Fr. James's Homilies: Recent Episodes
frjamesboric
Words cannot describe my gratitude and love for you all. I will take you with me to Mount Carmel in my heart. We will be forever united in the Eucharist. And I cannot wait for our family reunion -- in heaven. Holy Spirit guide us. Blessed Mother lead us. St. Joseph protect us. Amen.
The Eucharist isn't just the Body and Blood of Jesus. It IS Jesus. The Eucharist is a Person. Do you believe this? Do your actions prove you believe?
Sign up to adore the Person of Jesus Christ at America's First Catholic Cathedral. This city needs your prayers. Click here: Adoration – Basilica of the Assumption (americasfirstcathedral.org)
Human beings were made for mystery. God is the Supreme Mystery. By pondering Him, we are drawn deeper and deeper into the awesomeness of God. The more we know about Him, the more in awe we are of Him and the more we love Him. When we remove the mystery of God at the Mass, we stop pondering and we reduce God to one creature among other equal creatures...and this is when Catholic Churches empty...
What has happened these last 5 years at the Basilica is nothing short of miraculous. Holy Marriages, vocations to the priesthood and religious life, a missionary program and perpetual adoration: Mary has led everything. This is the key to success...
"Do this is memory of me," Christ said at the Last Supper. By instituting the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, Christ taught us how to "remember" most powerfully. This is the way to honor and remember our dead...
Almost no one could explain why the Ascension matters. It matters because it is tied to the forgiveness of sins. How? Listen...
Jesus said, "“Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words."
What do these words have to do with the confusion of our world today? Everything!
It's the faithful married couple, the man with same-sex attraction who remains faithful to God, the young couple who prepares for marriage with purity and the granddaughter who visits her grandparents in the nursing home on the weekend. All of these people LOVE like Christ--sacrificially and totally. True love always leads to the glory of both the cross and heaven.
At the Basilica, she was known as Dr. Emily Wilding. Emily entered a religious order in Ohio called the Children of Mary. This past Friday, she received her religious name: Sister Imelda Joy--named after Blessed Imelda Lambertini and the Blessed Mother (whose title is Cause of our Joy). This homily was for Sister Imelda Joy, two other sisters who also received their religious names, and a sister who made her temporary vows. What an honor to celebrate and preach this Mass. God bless Sister Imelda Joy!
Do you get down because you experience boredom in prayer? Do you think you are no good? That you will never be holy? You could not be further from the truth...
Herod sought to kill Jesus. Anything or anyone who tries to separate souls from grace and the truth of Jesus Christ and His One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church is a modern-day Herod. We need to fight against them. But we also need a Protector. And we have one...
Peter is the poster child for what happens when you stop praying. When prayer goes, man resorts to activism which leads to falling away from Jesus which leads to creature comfort which in turns leads to denying Christ and hitting rock bottom. No one has to hit rock bottom!
When someone is dying in a hospital, hospice or their home, there is one prayer you need to pray...especially if they have been away from God. And pray it OUT LOUD so they can hear you!
I promise you this: if you are away from Christ and His Church, you are miserable right now. God wants to do away with your misery. If you are devout and know you cannot earn heaven: God wants to give ease your mind.
Who are the most powerful on the universe? The rich? The elite? Politicians? The famous? Nope. Not even close. It's the walking wounded...and those who do this...
Before Jesus went to the Cross, He said that He eagerly desired to eat the Passover meal with His apostles. Do we eagerly desire to eat with Jesus? This Holy Week, our actions will answer that question for us...
Most people forget that St. Joseph was involved in the final apparition at Fatima on Oct. 13, 1917. He appeared next to Mary with the Christ Child blessing the world. This apparition is all about the family...and Satan. It's a battle. But those who stay close to St Joseph will win.
On March 25, 2022 Pope Francis consecrated Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Why did he do this? Was the consecration in 1984, by Pope John Paul II, valid? How do we actually know? Listen and find out...
The parable of the Prodigal Son shows us what true mercy looks like. It is FAR more than just forgiving someone. Mercy restores a person's dignity. It reveals to them their identity as a beloved son or daughter of the Father. And it leads to conversion of heart.
No matter what sins you have committed in the past, Jesus wants to wipe the slate clean. He wants to give you total forgiveness of all sin and all the punishment associated with that sin. This is the GREATEST PROMISE ever made to man. And it can be yours...
SPREAD THIS MESSAGE TO ALL YOU KNOW.
Jesus, I trust in You.
Lent is a time when we must meditate on the 4 Last Things: Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell. Today's homily explores the need for us to be prepared for death--so that we do not fear God as our Judge, but look forward to being with Him forever in heaven.
Peter, James and John saw Jesus in glory (or at least in a ray of his glory) during the Transfiguration. Nothing is preventing you from seeing Him in glory too. You just need this...
The Blessed Mother promised to shower grace upon grace on those who wear the Medal of the Immaculate Conception. So many miracles have happened for those who wore it, it isn't known as the Medal of the Immaculate Conception anymore, but the "Miraculous medal." Here's the story...
Lent is awesome. It is a dedicated time to grow in love of God. But often times we use these 40 days to glorify ourselves. Our motives for our "penances" (i.e. losing weight) are more centered on pride ("I want to look better") rather than fighting sin and growing in love of God. Time to change that this Lent!
Most people in this world are not happy. Why? We don't trust that God can make us happy, and so we turn to false idols of the world. These idols make us happy for a moment, and then they leave us depressed, anxious and wanting something else. Here's what Jesus said WILL make us happy...and it will last!
St. Bakhita was sold into slavery, beaten and tortured. She eventually won her freedom, became Catholic and a religious sister. Later in life, when asked if she could forgive those evil men, this is what she said:
"If I were to meet those who kidnapped me, and even those who tortured me, I would kneel and kiss their hands. For if these things had not happened, I would not have been a Christian and a religious today.”
Here's how she was able to love and forgive...
Is being rich really a bad thing? Is living a really comfortable life OK if you want to get to heaven? What did Jesus say about this? Warning: This is NOT for the lukewarm!
Do you know who St. Luigi Guanella is? No? You should! It was through his intercession that a 21-year old man recovered from traumatic brain injury in 2002. His intercession is powerful. And he is connected to our Baltimore Basilica.
Standing in his own synagogue, Jesus outed Himself as the Messiah. Why weren't his own people happy to encounter the long-awaited Savior? Why did they turn to violence and try to kill Jesus? Two reasons. And it's the same two reasons people "kill" Jesus today.
What makes a homeless woman and a billionaire equally as powerful? Only one thing...and it is truly the great equalizer.
The Wedding Feast at Cana speaks about our baptism with God. We are the jars of water that got changed into choice wine. But it's the wedding gifts that we received that are pretty amazing...once you know what they are!
At Jesus's baptism, the Father said to the Son, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." It's easy to understand how the Father could be pleased with the Son. He is perfect. But what about us? Could the Father really be pleased with us (who are sinners)? Could He really think of us as His beloved? Yes, and here's why...
St. Peter Julian Eymard said that St. Joseph use to adore the infant Jesus all night. Through faith Joseph "pierced through the rough garments the child wore, until his faith touched the Sacred Heart.” This is what will happen to all who peer at Jesus in the Eucharist. This is also the most sure way to hear God's voice and become a great saint.
Sign up for an hour of adoration at the Basilica and be like St. Joseph: Adoration – Basilica of the Assumption (americasfirstcathedral.org)
Fulton Sheen rightly wondered out loud (decades ago!), “I wonder if it is not true that as the world loses veneration for Christ’s mother, it loses also its adoration of Christ.”
Does this not explain the current state of the Church?
But the GOOD NEWS is: if we properly venerate Mary, we will adore Christ. And if we adore Christ, we will have eternal life. The "formula" couldn't be simpler. No parish that gets this right will ever be closed.
Only once did Jesus say, "Learn from me." Of all the virtues, Jesus said He wanted us to learn THIS ONE VIRTUE. With it, you will be a saint. Without it, heaven is impossible.
A gift given is worthless unless it is received, unwrapped and used. Christ GAVE Himself as a gift to humanity. He has done His part. Now it is up to us. Will we receive Him? Our salvation depends on how we answer this Christmas question!
Why do we Catholics honor Mary as much as we do? Why do we say she is a powerful intercessor? Why do we call her a "mediator?" Because it is the will of God--manifested by the Holy Spirit in the Word. Yes, this is ALL scriptural!
Sadness is a certain pain in the soul. So many people suffer from this pain--and they do not have to. The opposite of sadness is JOY. We were all meant to experience joy. But this is not an emotion or a feeling. It is the fruit of possessing one thing, and one thing only...
On May 17, 1846 the bishops of the United States proclaimed Mary, under the title of her Immaculate Conception, to be the principal patroness of this country. She is the "woman" whose Son will crush Satan. She is the woman we need to turn to now, in this country...
NASA scientists have studied this image. Kodak has studied it too. Doctors swear it is living. It is associated with miracles. And at least 9 million people became Catholic because of it.
People do not understand St. Joseph! How could a JUST man, a righteous man, think it is OK to walk out on his pregnant wife (especially when she is pregnant with the Messiah)? Just men don't do that! Joseph didn't do that! Here's what you need to know...
Enroll your loved ones in our Novena of Masses for St. Joseph!
Advent is a penitential season meant to help us grow in love and holiness. Sadly, these weeks from Thanksgiving to Christmas are typically a time full of anxiety, worldliness and materialism. We must counter this! How can we grow in love and holiness before Christmas? Here are some very practical steps...
Man exists to glorify God. At the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, we use our free will to praise and glorify God. This is when we are most human...and when we most please God. While our Country thanks God one day a year, the Catholic Church thanks God every moment of every day and in every place of the world--through the offering of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Happy Thanksgiving!
"What is truth" Pilate said to Jesus as he stared at truth incarnate. This is the same question the world asks today. Is there truth? Think: gender confusion, marriage confusion, political confusion. Satan and his kingdom causes confusion. God gives clarity. Under His rule, Truth is objective. And it leads to all that is lasting, good and beautiful. His Kingdom is open to all who are willing to submit to truth.
Jesus explained what signs we would see when the end is near. If we look at our world today, all the signs are here. We need to be prepared. But if we are prepared, we ought not to fear...not even the slightest!
Do you know about this amazing apparition that took place in Kibeho, Rwanda in the 1980s? Approved by the Vatican in 2001 as being authentic, what Mary said applies NOW just as much as it did 40 years ago. How many times will Mary tell us to do this before we listen?
St. Teresa of Avila said that St. Joseph never denied her requests. He will not deny you either. But you must devote yourself to him and his intercession.
Enroll yourself and your loved ones in our Novena of St. Joseph Masses: https://www.americasfirstcathedral.org/novenas/
Why do we celebrate the men and women who are already in heaven? They do not need our prayers! St. Bernard of Clairvaux answers this question for you -- as only a doctor of the Church could!
Jesus used very specific words to explain to us HOW to love correctly. If we died tonight, would we be able to look Jesus in the eyes and say, "Lord, I DID love you with all of my heart, mind, soul and strength. And I loved my neighbor as myself?" If we can't say that (and I cannot!), here is what we need to do now...
After you listen to the homily, sign up for adoration and check out our Source of All Hope Web site.
In today's Gospel, Jesus said he came to serve as a ransom for the "many." At the Last Supper, Our Lord said his blood would be offered for the salvation of the "many." Given this: Did Jesus die for ALL or just some? And once you accept Jesus, are you guaranteed to be saved? All of this and more in today's homily...
Would you help us keep Perpetual Adoration in Baltimore? Click here:
Defenders – Basilica of the Assumption (americasfirstcathedral.org)
This particular Gift of the Holy Spirit is what you need in order to experience divine things--NOW. God will give anyone this gift...if they are willing to receive it.
Will you help us keep Perpetual Adoration going in Baltimore? Click here: Defenders – Basilica of the Assumption (americasfirstcathedral.org)
No saint (except for Mary) had a deeper interior life than St. Joseph. We are all called to follow in his footsteps. And you do NOT need to be a priest or a religious to do this...
What does it mean to be a man or a woman? Well, to see what authentic femininity and masculinity look like, we ought to look to Mary and Joseph -- the greatest woman and man ever created by God.
St. Joseph defended the Eucharist. Will you do the same? https://www.americasfirstcathedral.org/defenders/
St. Joseph is the patron saint of the dying. We should be asking this mighty saint NOW to help us have the sacraments when we die. St. Joseph will make sure that all who have recourse to him have a happy and peaceful death.
St. Joseph defended the Eucharist. Will you do the same? https://www.americasfirstcathedral.org/defenders/
Satan and his minions cannot stand St. Joseph. If you don't think demons are real, listen to this homily. They are real. But St. Joseph has our back!
God Himself willed that St. Joseph be the head of the Holy Family. Jesus Christ listened to Joseph. Mary listened to Joseph. We too ought to listen to St. Joseph...
This weapon is responsible for delivering the Catholic Church against a ravenous Muslim Navy who sought to enslave and slaughter all Catholics. This weapon will deliver you too from all danger... even against all odds.
In today's Gospel, Jesus speaks of the reality of Hell. It is awful. But Our Lord wants us to do everything we humanly can to avoid that which sends us there--namely, serious sin. Our life is a battle. God will give us grace, but we must be willing to do our part.
Gary, our security guard from 11PM to 7AM, was not a religious man when he started. But seeing men and women come to worship Jesus Eucharistic at every hour of the night and early morning inspired Him. Their love for Jesus pointed to the truth of the Eucharist for Gary. Tragically, Gary died last week. I found out after his death he was thinking about joining RCIA before he died. What a miracle! For the last 3 and a half months of his life, he protected the Eucharist and those who came to adore. He came to the faith because of all those who came to adore when the world says "STAY ASLEEP!" This is a miracle. A soul was saved because of adoration!
I look at our City and I see the brokenness. The drugs. The pornography. The LGBTQ and gender confusion. People living together before marriage. Children born without a mom and a dad who are committed to each other until death. The divorce. The abuse. The violence. The murder. The abortions that take place 2 blocks away. The hatred. The gangs. The lawlessness. The diabolical.
These are the things that blind us and hurt us and enslave us as individuals and as a society. But there is a way to heal...
On Sept. 19, 1846 Our Lady appeared to two children in La Salette France. Both were shepherd children. One was 11. The other was 14. The Blessed Mother wept as she said these words to them: "If my people will not submit, I shall be forced to let fall the arm of my Son. It is so strong, so heavy, that I can no longer withhold it." Today's homily explains what these words mean. And they are more important today than they were 175 years ago!
“Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, be subject to your husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the Church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her…”
Is this sexist, misogynistic and outdated? No. And I will explain why...
We all hope to be where Mary is, in heaven, with her Son. We also hope to have true JOY even on this earth. Mary shows us how to have true, lasting joy. It all has to do with desire...
What is the lens through which we see everything in our lives? For many, right now, it is COVID. Most decisions are being made based on fear--fear of sickness and fear of death. That should not be true for us Catholics. Our lens is something far greater. Once we realize this, we don't have to live in fear. We can be free--even in the midst of a pandemic.
The Mother of God laid out a devotion that will win sinners for her Son, soften hearts and all but guarantee salvation for those who participate with fervor. Still, most human beings are too busy. Listen to this message and share it with as many Catholics as you can.
Why do 70% of Catholics NOT believe in the Eucharist (the New Manna from Heaven) despite so much proof? The answer is the same for this question: How could the the Israelites NOT have believed in the Manna from heaven in the desert--after ALL the miracles God worked for them? The answer...human attachments. Don't understand? Listen...
How is it possible that any Catholic disagrees with any other Catholic? We have One God. We profess One Creed. We have One Magisterium. We have One set of "rules." We have One Catechism and One Bible? How is it that we are not all united? I'll explain how...and what the solution is!
From the moment of Mary’s Immaculate Conception, Mary's soul had no other life than God, no other desire than to love God. This is the Carmelite spirituality—to have no other life than God, no other desire apart from God. Of course, this is our desire too. Today’s feast day is not just for the professed Carmelite religious. It is for us!
Once we understand the "why's of the faith," seemingly controversial issues (like why like the Catholic Church only allows men to be priests) cease to be controversial. Give this a listen and pass it on to someone else who doesn't know...
200+ years ago this Basilica was at the forefront of an experiment in our country. Would Catholics be allowed to worship in freedom? Turns out, we were. Today, the Basilica is at the forefront of a new experiment: Unity in and through the Eucharist. Will it work? Doesn't matter. It is the right thing to do. And it is the only way to authentic freedom. Happy Independence Day!
Pornography. Homosexuality. Gender reassignment surgery. Anger. Abortion. Pride. The World. These are the "cookies" we turn to for comfort. But they don't satisfy. Jesus offers us something FAR BETTER. But to receive this gift that totally satisfies, we have to drop the cookies in our life so our hands are free to receive all He wants to give us. I promise you, it will be worth it.
The Blessed Mother appeared twice in two different centuries to explain the power of the Scapular. St. John Paul II wore his every day. When he was shot on May 13, 1981 and rushed to the hospital he told the surgeons, "Do not remove my scapular during surgery." Here's why he said that...and why you should wear one too.
We need to evangelize the world...but not at the Mass. The Mass is where those who already know Jesus drink deeply of the Word and the Eucharist. This is the consummation of the marriage between God and man. This is where union occurs. The Mass is the deep end of the pool. And we will not evangelize properly until we get the Mass right.
St. Peter Julian Eymard was dubbed the "Apostle of the Eucharist" by Pope St. John Paul II. In one of the greatest meditations ever written, St. Peter Julian Eymard explained why Jesus Himself NEEDS the Eucharist. Sound like heresy? It isn't....
2,000 years ago Mary brought Jesus to the hill country of Judah. Elizabeth became the first person (other than Mary and Joseph) to adore Jesus Christ--through Mary. The same thing has happened again...It is a miracle!
Satan knows that once you understand the truth about God and His desire for you, he cannot do anything to divert you from heaven and happiness.
The Holy Spirit is given to us at Baptism and Confirmation. Yet have you noticed that most of the baptized and confirmed don't seem to live any differently than the rest of the population? Most don't experience God. Why is this? In today's homily, I outline a sure-fire way to become holy and EXPERIENCE the Holy Spirit. This is how the Church will grow. Period.
“As the Father loves me, so I also love you.”
Those are the words of Jesus Christ…words He spoke to his disciples on the night before he died for all of us. He spoke those words to his disciples then, now and always.
“As the Father loves me, so I also love you.”
To understand the power behind these words, we have to know how the Father loves the Son.
Mother Teresa . St. Teresa of Avila. St. Catherine of Siena. St. Jeanne Jugan. They have done more good for the world than any charity or government--bar none. Our Church has a GREAT need for holy, faithful women religious. If it wasn't for them, our world might not exist. Think I am exaggerating? Listen...
The law of non-contradiction says something can both be and not be at the same time. In 30 days, the Basilica will have Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in Baltimore City. Jesus will be here--24/7. Now, in case you didn't know: the Basilica is only 3 blocks away from Planned Parenthood. Death and Life cannot be at the same time. The Eucharist (Life) will triumph over death. It's only a matter of time.
If there were no priests, there would be no Mass. If there was no Mass there would be no Eucharist. And if there was no Eucharist, God would not be physically present to man on earth. We need to encourage men to become good, holy priests!
On April 15, Deacon Sean gave this talk to our young professionals at P3. His advice for newly married couples is INVALUABLE. Deacon Sean has been married nearly 31 years. In that time, he has never had a blow-up argument with his wife. Want to know why? Listen and find out...
All over we see bumper stickers, signs and storefronts that say "love is love is love." In other words, everything is to be accepted as equal and good (UNLESS you oppose their secular dogma of what is "good." If you do oppose them, good night! The cancel culture will seek to eradicate you from society). Love has been relegated to the realm of the subjective. Love is what "I" say it is. But this is NOT what God said. He said that true love is...
Divine Mercy Sunday: God promised that on this ONE DAY anyone who approaches Him in the confessional and receives the Eucharist in a state of grace will get a brand new start. All sin and punishment is wiped away--on this ONE DAY. It's the best day of the year. And God foreshadowed the reality of Divine Mercy thousands of years ago...so we wouldn't be unbelieving, but believing.
Mary Magdalene was a hardened sinner. She encountered Christ and she changed. She became a great saint--so great that SHE was the first to witness the Resurrected Christ. She is NOT defined by her past sins, but by Jesus's mercy. This could be true for you (and me) too...
The lukewarm were no where to be found on Good Friday. But Mary the Virgin Mother of God (Perfect Innocence) and Mary Magdalene (Perfect Penitence) were there. We cannot imitate Mary the Mother of God. We aren't perfectly innocent. But we can ALL imitate St. Mary Magdalene and her perfect penitence. No matter what we have done we can become saints.
At every major sporting event, some fan holds up a sign that says "John 3:16."
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”
Notice it says "MAY" have eternal life! We cannot just accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior and think that my actions don't really matter. "As long as I accept Jesus, I'm saved." WRONG! Yet, many think and behave this way. Here's how we MUST respond to this bible verse...
What happens when the prayer life stops? Activism. What happens when we become activists with no prayer life? Just look at Peter...
Commit to a prayer life by signing up for Perpetual Adoration at the Basilica starting May 31. Click here: Adoration – Basilica of the Assumption (americasfirstcathedral.org)
If I told you by fasting you could have a better prayer life, control the sins of the flesh and atone for past sins -- would you believe me? You should.
Come May 31, 2021 we will launch Perpetual Adoration IF there are 336 people willing to commit to praying for an hour each week! Will you? Click here to sign up: https://adorationpro.org/baltimorebasilica
What actually happened to Jesus on the cross is too much to bear. But the Blessed Mother risked her life, according to a 17th Century Mystic, to bring her Son comfort. We can do the same...
Come May 31, 2021 we will launch Perpetual Adoration in Baltimore to pray for vocations (marriage, priesthood and religious life). We need help, though. Will you pray for an HOUR? Click here to sign up: https://adorationpro.org/baltimorebasilica
Fr. Ricardo's vocation story is amazing! He was torn between marriage and celibacy. But in the end, he knew God was asking him to choose celibacy and become a religious priest. Why? Listen and find out for yourself!
Come May 31, 2021 we will launch Perpetual Adoration in Baltimore to pray for vocations (marriage, priesthood and religious life). We need help, though. Will you pray for an HOUR? Click here to sign up: https://adorationpro.org/baltimorebasilica
Almsgiving is necessary for eternal life. People who give generously become like God—who gave everything to us! Almsgiving leads to a better prayer life by detaching us from the material things which keep us from prayer. Almsgiving atones for our sins—and thus appeases God’s wrath. And it leads to an increase of FAITH—one of the theological virtues required for eternal life.
Will you give alms so we can have Perpetual Adoration? https://www.americasfirstcathedral.org/ac/
A little girl in China was beaten to death for love of the Eucharist. Catholics receive the Eucharist in a state of mortal sin. Satanists and witches steal the Eucharist and do unthinkable things to the Sacred Host. Christ wants people to love Him in the Eucharist. Will you?
Come May 31, 2021 we will launch Perpetual Adoration in Baltimore. We need help, though. Will you pray for an HOUR? Click here to sign up: https://adorationpro.org/baltimorebasilica
Why doesn't God answer your prayers? And how do you respond to people who say, "Adoration doesn't do anything?" It actually does 5 things...all of which change lives!
Come May 31, 2021 we will launch Perpetual Adoration in Baltimore. We need help, though. Will you help us? Click here: https://www.americasfirstcathedral.org/ac/
If the thought of a "Holy Hour" (praying for an hour in front of Jesus in the Eucharist) sounds daunting, this homily is for you! Do not be intimidated any longer!
Come May 31, 2021 we will launch Perpetual Adoration in Baltimore. We need help, though. Will you help us? Click here: https://www.americasfirstcathedral.org/ac/
If you don't look forward to prayer in front of the Eucharist, you aren't ready for heaven. Eucharistic Adoration is preparation for eternity with God in heaven!
We are on a radical path to bring Jesus to Baltimore in Perpetual Adoration. We need help, though. Will you help us? Click here: https://www.americasfirstcathedral.org/ac/
The Ash on our foreheads means we are truly sorry and we intend to change—no matter what our prevalent sin is.
But the ASH also means something else…
When God sees that the sign of the cross on our foreheads matches the contrition of our soul—that ash cross symbolizes our ticket to the great party in heaven—because we who were lost, have now been found! And God loves that!
Support our efforts to begin Perpetual Adoration at America's First Catholic Cathedral: https://www.americasfirstcathedral.org/pa/
Origen of Alexandria said we are all lepers. Our leprosy is our sin and the guilt of that sin. Left unchecked, it will kill us. But the remedy (confession) always cures even the worst of sins -- including divorce. Want to know one of the greatest desire of my heart? It has to do with divorce...
Help us strengthen marriages by supporting Perpetual Adoration at the Basilica:
https://www.americasfirstcathedral.org/pa/
Satan is real. Demons are real. And there are sins that can open us to evil. In today's homily, I explain what some of those gateway sins are (as told by actual exorcists) so you can avoid them! Also, I explain the remedy for all evil...
Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us!
Help us fight the demonic with Perpetual Adoration:
https://www.americasfirstcathedral.org/pa/
St. Louis de Montfort wrote so beautifully of the Consecration to Jesus through Mary. In his marvelous treatise, True Devotion, he said this:
“As all perfection consists in our being conformed, united and consecrated to Jesus it naturally follows that the most perfect of all devotions is that which conforms, unites and consecrates us most completely to Jesus. Now of all God’s creatures Mary is the most conformed to Jesus. If therefore follows that, of all devotions, devotion to her makes for the most effective consecration and conformity to Him. The more one is consecrated to Mary, the more one is consecrated to Jesus.” (#120).
Mary--unite us ALL to your Son.
If our country wants true and lasting unity (a good thing!) we must repent and believe in the Gospel.
At the Basilica, we are trying to unite all in the Eucharist. Will you help us? https://www.americasfirstcathedral.org/pa/
When Jesus asked John and Andrew, "What are you looking for," He was asking them to articulate the deepest desires of their hearts. Andrew and John didn't know how to respond. Do you?
Baptism is not just a Catholic rite of passage. It is literally a sharing in divine life and in the salvific events of the crucifixion and the resurrection. When a soul is baptized, God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit descend upon the soul and claim it as their own.
Mary is the greatest Mother ever. She is so amazing, St. John Vianney said this about her:
“The heart of this good mother is all love and mercy; she desires only to see us happy. We have only to turn to her to be heard."
Find out the best way to turn to her...
On this greatest of Marian feast days, the Blessed Mother (who was categorically rejected by the world) teaches us two very important lessons: 1) Don't ever get discouraged when the world rejects you because of her Son; 2) Stay true to God and the mission He gives you and lives (including yours) will change!
The great Archbishop Fulton Sheen said: “Only two classes of people found the Babe [that first Christmas]: the shepherds and the Wise Men; the simple and the learned; those who knew that they knew nothing, and those who thew that they did not know everything.”
What about you? Do you recognize Christ this Christmas? There is one thing necessary to see divinity in our world. Without this, you cannot see. But with it, everything will change...
Mother Teresa was NOT impressed with the United States when she visited! She saw the declining/dying Church, and the immorality and the wealth -- and how it was leading souls away from God. But she said THIS would save America...
Help Save America--by doing what Mother Teresa said. Click here:
https://www.americasfirstcathedral.org/ac
Want to know why so many people do not believe in the Eucharist? Look at the way we celebrate the Mass. If the music, the homily, the vestments and everything else about the Mass are ordinary -- why should we expect anyone to think that the Eucharist is anything other than ordinary? If the Mass is EXTRAVAGANT the extravagance points to the reality of the Eucharist...that Jesus is here...and worthy of our BEST. As Catholics, we will believe in the Real Presence when the Mass is truly the source and summit of our lives. And by the way, we show what is important to us by the money we invest. Invest nothing in the Mass and what does that say about the Eucharist?
Invest in the Eucharist, click here: https://www.americasfirstcathedral.org/ac/
Our world desires unity. Our country desires unity. But it is looking for unity in all the wrong places. No political party can provide it. No radical fringe group can provide it. Only the Eucharist can provide unity. But just receiving the Eucharist is NOT enough...there are two more steps required for authentic unity.
Will you help us unify Baltimore in the Eucharist? Click here: https://www.americasfirstcathedral.org/ac/
In 2003 St. John Paul II had full blown Parkinson's Disease. He knew he was going to die. But he also knew immortality would be his. Here's why...
We are on a radical path to bring Jesus to Baltimore in Perpetual Adoration. We need help, though. Will you help us? Click here: https://www.americasfirstcathedral.org/ac/
Did you know that there are 2 saints of Thanksgiving? Well, there are...kind of! See what Anna the Prophetess and the Samaritan Leper who was cleansed have to do with this "American" holiday!
Would you be willing to help us start Perpetual Adoration in Baltimore? Click here: https://www.americasfirstcathedral.org/ac/
Your talents are invaluable. But they are not meant to be used for yourself. They are needed to build up the Kingdom of God. If God asked you to give an account to how you have used your talents thus far, would you be ready? If not, here's what you have to do...
There are bad politicians and bad churchmen today. There were bad politicians and churchmen during Mary's time on earth too. Imagine her having to watch as people crucified her Son. Yet do you know that Mary never lost her cool or her peace? She never took to social media or called people names. She kept her gaze on Christ. And this is what we must do too. God bless you.
The priest's job is to make sure every soul in his parish is ready to meet Jesus. Here is the plan for the Basilica parish...
St. John mentions in the Book of Revelation that the elect in heaven total 144,000. Where does that number come from? What does it mean? (Hint: it is NOT literal!)
Jesus said that the 2 most important laws were to love God and love neighbor. These are non-negotiables if you want to be a Christian. What are the non-negotiables when it comes to Catholic voting? I'll explain...
Jesus said, "Repay to Caesar what is Caesar's, to God what is God's." How does a person actually do this? Well, it'll take three hours if you do it right!
In his closing homily for the Rosary Congress, Father Joseph Aytona explained how the Eucharist and his father's death are forever linked. This is a powerful story. It is a true story. And it shows you how God takes care of us when we trust in Him. Jesus, I trust in You.
When someone says "I love you," it demands a response. Silence isn't an appropriate response. "Thank you," isn't an appropriate response. Yet how many Catholics respond like that to Jesus? Here's how to say "I love you" back to God and mean it.
Delivered on the Feast day of Our Lady of the Rosary, this homily speaks to the reality of the Eucharist. If you don't believe the Eucharist IS the flesh of Jesus Christ, listen to this homily and believe. Plus, if you listen to the end, you will see that Fr. Ricardo has quite the voice! You'll have to listen...
Why are you not advancing in the spiritual life? What is the main reason to go to Mass? What is God's will for you now? How do you know? These questions and more are answered in this homily from the Rosary Congress.
The Rosary is our weapon to defeat evil--physical evil and spiritual evil. This is a completely "Christ-centered" prayer. And it leads to union with God!
St. John Bosco had a dream that the Church would be attacked by many smaller, quicker moving enemies. We are in that battle now! The Church is being attacked--now. Marriage. The Family. Gender. Religious Freedom. Truth. It is all being attacked. But the Church will win this battle by doing this...
No matter what sins you have committed...no matter how many times you have committed them...you can still become a saint. Here's how...
Help us be the first parish in Baltimore City History to have Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration: https://www.americasfirstcathedral.org/pa/
Once you understand the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant you will see why mercy is essential for eternal life. This is truly an amazing (and scary) Gospel! But there are 3 ways to live it out...
Help us be the first parish in Baltimore City History to have Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration: https://www.americasfirstcathedral.org/pa/