Daily Mass Homilies: Recent Episodes
St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church
Being a good Catholic, or aiming for something more. The virtue of humility is the root of love.
Insights and clarifications from Our Lord related to marriage, sexuality, celibacy, and more.
The compassion of Our Lord is not just for the one who suffers, but the one who suffers with them...
Father makes some important points about the authority of the Pope, and some errors in regard to many people's understanding of just what it is. He also expounds on the embracing or shunning of the Cross of Christ in our life.
St. Louis de Montfort, True Devotion to Our Lady, and the disconnect that Protestants have in regard to understanding this, and recognizing the importance of it.
Is salvation limited to what we get out it? Is being saved simply about the selfish desire of human beings that God did not even have to create?
Lent is a time to conform our hearts, minds, souls, and bodies to be able to live the virtuous life, most especially that of charity. Without cultivating charity, and all the other virtues, and rooting out all that is not of God from our lives, we will not be able to live a heavenly life. Emptying ourselves of the things of the world allows Christ to fill us with His own life, and enables us to live in such a way that Heaven is even an option for us when we die.
If your Lenten practices of denial are not making you more charitable, and more like Christ, then do yourself, and everyone else a favor, and dial it back, reassess, and adapt what you are doing in order to cultivate true Christian charity.
Giving up things to make room in your life, so that you can become saintly. Giving up noise and embracing a spirit of silence is a powerful practice without which it is very difficult to become holy.
Last Day of the Octave of Christmas, stretched out over eight days, because there is so much in it that it cannot be fully celebrated in one day. Each day is a chance to focus on different beautiful, profound aspects of the mystery of the Incarnation. Today, the lens through which we can meditate and reflect upon God becoming one of us, is through the lens of Mary, as the Mother of God...
The eight day in the Octave of Christmas, also known as the Solemnity of the Mary, Mother of God, and the Feast of the Circumcision of Our Lord. We can reflect on this as the day when Our Lord first shed His Blood. Why does the Church point us toward reflecting on Mary as Mother of God on this the eight day of the feast of Christmas?
The greed for control... Surrendering our will to God is hard for most people, and this stark example given to us by the Church during the Octave of Christmas shows us what this unwillingness to relinquish 'our way,' and 'what we think is best,' has varying levels of negative consequences. Herod is just the extreme to allow us to enter into and reflect on how we in our own lives act as 'little Herod.'
Living in our affluent society, it can be more difficult to recognize our need for God...
There are many things about the Faith and the Scriptures that can be confusing, and cause struggles, but this is no excuse for then abandoning the Faith or changing the thing you are confused or struggle with to suit your own fancy. We must conform our lives to Christ, and the Faith, and not the other way around.
The Faith comes in contact with great darkness in history, and the light of Christ shines particularly in these moments, in the lives of those who conform their lives and loving to Christ.
An ancient feast celebrated both in the East, and in the West, celebrating Our Lady's dedication at an early age to God.
What does it mean to love God more than father, mother, sister, and brother? If the litmus test for true discipleship were given, would we pass? Are we giving Him everything? Is He truly the center of our lives? Are we truly giving Him everything?
Who was more of a true Church reformer, Martin Luther, who got rid of key teachings of the Church, and set off the Protestant Revolution, or St. Charles Borromeo, who was a true reformer within the tradition and beauty of the Church?
Faith is never not faith... Signs are given to us in our lives, but they can never replace being a person of faith. Blessed are those who have not seen, and still believe...
100th Anniversary of the Final Apparition of Our Lady of Fatima, and the great Miracle of the Sun.
Heralds of the Lord... Angels have always been the messengers of the Lord, and those that work for God's purposes to aid in the work of our salvation.
Wenceslaus was a 'good' king, in the truest sense of the word, and a great model we can learn from, and who can intercede for us in our struggle to be truly good, and to help bring the faith to those that God places in our path.
You don't have to go far to be a missionary, and you don't have to reinvent the book when you share the Gospel with others.
Ss. Cosmas and Damian, physicians who can help us to know and trust Our Lord, the Divine Physician...
“…The devils fear the Queen of Heaven to such a degree, that only on hearing her great name pronounced, they fly from him who does so as from a burning fire.” (Thomas à Kempis, author of The Imitation of Christ)
There is no Resurrection without the Cross, and their is no Cross without the Resurrection. The Church has always preached both. We have hope in the resurrection of the dead, and the Cross is on the way to Joy.
Monica is a great example of long-suffering, perseverance in prayer and holiness of life.
Mary is not only our Spiritual Mother, but she is Queen of all creation, angels, sinners, saints, and saints in the making...
A King/Emperor who, though rich in power and wealth, kept the right perspective in relation to material things, and remained faithful to God.
The complex issue of abortion... and the many ways to bring the light of truth to bear upon it...
If someone with great spiritual power performing miracles showed up, would you expect that people would ask this person to leave?
This feast celebrates and brings before our minds and hearts the importance that Jesus truly shed His Blood, and in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, this is made present to us...
The early Christian Masses in the catacombs... The celebration of the Mass above the burial ground of a martyr is the foundation of why we have the relics of the saints in the altars that we celebrate Mass upon.
Feast of St. Irenaeus of Lyon, disciple of St. Polycarp, who was a disciple of St. John the Apostle.
Will you persevere in suffering? Will you embrace the suffering the Lord permits in your life? Or will you be inconsistent, and waste this suffering...
Are you afraid to approach Holy Communion? The Feast of the Sacred Heart was given to the Church to show how Christ, though a just judge, is also filled with love and mercy for us. There is no disconnect between the two.
The seeming contradiction between the Church being the Spotless Bride of Christ, and yet filled with sinful, even scandalous members... How can we reconcile this?
What causes us to sin? The body, or the mind and soul? And what is to be done about it?
People that are truly seeking love will find it, because people will see and find what they are seeking...
We tend to pick and choose in the Scriptures, and sayings of Our Lord, and forget the difficult sayings of Christ...
Navigating the complicated issues of morality must be rooted in the first and primary commandment; to love God unreservedly, and to love our neighbor...
St. Seraphim of Sarov, the Francis of Assisi of the Eastern tradition, answers this question: "Acquire the Holy Spirit, and a thousand people around you will be converted."
Everyone likes to talk about the fruits of the Holy Spirit such as peace, but there is much more to the Holy Spirit than the world's misunderstood notions of peace, and the Holy Spirit comes to guide and lead us far more this...
Christian Love seems like hate and intolerance to those who believe more in themselves than in God.
We do ecumenism, and the world a disservice when we try to be too sensitive to others not being Catholic, and we value the gift of the Catholic Church to the world too little when we do not long for all to be Catholic.
Saint Athanasius, Bishop and Doctor of the Church, who was exiled 5 times, known as an outstanding defender of the teachings of the Church. He can teach us that the true faith can be found not in the consent of the majority, but in the words of Christ and His Church.
Some things are applicable to all forms of spirituality, and without these things, there will be something deficient, or lacking, in them.
Diversity is only good in as much as it works for the common good and a greater unity... Diversity for its own sake is however not a good at all...
The God of the Old Testament and the New are the same God - a tender Bridegroom and a Consuming Fire... It is a caricature to play the two off each other, as if the New Testament God isn't also a consuming fire that demands great things from us, just as it is a caricature to say that God is only demanding, but not also tender and loving. The great mystery, and attractiveness of God is that He is both, and so much more!
This day reminds all of us that 'there but for the grace of God go I.' We all participate in deceiving God every time that we sin. All sin is hypocrisy, as St. Padre Pio says. We must always focus on being more like St. Peter vs. like Judas, as Peter repented in tears, and Judas refused to.
One of the very popular, and very wrong, and very foolish opinions that are floating around today, and even believed by Catholics - put to rest...
Have we become desensitized to the incredible fact that God became one of us, in order to save us, and bring us into union with Himself?
Many of our struggles and problems center on a lack of understanding as to how much God truly loves us.
Sometimes the greatest calamities may in fact be a great mercy from God, and by the same token, what may seem to be something that seems to be hardly a suffering at all can in fact be a great punishment...
How God works with us and meets us where we are at, and leads us masterfully to where we are not...
There are huge numbers of people who may have no one to pray for them if we do not do it...
Coming into the world broken is something that every one of us share in as human persons. Every one of us. But this should never lead us to identify our very nature with this brokenness. You are not your sin. Your brokenness is not God's plan for you.
We live in the time of mercy, but there will be a day of strict judgment... Our whole life is in preparation for our day in court, when all of our choices, decisions, actions, and lack of action will be shown to us, and we will receive the just sentence of God, based on how we lived...
Who asks and pleads and sacrifices the most for us in our lives, and in our needs? And are they trustworthy and effective in it?
St. Perpetua & Felicity, early Church martyrs, and included in the Canon of the Eucharistic Prayer
Rushing and getting things out of the way, almost never bears fruit, in any aspect of life, and especially so in our spiritual life and disciplines.
We don't give things to God in replacement for ourselves, but things that represent the giving of ourselves...
Christians are meant to be solicitous for the needs of others; offering prayers, penances, and sacrifices for those who are not receiving the graces that you might be. Our parish along has over 10,000 souls, and many do not hardly ever darken the doors of the Church.
Feast of St. Peter Damian, a great reformer during a time in the Church's history that was particularly dark. Our own time shares many of the same things happening as during his time, and so he is a particularly appropriate saint to pray to.
A comparison between the time of Noah and the punishment of the Flood, and our own time, when we are rapidly approaching a similar or even greater level of wickedness.
The beautiful story of the sister of St. Benedict, whose love of God equaled and perhaps surpassed even that of her more well known brother.
It can truly be said that the more you know, the more you realize that you do not know... And the same can be said in regard to knowing God. We can always know more about Him, and the more we know about Him, the more we want to know.
On the attitude to maintain in order to be able to discern good and evil in your own life and thoughts.
Feast of Ss. Timothy & Titus Not being ashamed of the Gospel, and the truths of the faith, in spite of what the world thinks...
St. Francis de Sales, Doctor of the Church, exorcist, bishop, missionary, evangelist, spiritual director, founder of religious communities, and more. Known as the Gentleman Doctor, because of the accessibility of his teachings to everyone... Amazingly within 2 years of his ordination, he converted over 70,000 Protestants back to Catholicism. One of his most famous writings is called "Introduction to the Devout Life," which is one of the timeless spiritual classics.
Judas as one of the disciples proclaimed, healed, and perhaps even expelled demons from others, and very likely converted people to Christ? How would those he had converted have responded when the man who converted them then turns into a betrayer who ended his own life? How do we respond when others prove unable to live up to how they should?
What are our hopes and prayers for this nation? And are they the proper things to be hoping and praying for?
Fr. Christian touches on some of the fears and weaknesses that most people share in regard to embracing and living the faith to the full.
The thought of radical Christian discipleship is intimidating to most people, and yet...
What were Adam and Eve like before the Fall? Were they stronger, more intelligent, more agile, faster, etc? And what was it like after they fell?
The Church Militant are not the only ones present at Holy Mass. If we could see what is really happening at Holy Mass, we would be overwhelmed with joy over the massive numbers of Angels, and all of the Church Triumphant in Heaven... It is good to remember this, and why we strive to prepare for, enter in, and celebrate Mass in as beautiful a manner as possible.
The age-old practice of reflection on eternity, life, death, Heaven and Hell, and how this prepares us rightly.
"If you believe what you like in the Gospels and disbelieve what you do not like, then it is not the Gospels you believe in, but yourself." St. Augustine
Simeon's prophecy, and the universality and particularity of salvation that Christ brings. In the person of Christ, salvation becomes accessible to all who avail themselves of it. The prophecy of Simeon is packed with meaning, power, and very relative to us, and is worth reflecting on, and immersing ourselves in.
How Advent prepares us for Christmas, by drawing us deeper in our knowledge not only of our own weakness, but the greatness of God and our need for Him.
What type of experience will you have when the Lord comes again? There are really only two different ways. Advent is a beautiful time to prepare for the coming of Our Lord. St. Elizabeth is given us an example of how to prepare and the attitude of reverence and holy fear that allowed her to recognize Our Lord in the womb of our Lady at the Visitation.
Which are you receiving from the Lord - the gentle dew falling down from Heaven, or His justice raining down upon you? Our answer depends a lot on our disposition, and our actions.
Like the Blessed Virgin Mary, will we be ready, and vigilant, and prayerful in our expectation and longing for the coming of God into our lives? Or will we rather be something else entirely, so wrapped in the things of the world that God's coming seems like a harsh rain falling upon our lives?
Lent is not the only time to make resolutions, and do penance. Advent is also a time of penance, and a time to go deeper.
Standing before God and having to account for the whole of our lives... It is far easier to stand before a judge we have no relationship with...
A few thoughts on Thanksgiving thru the lens of the beatitude of 'Blessed are they who mourn.' It doesn't on the surface seem to make much sense...
One great grace that our society needs are more healers, who offer the Sacraments of Healing, and the Holy Mass in atonement for the sins of the world... Praying for holy priests...
Praying and Meditating on the Four Last Things (Death, Judgment, Hell, and Heaven), so that we get the right three out of four.
Grow in humility, humility, and humility. It is the bedrock foundation for growth in holiness, and becoming a true friend of God
Feast of St. Jerome, a great lover of Scripture, who at the same time, was very human...
Do you want to call down fire from Heaven on those who won't accept Christ? Practical tips on how not to, and how to, share the love of Christ.
Last evening two events collided here in Charlotte in our own backyard: 1) the national ongoing concern about racism in law enforcement and 2) the incident of an African American man who lost his life in an altercation with local police around the corner at College Downs.
Whether or not these two events are actually related, the reaction of many in our streets last night revealed the feelings of many. Doubtlessly, with each passing day the facts will render a true account and justice will be served.
Our city officials have asked faith communities to reach out to the people of the city in order to encourage healing and the peace that flows from it. Knowing the genuine spirit of our parishioners, I am confident that you will embrace a path of peace, prayer and charity. I have never known you to be otherwise.
In times such as these it is good to recall that light shines in the darkness and it must shine through you.
My thoughts turn to the prologue of John's Gospel. Retrospectively reflecting upon the events of Christ's cross, His death and resurrection, he observes that the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. This bold declaration refers to the triumph of the Cross of Christ where the friction of human injustice set ablaze the Light of God in an otherwise dark world.
Since then, history has made it clear that the true battlefield upon which the light vanquishes that darkness is not between nations, it is not between races, nor is it in the streets of Charlotte or any other US city - the true battlefield is within the human heart - within each of us. This is where injustice must be defeated. This is where prejudice and unjust discrimination live. This is the place from which fear and darkness enter the world. And likewise, it is the place where it can be vanquished.
I beg you, storm and loot your hearts, not the streets if you want true change for the good. Vanquish the enemy within and then you will truly help your neighbor.
We pray for those who have suffered the pain of injustice and discrimination. May such evils come to an end and may the light of God bring them the healing for which they long. We pray to the Lord.
We pray for those who courageously serve in law enforcement, may they be protected as they seek to protect others. We pray to the Lord.
We pray for our city and neighborhood, through our own conversion may we reflect the light of God. We pray to the Lord.
Feast Day of St. Peter Claver, who baptized over 300,000 people. What is the purpose of evangelization, and how do we go about it, personally?
First Saturday & one of the greatest miracles that has ever been witnessed, by over 70,000 people.
One worthy Communion is enough to make us a Saint. Are we Saints? There cannot be something lacking in Jesus in the Eucharist, so what does that mean about the manner in which we receive? How can we receive better?
God did not come to make all people equal, but to get all people to Heaven. The call to be a saint is a call for every man, woman and child, in the particular state of life to which they are called.
Has a line been crossed in your life where you have stepped into the morally dangerous area of the deadly sin of envy. Do I want what others have? Do I resent others for what they have?
When we are generous and faithful in seemingly little things related to the Faith, we do not always know how many other things will be put into effect because of this. It is in these little things that God works and weaves grace into our lives and into our world.
The Incarnation was as Light, entering a fallen world, a dark world. When that light shines, the places where it meets the darkness will be places of struggle, violence, and turmoil, as the darkness lashes out, just it did with St. Stephen in his martyrdom.
Are you entitled to anything from God? What is your attitude when things don't go exactly according to plan?
When is the end of the world? It doesn't matter, and it's dangerous to focus on it... We know it will come, for all of us individually, and collectively. And we know it will come like a thief in the night...
Death has been called 'the Great Equalizer.' On the Feast of All Souls, it is important to reflect on this great truth - in the end, we will all leave this earthly life, and enter into our eternal one. How we live now determines what our eternity will be like.
The great need for true humility, and the dangers we face when human respect determines our actions (i.e. the care of what others think more than what God does).
The terrible and awesome gift that God has given us to accept, or refuse, His grace. We choose. St. Augustine says it so well: "In the end, there are two kinds of men, those who love God, and those who love something else."
God's Will is what will truly make us happy, and nothing else. The motto for one part of the Satanism is "Do What You Want." Whatever pleases you. People often falsely encourage others by saying such things as "As long as you are happy." Frank Sinatra's famous song "My Way" spells this whole philosophy out well, and repeats the same fallen mentality of our first parents, Adam and Eve, who chose their own way instead of God's. C.S. Lewis' classic quote from the book Mere Christianity sums it up: "And out of that hopeless attempt has come nearly all that we call human history - money, poverty, ambition, war, prostitution, classes, empires, slavery - the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy."
Feast of Pope St. John Paul II "There is no place for selfishness—and no place for fear! Do not be afraid, then, when love makes demands. Do not be afraid when love requires sacrifice." Pope St. John Paul II
The most important moment of our lives is the moment we die, and enter in Eternity. As the famous line from the film Gladiator goes "What we do now echoes in eternity."
Saint Josemaria Escriva says "When you approach the tabernacle remember that he has been waiting for you for twenty centuries." Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque says "What a weakness it is to love Jesus Christ only when He caresses us, and to be cold immediately once He afflicts us. This is not true love. Those who love thus, love themselves too much to love God with all their heart."
Feast Day of St. Teresa of Avila, Mystic, Reformer, & Doctor of the Church Here are a few of the many profound things she has said. "After Communion let us be careful not to lose so good an opportunity of negotiating with God. His Divine majesty is not accustomed to pay badly for His lodging, if He meets with a good reception." [Way of Perfection, ch. 35.] "Be gentle to all and stern with yourself" and "You pay God a compliment by asking great things of Him," and "We always find that those who walked closest to Christ were those who had to bear the greatest trials."
Hypocrisy is being one thing on the outside, and and entirely different thing on the inside. In what areas of our lives are we blind to the ways in which we are 'one thing on the outside, and something different on the inside?" We need to be honest about the areas in which we need to change - this is what striving to grow in holiness - in relationship to Christ, is all about... St. Thomas Aquinas says: "The things that we love tell us what we are," and St. Padre Pio says it this way: "All sin is hypocrisy."
What is one of the best things you can ask of this Angelic Being that God has put in charge of you, to take care of you, and aid you in getting to Heaven?
Feast of the Archangels Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel: The angels are ever present and involved in our lives, and we would do well to invoke their aid and wisdom to grow closer to God, and their protection as well.
It is important to ask the big questions, and to grapple with self-examination... What are the areas where I am not dealing with, or running from the Truth?
What is your understanding of what 'sin' is? Do you fall into one of two extremes in your understanding?
Are we, as the prevailing Protestant thinking goes, just snow-covered piles of manure? Does Christ's sacrifice for us just cover over the mess that we are through sin, making us nice on the outside, but unchanged underneath? Or is Christ's sacrifice for us something else - something more? Could anything be truly lacking in the suffering of Christ? St. Paul would say 'yes,' in our participation in His sufferings, as members of His body. If all Christ's sacrifice accomplishes is a cover to hide our unchanged brokenness and sin, then what did He really accomplish? Catholic understanding on this matter is far more beautiful, and transformative. In Christ, in our participation in His sufferings, we are slowly transformed into His likeness. When we come before God at the end of our lives, He either sees the likeness of His Son, or He doesn't. Which would you rather He see in you?
If you think you can keep the Commandments, you are fooling yourself. Only in Christ are we actually made whole, and truly free. Jesus says in John 15:5 "Apart from Me, you can do nothing."
Feast of St. Augustine Are you truly alive to what really matters in life, or are you like the walking dead? Appearing alive, but just living for the moment, and for the pleasures, trials, and experiences of this life? Or are you focused on the long game of living now in relationship with God, focused not only on the now, but on eternity?
"Bury me wherever you will, but wherever you may go, remember me at the altar of the Lord."
Feast Day of Pope St. Pius X, who fought against the 'Synthesis of All Heresies: Modernism.'
Do we believe that Christ Jesus is God, and that all that He said, and handed down to us through the Apostles, and His Church, is true?
Feast of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Doctor of the Church - Is it possible for Saints to make mistakes? - Learning truths from history is more than drawing conclusions from soundbytes - St. Bernard of Clairvaux - Being zealous for the right things
The eye of a needle and riches - what do the Scriptures mean? What is Jesus getting at? Is wealth evil?
Feast of St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe, martyr at Auschwitz, giving his life for another prisoner. Patron Saint of the Media, Missionary to Japan, Founder of the Militia Immaculata. A powerful reminder that he gives us is this: "Never be afraid of loving the Blessed Virgin Mary too much. We are called to imitate Christ, and you can never love her as much as Jesus does."
Forgiveness is for our souls... The power and importance of forgiving; it is for us. If we do not forgive, we will not be saved... St. Maria Goretti forgave her attacker Alessandro, and he repented, changed his life, and now his cause is up for canonization. St. Maria Goretti's mother forgave him as well. If she had not, it would be very likely that she would go to Hell, while her daughter's attacker went to Heaven. This is the great power of forgiveness, and how important it is for us to forgive others.
Feast of Ss. Sixtus and Companion Martyrs Spending time with God in Eucharistic Adoration will change your life forever. If you truly desire growth in holiness, inner peace, strength in suffering, perseverance in overcoming vice and growing in virtue, the effect of adoration is profound. Spending time with Our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament is never wasted.
Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord - Who do we think God is? - What was the response of Peter, James, and John to the revelation that Jesus was a far greater level than the greatest of the Old Testament, Moses and Elijah? If they fell on their faces in adoration, wonder, and worship, what is our response to God in our midst, in our tabernacles in the Eucharist, and how incredible is it to reflect on the fact that God became one of us?
For the Feast of the Dedication of the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome As Catholics, just as the Bible is our book, and was the canon of Scripture was decided on by the Catholic Church and the Holy Spirit, so too, devotion to the Mother of God is not really an option, and was simply assumed in the early Church, and even up until quite recently. The Protestant Revolution happened after 1500+ years of consistent, stable teaching and practice in regard to devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. We have no reason to be on the defensive in regard to our reverence for and devotion to Our Lady. Not having a devotion to her is the anomaly. Living in the Bible Belt, it is easy to feel like we are on the defensive, but all we have to do is look at history, and Christianity in the world today to see that devotion to Mary was and is the norm, or 'default' position for a Christian.
Feast Day of St. John Mary Vianney, Patron Saint of Parish Priests Sheep and humans have a lot of in common. What is the shepherd's role for the sheep? What happens if the sheep do not follow the shepherd? One of the main problems in the Church today is that people do not want to be told what to do by anyone. In America, this is pandemic, even in the Church. Many simply do not want to do what the shepherd asks of them, thinking they know better, or that the shepherd doesn't have a 'right' to tell them what to do. What happens, liturgically, spiritually, morally, ethically, if the sheep do not follow the shepherd? We are seeing the fruit of this in the Church, and our society right now.
Familiarity breeds contempt, not only in everyday life, but also in how we celebrate the Liturgy. The more we approach the Mass as something everyday, and changeable according to our whims, the less the Mass becomes about God, and the more it becomes about us, and in the process, both the priest, and the people, progressively run the risk of losing their faith. The rules of the liturgy were developed over time by saints inspired by the Holy Spirit. They are there to protect the priest, and the people, and to allow them to enter more fully into worship of the Living God, and in the process, to be sanctified...