Shawn The Baptist Homilies: Recent Episodes
Fr. Shawn P. Tunink
Peter failed. We all fail. But when we meet the risen Lord, there's really only one thing he is going to ask us.
The post Do You Love Me? appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
The resurrection is big news. But St. Paul reminds us that this big news spreads in small ways, like yeast in dough.
The post Do Something Small appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
The chants sung during the veneration of the cross today remind us how bad things really are and why we can call this day good.
The post My People, What Have I Done to You? appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Watching a loved one suffer can leave you feeling helpless. Yet, as Jesus enters his own passion, he reminds us that there is great power in standing by a friend who is suffering.
The post It Is You Who Have Stood by Me appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
St. Paul says that, more than anything, he desires to know Christ, to grasp Jesus. But he also rejoices that Jesus first grasped him.
The post Grasped by Christ appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
When we get headed in a certain direction, we tend to keep going. It takes an outside force to reverse course. In the spiritual life we call this grace.
The post Spiritual Inertia appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Mary's heart was completely open and docile to the will of God. We should pray that our hearts and those of the whole world would be like hers.
The post A Consecrated Heart appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
As I was climbing the Appalachian Trail through the Smoky Mountains, one chant kept me going. Not Aquinas or Palestrina... Dory.
The post Just Keep Swimming appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Like Jesus, I'm headed into the wilderness for Lent. I'm going to test my backpacking skills with a 70 mile trek on the Appalachian Trail next week. There are lessons to be learned in the wilderness.
The post Lessons from the Wilderness appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent and today's liturgy reminds us that it is also the start of a great spiritual military campaign.
The post Prepared for Battle appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Many of our sins are similar to the fruit of a tree. If you want to change the fruit, you've got to heal the root.
The post Healing the Root of the Tree appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
If you've been hurt, the natural instinct is to want to get even. Mercy is the supernatural practice that breaks the cycle of hurt.
The post The Power of Mercy appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
If Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain. But he has been raised! We are now destined for eternal life, and that should make a difference in how we live each day.
The post Not in Vain appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
When it seems like we're at the end of what we can endure, Jesus asks us to lower the nets one more time. Trying just once more with God's help results in a miracle.
The post One More Time appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Love is patient and bears all things. At least it should. Love is a choice to remain committed to the good of another. We might fail to live up to this but, with God, love never fails.
The post Love Never Fails appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
"Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Our country was founded on these ideals. Are we living up to them?
The post Value Them Both appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
When faced with difficulty, we need to do three things: pray, do whatever we can for ourselves, and then trust that God has got things under control.
The post God’s Got This appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Christians are to be a light of revelation to the world. Yet our lives can sometimes reveal that the world is more important than God.
The post Manifestly Attractive appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Recent years have left many feeling vulnerable and powerless. This is exactly how Jesus came. Like Jesus, we are also protected.
The post Vulnerable but Protected appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
When most animals are born, they quickly get up and walk. Humans take a lot longer. And that's part of God's plan.
The post Weaker Than a Giraffe appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
When St. Francis created the original Christmas nativity scene in the year 1223, he insisted that there be an ox and a donkey. Here's why.
The post Where the Food Is appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Mary believed the message of the angel Gabriel. She believed the prophets and scriptures. She trusted God, and so should we.
The post Blessed Who Believe appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Gaudete is a command to rejoice. But to understand why we should rejoice, we need to understand another Latin word.
The post The Lord Is Near appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
The coming of Jesus was prepared for since the moment Adam and Eve were banished from the garden. Part of that preparation was preparing Mary to be the Mother of God.
The post Prepared for the Coming appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
It's dangerous to be sick and not know it. If we're spiritually sick, God has to find a way to let us know. We may be exiled, but we can also return.
The post Time to Return appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
If things seem like winter in your life, don't panic. Lift up your soul. Get ready to run. God will definitely come. He is to be expected.
The post To Be Expected appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Restoration, freedom, right praise... it's all at the beginning of today's Mass in honor of Christ the King.
The post Kingdom in a Collect appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
What happens when we die? The thought should give us all a sense of holy fear, but also hope.
The post That Dreadful Day appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
In an emergency, there is always something you can do. For a pilot, the first priority is to fly the airplane.
The post Fly the Airplane appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
We think a lot about the food we put into our bodies, but what about the sounds?
The post What Do You Hear? appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
In the great backpacking trek of life, Jesus doesn't want to leave anyone behind.
The post We All Made It appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Not only should Christians not be surprised by suffering, we can even learn to be thankful that God permits certain sufferings.
The post From Suffering to Glory appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Angels are real. And so are a lot of other things that you can't see.
The post More Than Meets the Eye appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Prophets speak on behalf of someone. If you're baptized, you're a prophet of God. So what are you speaking?
The post You’re on the List appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
If you imagine a world of peace and harmony, then you need a world beyond this one. You need to imagine heaven.
The post Imagine appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
The heroes of 9/11 had been practicing a long time before that fateful day. Words of belief must be put into action.
The post Scouts Are Tomorrow’s Heroes appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
In the beginning, God created. But then sin entered the world and, ever after, we have been constantly in need of recreation.
The post Recreated appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Receiving Holy Communion means we are committed to acting a certain way. We leave Mass sent on mission.
The post Doers of the Word appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
The same God who created everything out of nothing by his Word changes bread and wine into God by the words spoken at every Mass.
The post Words of Eternal Life appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
God chose Mary to be the vessel through whom he took on flesh and entered this world. He, of course, prepared Mary for this great mission.
The post Perfectly Prepared appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
It turns out that a Garth Brooks concert has a lot to teach us about the Mass and about the life of faith that Jesus wants to share with us.
The post Standing Outside the Fire appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
The Word of God is much more than text on a page. The Word is a person. That person is made present at Mass in the Liturgy of the Word.
The post Present in the Word appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Where does the Mass come from, and why do we do what we do? Today I consider the history of the Mass and explain the Introductory Rites.
The post How Many Churches Are in This Church? appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Civil leaders fail. Church leaders fail. We all fail. So what does Jesus expect us to do in the midst of this messed up broken world?
The post Broken Leaders appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
A good Scout knows that being prepared doesn't mean you take everything. You take exactly what you need, no more no less. Today, Jesus teaches the apostles what they need to be prepared.
The post Be Prepared appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
In today's second reading, Paul asks God three times to take away a certain struggle in his life. God says no. His grace is enough and his power is made perfect in weakness.
The post When God Says No appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Life is filled with ups and down, mountains and valley. When we're at either extreme, it's always good to remember that it will not always be that way.
The post God of Mountains and Valleys appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Our beloved war dead remind us that our country is worth dying for. The crucifix reminds us that God thinks you are worth dying for. Both are "worth the pain."
The post Vale la Pena appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
The forests of Philmont Scout Ranch are beautiful and precious. Historic suppression of fires means that today's scouts surprisingly spend their conservation hours cutting down trees.
The post Made for Fire appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Today Jesus ascends to heaven and leaves his apostles on their own.... and this is a good thing.
The post Ready to Solo appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Jesus loved his disciples so much that he died for them. The word he uses to describe this "greatest love" is not spouse, but friend.
The post Friendship Is the Greatest Love appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
"I am the vine. You are the branches." Jesus invites us to live connected with him and with each other. The way to get there is by "remaining."
The post Remain Connected appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
No question is of more importance in this life than the question of salvation. From the preaching of St. Peter until today, the Church teaches that there is only one way to heaven.
The post Have You Been Saved? appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Do you try to hide your weaknesses? Do you think you have to be perfect? If so, you may be hiding the Good News from yourself and others.
The post Forgiveness Is Good News appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
If you get vaccinated against a virus, you can still be exposed to it, but it just can't hurt you. Baptism makes Christians immune to death.
The post Immune to Death appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Today we celebrate the worst thing that ever happened in the history of the world. And yet we call it Good.
The post Bad Becomes Good appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
What is the best way to help someone going through a difficult situation? Sometimes it's enough to just be there.
The post Just Be There appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Do things seem bad right now? Well, it could get worse. But that's OK.
The post It Could Get Worse appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
If someone asks how you are doing, do you just say "fine" no matter what? Truth be told, you're not fine, but you are loved.
The post Not Fine but Loved appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
We believe that God became one of us, we killed him, and then he rose from the dead. That's amazing! But do we act like it?
The post Christians Are Crazy appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Life is filled with ups and downs. But whether you're on the mountain or down in the valley, remember that it won't always be that way.
The post Ups and Downs appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Uplift Organization brings food, clothing, and compassion to the homeless in Kansas City. It also brought me a great awareness of my own need.
The post What Do You Need? appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Monty Python is the featured theologian for this week's homily. The Black Knight has an important lesson in dealing with sin.
The post It Is That Bad appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
The Super Bowl is big. But what if we took our spiritual life and the celebration of Mass as seriously as we did "the big game?"
The post Every Sunday Is Super appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
What do you think of when you hear the phrase "Word of God?" Long before the Bible came to be, the Word of God was "living and effective."
The post Power in the Word appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Don't wait for the next big thing. Respond to the grace God gives today.
The post Days After Epiphany appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
All we have in heaven are relationships. That's why it hurts so much in this life when there is lack of forgiveness and peace.
The post Healing the Hurt appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
St. Francis wished he could be in Bethlehem the night Jesus was born, so he recreated it. Today, God offers us something even greater.
The post Christmas Presence appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
We often get disappointed when our plans don't work out. But God's plans are always way bigger and better than ours.
The post Plans Change appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
When we realize that everything is an opportunity to trust and thank God, then even when things seem bad, our response can be, "Good."
The post Good appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Searching for God? Go to the desert and look for a man sucking the head of locust next to a dead camel. That's the guy you need.
The post Strangely Normal appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Jesus will come this Advent, but don't wait for some big rending. He comes all the time. Are you ready to receive him?
The post Don’t Wait for the Rending appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
So you want to be the king? Well, here are three important things you need to know.
The post Good to Be King appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Does fear of failure keep you from daring greatly in the arena of life? God expects faithfulness, not success.
The post Fear Factor appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Leaves are falling, yet no one seems worried that the trees are never coming back. We should have the same peace about those who have died.
The post Fall of Hope appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Homily 468 – All Saints Day In order to help people know which saint is depicted in a picture or statue, the Church has…
The post Not as Few as You Think appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
“We were hoping…” Those are the words of the disciples on the road to Emmaus in today’s gospel. Hope is such a happy word,…
The post Homily 467 – Overcoming Expectations – 3rd Sunday of Easter appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
When will the pandemic be over so I can do the things I used to do? I miss baseball… I miss movies… I miss…
The post Homily 466 – Something New – Easter Sunday appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
We spend a lot of our time trying to gain power and be in control. We don’t want to suffer and so we try…
The post Homily 465 – Power, Passion, and Presence – Good Friday appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
When things are empty or we are empty we normally feel this as something bad. We want to fill the emptiness. That’s definitely the…
The post Homily 464 – Empty is Good – Palm Sunday appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Deus semper maior! God is always greater! This phrase is meant to stretch our imagination. Fear and anxiety are often brought on when we…
The post Homily 463 – Deus Semper Maior – 5th Sunday of Lent appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Today’s readings talk a lot about seeing. Who can see and who cant? Who is blind and who merely thinks they can see? The…
The post Homily 462 – You Are the One – 4th Sunday of Lent appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Every time I check my email, it seems that something else has been canceled. Who knows how long we will even be able to…
The post Homily 461 – More Than Toilet Paper – 3rd Sunday of Lent appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Being on top of a mountain is an amazing experience. You can see so clearly in all directions. In the summers, I work at…
The post Homily 460 – Tabor, Calvary, Baldy, and Beyond – 2nd Sunday of Lent appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
In today’s gospel, Satan offers Jesus “all the kingdoms of the world” in exchange for what seems like a pretty simple thing… Jesus just…
The post Homily 459 – What Do You Worship? – 1st Sunday of Lent appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Remember those New Year’s resolutions you made? Ya, me neither. Most people don’t make it past January. But today is different. Today is the…
The post Homily 458 – Now Is the Time – Ash Wednesday appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
“Be holy!” …well that sounds hard. “You’re a temple!” …that just sounds silly. “Be perfect!” …that sounds impossible. Yet God tells us all three…
The post Homily 457 – God Tells Us Our Telos – 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
We often water down the law of God today. Sure, there are the commandments, but no one really keeps all the commandments, do they?…
The post Homily 456 – What Do You Want? – 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
“Share your bread with the hungry, shelter the oppressed and the homeless; clothe the naked when you see them…” These words from the first…
The post Homily 455 – The Church Visible – 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
The following homily was given in the historical town of Emaus at the end of eleven days of pilgrimage through the Holy Land When…
The post Homily 454 – Revealing the Hidden Jesus – Presentation of the Lord appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
The following homily was given in the church of Dominus Flevit on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, also near the church of St.…
The post Homily 453 – Are You a Weeper? – Dominus Flevit and Mary Magdalene appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
This homily was given in Bethlehem in the Latin church of St. Catherine adjoining the Church of the Nativity, the site of the birth…
The post Homily 452 – Dare to Be Vulnerable – Christmas Mass in Bethlehem appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Today we begin seven consecutive weeks of reading from the first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians. Today’s second reading is just the…
The post Homily 451 – Called to Be Sent – 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Peace be with you! Or, as we would say in Latin, Pax vobiscum! Pax is the Latin word for peace. On this Solemnity of…
The post Homily 450 – Sleep in Heavenly Pax – Epiphany appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
On this 8th day after Christmas, the “Octave” of Christmas, we commemorate the day when Jesus would have been circumcised according to the Jewish…
The post Homily 449 – The Names of Jesus and Mary – Octave of Christmas appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
I love looking at the manger scenes on Christmas. It all seems so peaceful and happy. Yet, I fear that this one image, frozen…
The post Homily 448 – The Real Holy Family appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
“Marley was dead: to being with… There is no doubt that Marley was dead. This must be distinctly understood, or nothing wonderful can come…
The post Homily 447 – Why We Care About ‘A Christmas Carol’ appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
St. Joseph doesn’t speak a word that is recorded in Sacred Scripture. Yet, in today’s gospel St. Matthew gives us plenty of insight into…
The post Homily 446 – Joseph the Righteous – 4th Sunday of Advent appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Today is the day we finally get to light that rose candle on our Advent wreaths. But have you ever wondered why the rose…
The post Homily 445 – A Rose Among the Violets – 3rd Sunday of Advent appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Practice makes perfect, or so we sometimes hear. Today the Church offers us another “p” word on the path to perfection… “preparation.” The entire…
The post Homily 444 – Construction Ahead – 2nd Sunday of Advent appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Christmas is one holiday that the rest of society likes to celebrate with us as Christians. Well, at least kind of. The secular celebration…
The post Homily 443 – Be Prepared – 1st Sunday of Advent appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
This is the last Sunday of the year… but next week is the first. It’s the end, but also the beginning. The last Sunday…
The post Homily 442 – The End and the Beginning – Christ the King appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
This week’s homily was given to the archdiocesan permanent diaconate aspirants and their families during their weekend of formation. Marriage and the end of…
The post Homily 441 – One Marriage Forever – 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
When there is a job to be done, sometimes we ask for volunteers. “We need an usher… can anybody help?” What usually happens is…
The post Homily 440 – The Family Needs You – 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Today’s gospel parable seems like a classic case of the the “good guy” vs. “the bad guy.” Jesus definitely seems to set it up…
The post Homily 439 – What the Pharisee Got Right – 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
In the middle of the 17th century, the first Jesuits came to what is today the United States and Canada. This weekend marks the…
The post Homily 438 – Missionary Faith – 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
“How long, O Lord?” This short cry of exasperation is one that is not only well known in Scripture, but well known in every…
The post Homily 437 – How Long – 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
In today’s second reading, St. Paul is writing to St. Timothy, who he has left as bishop in charge of one of his new…
The post Homily 436 – You Gotta Fight – 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Our readings today call attention to several issues of false business practices. In short, we’re dealing with a bunch of greedy cheaters. In the…
The post Homily 435 – Cheater Cheater Cheater – 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
“Why do bad things happen to good people?” Whenever there is some tragedy we often find ourselves questioning God, wondering “Where was God?” Where…
The post Homily 434 – You Asked Him to Leave – 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
The Washington Monument is one of the most recognizable structures in the world. At 555 feet in height, it was the tallest structure in…
The post Homily 433 – A Monumental Life – 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
Today’s Gospel describes the social intricacies of who gets invited to the best parties and where certain people have a seat at the table.…
The post Homily 432 – Friends and Influence – 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.
When it gets to be over 100 degrees in Kansas in the summer, I like to go Alaska. For most of the last eight…
The post Homily 431 – Lessons from Alaska – 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time appeared first on Shawn The Baptist.