04/25/21 Inclusive Love/Exclusive Claim

Homily from the Fourth Sunday of Easter.

Inclusive means neither passive nor permissive.
To be included is an incredible gift. To be inclusive is powerful. It means more than being “welcome”, it means being radically open and desperately fighting to bring people in. The Church is as inclusive as God’s love. And yet, Jesus is also exclusive in His claim. Jesus has made an exclusive claim about Himself. And if this is true, Jesus has an exclusive claim on us.

Mass Readings from April 25, 2021:
Acts 4:8-12
Psalm 118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28, 29
1 John 3:1-2
John 10:11-18

04/18/21 To Be A Witness

Homily from the Third Sunday of Easter.

It is possible to see the miracle and to not be a witness.
It is possible to encounter God and go back to the same life. It is possible to live as if the miracle had never happened. It is possible to say "I believe" and not be a witness. But it is also possible to not see a miracle and still bear witness to Christ by how we live, what we choose, and what we love.

Mass Readings from April 18, 2021:
Acts 3:13-15, 17-19
Psalm 4:2, 4, 7-9
1 John 2:1-5
Luke 24:35-48

04/11/21 Scar Stories

Homily from the Sunday of Divine Mercy.

Every scar has a story.
Virtually everyone has scars. And every scar has a story. Scars are reminders of our past...they are reminders that won’t go away. And Jesus has kept His wounds in order to help us to never forget His story.

Mass Readings from April 11, 2021:
Acts 4:32-35
1 John 5:1-6
Colossians 3:1-4
John 20:19-31

04/04/21 Ellipsis

Homily from the Mass of the Resurrection of Our Lord.

It means that something more is coming.
Peter told Jesus that he would die for Him. And he meant it. He just wasn’t ready at the right time.

Mass Readings from April 4, 2021:
Acts 10:34, 37-43
Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23
Colossians 3:1-4
John 20:1-9

04/02/21 Gallicantu

Homily from Good Friday of the Lord's Passion.

Peter expected to fight in the Garden, not in the courtyard.
Peter told Jesus that he would die for Him. And he meant it. He just wasn’t ready at the right time.

Mass Readings from April 2, 2021:
Isaiah 52:13—53:12
Psalm 116:12-13, 15-18
Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9
John 18:1—19:42

04/01/21 Context Matters

Homily from the Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper

On the night He was betrayed…He gave.
Everything in the Bible leads to the moment of the Last Supper…and leads to every time we are at the Mass.

Mass Readings from April 1, 2021:
Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14
Psalm 116:12-13, 15-18
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
John 13:1-15