Homilies by Msgr. John Cihak: Recent Episodes
Msgr. John Cihak
Prayer, Christian virtue, faith proved by works. Join us, as Msgr. John Cihak leads us to our true vocation as "sons and daughters of the Father" through his weekly homilies. Drawing from his deep theological studies in Rome, pastoral experience, and role as a Master of Ceremonies for the Pope, Msgr. Cihak's messages always come through as practical, orthodox, and engaging.
Here at Christ the King we want to spread the message of Christ. But we must have a plan going forward to be our most effective. Listen as Monsignor shares the Christ the King Playbook.Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
Why is it that God seems to ask so much of us, of our selves, in order to serve Him? How much are we meant to give? Listen as Monsignor Cihak discusses these questions and more.Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
In Deacon Echevarria’s final sermon during his pastoral internship year, he reflects on the wisdom he has gained over the year, and on the Pillar of True Wisdom whom we should strive to know better.Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
As we read in the Gospel, the story of the Canaanite woman who begs Jesus to save her daughter. She is at first rejected, but persists in requesting His help. What, then, do we learn from her?
Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
Sometimes as Christians we view St Peter as almost this mythic-like figure, and so forget the very real man who learned at our Lord’s feet. So let’s take a look at St. Peter very human faith.
Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
On Mount Tabor (in Israel) Peter, James, and John witness Christ transfigured, and the prophets Moses and Elijah. But more than this, they witness the truth about Christ and His mission on Earth.
Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
There is only one treasure that we should seek in the Catholic walk. Walk towards Christ, towards the Eucharist, and seek out the True Treasure.
Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
Last week we heard about the seed sower and the fruits that bore from his efforts. Today we hear about the Farmer whose crops are infiltrated with weeds by his enemies, but he does not fret. And Our Lord Jesus says the Kingdom of God is like this field.
Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
In today's gospel reading, Jesus tells the parable of the Seed Sower, who casts his seed onto the ground, and the seeds land on different soil. But what kind of soil do we cultivate in our own hearts?
Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
Jesus the Christ is our Lord and Savior, but He is also our friend. But how do we become friends with God? How do we foster that relationship? Listen as Dcn. Echevarria gives his perspective on Divine Friendship.
Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
Where do we find freedom? Is it in our laws? In our government? In our inalienable rights? Or do we find freedom in Christ, in the One True God.
Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
Fear can cripple us, keep us from doing the right thing, doing what God wants, having difficult conversations and making good but difficult decisions, taking necessary risks, keep us from trusting others and being vulnerable. But Be Not Afraid says the Lord.
Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
On Father's Day, we remember our fathers, all the fathers we've had. Our physical fathers, our spiritual fathers, Our Father. But the greatest example of Fatherhood we've ever had, was from Christ himself, the Son.
Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
When we say Christ is truly present in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, is this a statement you wholly believe? Is it one you would die for? These are questions we must contend with, especially on this feast of Corpus Christi.
Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
This Trinity Sunday we recall the Mystery of, well, the Trinity. So then, what does it mean for us that we were made in His image, the Image of a Triune God?
Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
In Genesis, mankind became divided when trying to build a tower to Heaven. Now on Pentecost we recall when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Church and healed this divide to bring mankind together.Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
On this Ascension Sunday we recall the Sacraments and where Jesus was in their establishment, and their necessity for the Church.Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
On this Mother's Day, we remember who our True Mother is and how we can love her best.Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
How do we rebuild Catholic? And what steps are we taking right now? Christ the King has a path forward and Monsignor shares it here.Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
How can we as Catholics improve testimony? For starters, we can delve into the Word handed onto us by the Apostles and preserved through the ages. So then what's the next step?Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
You've likely heard the phrase "a Doubting Thomas", but why do we view Thomas in such a negative light when he had just seen his Rabbi and Prophet killed and buried? And what mercy could our Lord have for someone with so little faith?Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
What is it that we celebrate on Resurrection Sunday? What is the highest form of worship? Come to the Mass and see Christ truly present.Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
When Christ enters Jerusalem riding on a donkey, does he come as only a meek and lowly servant? Or does he come as a king? Or, maybe, does he come as a conqueror?Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
Listen as Archbishop Sample gives a stirring homily about Life, Death, Resurrection, and the miracle of the Sacrament of Baptism.Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
In the Allegory of Plato's Cave, a man is freed from a life of lies and partial truths to be awakened to reality and the harsh light of the Sun. So how do we respond when we are similarly awakened by the Light of Christ?
Christ meets a woman in the heat of the Sun at a well in Samaria, an uncommon encounter in this day. Though she expects hostility from this Jewish man, she is instead met with a simple statement. “I thirst.”Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
In our second week of Lent, how is it going for you? Are you holding firm to your promises? Are you following the Good Shepherd? What is helping you to better follow Christ?Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
In the Gospel reading we hear of Jesus' temptations in the wilderness. He was tempted three times by the devil, and three times Jesus overcame temptation and rebuked him. How then might we be able to overcame temptation through Christ?Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
When the Church was being persecuted by the Roman Empire, it was driven underground, into house churches. Here, the faith thrived. But since then we have forgotten about the Domestic Church, the Church at home. Listen as Monsignor Cihak speaks of this very reality.Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
In our current age, there's a dualistic sense of the person. One is the true self and the other, merely a projection. What happens when that projection does not align with the true self? Monsignor Cihak tackles this question in today's homily.Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
The Christian life isn't one of ease, but of hardship. Hardship endured which bears great light.Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
Everyone wants to be happy, but no one asks, “why do you want to be happy?” The question instead is what brings lasting happiness? Listen in as Monsignor Cihak discusses this very question.Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
To whom do you surrender? To what ideology do you subscribe? How do we truly show love? These questions and more Deacon Echevarria answers in this weeks homily.Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
What do love, a star, and the Magi that sought Our Lord at His birth all have in common? Watch and listen as Fr Niall O'Riordan shares a story of God's great and eternal love.Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
As we continue this Christmas season, we examine the very woman whom Christ called Mother. Listen to Deacon Echevarria as he talks about our blessed Mother.Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
In this Christmas season we have been gifted two unique homilies, one from Monsignor Cihak, and one from Deacon Echevarria. In this homily, listen to Deacon Echevarria as he talks about our dignity, given to us through the Incarnation of Christ.Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
In this Christmas season we have been gifted two unique homilies, one from Monsignor Cihak, and one from Deacon Echevarria. In this homily, listen to Monsignor Cihak as he talks about the greatest gift we can receive this season.Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
Over the past few weeks we've heard the basic essentials of the Gospel. Created, Captured, Rescued. Now, we must Respond. Hear the conclusion to this four part series as Deacon Echevarria shares the synthesis of these past few weeks.Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
The radical claim of Christianity: God became man. Why did He do it? Why did He suffer the Cross? He came to look for us, to find us, to fight for us and to rescue us from captivity.Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
Through the Fall of one man we were all condemned to die. Through our own faults we all condemned one Man to die. And it is by the work of the enemy that we were Captured.Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
From atheism to Christianity, CS Lewis' journey is one fraught with interactions with the Infinite. But what can his conversion teach us about our place with God? Listen to this week's homily as we enter into this new Advent season.Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
At the funeral for Jonah Bragg, Monsignor gave a homily of grief and joy, of hope and despair. Let not a life cut short cause you to waver from the promise God has for us, for Jonah, that we may have Eternal Life with Him.
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. But what is a king if not a conqueror? And what domain has our King conquered? Listen as Deacon Justin reminds us of our mortality and teaches how Our Lord is Ruler of All.Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
As we approach the end of the Liturgical Year, we are reminded that we already live in the end of days, which began after Christ's Ascension. But what does this mean for those of us still awaiting His return?Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
Many would say they would kill for their ideals. But would you be willing to lay down your life? For whom will you die?Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
After the Decian persecution of Christians in the Third century, a heresy arose, known as Novatianism, which said that fallen away members of the faith could not be reconciled back to the Church. But this is not how God sees His flock when they make mistakes, even those with devastating consequences for the soul. Listen to Deacon Echevarria as he discusses the Logic of God about this very topic.Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
As we build upon the vision of our Archbishop for this Archdiocese, Msgr Cihak shares where our parish is currently headed.Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
"For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities ... with the evil spirits in the heavens." Listen as Msgr. Cihak discusses what our Amalek is today and how we fight it.Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
Deacon Justin Echevarria gives his first homily at Christ the King on living every day in gratitude to God. Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
As we start Respect Life Month, Monsignor Cihak shares his experience with the caring of life seemingly discarded, and how great love can overcome the most dire of circumstances.
Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
In the parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man, we see Christ telling the story of a dying man, a man so destitute he was willing to accept the scraps off the table from a wealthy man. In the end of the parable, the Rich Man is condemned to eternal torment, but for what is he condemned? Listen as Monsignor Cihak opens wide this old parable.
Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
In the Gospel reading Luke shares a confusing parable from Jesus that seems to imply that it is good to be crooked with someone else's wealth. But the audience of the day doesn't seem to understand it this way. Listen in as Monsignor Cihak shares some context to help explain this mysterious parable.
Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
As we recall the events of September 11th, 2001, we ponder where God is in the midst of tragedy, and how lost the world seems to be. But it is in the heart of tragedy in which God finds and calls the Lost to follow Him.
Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
We hear that Christ tells us we should “hate [our] own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters,” but we know we are called to love our neighbors as ourselves. How, then, do we reconcile what Christ means here, and what does this have to do with bearing our own cross?
Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
Recently Shia LaBeouf had an interview with Bishop Barron about his upcoming role as Padre Pio, and how he is being drawn to the Catholic Church. Listen to what this has to do with Humility and how this virtue should be seen in the Christian life.
Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
With teachings as hard as Christ's, who then can be saved? Can it be me, the Chief of Sinners (1 Timothy 1:15)? Or is the path to salvation wide and open to anyone? Listen to the gospel reading for the 21st Sunday and Monsignor's exposition to find out how to answer this question.
Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
Guest priest Father Dustin Busse expounds the readings for this Sunday and how we can set the world on fire through everyday matyrdoms.
Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
It is said that Faith helps conquer our fears. But what is Faith? And how do we build it up? Follow along in this week's homily as Monsignor Cihak answers these questions and more.
Full notes, video, and archive at https://blog.ctk.cc
From Qoheleth to the Rich Young Ruler, we hear tale after tale from the Bible of the woes of riches. But when is it that God calls us to store up riches and treasures? Listen to Monsignor Cihak as he answers this very question.
Pray without ceasing. We hear this phrase often, but for many it can seem too daunting a task. But what if, instead, like Abraham praying for Sodom or the friend begging for assistance at night, we pray persistently? Listen to Monsignor Cihak discuss this very topic, and why we should Pray with Persistence.
In the first reading of the day, we heard about Moses working and tending to the Lord as He visited in the guise of a man. But in the Gospel reading we hear about Mary and Martha receiving Jesus as a guest, and when Martha asks Jesus to reprimand her sister for not assisting in attending to Him, He seems to scold her in telling her that Mary has chosen the better part. Listen to Monsignor Cihak as he teaches on what it means to properly prioritize.
Often when we hear the story of the Good Samaritan, we naturally hear ourselves in the story. Are we the Samaritan? Or the victim of the robbers? Or are we more often the priest or the Levite? Listen as Monsignor expounds on a classic parable with guidance on how to understand this story from our Lord Jesus.
Thumbnail Photo Credit: Urban Missionaries
The stumbling block of the cross is one that many struggle with, and following Christ can make low the proud. Even the Apostle Paul struggled early in his ministry. But it is in the Cross that we boast, and it is Christ Crucified that we preach. Listen to Monsignor Cihak as he leads us through why we boast in the Cross.
Some are called to glory, some to humility. Some are called to the forefront of world-changing events, and some to be witness. No matter what we are called to do, come, follow Jesus into His Greatness.
At the Eucharistic Procession in a small town in Italy, a little boy recognizes Jesus in the Eucharist. Do we always recall that it is truly Our Lord who is present in the Eucharist? And how do we respond to those who have forgotten this, the source and summit of our Catholic faith?
The Mystery of the Holy Trinity is a teaching few know well, and can often leave us with more questions than answers. But Monsignor Cihak offers an insight into the Blessed Trinity, and the love that each Divine Person has for each of us.
In a time of uncertainty, where our beliefs are seen as the relics of a bygone era, who do we turn to for guidance? And who is this Third Person of the Trinity?
When Christ ascends into heaven, His presence remains fully with His Church. What does that mean for how we discern when we can receive Holy Communion?
It's what we all desire, and what will always elude us if we continue to search for it apart from Jesus. But even as He promises to give us supernatural peace, how do we receive it?
Jesus asks a simple question of St. Peter, the one who denied him three times during His Passion- not to shame him, but to meet him at this spiritual place of failure and heal him. Will we let Him ask the same of us?
St. John Vianney, perhaps the Church's single greatest confessor, once said that "If I am a good confessor, it is only because I am a great sinner." But this great sinner found still-greater mercy in Jesus, and so can we today.
The human heart cannot help but crave freedom. Jacques Fesch spent his entire life desperately grasping at freedom on his own terms. But only when he finally despaired of this sort of freedom did the freedom offered by Jesus- as to every Christian in the Resurrection- present a new way.
We've heard the phrase so often that we take it for a mere platitude. Maybe we even doubt that it is truly possible at all. But in ministering to the woman caught in adultery, Jesus is firm: we must both love the sinner and hate the sin.
The Parable of the Prodigal is perhaps the most beloved of all of our Lord's lessons. Whether we are the older or the younger, it is the same Father who offers us his merciful hand here and now.
"I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!" Our Lord's words can seem shocking, even terrifying. But we must recognize this saying too as Good News that offers eternal happiness.
What Peter, James, and John saw on that mountain was not simply a pretty light show: in the Incarnate God-Man, they saw the godliness that they- and we- were always meant to possess.
We are so used to the stories of Scripture that we can forget what an odd thing it is for God to send His people into the desert over and over. Jesus's own 40-day fast in the desert shows us what it really means to live Lent.
"We are part of something larger than our parish. In fact, we only exist because the successor of St. Peter has sent a successor of the Apostles to us . . . We are all part of his mission in this locality, the Church’s mission of bringing everyone in western Oregon into the saving relationship with Jesus through His Church. There are many aspects of the mission that are beyond the parish level but which need parish support."
Thumbnail image courtesy of Ed Langlois of the Catholic Sentinel. Used with permission.
As a culture, we have become dangerously accustomed to writing people off as no better than their sin. Jesus exemplifies and offers- indeed, requires- another way.
The Gospels are abundantly clear that there are ultimately only two ways: one of truth and one of lies; one of life and one of death, with no middle ground. Our world has come to a point where this choice must be made now. So which is it?
The Lord calls St. Peter in a dramatic and even miraculous way. But make no mistake- each of us, against our own fears and uncertainties, must hear the Lord calling us too, and respond with courage.
Underneath the surface of the culture around us are ideological currents that can seem alluring enough, but ultimately cannot stand the fullness of the Gospel message. It is intentional and rigorous Catholic education that provides a bulwark against these currents for our children.
Testimony after testimony of abortion survivors reveals that, despite the promise of "choice," the culture of abortion is built on the lie that, in our time of need, we have no choice but abortion. When Jesus of Nazareth appeared in that synagogue 2000 years ago, he proclaimed freedom to us all, founded in the truth of our inherent and unalienable human dignity.
In his trademark down-to-earth, warm and witty manner, Bishop Peter Smith draws out the meaning behind our Lord's words and actions in His first public sign in the Gospel of John, and reminds us that His glory can shine forth to today's world just as brightly by our own lives of faith.
St. Maximus of Turin writes that "Christ is baptized not to be made holy by the water, but to make the water holy." Listen to how this great gift of sacramental grace made one of the American church's greatest heroes, and is available to us even today.
"...Stays Together." With his pithy catchphrase, Ven. Patrick Payton, CSC brought thousands upon thousands of families together in God through praying the Holy Rosary- and the same prayer brings our families together today.
“She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” Let your heart hear this one line, this sacred verse from God Himself.
We pray with the Visitation, Mary's journey to Elizabeth, twice a week in the Holy Rosary. So often we hear the mystery that we can miss its great significance for us: what this "journey" represents, where it promises to lead us, and how we walk it with Mary, and therefore, with Jesus.
As St. John the Baptist calls us to repentance, St. Paul calls us to true joy. Their calls are one and the same, and the biggest obstacle to following that call is sin. Sin distorts our desires for the good into temptations to what harms us- so how do we make sure our desires stay holy?
"Receiving the Lord’s forgiveness starts it all, because there we find how much He loves us, delights in us and how far He’s willing to go for us. That gives us the power to extend it to others and have it extended to ourselves."
Advent is a time of patient but active waiting. Our task is to engage Jesus and invite grace to do what grace does: heal, sanctify and save. So when our world is crashing down around us, we are not to duck and dive for cover: rather, stand erect, and lift your eyes to Him who is coming to you.
So many of our hearts’ wounds are caused by a lack of love. Jesus reveals in His Kingship that He is the King of love through healing those wounds caused by a lack of love. He is the King of truth and crushes the lies we believe about ourselves and others which hold us bound. So how does His healing get into us?
Our Lord promises to call us to account for our sins on the last day. If we receive this call as an invitation to examine our wounds honestly and courageously, then we allow our Lord to save us, and to give us true hope.
"Take that pain, even if you don’t know exactly where it came from or what it is. That’s your two small coins. Put them in the Temple treasury, that is, put them in Jesus’ wounds. His wounds show us that He has already gone 'all in' for us." -Msgr. John Cihak
To know the young Margaret of Tuscany, you would never once think she would be a saint. It was nothing more or less than Jesus's healing mercy that transformed her into the great St. Margaret of Cortona- and so it is with every saint in heaven, and with us here and now.
So many of us live life thinking “This is as good as it gets.” We carry inner wounds of discouragement, of feeling abandoned, of a broken and wounded heart- and we carry them so long, we cannot see that there is any possibility of living life whole. We need to be set free. We need to be healed.
When the culture of death is so prevalent today, how do we answer? Jesus tells us, "I came that they may have life, and have it more abundantly." And one of our strongest aids in fulfilling His mission is His own foster father.
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It's not so easy to accept Jesus's offer of rescue: His encounter with the rich young man shows us that we need to respond courageously. So what does it mean to respond to Jesus? How do we say yes to Him, both personally and in the mission He calls us to join Him on?
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We were created in goodness. We were captured by the evil one. But even as we are trapped in the darkness of sin and death, trapped with no hope of escape from the dominion of evil, the rightful king lands on Satan's shores, having already triumphed- and behold, He makes all things new.
If God created us in such goodness, why do we see such evil in the world and in ourselves? The world cannot answer, nor can philosophy. Only the Good News of Jesus Christ can tell us. And for us to know Him, we have to know what- or who- He saves us from.
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Why is there something rather than nothing? Why would God create the world? And what does it mean to be a human person? In this first homily of CtK's Kerygma Series, we ask the fundamental questions shared by all humans, and see that the answers form the first pillar of the Good News of Jesus Christ.
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On the 20th anniversary weekend of 9/11/01, we rightly remember the unique bravery and sacrifice of heroes like Todd Beamer. But the call to heroism, in expressions big and small, is for everyone- and it is the same call that our Lord gives when he tells us, "Follow Me."
::: Read the key takeaways and Monsignor's homily notes on our blog: https://blog.ctk.cc/
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Who knows why this man couldn’t hear and speak? Imagine how much suffering he underwent! The isolation, the misunderstanding, feeling cut off from relationship. Regardless, now, he is before Jesus: “Here is your God, he comes with vindication… The will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared” (Is. 35:5). And in our own spiritual deafness and inability to speak, the Lord asks us to let him heal us, to speak His “ephphatha” to us, in three ways.
To heal, a doctor must learn about sickness: what attacks, corrupts, harms or defiles the human body. So it is with Jesus, the Divine Physician who heals our hearts and souls. But what defiles the human heart? How do we diagnose it? How do we begin to heal?
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Today the Word of God asks us to make a choice. Today Jesus concludes his teaching on the most important reality in the universe, His real, substantial presence in the Holy Eucharist. After weeks of exploring this profound mystery of His love, we come to its culmination in a choice: whether or not to believe Him and to be defined by the mystery of the Holy Eucharist.
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Our world is on fire. The world is in a spiritual drought. We need to pray for the Holy Spirit to Reign.
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What the world is crying for, whether it realizes it or not, what our hearts are crying for, is salvation - being rescued from the power of sin and death.
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Homily for Mother's Day - May 9, 2021
The virtues of Mary on display throughout her life, including her witness to self-sacrificial love, stand as inspiration to all Christians, especially to wives and mothers.
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A dead branch cannot bear fruit. It cannot do what it was made to do. It is the same with us. We were made to know, love and serve God in this life so that we can be with Him forever in Heaven.
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What in your soul makes you feel unloved and unloveable? Where is the shame? Where is the discouragement? Where do you hate yourself? What in your soul is impeding your ability to receive and respond to God’s love? What in your soul is impeding your ability to give your love to Him and to others? These are the wounds that need to come to Jesus Christ!
Bring these wounds to His open side and be healed.
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Christ The King Catholic Church | Milwaukie, OR Homily for Easter Sunday 2021
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Homily for March 21, 2021
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We all have some sort of interior pain. Perhaps this pain is sadness, desperation, fear or anger that lies deep in the soul. You may even feel unloved or unlovable because of this pain.
But God comes to you in your pain, to heal it with His love...
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Homily for March 7, 2021
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Homily for 2.28.2021
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The Lenten observance of almsgiving is like medicine. It heals the effects of vanity and worldliness, and turns our attention back to God and neighbor.
Almsgiving helps us overcome our disordered love of money, but almsgiving requires action...
We have been tricked into thinking that people should be perfect, and when they fall short of our expectations we cry out “Unclean, Unclean!” We attempt to banish them from our news feeds, from our friend groups, even our families.
How easily we forget or ignore that truth about our own lives. If sin and brokenness were truly a form of leprosy, we wound all find ourselves living in one giant leper colony!
So where do we turn to for a remedy to our leprosy? Who can we look to as a model for our lives? Just look at the encounter between Jesus and the leper...
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Surrender and trust in God can be scary. Original sin has damaged us so that we have difficulty trusting God. Jesus will melt our fear away...if we let him.
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Jesus taught with authority. He revealed that Truth is not a fact or idea. Truth is a Person. Jesus is the Truth! All truths whether in mathematics, physics, history, literature or philosophy find their origin and fulfillment in God the Son, through whom all things came to be and who give intelligibility to everything.
Christ’s authoritative teaching in the Church is not something to pick and choose from.
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Homily for January 24, 2021
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So many people are lost. They are looking for happiness in wealth, honor, power, and pleasure and not finding fulfillment in any of those things. Because it turns out, God is what we are all searching for, whether we realize it or not.
The indelible mark of our Catholic baptism can never be erased or removed.
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The magi were seekers; they had a hunger to find a newborn King and give Him homage.
Just like the magi, each of us has a deep spiritual hunger to find the Lord, to give Him homage and offer gifts. The magi show us what to do with our spiritual hunger: go search out the Lord.
No matter what the state of our family is, we can bring holiness to our own family, especially through prayer and mutual respect.
Let’s marvel at God’s wonderful plan and resolve to build something beautiful for God in our lives of faith, by coworking with His grace for the building up His kingdom.
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Is There Joy In Suffering?! It’s Possible with God
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Advent invites us to examine our consciences in terms of patience.
Patience is such an important virtue. It means waiting, sacrificing some immediate satisfaction for the sake of a greater good in the future. Impatience, on the other hand, is the unwillingness to wait, wanting it all right now, immediate satisfaction. Our culture has a problem with that these days…So many problems come from impatience.
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Today marks the beginning of a new Liturgical year for the Church. Having been blessed with another year of life, we look back over the past year, the good and the bad, and we resolve to renew our faith as we look forward to our salvation, the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ.
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Jesus must be the center. Homily for our patronal feast of Christ the King - November 22, 2020
Homily for November 15, 2020
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Memento Mori is a Latin phrase that means remember death. Death is not something to be feared, or ignored or sterilized, but something already concurred by Christ, as a pathway to walk and the doorway to eternal life.
You and I are supposed to become saints. This is the ultimate meaning of being human; this is our destiny; this is the Lord’s plan for our lives from the beginning.
What does it mean to be a saint? A saint is a man, woman or child who becomes like Jesus Christ. His or her life is conformed to His life, flows from His life, and takes on the likeness of the One they love.
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We are called to love totally, radically and sacrificially, first God and then our neighbor. Love means to give of myself, to do what is good to the other, and this sacrificial love is the ONLY way we fulfill our existence.
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I owe certain passing things to this world - and they are genuine duties, like paying taxes. But if I ask what I owe to God, there can be only one answer. I owe Him everything.
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Conversion is a life-long task. The fact that we are not fully converted is not something to hate ourselves about or become discouraged. Rather conversion is an invitation to an adventure, to cooperate with Jesus as He reconquers our soul, inch-by-inch.
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Why do actions matter? Because that is what love is. Love is not merely a feeling, it is a decision, doing what is good for the other, an act of giving ourselves away.
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Who in your life are you angry with? Who do you need to forgive? Jesus commands us to forgive not only because it is an imitation of him, but because He knows it is only in forgiveness that we can truly be free.
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Do you avoid conflict at the cost of the truth? Most of us avoid conflict with others, so we often don't speak up against evil when we ought to. But our Lord Jesus makes it clear in today's gospel that we are to take action and speak up against evil in order to bring His Kingdom into this world.
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We don’t have to look at our crosses with resentment, frustration and self-pity, as if they are obstacles to our happiness and peace. Instead, by the renewal of our minds, we see them as a loving invitation from the Lord to be with Him, to love Him and to follow Him.
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Jesus wanted to establish in His Church a visible, concrete sign of His divine authority, a sign that would last in the Church until His glorious return.
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In Deacon Randy's last weekend at Christ the King, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Mary was always focused on Jesus - even in her suffering while watching her Son die on the cross. We are called to imitate Mary in staying focused on Jesus in all circumstances.
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When we feel ourselves sinking in the storm of life, Jesus invites us to cry out to Him like St. Peter, “Lord, save me!” He is there in the storm; He is the Lord over the storm; He will save us.
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God loves us and never abandons us no matter what we do. At times we may feel unworthy of His love, but God's grace surpasses all of our inadequacies.
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In today's gospel, Jesus shares 3 important parables that teach us important lessons about the Kingdom of God and living the spiritual life. These parables encourage us, help us to ask important questions about our motivations, and show us how we can use our littleness to achieve greatness just like the saints did.
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In the parable of the sower, Jesus is the Sower of His word, His grace, His Body and Blood, all He is and has, His words and saving deeds.
The soil is our hearts. Jesus invites us to take a soil sample of our hearts.
How do we receive and respond to Him, to all that He teaches us, and to all that He seeks to do in our life? Jesus invites us to remove that hard, rebellious, stony soil, and replace it with rich soil so His seed can take root and grow.
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America cannot solve all her problems on her own. America needs the Church because America needs Jesus, and the Church is His mystical body in the world. She needs not only the wisdom of the Church, but the divine power that enters the world through her.
It is the Church who brings the light of her Lord Jesus into the world - a light to the nations.
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Through the suffering of Christ there is meaning in our suffering. We are called to unite our suffering with His suffering as redemption for the world.
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Sunday's gospel passage is part of a series of instructions Jesus gives to the disciples as he prepares to send them out on their inaugural mission. It’s the coach’s talk before the big game. At first glance these sayings can seem a bit random, but upon deeper reflection there is something logical going on here.
God wants us to enter into the Trinitarian life with Him. To do that, we must use our God-given gifts of the intellect and the will to live our vocations and love God and each other to the fullest.
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At Pentecost, the Catholic Church was born. As Catholics, we have a rich heritage and an apostolic succession upon which the Church was established. And with that heritage comes with a mission that we are charged with continuing in our world today.
Who are you and why are you here? You are a beloved son or daughter of the Father through Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit. Why are you here? You have a mission, sharing in the mission of Jesus Christ in saving the world and gaining eternal life.
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Jesus does not lie. He promises that He is here in the Eucharist, and that He will never leave you. He will always remain with you, but He also asks that you trust Him and believe His promise.
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Holy Mass is first and foremost a sacrifice that brings us to that once and for all sacrifice on Calvary. The Mass is the sacramental re-presentation of the once for all sacrifice Jesus offered on the altar of the Cross.
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On this Good Shepherd Sunday, we pray for three things: for our bishops and priests, for our men and women in formation to the priesthood and religious life, and for more vocations - especially those within our own families and here at Christ the King!
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The Eucharist is Jesus. He’s just as present to us as He was with those two disciples on the road to Emmaus. Two thousand years hasn’t diminished His presence.
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On Divine Mercy Sunday, we venerate the mercy of the Lord who created the universe and redeemed it through His blood. The Lord's mercy is perhaps the greatest aspect of His love for us, and His desire to bestow mercy upon us is infinitely greater than our need and desire to receive it.
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If we believe that Jesus Christ is risen, if we strive to follow the Lord, and if we ask Him into our life, more power than you could ever imagine is there.
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The Passion of Christ teaches us that suffering is not without meaning, especially when it is done out of love.
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In today's gospel, the death of Lazarus is allowed by Jesus because He is about to reveal Himself. He takes a great risk by going back to Bethany. He also shows us His hatred of death and His desire to destroy death’s power over us. And on the cross, Jesus shows His willingness to take our place in death that we might have life in Him.
Human life and the reality of death have meaning. Life is found only in a living relationship with Jesus. Death no longer has the final say; Jesus does.
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During this time of Lent, and during this time of great uncertainty about what is happening in the world today, we must cling closer to Christ, to trust completely in Him, and hear His voice. When He says, "I thirst", our response should be "Jesus, I trust in you."
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Part 3 of 3 - Fr. Theodore Lange preaches the 2020 CTK Lenten Mission: "His Mercy Endures Forever"
Part 2 of 3 - Fr. Theodore Lange delivers our 2020 Parish Mission: "His Mercy Endures Forever"
Part 1 or 3 - Fr. Theodore Lange delivers our 2020 Parish Mission: "His Mercy Endures Forever"
What part of Christ do you need more of in your life right now? More patience? More kindness? More discipline? More self-less living? More joy? More peace? All of that is available in the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
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The most important thing to remember is that when we are tempted, we are not alone. Jesus has already conquered the devil and He wants to conquer the devil in us too.
So let us join our Lord in the desert so we will be victorious in the most important battle we will ever fight.
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How is it that we can be perfect as our heavenly Father is calling us to be? It seems like an impossibly high standard, but God doesn't play games. If God calls us to live according to His standards, it means that we can do so, not on our own, but with His help...
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I grew up a cradle Catholic and learned to pray at a very young age. But my faith was never really apart of who I was. It was only something that I did. I looked for freedom in all the wrong places, but now I understand that the Lord is patiently waiting for us to choose Him.
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What is diluting your saltiness? It could be alcohol, lying, or gossiping and complaining. It could be impure images, or an insensitivity to the needs of those around us. It could be a lack of desire for spiritual life. Whatever it might be, the Lord wants us to identify it so that He can go to work on it and make our saltiness really salty.
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Today’s feast, forty days after Christmas, is a bright mystery. Traditionally we call this “Candlemas”, because it usually involves the blessing of candles, symbolizing the “light” that Simeon spoke about in our passage from St. Luke.
The Lord wants us to recognize that He has come and is here in our midst. He promised to come and save us and now He is here.
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Raising a Christian family in today's culture isn't easy. As we celebrate Catholic Schools Week, it's important that we recognize the importance of our school as an integral part of this parish in helping parents fulfill their baptismal promises - to train children in the faith and to lead them into an intimate relationship with Jesus.
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The Church and her members stand in loving solidarity with those who are suffering from their involvement in a past abortion.
No sin is greater than the power of Jesus' mercy. Jesus loves you; the Church loves you and recognizes your need and desire to heal. Jesus desires to forgive and heal you.
You have already suffered enough. Come to Him and let His mercy flow over you and through your heart!
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Every time we make the sign of the cross we are reminded of our baptism, and that we are part of the mystical body of Christ. We are connected, sustained by the sacraments, and endowed with a mission by God.
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God calls us to leave behind the suspicion of Herod and the indifference of the scholars and join the magi in their humble search, so that we too can personally encounter the living God.
He is the one who calls us, who loves us, and who wants to lead us to eternal life.
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The Messiah has come to redeem us and to make our family a Holy Family. By following the example of the Holy Family, the Trinitarian life of Divine Love can grow in our families.
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Homily from Deacon Randy Hoang, celebrating the Nativity of our Lord. December 24th, 2019.
Merry Christmas from Christ the King!
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In these last days of Advent, it's important to reflect on a very important question: Do you believe that Jesus, the Son of God, truly became man and that through His incarnation we receive eternal life?
God becoming man is central to our faith as Christians. God became man to give us eternal life, and that is why we are here.
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It’s so easy to waste a lot of time and energy complaining. But there is a cure for complaining - rejoicing. On this 3rd Sunday of Advent, we celebrate Gaudete Sunday. “Gaudete” is one of the Latin words for “rejoice”, and we see in the readings this week and through the example of John the Baptist that we can rejoice in all of life's circumstances by focusing on the Messiah.
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In the Gospel reading on the 2nd Sunday of Advent, John the Baptist appeared preaching in the desert of Judea saying: "Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." As we get ready for our Lord's coming this Christmas, the message of John the Baptist to us today is the same: "Repent!"
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Advent reminds us that the Lord is coming and time is short. And Jesus is not just talking about His coming in the flesh as an infant child at Christmas, or of His coming in glory at the end of time, but of His coming in grace into each of our hearts.
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When we open ourselves to make Christ the King and Lord of our life, His light will shine brightly within us, allowing us to witness to Christ in the practical details of everyday life.
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At Vatican II, the Church decreed that the purpose of sacred music is: “the glory of God and the sanctification and edification of the faithful.” Sacred music is created explicitly for the purpose of worshipping the Living God, and helps us to experience the Mass in a more elevated and prayerful way.
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God does not ever fail. We may fail Him, but He will never fail us. He is ever faithful. While we're alive, we still have time to approach the merciful Father. If we do this, we should not worry when death calls. Rather, we can rest assured that death is the beginning of the true and everlasting life, planned for each one of us by God before time began.
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Today we celebrate All Souls Day. Not only do we pray for those who have died, but we also remember the inevitability of our own death, so we can prepare for that encounter now, and bring our lives into conformity with God.
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How did the saints like Mother Teresa and St. Paul endure the struggles, the hardship, and the sufferings of their daily lives for years in joyful service to the Lord? The Eucharist.
When we commit ourselves to adoring Jesus in the Eucharist, His Eucharistic Love will move us to act. So let us commit ourselves to spending one hour in Adoration on Thursdays here at Christ the King.
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Jesus burns with longing for us to be with Him. Just one glance at the cross shows us how far He has gone for us and how he passionately He desires us to be with Him.
Because the Eucharist is Jesus, devotion and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is the most powerful way we wage war against evil today.
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How grateful are you? Father Solanus Casey is a powerful example of how God can do wonderful things through us when we are grateful to God in all circumstances - good and bad. Gratitude turned Solanus Casey into a saint, because he allowed Jesus to work wonderful deeds through him and He can do it through us too.
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When we are committed to the Eucharist, we cannot help but to increase our love for God, for our families, for each other and for those in need. Divine Love will be flowing into our souls, giving us the strength to witness to Him in the world.
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In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, the rich man simply ignored Lazarus, yet he paid the ultimate price for his seemingly innocuous mistake.
We face this same problem today. We often overlook those around us, but Jesus is calling us to see Him in every person and every circumstance.
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Our material blessings are not simply there to build a more comfortable life for ourselves. Our material blessings are given so that we can accomplish good with it. The Lord asks us to build His Kingdom with our blessings, but in order to do that we must be generous.
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The Father's mercy is infinite and far-reaching. He never gives up on us, and we are called to follow His example by never giving up on ourselves or anyone else.
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Homily from September 8th, 2019 - "Renounce Yourself"
Jesus demands a total dedication to Him alone and asks that we renounce ourselves.
If this sounds scary, that's because it is. We cling to ourselves and to our life, out of the fear that renouncing ourselves will cause us to lose everything.
But we must let go of that fear because only by renouncing ourselves do we gain everything - Jesus, God himself, the giver of Eternal Life.
What is the key to the Lord's own heart and the foundation of all holiness and every other virtue? It’s humility.
When we empty ourselves of ourself, the Lord can then pour His own life into us.
Homily for August 25th, 2019 - "Are You Playing The Odds With Your Salvation?"
Note: This week's homily is from Msgr. Gerard O'Connor, Director of the Office of Divine Worship for the Archdiocese of Portland, and in residence at Christ the King.
Key Takeaways:
::: Salvation is too important to be left to chance - to play the odds and calculate the possibilities, because it's a matter of our eternal life and death.
::: It's not just enough to have a knowledge of Jesus or to belong to the Church. We have to build a friendship with the Lord, know Him intimately, and follow His commandments.
::: God asks nothing less of us than complete abandonment, lived out each and every day as we strive to be faithful to the Lord and his commands, with perfect trust in His mercy.
Our Lord has come to cast fire, but do we really want to burn with the fire of Divine Love? If we're honest, perhaps the answer is both yes and no. If we'd only let Him, Jesus can ignite even the coldest, stoniest and soggiest heart.
At the 9 a.m. Mass for the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary, we had the honor of welcoming Deacon Steven Booth, who is visiting from the Diocese of Fall River, MA.
In the last 40 years we've seen a tremendous loss of faith in the Western world and this just isn't a concept. We all know people, often within our own families and people that we love, who no longer believe and have left the practice of the faith. This is troubling.
Faith is not just a feeling or an experience. The written word of God tells us that faith is a knowing. It's assurance, it's conviction, it's evidence, it's realization of what is not seen, of what is beyond our ability to perceive through our senses.
Faith is the path to eternal salvation.
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In today's Gospel reading, we hear the famous parable of the Good Samaritan. The innkeeper's role in this story is often overlooked, but he exemplifies the Christian life that we are called to live in this world - making the world holy through the regular, ordinary life of daily work and living.
In today's homily, we are uplifted by the story of Cardinal Van Thuan, who spent 9 years in solitary confinement in a Saigon prison during the Vietnam War. He became extremely discouraged until the Holy Spirit inspired Van Thuan to see what mattered. What mattered was the One for whom he was working - Jesus Christ.
With Independence Day coming up this week, we explore what true freedom really means.
Jesus sets us free from the power of sin and death. True freedom, then, resides in our ability to choose God, which means to love. And the more we love, the more we grow in freedom.
As Catholics, we are not to be ashamed of our faith, but instead, to show our faith and to live our faith in the world, even though it's becoming increasingly more uncomfortable to do so. Jesus does not leave us orphans. He is truly with us in the Eucharist, walking with us today in our Corpus Christi procession, and walking with us always.
Today, we celebrate Trinity Sunday and Father's Day. Interestingly, one key aspect of Trinitarian love is fatherhood.
A true father is one who imitates our heavenly Father. We see an example of true fatherhood very clearly in the life of Father Stanley Rother, who was martyred in 1981 and is currently on the path to sainthood. He was so consumed with love for his people, that he did not cling to his own life, but rather, gave his life away. We're called to do the same.
The Holy Spirit wants to set us on fire and unite us with God. He is the bond of love between the Father and the Son. Not only is the Holy Spirit dwelling within each of us, he is also present and active here at the Mass - uniting us, stirring our hearts with the proclamation of scripture, and changing the bread and wine to the body and blood of Christ.
The truth about our lives is that we will ultimately be judged. And while the Father of mercies wishes everyone saved, He will not force anyone to go to heaven because heaven is a place of love…and love is a choice. So, we must face the realities of death, judgement, heaven, and hell today, and make eternal decisions here and now.
Jesus says, love one another as I have loved you. Through Joseph Dutton, who lived with, served, and loved the lepers of Molokai for over 40 years, we see that love is not just a feeling or an emotion. It's a decision. It's an act. His life is a provocation that the Christian life is possible, that a life of holiness is possible, no matter what we're struggling with.
Read the key takeaways and the full homily transcript here: https://blog.ctk.cc/
The sheep recognize the voice of their shepherd and they come running. They follow the shepherd who walks ahead of them, and the sheep trust their shepherd because he's always with them. He protects them, nurtures them, leads them to green pastures. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who calls to us, and calls us to eternal life with Him.
Today's gospel passage from John is one of the most beautiful and painful in Scripture. It's painful because we are with a man who has failed and not just any man - Cephas, the rock, Peter. We wince as we witness a weak man probed by the exacting light of divine love. But this passage is also beautiful because we see a man totally rehabilitated by divine love, and then given the greatest responsibility a man could ever have.
Key Takeaways:
-- The Lord is so powerful that he will make this very apostle who denied him to be the head of his flock. Peter will need to love the Lord more than the others because more is being asked of him.
-- Jesus asks Peter: do you love me? Through this dialogue, we see Jesus rehabilitate Peter through divine love, make Peter a sign of hope for other sinners, and equip Peter for his sacred mission. Jesus wants to do the same with us.
-- Nothing can rival our love for Jesus. Nothing. And if we allow our love to become divided, we lose Him. But in loving him completely, we gain everything. All loves in this world must be subordinated to the love of Jesus. All other loves in this world must find their origin and completion in the love of Jesus.
Today we celebrate the 2nd Sunday of Easter, Divine Mercy Sunday.
When Jesus returned to his apostles after the Resurrection, his first act, was to forgive and to reconcile, to be merciful. The handpicked of our Lord's disciples, with the exception of Saint John, abandoned Jesus, and scattered at the first sign of trouble. And what does he do when he returns to them? No scolding, no reproaches. No, I told you so, Peter, just peace be with you. The profound mercy of Jesus Christ fills the upper room, that had been filled with fear.
When Jesus shows them his hands and his side, he commissions them to go out and apply that divine mercy to the world. They will forgive sin not by their own power, not in their own compassion and mercy, but by Jesus who is working in and through them.
The story of St. Faustina illustrates how God's mercy is poured out over all humanity in modern times. When Jesus appeared to St. Faustina, he told her to tell the world about his mercy and his love. Proclaim that mercy is the greatest attribute of God. The world will never find peace until it turns with trust to divine mercy.
Today we celebrate the greatest and most important event in all of history - the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
St. Francis Borgia illustrates for us, along with the apostles, the example of allowing the reality of the Resurrection to forever change us. After the death of Queen Isabella of Portugal, whom he was deeply devoted to, he swore to never again serve a mortal master. He resigned as Duke, gave his money away, joined the newly founded Jesuit order, and became a great saint.
After Jesus died, the lives of the apostles were obliterated. The one in whom they had placed their hopes and all their faith, the very purpose and meaning of their life was dead. But then, because of the resurrection, new life with hope and peace and joy, because sin and death had been destroyed and conquered by God in the flesh. Everything was forever changed.
No amount of disdain, threats, persecutions, torture, or even death could dissuade the apostles because the Resurrection means unmistakably and unforgettably that God is in charge and that He makes good on all His promises. And it all starts with the fact of the empty tomb.
The most important week of the year is coming this Holy Week, which all converges on the Easter Vigil, where the light of Christ scatters the darkness of sin.
We are to reconquer the world for Jesus Christ. Take back what is ours, what the Lord has made for us, and we take it back through the power of His cross and Resurrection.
In this week's gospel reading, we hear about the woman caught in adultery, who Jesus saves from being stoned. Is she the future St. Mary Magdalene? We're not told for certain, but there is a strong oral tradition in the Church making that connection. If this woman is St. Mary Magdalene, it shows that even the worst of sinners can become the greatest of saints.
Even though Mary Magdalene turned away from her sin to follow Jesus, it's easy to think how she may have felt spiritual desolation from time to time. Did she think the Lord was being too good to her, that she was undeserving of his love?
In our own prayer, we may get the suggestion to be discouraged or fearful or sad about following Jesus more deeply. Saint Ignatius of Loyola knew it and he called this movement desolation. This is the work of the evil one, trying to discourage us in following Jesus.
When we're in the face of desolation, the Lord Jesus, our captain says: Rise up and fight! Oppose your enemy.
Today's homily reflects on the parable of the prodigal son, which provides an excellent opportunity to continue our discussion of prayer and discerning the movements of the spirit.
Saint Ignatius gives us a set of rules that tell us how to tell these spirits apart and what to do when we encounter both the movements of God and the movements of the evil one in our hearts, imagination, and conscience.
When we experience discouragement in our efforts to follow Jesus, that is not from God - ever! That is our enemy attacking our movement back to God.
Key Takeaways:
Repentance and turning toward God starts with confession and turning away from our sins, but in order to sustain that conversion, we must make prayer a habit in our daily lives.
St. Ignatius of Loyola can teach us a lot about how to pray. He successfully turned away from his sinful life, and went on to found the Jesuits because he learned to pray. It initiated and sustained his conversion, and now Ignatius has been teaching us to pray for 500 years.
There are several practical steps for cultivating the inner life of prayer: - Create a time and a place for prayer that is quiet - Be consistent (even if that means praying for just 1 minute a day) - Pray with honesty - Read and imagine the gospels. Go to the scene in the first person. - Ask yourself: where is my heart stirred? Then stay with that and reflect on what the Lord is saying to you.
This contemplation, as Ignatius called it, becomes the material of our discernment of discovering what the Lord is saying to us in our prayer.
By reading the gospels as if you’re there and reflecting on that, you can use your imagination to facilitate an encounter with the Lord Jesus.
When we suffer in love, we begin to be transfigured. No longer confined to the narrow parameters of this life, but instead, caught up in the boundless love of the Lord himself. And the one who lovingly accepts his share of the cross and carries it with Jesus (because we're not supposed to carry it on our own, but with Him)...will be transfigured in the likeness of the risen Christ.
Get The Garbage Out - Homily for March 10th, 2019 Featuring guest, Fr. Tim Furlow, of St. Patrick Catholic Church in Portland.
Key Takeaways:
Lent is a time to become the someone that God intended us to be. We live our lives, and suddenly we wake up one day and we're not exactly who we're supposed to be. Lent is the time to reverse all of that.
We clean our cars, and we clean the rooms in our house. It makes sense that we would do that with our interior lives as well. One of the ways that we can do that is to identify what needs to go by recognizing our temptations.
We all struggle with our own temptations. Some temptations that are very difficult for some are easily avoided temptations for others. The problem is that we have things that we know we struggle with, yet we don't do anything about it. We hit the pause button.
Rotting food in the fridge is like sin in our lives. When we clean out the rotten food from the fridge, it makes the entire fridge better.
The problem with sin is that we get used to the smell and we don't realize that it's actually affecting everything in our soul. If we get those things out of the fridge of our soul, so to speak, then there's room for the good things.
We should be having honest conversations with God every day, and say something like: Lord, you know exactly what I struggle with. The things that I don't talk about with other people. And not only do you know them, you see them all, you see them unfold before you in real time. I need you. I need your help. __________________________________
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We all fall short in following Jesus, but there is a distinct difference in being a sinner and being a hypocrite. If we repent of our wrongdoing and confess our sins regularly in confession, and humbly seek to love our Lord and our neighbor, we won't be a hypocrite, even if we stumble in sin.
Forgiveness is the new law that Jesus commands of us. No longer is it "eye for an eye". Jesus commands us to forgive & love our enemies (even though this may be difficult for us), because that is exactly what He did.
How can we possibly love our enemies? Left to ourselves it's not really possible. It is Jesus' grace within us - the grace that he won on the cross - that allows us to live beyond what is possible at the human level. Grace is the divine power within us. Grace allows us to do things that we are not otherwise capable of doing, like love our enemies.
Forgiveness is an act of the will. We can choose to forgive, even if we are still emotionally angry at the person who has hurt us. As long as we are unable to forgive, those evil acts committed against us still have power over us. It is forgiveness that empties evil of its power. Once we are able to forgive, the Lord's grace can begin to work within us to let go of the anger and replace it with mercy and love. But first, we must choose to forgive.
Practical ways we can allow God's grace to help us forgive: - Receive the sanctifying grace of the sacraments through confession and the Eucharist. - Acknowledge the hurt and the evil against us, and talk with the Lord openly and honestly about the anger we feel. Make a list of the people whom we have a hard time forgiving. Write a letter to one of those people. Don’t deliver the letter, but rather, verbalize the words of the letter to a trusted person.
We focus on the brief but extremely powerful passage from the book of the prophet Jeremiah, which is our first reading for this weekend. It is taken from the seventeenth chapter of the prophet’s book, and the context is a fierce upbraiding that Jeremiah is giving for the idolatry of the people. What we have here is the pithy formula, the simple program, that ought to govern our spiritual lives at the most fundamental level.
There is a wonderful parallel between our first reading and the Gospel this week. The first reading is taken from the sixth chapter of the book of the prophet Isaiah, and it has to do with the call of Isaiah; and the Gospel is from the fifth chapter of Luke, and it deals with the call of the first disciples of Jesus. Both stories, in remarkably similar ways, lay out the essential dynamics of the spiritual life.
This week we hear from St. Paul’s brilliant meditation on love. Everything in religion and theology revolves around love. It is at the heart of everything. Nothing matters without love, because God is love. Putting love at the center is the best way to organize and prioritize our entire lives.
The communion of humanity and divinity in Christ’s divine person can be likened to a marriage. Sin affects a kind of divorce between God and humanity, a break up of the marriage of God and his people. How wonderful, therefore, when the Messiah offers the first sign of his identity and mission at a wedding. This is an indication that the relationship between God and humanity will be transformed, reconciled, and renewed in Jesus Christ.
The first sacrament one can receive in the Church, Baptism, defines our relationship with Christ. In it, we are reborn as part of his Mystical Body and gifted with the grace of God’s love. Baptism lays the foundation for every other sacrament we are to receive and inextricably links us with the Trinity.
Our modern culture suggests a tension between spirituality and religion. But the Magi in today’s Gospel demonstrate that when spirituality is lifted up by revelation—when the Magi are told by the religious leaders where the Messiah is to be born—we find the object of our spiritual longing.