Sunday Homilies with Fr. Mike Schmitz (Ascension)

Homily from the First Sunday of Lent.

Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.

The first last words of Jesus reveal not just what, but Who was on His mind in the last moments of His life.

Mass Readings from March 06, 2022:

Deuteronomy 26:4-10

Psalms 91:1-2, 10-15

Romans 10:8-13

Luke 4:1-13

Homily from the Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Love the person in front of you.

It is easy to walk through life and feel invisible. Like you don't matter. Like you have nothing to offer. But when we are seen by Christ, all of that has the potential to change. And then we can begin to see that we are called to love the person in front of us who has nothing to offer.

Mass Readings from September 8, 2024:

Isaiah 35:4-7

Psalms 146:6-10

James 2:1-5

Mark 7:31-37

Homily from the Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Observe. Orient. Decide. Act.

When we are faced with the challenges and obstacles of following Christ, it is easy to become overwhelmed. But we do not have to solve all of the potential issues. We are simply called to face this problem and take the next step.

Mass Readings from July 30, 2023:

1 Kings 3:5, 7-12

Psalm 119:57, 72, 76-77, 127-128, 129-130

Romans 8:28-30

Matthew 13:44-52

Homily from the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Imagine living your entire life and not knowing why.

The return of the exiled Jews from Babylon was a great gift. But it also highlighted the reality that many of them did not know why they were Jewish. Do Catholics know why they are Catholic? Or do we lose our way precisely because we have lost our why?

Mass Readings from January 23, 2022

Nehemiah 8:2-6, 8-10

Psalms 19:8-10, 15

1 Corinthians 12:12-30

Luke 1:1-4, 4:14-21

Homily from the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

We live in this life, but we live for the next life.

Jesus turns our fears and our hopes upside down...because through the Resurrection, Jesus has turned the world upside down.

Mass Readings from February 16, 2025:

Jeremiah 17:5-8

Psalms 1:1-4 & 6

1 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20

Luke 6:17, 20-26

Homily from the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

You can only share what you have.

Holy moments are shared moments. We share like Jesus (and make moments holy) when we are generous and honest.

Mass Readings from February 4, 2024::

Job 7:1-4, 6-7

Psalms 147:1-6

1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-23

Mark 1:29-39

Homily from the Mass of the Epiphany of the Lord.

The best thing we can do.

While we are certainly human "beings", we are also meant to "do". The most important thing we can do is LOVE. And the most important One we can love is God. We love God in a number of ways, the principle of which is through worship.

Mass Readings from January 8, 2023:

Isaiah 60:1-6

Psalms 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-13

Ephesians 3:2-3, 5-6

Matthew 2:1-12

Homily from the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God.

When we know God's will, we must respond with "yes".

There are truly horrible and troubling things that can happen in each one of our lives. And yet, at every moment, we have the opportunity to respond in faith and love. Our response of trust can be summed up in one word: "Yes".

Mass Readings from January 1, 2025:

Numbers 6:22-27

Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8

Galatians 4:4-7

Luke 2:16-21

Homily from the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

What does a"win" look like?

There are times when we accomplish our goals...and then we still feel that there ought to be something more. There are times when "winning" is just as empty as "losing". In those moments, we have the opportunity to step back and ask what we are shooting for. These are the moments we can ask "what does a 'win' look like?"

Mass Readings from August 11, 2024:

1 Kings 19:4-8

Psalms 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9

Ephesians 4:30—5:2

John 6:41-51

Homily from the Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time.

There are some relationships that do not tolerate rivals.

There are only two kinds of relationships that get to a point where it is “all…or nothing”: Romantic relationships and our relationship with Jesus. If we say “all”, that carries with it some consequences. Namely, all of our heart must belong to the other.

Mass Readings from October 7, 2018:

Genesis 2:18-24

Psalms 128:1-6

Hebrews 2:9-11

Mark 10:2-16

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Homily from the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord

Claimed. Respected. Trusted.

Jesus Transfigured on the top of Mount Tabor precedes His journey to Mount Calvary. On Tabor, He is not merely transfigured...He is Claimed, Respected, and Trusted as the beloved Son. We too need the Father's voice to voice His claim over us, His respecting us, and His entrusting a mission to us.

Mass Readings from August 6, 2023:

Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14

Psalm 97:1-2, 5-6, 9

2 Peter 1:16-19

Matthew 17:1-9

Homily from the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Do not sacrifice your identity and integrity on the altar of approval.

We all need acceptance. It is a basic human requirement. But we also must have the courage and freedom to know who we are and what we are about independent of the accepting group.

Mass Readings from January 30, 2022:

Jeremiah 1:4-5, 17-19

Psalms 71:1-6, 15-17

1 Corinthians 12:31—13:13

Luke 4:21-30

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Homily from the Solemnity of Christ the King.

The Mass is the fuel for our life in the world...and our life in the world is an extension of the Mass.

The words, "The Lord be with you" are meant to prepare us for great things...dangerous things. When we hear them at the end of Mass, they prepare us to bring what we've done at the altar out to the world.

Mass Readings from November 24, 2024:

Daniel 7:13-14

Psalms 93:1, 1-2, 5

Revelation 1:5-8

John 18:33b-37

Homily from the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas).

The reality is that God is not a professional. He is an amateur.

There are many things in life where we merely like the "idea" of that thing. The reality is another story, because the reality makes demands on us. Christmas is a reminder that we not only cannot love the "idea" of God, but that He does not merely love the idea of us.

Mass Readings from December 25, 2023:

Isaiah 52:7-10

Psalms 98:1-6.

Hebrews 1:1-6

John 1:1-18

Homily from the Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

The heart of worship is sacrifice.

We know that the sacrifice of Jesus once-for-all is the moment that saves us. It is possible to be present to this moment and offer that one sacrifice now.

Mass Readings from October 27, 2024:

Jeremiah 31:7-9

Psalms 126:1-6

Hebrews 5:1-6

Mark 10:46-52

Homily from the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.

Do I not know? Or do I not care?

The Eucharist is truly the Body, and Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ. Beyond all of God's other gifts, this gift stands alone. Because it is the gift of His very Self. And yet, too often our hearts are cold and indifferent to this Greatest of Gifts.

Mass Readings from June 2, 2024:

Exodus 24:3-8

Psalms 116:12-13, 15-18

Hebrews 9:11-15

Mark 14:12-16, 22-26

Homily from the Second Sunday of Advent.

"One day" could become "Day One".

So often, there are things that we would like to do "one day". Sometimes those dreams pass us by and we lose nothing. But other times, we must take action otherwise "one day" becomes "never". As Christians, we either Begin or we Begin Again.

Homily from the Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Vulnerability is having enough courage and self-possession to let life in.

All of our fears stem from the fact that we are woundable. We care about rejection, inadequacy, and the future because we know that all of those things have the potential to hurt us, But the fear of being vulnerable does not have to define our lives.

Mass Readings from February 20, 2022:

1 Samuel 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23

Psalms 103:1-4, 8, 10, 12-13

1 Corinthians 15:45-49

Luke 6:27-38

Homily from the Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time.

It could have been otherwise.

We have been created good by the good God. But we have been captured by sin, death, and slavery. In Jesus, God has rescued us and transferred us into His Kingdom…His family.

Mass Readings from November 19, 2023:

Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31

Psalms 128:1-5

1 Thessalonians 5:1-6

Matthew 25:14-30

Homily from the Sunday of Divine Mercy.

Mercy is the love that we deserve the least when we need it the most.

The fact of the Resurrection of Jesus has introduced something new into this world of misery. The Cross and Resurrection introduced the possibility of mercy. Not only have we encountered the mercy of God, but we have been commissioned to be mercy in the midst of a world filled with misery.

Mass Readings from April 4, 2022:

Acts 5:12-16

Psalms 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24

Revelation 1:9-13, 17-19

John 20:19-31

Homily from the Third Sunday of Lent.

Jesus taught the world how to see the person.

We are constantly facing the temptation to define people by their group or by their shame. Jesus reveals that, while He knows the group or by their shame, He sees the person...the individual...and calls them by their name.

Mass Readings from March 12, 2023:

Exodus 17:3-7

Psalms 95:1-2, 6-9

Romans 5:1-2, 5-8

John 4:5-42

Homily from the Baptism of the Lord.

Jesus changed the water. Now the water changes you.

Why was Jesus baptized? Not because He needed it, but because we need it. We need baptism to be saved, to be children of God, and to be in a new and real relationship with God.

Mass Readings from January 9, 2022:

Isaiah 42:1-4,6-7

Psalms 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10

Acts 10:34-38

Luke 3:15-16, 21-22

Homily from the Fourth Sunday of Easter.

You are not abandoned. You are not alone. You are not afraid.

Our lives are marked by stress. Not only is stress unavoidable, it is necessary. The main question is: what is our response to stress?

Mass Readings from May 8, 2022:

Acts 13:14, 43-52

Psalms 100:1-3, 5

Revelation 7:9, 14-17

John 10:27-30

Homily from the Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Do I love enough to listen? Do I love enough to speak?

In loving the people around us well, one thing we have to contend with is loving them well in our words. We avoid all unnecessary negatives, love enough to listen, and love enough to speak.

Mass Readings from September 10, 2023:

Ezekiel 33:7-9

Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9

Romans 13:8-10

Matthew 18:15-20

Homily from the Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time.

The things one needs to die well are the same things one needs to live well.

As we walk through life, we will all walk into darkness and sufferng and pain. We can still walk in hope, courage, and perseverance. We can be the kind of people who can carry the fire into the darkness.

Mass Readings from November 6, 2022:

2 Maccabees 7:1-2, 9-14

Psalms 17:1, 5-6, 8, 15

2 Thessalonians 2:16-3:5

Luke 20:27-38

Homily from the Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Do not miss your turn.

There are times in our lives when we have the opportunity and the ability to make a decision that will change the direction of our lives. Joshua issued this invitation to the people of Israel as they entered the Promised Land and we are issued the same invitation. We must decide for ourselves whom we will serve.

Mass Readings from August 25, 2024:

Joshua 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b

Psalms 34:2-3, 16-21

Ephesians 5:21-32

John 6:60-69

Homily from the Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Give the first fruits and gather the fragments.

We are given two commands in this weekend's readings: to give the first fruits and gather the fragments. Our temptation, however, is to do the opposite; to give the fragments and gather the first fruits. In order to have a heart like Christ, we must become givers.

Mass Readings from July 28, 2024:

2 Kings 4:42-44

Psalms 145:10-11, 15-18

Ephesians 4:1-6

John 6:1-15

Homily from Ash Wednesday.

We hope He sees. We have faith it matters to Him. We do it because He said so.

During Lent, we have the chance to make our lives an act of hope, faith, and love. More than growing in discipline or self-improvement, Lent is a chance to live what we believe by prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

Mass Readings from February 14, 2024:

Joel 2:12-18

Psalms 51:3--6, 12-14 and 17

2 Corinthians 5:20—6:2

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

Homily from the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord.

Do what you know, where you are.

What is the Greatest Thing you will ever do? What if the Greatest Thing is not something you accomplish, but who you become?

Mass Readings from February 2, 2025:

Malachi 3:1-4

Psalms 24:7-10

Hebrews 2:14-18

Luke 2:22-40

Homily from the Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

God has an absolute claim on your heart. What is the reason you won't give it to Him?

There is a clear difference between a reason and an excuse. Excuses are not acceptable answers, but there are times when even “good reasons” fail to be “good enough”.

Mass Readings from October 14, 2018:

Wisdom 7:7-11

Psalms 90:12-17

Hebrews 4:12-13

Mark 10:17-30

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Homily from the Fifth Sunday of Lent.

Some last words have the power to define a person's life.

From the Cross, Jesus utters His last words. He thirsts for us to allow Him to forgive us.

Mass Readings from April 3, 2022:

Isaiah 43:16-21

Psalms 126:1-6

Philippians 3:8-14

John 8:1-11

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Homily from the Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time.

There's good news and there's bad news.

We have heard the first part (Act One) of the Good News. But before we can move forward, we need to be aware of and understand why things are so broken. Before anything else, we need the bad news.

Mass Readings from November 12, 2023:

Wisdom 6:12-16

Psalms 63:2-8

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Matthew 25:1-13

Homily from the Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Love those who deserve it. And those who don’t.

Jesus gives us a commandment that existed from the beginning: we are to love those who deserve it. This is justice. Jesus goes on to teach us and even greater love: mercy.

Mass Readings from February 23, 2025:

1 Samuel 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23

Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 8, 10, 12-13

1 Corinthians 15:45-49

Luke 6:27-38

Homily from the Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Our words disclose, disguise, and direct our hearts.

The words we use are powerful. They can build up and they can destroy. But they can also reveal our character.

Mass Readings from February 27, 2022:

Sirach 27:4-7

Psalms 92:2-3, 13-16

1 Corinthians 15:54-58

Luke 6:39-45

Homily from the Fourth Sunday of Lent.

We need to stop asking "who is to blame?" and start asking "What can God do with this?"

The disciples ask Jesus whose fault it is that the man was born blind. So many of us have a tendency to ask the same question: "Whose fault is this?" While that is a natural question, it is not always a helpful question. There is a better question that we can ask.

Mass Readings from March 19, 2023 :

1 Samuel 16:1, 6-7, 10-13

Psalms 23

Ephesians 5:8-14

John 9:1-41

Homily from the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Do not wait to live. God is using this here and now.

There is real suffering. There is real good and evil. But sometimes, the difference between something that is worthless and something that is worthwhile is a matter of perspective. God can use even our flaws...in fact, he will use everything if we let him.

Mass Readings from January 29, 2023:

Zephaniah 2:3; 3:12-13

Psalms 146:6-10

1 Corinthians 1:26-31

Matthew 5:1-12

Homily from the Second Sunday of Lent.

If I know Who, then I can say yes without knowing why.

Do I have any conditions on my response to God? Will I pray or serve or say yes to Him as long as I understand why He is asking?

Mass Readings from February 25, 2024:

Genesis 22:1-2, 9-13, 15-18

Psalms 116:10, 15-19

Romans 8:31-34

Mark 9:2-10

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Homily from the Fourth Sunday of Advent.

I'm not going to fear what I don't know, I am going to trust who I do know.

We can wait in excitement and joy...we can also wait in fear. We fear the dark and might fear death for the same reason: the unknown. We can fear the unknown in the afterlife and we can fear the unknown of our own inner life. God's mercy leads us to a place of trust.

Mass Readings from December 22, 2024:

Micah 5:1-4

Psalms 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19

Hebrews 10:5-10

Luke 1:39-45

Homily from the Solemnity of the Ascension.

Who am I building up?

God has given us His promise of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit sanctifies us and makes us holy, but the gifts of the Holy Spirit are given to us so that we can participate in the work of God in the world. At His Ascension, Jesus promised the Holy Spirit so that we could continue His work here on earth.

Mass Readings from May 12, 2024:

Acts 1:1-11

Psalms 47:2-3, 6-9

Ephesians 1:17-23

Mark 16:15-20

Homily from the Third Sunday of Easter.

The first step is to stop.

Once we realize that we have to repent...that we are called to "change our minds"...the first step is to stop. To examine what it is that we are thinking and to which thoughts, sins, and false images of God we have made agreements with. And then to break those agreements in order to say "Now I begin".

Mass Readings from April 14, 2024:

Acts 3:13-15, 17-19

Psalms 4:2, 4, 7-9

1 John 2:1-5a

Luke 24:35-48

Homily from the First Sunday of Lent.

Expect the Trial. Eliminate the Option. Re-Write the Script. Focus on the Word.

We will face trials and temptations throughout our lives. When we follow and study Jesus our rabbi, we learn how to face temptations the way he did.

Mass Readings from February 26, 2023:

Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7

Psalms 51:3-6, 12-14 and 17

Romans 5:12-19

Matthew 4:1-11

Homily from Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion

This is not the end of the Story, but it had to happen for the Story to go on.

The Passion of Christ is not the end of the Story, but we must pause and reflect on it. It is the lens through which we see: What love looks like when it costs everything, what sin looks like when we can see the wounds, and what mercy looks like when it refuses to give up.

Mass Readings from April, 18, 2025:

Isaiah 52:13—53:12

Psalm 31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-16, 17, 25

Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9

John 18:1—19:42

Homily from the Epiphany of the Lord.

Worship can help us escape the trap that life is about us.

When life is about us, it is not food for the human heart. When we realize that life is about Someone other than us, we are allowed to have a heart that is larger…a heart that is large enough to give.

Mass Readings from January 2, 2022:

Isaiah 60:1-6

Psalms 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-13

Ephesians 3:2-3, 5-6

Matthew 2:1-12

Homily from the Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

The freedom to love when you no longer feel like it.

The precondition for love is freedom. Both the freedom to say no and the freedom to say yes, regardless of passing moods or circumstances. Tough love is willing to choose the good because God asked us to and because we said we would.

Mass Readings from October 1, 2023:

Ezekiel 18:25-28

Psalms 25:4-9

Phillipians 2:1-11

Matthew 21:28-32

Homily from the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

The enemy can't win, he just wants you to lose.

The Church has been established by Jesus Christ Himself. And yet, the Church has sinners and sin within Her ranks. The enemy of God and humanity has done this. We need to be aware of sin in the Church and sin in our own hearts. If we stay awake and alert, we can guard against sin in the Church and in our lives.

Mass Readings from July 23, 2023:

Wisdom 12:13, 16-19

Psalm 86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16

Romans 8:26-27

Matthew 13:24-43

Homily from Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion.

This one word connects and transforms the entire story.

There is a last word that does not merely disclose the Heart...it completes The Story.

Mass Readings from April 10, 2022:

Isaiah 50:4-7

Psalms 22:8-9, 17-20, 23-24

Philippians 2:6-11

Luke 22:14—23:56

Homily from the Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

We choose our rivals.

We are all confronted with the temptation towards resentment, when we see the blessings or gifts that others have. This temptation towards envy can be overcome when we choose to receive the gifts we’ve been given with gratitude, and choose to rejoice in the gift of others.

Mass Readings from September 24, 2023:

Isaiah 55:6-9

Psalms 145:2-3, 8-9, 17-18

Philippians 1:20c-24, 27a

Matthew 20:1-16a

Homily from the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe.

What do you do when you encounter a God you cannot control?

We all have fears. Often, those fears lead us to either seize control or to cede control. But when we fear God and His call in our lives, we are called to choose trust over fear. We are called to choose obedience over control.

Mass Readings from November 20, 2022t:

2 Samuel 5:1-3

Psalms 122:1-5

Colossians 1:12-20

Luke 23:35-43

Homily from the Fourth Sunday of Lent.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

This central Last Word of Jesus from the Cross is possibly the most important. He not only expresses the depths to which He enters into the consequences of sin, but the depth of His trust in the Father and the power of His sacrifice.

Mass Readings from March 27, 2022:

Joshua 5:9, 10-12

Psalms 34:2-7

2 Corinthians 5:17-21

Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

Homily from the Sixth Sunday of Easter.

The great temptation to stay in our own "version" of the Church.

God has given us the gift of the Church. The Church is His Body...the Church is His Bride. And we cannot have Jesus without His Church.

Mass Readings from May 22, 2022:

Acts 15:1-2, 22-29

Psalms 67:2-3, 5-6, 8

Revelation 21:10-14, 22-23

John 14:23-29

Homily from the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

The Holy Moment is the present moment.

When we live lives of distraction we cannot live lives of wonder or joy or holiness. Distraction steals life away because it takes us away from the present moment. And the present moment is the only moment that has the potential to be a holy moment.

Mass Readings from January 28, 2024:

Deuteronomy 18:15-20

Psalms 95:1-2, 6-9

1 Corinthians 7:32-35

Mark 1:21-28

Homily from the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

What else is there?

Many of us want to grow spiritually. But what does that really mean? What is it that we really want? What is the actual goal of life? Put in the words of Jesus, what should we truly rejoice in? Christ's answer is nothing less than having our names written in Heaven.

Mass Readings from July 3, 2022:

Isaiah 66:10-14

Psalms 66:1-7, 16, 20

Galatians 6:14-18

Luke 10:1-12, 17-20

Homily from the Solemnity of Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe.

Your part of the story (Act IV) remains unwritten.

Jesus has bridged the unbridgable gap between God and humanity. We can believe that and remain unchanged. But if we are willing to respond, we can write the final act of the story. We can place ourselves under the Lordship of Christ and live an entirely new life.

Mass Readings from November 26, 2023:

Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-17

Psalms 23:1-3, 5-6

1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28

Matthew 25:31-46

Homily from the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

The fear of being inadequate is the fear that I won't be able to rise to the challenge.

Fear is a gift. It is meant to keep us alive. But it can also keep us from living. There are two sources of fear are our biology and the stories we tell ourselves. We may not be able to change our biology, but we can change the stories we tell.

Mass Readings from February 6, 2022:

Isaiah 6:1-8

Psalm 138:1-5, 7-8

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Luke 5:1-11

Homily from the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

The moments are holy when the moments are His...and the moments are His when the motive is Him.

When something is dedicated, it is transformed. It is elevated and becomes something more. When a moment is dedicated to God, it becomes a holy moment.

Mass Readings from February 11, 2024:

Leviticus 13:1-2, 44-46

Psalms 32:1-2, 5, 11

1 Corinthians 10:31—11:1

Mark 1:40-45

Homily from the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Our identity is at the heart of our resolution.

One of the greatest things that is lost while in exile is a true sense of identity. Too quickly, we forget who we are and settle for something too small to be enough. But if we keep identity at the heart of our resolutions, we will be able to live homeless and Holy.

Mass Readings from January 22, 2023:

Isaiah 8:23-9:3

Psalms 27:1, 4, 13-14

1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17

Matthew 4:12-23

Homily from the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

I can know all I need to know and still not do all I need to do.

There are so many things that we know that we ought to do. There are even things that we know that we want to do. And yet...we just can't seem to act on what we know. How do we start? How do we become people who do what we know we ought to do?

Mass Readings from July 10, 2022:

Deuteronomy 30:10-14

Psalms 69:14, 17, 30-31, 33-34, 36-37

Colossians 1:15-20

Luke 10:25-37

Homily from The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.

This is everything.

The Body and Blood of Christ is one of the most underappreciated gifts God has ever given. In the Scriptures, God gives us His Word. In the Sacraments, God gives us His work. But in the Eucharist, God gives us Himself.

Mass Readings from June 19, 2022:

Genesis 14:18-20

Psalms 110:1-4

1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Luke 9:11-17

Homily from the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Holy moments are ordinary moments reconsidered.

An ordinary life is not an obstacle to a holy life. In fact, every extraordinary life is made up of ordinary moments that we choose to make into holy moments.

Mass Readings from January 21, 2024:

Jonah 3:1-5, 10

Psalms 25:4-9

1 Corinthians 7:29-31

Mark 1:14-20

Homily from the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Knowledge without action is useless.

Too often, our problem as followers of Christ is not a lack of knowledge, but a lack of courage. In order for us to live the lives Jesus has made possible by his grace, we do not need to know more. We need to be brave enough to act on what we know.

Mass Readings from August 20, 2023:

Isaiah 56:1, 6-7

Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8

Romans 11:13-15, 29-32

Matthew 15:21-28

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Homily from the Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Am I basing my life on the gospel of the world or the Gospel of God?

We are surrounded by stories. Stories that try to make sense of the world. But not every story is true. In fact, there are many stories that are false. We are called to base our lives on the true story… The story of the Gospel of God.

Mass Readings from November 5, 2023:

Malachi 1:14-2:2, 8-10

Psalms 131:1-3

1 Thessalonians 2:7-9, 13

Matthew 23:1-12

Homily from the Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

The connection between our values and our virtues.

We are nothing without the virtue of integrity. As one pastor noted, "If you have integrity, nothing else matters. And if you don't have integrity, nothing else matters." Integrity is the bridge between our desires and our decisions. Without integrity, our lives remain mere piles without purpose.

Mass Readings from September 18, 2022:

Amos 8:4-7

Psalms 113:1-2, 4-8

1 Timothy 2:1-8

Luke 16:1-13

Homily from the Solemnity of All Saints.

One day, this day could be your feast day.

The Feast of All Saints is offered to us as a day to praise God for all of the unnamed and unknown saints who have run the race well and have entered into the glorious and unadulterated Presence of the true and living God.

Mass Readings from November 1, 2023}:

Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14

Psalms 24:1-6

1 John 3:1-3

Matthew 5:1-12

Homily from the Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time.

What if? Or What is?

Not knowing where we are, where we are going, or how to get there can be incredibly daunting. It can bring us to a place of worry and anxiety. We can be tempted to avoid the uncertainty and discomfort of the journey. By focusing on God's presence and blessings, we can have the courage to move.

Mass Readings from October 8, 2023:

Isaiah 5:1-7

Psalms 80:9, 12-16, 19-20

Philippians 4:6-9

Matthew 21:33-43

Homily from the Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

This is life.

We need to understand that life is not waiting for us to start. This is life. This is your life. You are here. But we do have to ask the questions: should I be here? And is what God wants for me enough for me?

Mass Readings from October 15, 2023:

Isaiah 25:6-10

Psalms 23:1-6

Philippians 4:12-14, 19-20

Matthew 22:1-14

Homily from the Fifth Sunday of Easter

The Temple is the place of sacrifice.

Peter notes that we are built into a spiritual house. We know what kind of building it is based on the purpose of the building. And the purpose of the Temple is to be the Presence of God and the place of worship and sacrifice. If we are temples of the Holy Spirit, then this is true for us as well.

Mass Readings from May 7, 2023:

Acts 6:1-7

Psalm 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19

1 Peter 2:4-9

John 14:1-12

Homily from the Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Restriction is the first step towards freedom.

God is good. God wants all of us to have the fullness of life and of joy. God wants all of us to have HIM. But there are things that suffocate joy. There are things in our lives that rob us of God. There are things that we choose to keep in our lives that strip us of freedom. And Jesus calls us to be ruthless in how we approach those things.

Mass Readings from September 29, 2024:

Nehemiah 11:25-29

Psalms 19:8, 10, 12-14

James 5:1-6

Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48

Homily from the Fourth Sunday of Lent.

To look like Jesus, we must learn how to live in the Presence of the Father.

When it comes to our relationship with the Father, too often it is marked by hiding our hearts or avoiding His gaze. But we must learn how to live like Jesus, who remained in the Father's Presence at all times and with profound trust.

Mass Readings from March 30, 2025:

Joshua 5:9, 10-12

Psalm 34:2-7

2 Corinthians 5:17-21

Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

Homily from the Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Between the Promise and the Promised Land.

When a person is lost, it can feel like every step is taking them further and further away from where they need to be. But with Christ, we trust in the promise that we are not lost, but led...and that every step is taking us closer to where and who we need to be.

Mass Readings from October 22, 2023:

Isaiah 45:1, 4-6

Psalms 96:1, 3-5, 7-10

1 Thessalonians 1:1-5

Matthew 22:15-21

Homily from the Fifth Sunday in Lent.

We run out of all hope...and then Jesus.

The Dead End is a necessary place of the way. The location where we run out of our own skill and our own strength and find ourselves completely unable to move forward on our own. In the midst of the dead end...and then Jesus.

Mass Readings from April 6, 2025:

Isaiah 43:16-21

Psalm 126:1-6

Philippians 3:8-14

John 8:1-11

Homily from Pentecost Sunday.

The best way to thank the Giver is to use the gift.

At Pentecost, the Lord poured out His Holy Spirit upon the disciples and blessed them with His gifts. Immediately, they used those gifts. These gifts were given to be used. And so are all of the gifts God continues to give.

Mass Readings from May 19, 2024:

Acts 2:1-11

Psalms 104:1, 24, 29-31, 34

1 Corinthians 12:3-7, 12-13

John 20:19-23

Homily from the Solemnity of the Ascension of our Lord.

What am I going to do with the gifts I've been given?

In the Ascension, Jesus completes the work of redemption. He has taken His once for all sacrifice, bound to time and place, and brought it before the Father. Because of this, we have access to all of God's graces in every time and every place.

Mass Readings from May 29, 2022:

Acts 1:1-11

Psalms 47:2-3, 6-9

Ephesians 1:17-23

Luke 24:46-53

Homily from the Fifth Sunday of Easter.

The best you on the worst day of your life.

There are a few things that we ought to never be surprised by. One of them is suffering. God does not abandon us in our suffering, he leads us through them.

Mass Readings from May 15, 2022:

Acts 14:21-27

Psalms 145:8-13

Revelation 21:1-5

John 13:31-35

Homily from the Fourth Sunday of Easter.

Stand in the truth and do the next right thing.

Life can easily overwhelm us, leaving us in a place where we feel beaten and in a season of discouragement. But choosing humility and hope...choosing to live the truth and to do the next right thing...is the key to living courageously.

Mass Readings from April 21, 2024:

Acts 4:8-12

Psalms 118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28, 29

1 John 3:1-2

John 10:11-18

Homily from the Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Duty is not the enemy.

So much of life is doing our duty. Doing what we are supposed to do. And yet, there are times when this means that we only “go through the motions”. There is a chance for us to do more however…we can choose to grow.

Mass Readings from October 2, 2022:

Habakkuk 1:2-3; 2:2-4

Psalms 95:1-2, 6-9

2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14

Luke 17:5-10

Homily from the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time.

What is the difference between a "good person" and a "saint"?

"A good society is one that makes it easy to be good." But what if you don't live in a good society? Is "being good" the only goal? Is it possible to be more than good...to be holy...even when you are living in exile?

Mass Readings from January 15, 2023:

Isaiah 49:3, 5-6

Psalms 40:2, 4, 7-10

1 Corinthians 1:1-3

John 1:29-34

Homily from the Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Our answer makes a difference.

We are presented today with the single most important question any of us will be asked and all of us will have to answer: who do you say that Jesus is?

Mass Readings from September 15, 2024:

Isaiah 50:5-9

Psalms 116:1-9

James 2:14-18

Mark 8:27-35

Homily from the Third Sunday of Easter.

Use your potential.

Jesus called Peter to sacrifice his potential so that his life and his death might glorify God. You are I are called to pick our spot, to pour ourselves out in such a way that God would be known, loved, and glorified.

Mass Readings from May 1, 2022:

Acts 5:27-32, 40-41

Psalms 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11-13

Revelation 5:11-14

John 21:1-19

Homily from the Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

The only way to be able to pray in all seasons is to pray in all seasons.

Growing through the motions involves commitment, consistency, and companions. It means being willing to go through the motions no matter the season and no matter the circumstances. It is only by doing this that we can have full range of motion in our relationship with the Lord.

Mass Readings from October 16, 2022:

Exodus 17:8-13

Psalms 121:1-8

2 Timothy 3:14-4:2

Luke 18:1-8

Homily from the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

God can be glorified through our wounds, not merely in spite of them.

We all experience brokenness. We all experience God's love through a broken lens. And yet we do encounter them in this way.

Mass Readings from July 7, 2024:

Ezekiel 2:2-5

Psalms 123:1-4

2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Mark 6:1-6

Homily from the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ (Feast of Corpus Christi)

Love is the best thing in this world.

We are made for love. God is love. We are therefore made for God. And God comes to us in love in the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus Christ at every Mass.

Mass Readings from June 11, 2023:

Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14b-16a

Psalm 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20

1 Corinthians 10:16-17

John 6:51-58

Homily from The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity.

It is not good for the person to be alone.

The Feast of the Most Holy Trinity reminds us of the innermost secret of God: He is Love. It also reveals the innermost secret of humans made in God's image and likeness: we are made for love.

Mass Readings from June 12, 2022:

Proverbs 8:22-31

Psalms 8:4-9

Romans 5:1-5

John 16:12-15

Homily from the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Does God have permission to say "I want it back?"

We are all living on borrowed time. And borrowed gifts...and borrowed strengths... Everything we have has been loaned to us from God. At some point, God will interrupt our lives and will ask for His gifts back. He will interrupt our lives and ask for us to return all that has been entrusted to us. Will we be free enough to say "Here it is. I hope that the way I used it glorified You."?

Mass Readings from July 14, 2024:

Amos 7:12-15

Psalms 85:9-14

Ephesians 1:3-14

Mark 6:7-13

Homily from the Solemnity of All Saints.

Live so that this day will one day be your feast day.

The Feast of All Saints is the day when all of those who are in Heaven are remembered and we ask them to intercede for us. They are the great "cloud of witnesses" that surrounds us and cheers us on.

Mass Readings from November 1, 2022:

Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14

Psalms 24:1-6

1 John 3:1-3

Matthew 5:1-12

Homily from the Fourth Sunday of Advent.

What is our response when God does reveal Himself?

We've been showing up and placing ourselves in God's Presence for the past 22 days. Sometimes we merely expect God to be silent and still. But what if God revealed Himself in a dramatic way? What would be our response?

Mass Readings from December 18, 2022:

Isaiah 7:10-14

Psalms 24:1-6.

Romans 1:1-7

Matthew 1:18-24

Homily from the Third Sunday of Lent.

The best gifts can be given in the worst of circumstances.

When He had virtually nothing left to give, Jesus still gave. He gave His own mother to be our mother. The one person who knew Him most and loved Him best, Jesus entrusted to all of His beloved disciples.

Mass Readings from March 20, 2022:

Exodus 3:1-8, 13-15

Psalm 103: 1-4, 6-8, 11

1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12

Luke 13:1-9

Homily from the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Let praise go up first.

There is something that every Christian can do at every moment and in every situation...that most of us forget to do. Or we fail to do it. God has called us to offer praise at all times.

Mass Readings from August 18, 2024:

Proverbs 9:1-6

Psalms 34:2-7

Ephesians 5:15-20

John 6:51-58

Homily from the Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

"No" paves the way for "yes".

Jesus gives us the conditions for discipleship. We must deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him. But what does it really mean to deny ourself? And how can this giant "no" pave the way for an even greater "yes"?

Mass Readings from September 3, 2023:

Jeremiah 20:7-9

Psalm 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9

Romans 12:1-2

Matthew 16:21-27

Homily from the Fourth Sunday of Lent.

We often feel owned by the past or powerless in the present.

Once something is broken, is it really lost forever?

Mass Readings from March 10, 2024:

2 Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23

Psalms 137:1-6

Ephesians 2:4-10

John 3:14-21

Homily from the Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper.

All of Jesus’ words are summed up in one word.

On the cross, Jesus’ life ends with the same perspective He has had from the beginning: He trusts His Father.

Mass Readings from April 14, 2022:

Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14

Psalms 116:12-13, 15-18

1 Corinthians 11:23-26

John 13:1-15

Homily from Palm Sunday.

You are meant to be a part of the story.

As Christians, we know the Story and we believe the Story. We know how God has saved the world by entering into suffering and death. But we are called to more; we are called to participate in the Story. Our apostolate is marked by Acceptance, Access, and Action.

Mass Readings from March 24, 2024:

Isaiah 50:4-7

Psalms 22:8-9, 17-20, 23-24

Philippians 2:6-11

Mark 14:1—15:47

Homily from the Second Sunday of Lent.

A big life is a series of small crossroads.

Life happens at the crossroads. Life is also a series of small crossroads that might seem insignificant, but add up to a life of beauty and meaning...or a life potentially wasted.

Mass Readings from March 16, 2025:

Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18

Psalms 27:1, 7-9, 13-14

Philippians 3:17—4:1

Luke 9:28b-36

Homily from the Fourth Sunday of Advent.

Love without a commitment remains an illusion.

In order to truly grow in love, there needs to be the willingness to make a commitment. And there needs to be the ability to keep a commitment.

Mass Readings from December 19, 2021:

Micah 5:1-4

Psalms 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19

Hebrews 10:5-10

Luke 1:39-45

Homily from the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas Mass).

At Christmas, in our lives, and in the Mass...God becomes small enough to ignore.

God is closer than we think. But the ways that He draws close to us is that He comes so close that we can miss Him and He becomes so small that we can ignore Him.

Mass Readings from December 25, 2022:

Isaiah 62:1-5

Psalms 89:4-5, 16-17, 27, 29

Acts 13:16-17, 22-25

Matthew 1:1-25

Homily from the Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Competent generosity is the key for healthy masculinity.

Jesus prays that His Church is never without shepherds. This world and His Church is in need of leaders, of shepherds, and of fathers. While we will always need women and mothers, we stand in particular need of fathers at this moment in history. We need both: strong and generous men and women to place their strength at the service of the people around them.

Mass Readings from June 18, 2023:

Exodus 19:2-6a

Psalm 100:1-2, 3, 5

Romans 5:6-11

Matthew 9:36—10:8

Homily from the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Jesus changes shame into joy.

There are certain things, certain failures, embarrassments, and shames, that could define our lives. There are certain events that could define our lives in a negative way unless something changes. Jesus can change those things.

Mass Readings from January 16, 2022:

Isaiah 62:1-5

Psalms 96:1-3, 7-10

1 Corinthians 12:4-11

John 2:1-11

Homily from the Sixth Sunday of Easter

Jesus is the Lord. Is He my Lord?

Saint Peter tells us to be prepared to give a reason for our hope. We need to be ready to give an explanation for the truth that Jesus is the source of hope. We also need to be ready to give a reason for our personal hope in Jesus.

Mass Readings from May 14, 2023:

Acts 8:5-8, 14-17

Psalm 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20

1 Peter 3:15-18

John 14:15-21

Homily from the Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Who you are now is who you are.

Joy is the abiding sense of well-being. It is a feeling, but it is also a choice. But we do not choose joy itself. We must choose the source of joy. Love is the source of joy.

Mass Readings from September 11, 2022

Exodus 32:7-11

Psalms 51:3-4, 12-13, 17, 19

1 Timothy 1:12-17

Luke 15:1-32

Homily from the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Mary is the New Ark of the New Covenant.

It is fitting that Mary was assumed into Heaven since she is the fulfillment of the Ark in the Old Covenant.

Mass Readings from August 15, 2023:

Revelation 11:19A; 12:1-6A, 10AB

Psalm 45:10, 11, 12, 16

1 Corinthians 15:20-27

Luke 1:39-56

Homily from the Sixth Sunday of Easter.

The strength that got you here is not the strength needed to get you there.

As we continue to grow and age and mature, we also continue to experience the reality of decline. Each of us will come to know what it is to have less youthful strength. Rather than lament this fact, we can learn to adapt and choose a different strength. We can choose a new definition of what it is to "win" at life.

Mass Readings from May 5, 2024:

Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48

Psalms 98:1-4

1 John 4:7-10

John 15:9-17