friarpaul: Recent Episodes
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Once again I find myself returning to a theme that must now sound like a broken record: to encounter and live out the Good News of Jesus Christ, we must be willing to surrender--LET GO. Yes, it makes for a nice slogan and bumper sticker, but letting go is HARD WORK. In this particular homily, I explore the absolute necessity of continually TRYING even after many failures. DON'T GET DISCOURAGED....Keep trying to Let Go and Let God.
This talk originally meant to be a homily for the first Sunday of Lent morphed rather into a reflection talk on the spiritual purpose of Lent itself. So it's a little longish for a homily, but I hope just about right for a Lenten talk. (Given at St. Francis in Derwood on Sunday, Feb. 21, 2021)
Happy Valentine's Day one and all!!!! Today is the day for lovers; and all true disciples of Jesus should be passionately committed to HIS one repeated command: "Love one another!" I preached this homily on Valentine's Day 2021 at the home of our 20 Capuchin friars living at Capuchin College. May we all know that we are God's Valentine, and HE longs to send us forth to be Valentine's for one another.
Dr Martin Luther King Jr is rightly celebrated as a national hero and champion of justice and peace, but we should always remember that Dr King’s greatest desire, his deepest dream was to be a humble servant of Our Lord Jesus. In light of his Christian witness, this homily considers how we might walk in the LIGHT of CHRIST by simply listening, committing and trusting. (Preached at St Francis, Derwood— 1/17/21)
St. Paul uses the most disturbing little adverb when commanding disciples of Jesus to rejoice; he tells us to rejoice ALWAYS! Come on...even now, even this year--2020? This homily considers how we might embrace St. Paul's adverb "always" by remembering to turn to MGM: Mary....Gratitude....Mission. (Preached 12/13/20 at 8 am mass, St. Augustine's)
I love the invention of the GPS! Wow, with GPS on our devices we really never have to be geographically lost again. But the even better news is that Christ wants to be our Spiritual GPS. HE wants to direct our path at every turn; the prophet Isaiah says it: "His voice shall sound in your ears: “This is the way; walk in it.” Are we listening to HIS voice? Are we attuned to HIS GPS? (This brief homily was preached at our Capuchin College chapel; so its immediate application is for our Capuchin friars, but I think it has broader applications too--Saturday, December 5, 2020).
The first Sunday of Advent always begins with a wake-up call that we might actually see the coming of Christ even now. This joyful wake-up call can liberate us from the "nightmares" that can keep our hearts captive in various forms of darkness. This homily explores both those nightmares and how Christ comes to WAKE US UP! (Preached at St. Francis of Assisi, Derwood on Nov. 29, 2020) There is a longer conference on this same topic at my at my YouTube channel
The Feast of All Saints gives us a yearly chance to celebrate our goal, our mission, our purpose in life: to become as as they are--Citizens of God's Eternal Day. As St. Bernard himself said, "Let us long for those who are longing for us." But the saint are also our greatest cheerleaders--rousing on in this great stadium called life. If we listen carefully, we can hear their three cheers: "STEP IT UP and struggle, smile and SURRENDER." (Preached at St. Augustine's on November 1, 2020)
We all know that the GREATEST commandment is LOVE. But What is LOVE? Why is it so hard? How can we live better???
St. Francis of Assisi is known as the SAINT of PEACE; he even made peace with a notorious wolf of Gubbio. Today we absolutely need St. Francis again to make peace with the wolves that are still on the prowl: The wolf of Division, the wolf of Anger/Resentment, the wolf of Fear. (Preached at St. Francis of Assisi, in Derwood, MD--Oct. 4, 2020)
Many folks claim to hear God's voice. But how do we know it's God speaking and not just our EGO disguised in Divine clothing? (Preached on August 30, 2020 at St. Augustine's 10 am mass)
THE Greatest Question is WHO do YOU say Jesus is? Our best answer is given when we confess that we are, indeed, hiding, hurt and helpless. (Preached at St Augustine’s 4:30 pm mass on August 21, 2020)
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus praises the faith of a Canaanite woman: "Great is your Faith." What would Jesus say about our faith? In today's homily, I explore building our faith around a simple prayer: "O Jesus, I surrender myself to you, take care of everthing." (preached at St. Augustine's 10 am mass on August 16, 2020)
Jesus famously invites Peter to walk on water— i.e. to take the LEAP that is faith itself. Where are we being called to that same leap of faith? (Preached at St Anthony’s 10 am mass on August 9, 2020)
The famous parable of the wheat & weeds contains in it the anguished cry of all humanity: “Where have the weeds come from?” That is, why is life so messy? Why is there evil? What we need is God’s view, God’s Perspective, and we get it when we wait in faith, look with hope and act with love.
Christ’s first parable was the parable of the Sower. Living fully in God’s Kingdom means allowing the Word of God to flourish In our hearts. 1.Trust the power of the seed...2. Let the seed go deep...3. Bloom where you are planted
Every 2nd Sunday of Lent the Church proclaims the Gospel of the Transfiguration— the revelation of Christ in His Glory on Mt Tabor. We too are called to climb that mountain and be transfigured by HIS love—simply, say YES TO GOD & NO TO FEAR!! (Preached at Holy Family in Davidsonville, 3/8/20)
In Matthew chapters 5-7, Jesus preaches THE GREATEST SERMON ever preached--commonly called, the Sermon on the Mount. Here we discover the KEY to Spiritual Freedom. Here Jesus paves our road to ETERNAL JOY & HAPPINESS that can begin TODAY, if--and only if--we try to live these life-giving words. (Preached at St. Augustine's on February 23, 2020--10 am mass)
It's very common that Christians often forget that THE most important thing: truly knowing JESUS as our FRIEND, SAVIOR, MASTER and LORD. Every other aspect of our faith follows from this FIRST PRINCIPLE. We don't believe in ideas or a philosophy or a moral code of conduct; we come to believe--indeed, TRUST with all our hearts a PERSON who then leads to embrace HIS ideas, philosophy and mode of acting. (Homily preached on January 19, 2020 at St. Augustine's Church 10 am mass)
The Capuchin Franciscan Order, to which I belong, has a stunning definition for prayer: "Prayer is the breathing of love." WOW! When we were baptized into Christ, we are baptized into a way of breathing GOD's LOVE into our hearts and breathing out HIS love to all we meet. (Preached at St. Augustine's Parish on January 12, 2020)