11/28/21 Abounding Love: No Room

Homily from the First Sunday of Advent.

Two things are clear about the inn at Bethlehem: Love Incarnate showed up and there was no room for Him.

Too often, we want to love the way we have been created to love. But we find ourselves incapable of loving this way. Not because we aren't willing or because we don't want to...but because our lives are simply too full. We have no room to love.

Mass Readings from November 28th, 2021:
Jeremiah 33:14-16
Psalms 25:4-5, 8-10, 14
1 Thessalonians 3:12—4:2
Luke 21:25-28, 34-36

11/21/21 All Over the Place

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

When torn asunder, we are held together by worship of the King of Kings.

The end of the year offers us the chance to recognize the little lords and tingy tyrants in our lives; those things we love and those things tha attack us. And we have the chance to allow Jesus Christ, the King of the Universe to be the true King over all of those fragments by offering Him true worship.

Mass Readings from November 21st, 2021:
Deuteronomy 7:13-14
Psalms 93:1-2, 5
Revelation 1:5-88
John 18:33-37

11/14/21 Always Forward. Never Back.

Homily from the Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time.

The struggle doesn't change the destination. The struggle is the way.

When we are in the middle of a journey...or the middle of life...we will encounter obstacles. In that encounter with obstacles, we will be tempted to go back. But it is necessary to ask “what is God asking of me right now?”

Mass Readings from November 14th, 2021:
Deuteronomy 12:1-3
Psalms 16:5, 8-11
Hebrews 10:11-14, 18
Mark 13:24-32

11/07/21 Learning to Lose: Practice Dying

Homily from the Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Death is unavoidable.

We will all lose everything. We will all lose everything...even to the point of our very lives. Rather than avoid death, we can practice dying by actively giving away our claims to our materials, time, and our abilities.

Mass Readings from November 7th, 2021:
1 Kings 17:10-16
Psalms 146:7-10
Hebrews 9:24-28
Mark 12:38-44

11/01/21 Your Feast Day

Homily from the Solemnity of All Saints.

One day, this will be your feast day.

The Solemnity of All Saints is the day the Church has given us to celebrate and honor what God has done in the lives of the countless people He has redeemed and sanctified.

Mass Readings from November 1st, 2021:
Deuteronomy 6:2-6
Psalms 18:2-4, 47, 51
Hebrews 7:23-28
Mark 12:28-34

10/31/21 Learning to Lose: All is Lost

Homily from the Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time.

When all is lost, love God with all that's left.

We are called to love God with everything. It is easier to love when we are winning, but are we able to love when we've lost? What if we have lost everything? When we've lost, we are most tempted to become bitter, resentful, and take back our love. But we are made to love God and we can trust God even in the midst of losing it all.

Mass Readings from October 31st, 2021:
Deuteronomy 6:2-6
Psalms 18:2-4, 47, 51
Hebrews 7:23-28
Mark 12:28-34