Die to Sin, and Live for God - 13th Sunday in OT - June 28th, 2020

Two bishops were conversing with each other as they walked down a street in Rome, Italy.  One of the bishop’s noticed a woman who was immodestly dressed and appeared to be selling herself.  So, he warned his fellow bishop to avert his eyes to avoid temptation.  The second bishop instead looked intently at her, not at her body, but her, a person, a beloved child of God.  He said to her how unfortunate it was that she did not know her worth and her dignity.  His genuine and chaste love for her as a lost child of God was confusing for her, but also transformative.  With his help she abandoned her sinful way of life and acquired a good and healthy job.  Which bishop made the right choice?

Listen to my homily to find out the answer!

Readings:  2 KGS 4:8-11, 14-16A; PS 89:2-3, 16-17, 18-19; ROM 6:3-4, 8-11; MT 10:37-42

Key Themes:  Chastity, Carrying your cross, dying to sin, loving Jesus above all else, and living for God

Photo by Josh Applegate on Unsplash

Fathers' Day - 12th Sunday in OT - June 21, 2020

Back in February I visited my older brother and his family.  One day, while I was playing with my nieces on the living room couch, my youngest niece, who was about 1 year old, was near the edge of the couch.  I didn’t notice since she was behind me and I couldn’t see her.  My brother, who was on the other side of the room, sees his daughter in danger and without hesitation rushes across the room, dives, and...

Listen to my homily to find out what happens next!

Fathers' Day - 12th Sunday in OT - June 21, 2020

Readings:  JER 20:10-13; PS 69:8-10, 14, 17, 33-35; ROM 5:12-15; MT 10:26-33

Key Themes:  Father’s Day, Daddy Saves, Spiritual Protector, Blessing Children

Photo by Steven Van Loy on Unsplash

Blessing a Child

In the early Church, parents gave a very simple blessing of making the Sign of the Cross on their children’s foreheads.  This practice continues today at the beginning of every baptism and can be repeated by the parents whenever they want.  It’s also good to vocalize this blessing by saying something like, “I bless you, my child, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”  There is no set or required words, so you can also free style the blessing.  Using Holy Water in the bless is another great option.  I encourage fathers to pray a blessing over your children everyday if possible.  This is a great family practice as everyone is getting ready for bed.

Trinity and Love - Trinity Sunday - June 7th, 2020

Happy Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity!  Today we focus on the mystery of the One True God.  Our God is Three Divine Persons and we profess this every time we make the sign of the Cross and list each person the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  The greeting I used at the beginning of Mass manifests the Trinity and quotes our second reading, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”  Our God is One in His Divinity and three in Personhood.  Listen to my homily to learn more!


Trinity and Love - Trinity Sunday - June 7th, 2020

Athanasian Creed Excerpt Describing the Trinity

We worship One God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity, neither confounding the Persons nor dividing the substance. For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, another of the Holy Spirit. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, is One, the Glory equal, the Majesty coeternal.

Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Spirit; the Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, and the Holy Spirit uncreated; the father infinite, the Son infinite, and the Holy Spirit infinite; the Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Spirit eternal. And yet not three eternals but one eternal, as also not three infinites, nor three uncreated, but one uncreated, and one infinite…

So, the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God; and yet not three Gods but one God… For like as we are compelled by Christian truth to acknowledge every Person by Himself to be both God; so are we forbidden by the catholic religion to say, there be three Gods.

The Father is made of none, neither created nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone, not made nor created but begotten. The Holy Spirit is of the Father and the Son, not made nor created nor begotten but proceeding. So, there is one Father not three Fathers, one Son not three Sons, and Holy Spirit not three Holy Spirits. And in this Trinity, there is nothing before or after, nothing greater or less, but the whole three Persons are coeternal together and coequal.

So that in all things, as is aforesaid, the trinity in Unity and the Unity in Trinity is to be worshipped.