03/31/13 The Truth of Absolute Importance

Homily from the Mass of Easter Sunday.

"If the only thing keeping me from getting to Mass on Sunday is that it's an obligation, I have a bigger problem than an obligation. My problem is that I don't actually believe that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. I don't actually believe that the Eucharist is truly Jesus Christ's Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. It's of relevant importance to me. ...When I had a choice, when I could have chosen, when I set up my schedule, did I fit the Lord into what I wanted to do? Or did I build my life around this truth: that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead?"

Mass Readings from March 31, 2013:
Acts 10:34, 37-43
Colossians 3:1-4
Luke 24:1—12

03/24/13 Will Mercy Change You or Break You?

Homily from Palm Sunday.

"This is the whole secret: The gift that changes the relationship is the Cross. 'I didn't ask Him to do this for me.' Here's the Cross, and the One with all the power in the story is the One who can't move because His wrists are nailed to some wood; His feet are nailed to some wood. He seems powerless, but He is in control. The Cross is a symbol of uncertainty and weakness and powerlessness. It's a sign of my need. Because I live under the illusion of control. And the Cross then, when I am willing to be obedient to the Father and place the Cross at the center of my life, that is when I am truly free. That is when you are truly free: when you let the Cross of Jesus be at the center of your life."

Mass Readings from March 24, 2013:
Isaiah 50:4-7
Philippians 2:6-11
Luke 22:14—23:56

03/17/13 Coffee Table Christianity

Homily from the Fifth Sunday of Lent.

"Whenever we take a good thing and make it the ultimate thing, we enslave ourselves. And we have to obey the #1 commandment of every one of these false gods, every one of these counterfeit gods, every one of these idols. The #1 commandment is this: 'Thou shalt perform.' No matter what it is. To get money? Perform. To get success? Perform. To have a good reputation, you have to act a certain way. 'Thou shalt perform.' ...The reality is this: our main problem with idols is that we think that we need them."

Mass Readings from March 17, 2013:
Isaiah 43:16-21
Philippians 3:8-14
John 8:1-11

03/10/13 Slave or Son?

Homily from the Fourth Sunday of Lent.

"The Sacrament of Confession is where the desire to be impressive goes to die. It is so good! The Sacrament of Confession is where the desire to be admired by the Father goes to die. Because the Sacrament of Confession, just like this Mass, is where we actually get close to the Father, we actually get close to Papa."

Mass Readings from March 10, 2013:
Joshua 5:9, 10-12
2 Corinthians 5:17-21
Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

03/03/13 DIY Religion: If Catholicism is Wrong, Than Christianity is Wrong

Homily from the Third Sunday of Lent.

"When it comes down to it, I don't like man-made religion anymore than you do. That's why I'm Catholic: because we realize that Jesus said in Matthew 16, 'You are rock. And upon this rock I will build my Church.' If you choose to be Catholic, or if you were raised Catholic, you were brought into not a man-made religion, you were brought into a God-made religion."

Mass Readings from March 3, 2013:
Exodus 3:1-8, 13-15
1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12
Luke 13:1-9