In the midst of our struggle to make good choices and carry out challenging tasks, we call upon God for the help we need. As we encounter Jesus Christ in Holy Communion to be strengthened for the burdens of life, we pray for Wisdom to choose wisely and Courage to carry it out.
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Catholic Inspiration – Podcast Archives of Homilies & Talks- Lenten Bootcamp: 5th Night - Building a spiritual Rule of Life
- Daily Mass: The example of St. Joseph, the spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Daily Mass: Jesus Christ is the just judge
- Daily Mass: A physical healing with spiritual implications
- Daily Mass: A lesson in intercessory prayer
- Study, Pray, Serve: 5th Sunday of Lent
- "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
Three Great Things 