Paul preaches in a synagogue, offering a short recap of salvation history. His example inspires us to know the key elements of our faith so we can share the Good News with others.
Mass Readings – Thursday of the 4th Week of Easter
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Saints Nereus, Achilleus and Pancras, pray for us!
The dynamic response to Christ in the Gospel of Mark inspires us to consider how we will respond to the Lord in our lives as we seek ways to grow and become aware of the needs of those around us.
Mass Readings – 5th Sunday of the Year
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Isaiah reminds us that the Lord teaches and leads us, offering guidance and insight to help us find our way through this life to the next.
Mass Readings – Friday of the 2nd Week of Advent
Holy Week offers a number of powerful experiences for us to grow closer to the Lord; but since we can’t come to Church because of COVID-19, here are some ways this week to bring Church to your home. God bless you!
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As Moses approached the burning bush he stood on holy ground and spoke with God. Our faith in Jesus Christ – who fulfills the law of Moses – allows us to draw near to the living God through our study, prayer and service.
Mass Readings – Wednesday of the 15th Week of the Year
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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!
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!
Catholic Inspiration – Podcast Archives of Homilies & Talks
Three Great Things 