“We do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, about those who have fallen asleep, so that you may not grieve like the rest, who have no hope.” To grieve not as those who have no hope. I have seen this countless times at funerals. Those without faith in Christ can be devastated, […]

Read more "The Meaning of Death and the Shape of Mourning — Sermon for the XXXII Sunday through the Year, A.D. MMXXVI"

“My wrath will flare up, and I will kill you with the sword; then your own wives will be widows, and your children orphans.” Hearing these words, or ones like them from the Scriptures, can embarrass us. What do we do with these difficult passages, with the God who speaks of wrath and threatens violence? […]

Read more "“The Goodness of Punishment” — Sermon for the XXX Sunday through the Year, A.D. MMXXVI"

“[Our] gospel did not come to you in word alone, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with much conviction.” Two weeks ago, we marked the 800th anniversary of the death of one of the Church’s most beloved saints, Francis of Assisi. We saw one myth about him – the famous misquotation, […]

Read more "“With Conviction and Power” — Sermon for the XXIX Sunday through the Year, A.D. MMXXVI"

          Sometimes, the best news seems like the worst news. If you get really attached to your own plans, you likely know the feeling of receiving an invitation, and seeing at first not the joy that will come from taking part in a great event, but of the hassle and bother it will create to […]

Read more "The Best Invitation — Sermon for the XXVIII Sunday through the Year, A.D. MMXXVI"

“What more was there to do for my vineyard that I had not done? Why, when I looked for the crop of grapes, did it bring forth wild grapes?”           Last week, the Holy Father made his first Apostolic Journey to France. His visit garnered more attention than most papal journeys given the unique role […]

Read more "The Real Story of the Church — Sermon for the XXVII Sunday through the Year, A.D. MMXXVI"

“Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but also for those of others.”             Humility is powerful. We don’t think of it that way normally, but it is true. St. Vincent de Paul wrote, “The most […]

Read more "The Power of Humility — Sermon for the XXVI Sunday through the Year, A.D. MMXXVI"

“Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”           St. Matthew records the worst turnaround in the Scriptures. Last Sunday, we saw Peter’s dramatic confession of faith. He said not what flesh and blood would reveal – what human beings would […]

Read more "The Stumbling Block to Christ’s Power — Sermon for the XXII Sunday through the Year, A.D. MMXXVI"

Dominica XXI per annum 23 August, A.D. MMXXVI + A.M.D.G. + “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How inscrutable are his judgements and how unsearchable his ways!”             There are few judgements of the Lord more inscrutable – more difficult to justify by human reason – than His choice […]

Read more "Dogma Penetrates Reality — Sermon for the XXI Sunday through the Year, A.D. MMXXVI"

“All who keep the sabbath free from profanation and hold to my covenant, them I will bring to my holy mountain and make joyful in my house of prayer.”           Our Lord has some harsh words for this Canaanite – non-Jewish – woman in today’s Gospel. Why would He treat her so severely? His words, […]

Read more "The Lord’s Day, not Your Day — Sermon for the XX Sunday through the Year, A.D. MMXXVI"