Sunday Homilies with Fr. Mike Schmitz

Homily from the Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

That means that it belongs to Him.

Jesus tells us to give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to give to God what belongs to God. But if a coin bears Caesar's image, whose image do we bear? We were created in God's image and purchased at a price. Before we ever knew Him, we already belonged to Him. We are not our own, and we are not on our own.

Mass Readings from October 18, 2026: Isaiah 45:1, 4-6 Psalm 96:1, 3-5, 7-101 Thessalonians 1:1-5b

Matthew 22:15-21

Homily from the Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

I believe that God exists, but I do not live as if God exists.

Sometimes we become so comfortable with our words, our schedules, and our everyday choices that we ignore God's invitation to a life-changing relationship with Him. God has made Himself ignorable for the sake of love: but love pays attention. The remedy is to invite Him into each and every moment and ask, "God, right now, how would you have me be?"

Mass Readings from October 11, 2026: Isaiah 25:6-10 Psalm 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6Philippians 4:12-14, 19-20

Matthew 22:1-14

Homily from the Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Concern asks, "What can I do?" Worry asks, "What if?"

Worry can feel useful, responsible, even protective. But it keeps us rehearsing futures we cannot control. Concern moves us toward the next right thing. We can do what is ours to do, give God what we cannot control, and choose hope: not because we know what tomorrow holds, but because we know that God will be there.

Mass Readings from October 4, 2026: Isaiah 5:1-7 Psalm 80:9, 12-16, 19-20Philippians 4:6-9

Matthew 21:33-43

Homily from the Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Training ourselves to notice the negative.

Many of us have a default stance to notice the negative. When it comes to our assessment of ourselves or of any given situation, our default setting can often be complaint. And yet God calls us to rise above, to stop noticing the negative and begin approaching His world with wonder and praise.

Mass Readings from September 27, 2026: Ezekiel 18:25-28 Psalms 25:4-9Philippians 2:1-11

Matthew 21:28-32

Homily from the Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

God does not owe me anything.

Entitlement does not always look like entitlement. Sometimes, it simply feels like getting what we deserve. Whether it comes from pride or pain, we can believe that we are owed more. But grace is, by definition, an undeserved gift. The cure for entitlement is to stop asking what we are owed and to start asking what God has entrusted to us...and then receive it with gratitude.

Mass Readings from September 20, 2026: Isaiah 55:6-9 Psalm 145:2-3, 8-9, 17-18Philippians 1:20c-24, 27a

Matthew 20:1-16a

Homily from the Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

There's angrily resisting reality...and there is saying "yes" to Life.

Anger as a Blind Spot doesn't necessarily mean "rage" or "seething". But sometimes the Blind Spot os anger is the subtle, chronic disposition towards Life. Rather than responding to Life, a person can choose to embrace the attitude of resenting Life.

Mass Readings from September 13, 2026: Sirach 27:30—28:7 Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12Romans 14:7-9

Matthew 18:21-35

Homily from the Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Gossip is speaking of someone else's faults and flaws with no intention to help them at all.

Gossip can be easy to recognize when someone else is doing it—and surprisingly difficult to see in ourselves. There are times when we need to speak about another person’s faults. But when there is no intention to help them, our words reveal a blind spot of our own.

Mass Readings from September 6, 2026: Ezekiel 33:7-9 Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9Romans 13:8-10

Matthew 18:15-20

Homily from the Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time.

You cannot become the person you were meant to be without the Cross.

No one likes to lose. But there is a difference between getting beaten and forfeiting. Because Jesus has won, the only way we can lose our souls is if we forfeit.

Mass Readings from August 30, 2026: Jeremiah 20:7-9 Psalm 63:2-9Romans 12:1-2

Matthew 16:21-27

Homily from the Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time

He gets to reveal Himself to me long before I get to have an opinion of Him.

Every one of us will have our own Caesarea Philippi, our place where we must answer the question, "Who do you say that Jesus is?" Who will we say? Will we point to a Jesus who is merely our own particular version of Christ? Or will we actually know the true Jesus?

Mass Readings from August 23, 2026:Isaiah 22:19-23 Psalm 138:1-2, 2-3, 6, 8Romans 11:33-36

Matthew 16:13-20

Homily from the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Can God can say no and we still stay?

When we come before God and ask for anything, we are making ourselves vulnerable. We are implicitly stating that God has our permission to give us His actual answer. We do not, and we cannot, force God into anything. He might say yes, He might say wait, and He might say no. The question is not, merely, what might God say. The question is, what will we do if the answer is no?

Mass Readings from August 16, 2026: Isaiah 56:1, 6-7 Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8Romans 11:13-15, 29-32

Matthew 15:21-28

Homily from the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

God still speaks in storms. God's children can still step in storms.

Life is filled with storms. From massive tragedies to normal, everyday battles, every person will regularly find ourselves in the midst of storms. We can often forget that God still speaks in the midst of storms. And God's children are not orphan in the midst of storms. We can still act in the midst of the storm....and discover that saints are made in storms.

Mass Readings from August 9, 2026: 1 Kings 19:9, 11-13 Psalm 85:9, 10-14Romans 9:1-5

Matthew 14:22-33

Homily from the Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Can money buy happiness?

People will wisely claim that money cannot buy happiness. But what if the answer is actually "it depends"? It depends what you spend it on...and HOW you give.

Mass Readings from August 2, 2026:Isaiah 55:1-3Psalm 145:8-9, 15-16, 17-18Romans 8:35, 37-39

Matthew 14:13-21

Homily from the Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

It is possible to use the gifts, use the opportunities...and lose your heart.

King Solomon asked God for an understanding heart, and he was blessed with incredible wisdom. So how did he end so poorly? He did remarkable things, but he failed to do the ordinary things.

Mass Readings from July 26, 2026: 1 Kings 3:5, 7-12 Psalm 119:57, 72, 76-77, 127-130)Romans 8:28-30

Matthew 13:44-52

Homily from the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Faith grows through trial and prayer.

We all want a greater faith...and we all want a purified love. But how does our faith grow and how does our love get purified? Through trial and prayer. But we do not know how to pray as we ought. Prayer is more a posture than it is a procedure. And the posture is trust.

Mass Readings from July 19, 2026: Wisdom 12:13, 16-19 Psalm 86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16Romans 8:26-27

Matthew 13:24-43

Homily from the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

It is possible to live the rest of your life with no more bad days.

Life can be so overwhelmingly difficult and challenging. But challenge and suffering can and do change us; they can break us down or they can change us. Not only that, but every challenge can be united to Christ and can change lives.

Mass Readings from July 12, 2026: Isaiah 55:10-11 Psalm 65:10, 11, 12-13, 14Romans 8:18-23

Matthew 13:1-23

Homily from the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Citizens must live with conviction, responsibility, and courage.

On the 250th anniversary of our nation, it is a moment to stop and reflect on our identity. Are we "subjects" or are we "citizens"? Are we "American Catholics" or are we "Catholics who are citizens of America"? And what would it be to live as a citizen without the virtue of patriotism?

Mass Readings from July 5, 2026: Zechariah 9:9-10 Psalm 145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13-14Romans 8:9, 11-13

Matthew 11:25-30

Homily from the Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

The necessary risk we must take.

Jesus calls us to love Him first. To place Him ahead of every other goal or desire in our lives. In order to answer the question "What are you living for?", we have to take the risk of knowing what we are NOT living for.

Mass Readings from June 28, 2026:2 Kings 4:8-11, 14-16a Psalm 89:2-3, 16-17, 18-19Romans 6:3-4, 8-11

Matthew 10:37-42

Homily from the Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

We will need Humility and Hope.

The moment will come when we will all stand before the Good and Holy God in judgment. This truth can fill us with fear, but there are two virtues we need more powerful than fear: humility and hope.

Mass Readings from June 21, 2026: Jeremiah 20:10-13 Psalm 69:8-10, 14, 17, 33-35Romans 5:12-15

Matthew 10:26-33

Homily from the Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Precisely as strong as it needs to be.

When Jesus sends out His Apostles in His Name, He also gives them all of the strength and ability that they are going to need. He continues to give us the same: precisely the strength that we need at every moment.

Mass Readings from June 14, 2026: Exodus 19:2-6 Psalm 100:1-2, 3, 5Romans 5:6-11

Matthew 9:36—10:8

Homily from the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi).

To have the Real Presence in the Eucharist, one needs the Apostolic priesthood.

Corpus Christi is an important feast for an important Reality. We know that Jesus was clear when He taught about His Body and Blood in the Eucharist...yet this true Presence requires the true ministerial priesthood that Jesus established with His Apostles. Christ's followers are divided, but He continues to desire our unity.

Mass Readings from June 7, 2026: Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14-16 Psalm 147:12-15, 19-201 Corinthians 10:16-17

John 6:51-58

Homily from the Fifth Sunday of Lent.

Life AFTER his life WITH.

Some great stories tell us an important piece of information: where are they now? In our autobiography, after we have experienced "the return"; after we have experienced grace, how do we live? What does our "bonus chapter" look like? What is in our Epilogue?

Mass Readings from March 22, 2026: Ezekiel 37:12-14 Psalm 130:1-8Romans 8:8-11

John 11:1-45

Homily from the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity.

God is not a problem to solve, but One to be trusted.

The Holy Trinity is the term that we use to try and convey the Mystery of Who God ultimately is. But no definition will suffice. And no explanation could possibly capture God's fullness. God is simply beyond anything that we can conceive of or imagine...but He has revealed Himself and called us into relationship with Him. Even if we do not fully grasp Him.

Mass Readings from May 31, 2026: Exodus 34:4b-6, 8-9 Daniel 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 562 Corinthians 13:11-13

John 3:16-18

Homily from Pentecost Sunday.

God always answers our prayers, but our prayers do not control or convince Him.

We can say that "prayer works", but we must be very careful to know what we mean if we were to utter such words.

Mass Readings from May 24, 2026: Acts 2:1-11 Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 341 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13

John 20:19-23

Homily from the Ascension of the Lord.

"It is better for you that I go...". Is that true?

Jesus told His apostles that it was better for them that He ascended to the Father; that it was better for them if He left them. But why?

Mass Readings from May 17, 2026: Acts 1:1-11 Psalm 47:2-3, 6-9Ephesians 1:17-23

Matthew 28:16-20

Homily from the Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Nothing to Offer. Nothing to Prove. Nothing to Hide.

When we stand before the gates of Heaven and we are asked why we should be let in...what is our answer? How would we approach Heaven? How do we approach God now? We might approach God with our resume, or as an audition, or with perfection...but we need to approach in a different way.

Mass Readings from October 26, 2025: Sirach 35:12-14, 16-18 Psalm 34:2-3, 17-18, 19, 232 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18

Luke 18:9-14

Homily from the Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Persist through severity.

There are big moments in our lives. We usually think of the beginning or the end of something as the moments of consequence. But the middle often holds the most impactful moments of consequence; times when we are called to persevere...to "remain faithful" to the decisions we have made.

Mass Readings from October 19, 2025: Exodus 17:8-13 Psalm 121:1-82 Timothy 3:14-4:2

Luke 18:1-8

Homily from the Sixth Sunday of Easter.

Hope that is not tested is hope that cannot be trusted.

How do we grow in hope? Saint Paul tells us: through affliction that leads to a new level of trust in the God who loves us.

Mass Readings from May 10, 2026: Acts 8:5-8, 14-17 Psalm 66:1-3, 4-7, 16, 201 Peter 3:15-18

John 14:15-21

Homily from the Fifth Sunday of Easter.

What is this in light of eternity?

Our perspective either helps us see things clearly or muddies the waters. The only way forward is perspective, and not just any perspective, eternal perspective. Without eternal perspective, our hearts will never find rest and we will always be searching for our true purpose.

Mass Readings from May 3, 2026: Acts 6:1-7 Psalm 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-191 Peter 2:4-9

John 14:1-12

Homily from the Fourth Sunday of Easter.

There is no perfect road. There is only the next right road.

There are many things that we might end up regretting in the course of our lives. But the most important thing is to keep our eyes on Jesus and our ears attuned to the sound of His voice; to listen to Him, stay close to Him, and follow Him.

Mass Readings from April 26, 2026: Acts 2:14, 36-41 Psalm 23: 1-3, 3-61 Peter 2:20-25

John 10:1-10

Homily from the Third Sunday of Easter.

The Enemy wants to steal your heart. The Lord wants to give you His.

It is possible to know the truth; the truth about the Resurrection, the truth about Christianity, the truth about Jesus...and still struggle. It is possible to know and wrestle to have the courage it requires to continue on. Courage is necessary. Heart is necessary...especially in the battle of discouragement.

Mass Readings from April 19, 2026: Acts 2:14, 22-33 Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-111 Peter 1:17-21

Luke 24:13-35

Homily from Divine Mercy Sunday.

It’s not about your first or last confession. It’s about your next one.

The Christian life doesn’t end with a first confession, baptism, or Easter moment, it continues through the next step. What keeps love alive is not looking back, but continually returning to Christ through confession, mercy, and grace. Each “next” encounter with Jesus strengthens faith and guards against a cold heart.

Mass Readings from April 12, 2026: Acts 2:42-47 Psalm 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-241 Peter 1:3-9

John 20:19-31

Homily from Easter Sunday.

Everything given and taken is restored.

Jesus did not rise from the dead to merely prove a point. He rose so that all could be restored. Everything we give to Him...everything we allow Him to take...all of it can be restored.

Mass Readings from April 5, 2026: Acts 10:34,37-43 Psalms 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23Colossians 3:1-4

John 20:1-9

Homily from Good Friday.

A king without His armor.

At the end of our lives, there are no defenses. At the end of Christ's life, He clings to no defenses. He has poured it all out, and all is taken from Him. All that is left is the Man Himself. At the end of our lives, we will only be left with our heart...everything else is taken.

Mass Readings from April 3, 2026: Isaiah 52:13—53:12 Psalm 31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-16, 17, 25Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9

John 18:1—19:42

Homily from Holy Thursday.

Jesus knew. And He still gave everything.

At the end of Lent, we realize that we have been called to give. To give our time and attention to God in prayer. To give up things in fasting. To give help to those in need. Jesus gives at the Last Supper. He gives everything...fully knowing the truth of the people for whom He gives everything.

Mass Readings from April 2, 2026: Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14 Psalm 116:12-13, 15-181 Corinthians 11:23-26

John 13:1-15

Homily from Palm Sunday.

It is not my fault, but it is my responsibility.

When there is something that we like, we are quick to claim it. When there is something we don't like, we are quick to claim it is not our fault. But our story must end with our becoming like the Father...and the Father bears the marker of adulthood: The Cross.

Mass Readings from March 29, 2026: Isaiah 50:4-7 Psalm 22:8-9, 17-20, 23-24Philippians 2:6-11

Matthew 26:14—27:66

Homily from the Fourth Sunday of Lent

At the end of the story, who will you be?

What you seek shapes what you see. Look for hope. Look for joy. Look for goodness. The things you train your eyes to notice will shape the person you become. At the end of the story, who will you be?

Mass Readings from March 15, 2026: 1 Samuel 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a Psalm 23: 1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6Ephesians 5:8-14

John 9:1-41

Homily from the Third Sunday of Lent

From the middle, you can't see the end.

From the middle, you can't see the end. But just know you're making progress, even if you don't feel it. 

Mass Readings from March 8, 2026: Exodus 17:3-7 Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9Romans 5:1-2, 5-8

John 4:5-42

Homily from the Second Sunday of Lent

Every story has a title. Does one moment define the whole thing?

There is often a speech that lives inside each of us. That speech can become the title of our story. Is that title marked by resentment? Or is there a larger event that can define our lives?

Mass Readings from March 1, 2026: Genesis 12:1-4a Psalm 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 222 Timothy 1:8b-10

Matthew 17:1-9

Homily from the First Sunday of Lent.

Every story has a beginning.

As we begin Lent, we are faced with the question: If I live the next 25 years of my life the way I've lived the past seven days, where will I end up? Who will I become? We are writing our life story with every choice that we make. Are we writing in rebellion? Or with God as the Co-Author?

Mass Readings from February 22, 2026: Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7 Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 17Romans 5:12-19

Matthew 4:1-11

Homily from the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Jesus didn't give us a new weight to carry, but a new way to carry the weight.

We all have things that we NEED to do. When we show up knowing that we are doing what God has asked, there is the necessity to also do what God has asked us to do the WAY God has asked us to do it…with love.

Mass Readings from February 15, 2026: Sirach 15:15-20 Psalm 119:1-2, 4-5, 17-18, 33-341 Corinthians 2:6-10

Matthew 5:17-37

Homily from the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jesus, do not let what You did for me end with me.

To have been given all that one needs...and then to not use it would be a tragedy. We are surrounded by the tragedy of wasted potential. But this doesn't have to be the end of our story.

Mass Readings from February 8, 2026: Isaiah 58:7-10 Psalm 112:4-5, 6-7, 8-91 Corinthians 2:1-5

Matthew 5:13-16

Homily from the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Do not give away what has real value for counterfeit happiness.

There are many idols in our lives that promise the happiness that only God can give. The counterfeits of Wealth, Power, Pleasure, and Fame have taken all that people have and left them with nothing. Jesus gives us a new way to live...that actually leads to authentic happiness.

Mass Readings from February 1, 2026: Zephaniah 2:3; 3:12-13 Psalm 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-101 Corinthians 1:26-31

Matthew 5:1-12a

Homily from the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

The question is not IF God will show up, but HOW will God show up.

There are times in our lives when it seems like there is no way forward. There are times when it seems like there is no way God can come through on His promises. There are times when it seems like God will not show up. But God always does in a way only He knows.

Mass Readings from January 25, 2026: Isaiah 8:23—9:3 Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-141 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17

Matthew 4:12-23 or 4:12-17

Homily from the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Who are we talking to?

It is critical to know WHO we are talking to when we pray. What is the image of God that guides and directs our prayer? Does He need our counsel? Does He care about us at all? Or does He care about us more than we could possibly imagine?

Mass Readings from January 18, 2026: Isaiah 49:3, 5-6 Psalm 40:2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 101 Corinthians 1:1-3

John 1:29-34

Homily from the The Baptism of the Lord

The traps of believing we are God's advisors...or His performers.

Baptism changes us. It begins an entirely new life in each one of us. And yet, when we approach the Lord, we can be tempted to act, not as God's adopted children, but as His counselors or his performers.

Mass Readings from January 11, 2026:Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7 Psalm 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10Acts 10:34-38

Matthew 3:13-17

Homily from the The Epiphany of the Lord

Indifference can turn into hostility.

Christ has come close. And yet, we all still have a choice: will we remain indifferent to His presence or will we seek Him out? If we choose indifference, we will not remain indifferent. When it comes to God, we either give Him our hearts or we remove Him from our lives.

Mass Readings from January 4, 2026:Isaiah 60:1-6Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6

Matthew 2:1-12

Homily from the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God

Resolve: I will not take these things for granted.

We are surrounded by the amazing and miraculous every day. But we often miss it because our lives are too busy and too full. If we take a page out of Mary, the Mother of God's book, we would reflect on all these things...and no longer take them for granted.

Mass Readings from January 1, 2026: Numbers 6:22-27Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8Galatians 4:4-7

Luke 2:16-21

Homily from the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

The "trad family" goes back farther than the 1950's...

Men and women need to be authentically masculine and feminine for their marriages and families to thrive. But what IS authentic masculinity? What IS authentic femininity?

Mass Readings from December 28, 2025: Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14 Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4-5Colossians 3:12-21 or 3:12-17

Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23

Homily from The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)

What if all I received was HIM this Christmas?

We have waited for Jesus—and now that He is here, true gratitude is shown by living fully in the gift of His presence and love.

Mass Readings from December 25, 2025:Isaiah 52:7-10 Psalm 98:1, 2-3, 3-4, 5-6Hebrews 1:1-6

John 1:1-18

Homily from the Fourth Sunday of Advent

What happens when I don't get what I've been waiting for?

All through the Bible, God makes certain promises. He always fulfills them. But we cannot expect God to fulfill a promise that He has never made. No matter what, whether we get what we've waited for or not, we can hope in HIM.

Mass Readings from December 21, 2025:Isaiah 7:10-14 Psalm 24:1-2, 3-4, 5-6Romans 1:1-7

Matthew 1:18-24

Homily from the Third Sunday of Advent

In seasons of waiting, do we complain or praise?

While we are waiting, it can feel like nothing is happening. And yet, faith tells us that God is at work even when we can't yet see the fruit. Rather than complaining while we wait, there is another option.

Mass Readings from December 14, 2025: Isaiah 35:1-6a, 10 Psalm 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10 James 5:7-10

Matthew 11:2-11

Homily from the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

This feast day of the Immaculate Conception is not just a privilege for Mary: it's a prophecy for us.

The Feast of the Immaculate Conception reveals God's plan to conquer sin not just by repairing what is broken, but by preparing a path where grace triumphs first. This Advent we are invited to enter into the "Sacrament of the Present Moment", where God offers real, life-changing grace in each moment we choose to be present to Him. Mary's unique "yes" reminds us to stop waiting and to respond to God's already-given grace with a wholehearted and immediate "yes".

Mass Readings from December 8, 2025: Genesis 3:9-15, 20 Psalm 98:1-4Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12

Luke 1:26-38

Homily from the Second Sunday of Advent.

We worry while we wait.

Advent teaches us not just to wait, but to trust while we wait. When we surrender worry and remember who God is, waiting becomes a place of grace instead of frustration.

Mass Readings from December 7, 2025: Isaiah 11:1-10 Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17Romans 15:4-9

Matthew 3:1-12

Homily from the First Sunday of Advent.

The process is the point.

When we are waiting, we often want to be "done". We want to be "there". We want our waiting to be over so that we can start living. But life happens right here and right now. And God is doing something right now. We do not simply endure waiting, we engage during the waiting. The declaration of faithful waiting is: I am confident that this moment is crucial.

Mass Readings from November 30, 2025: Isaiah 2:1-5 Psalm 122: 1-9Romans 13:11-14

Matthew 24:37-44

Homily from The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe.

The moment of victory is the moment of vulnerability.

We often think that we win by being strong, or beautiful, or clever, or powerful. But Christ wins by another means. Christ the King, Lord of the Universe wins by choosing to empty Himself of all that we think we need to win.

Mass Readings from November 23, 2025: 2 Samuel 5:1-3 Psalm 122:1-2, 3-4, 4-5Colossians 1:12-20

Luke 23:35-43

Homily from the Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Would you rather be admired? Or loved?

The Day of the Lord is coming. When everything that is true about our hearts will be revealed. What should not be there must be burned up or transformed so that we can be fully known...and fully loved.

Mass Readings from November 16, 2025: Malachi 3:19-20 Psalm 98:5-6, 7-8, 92 Thessalonians 3:7-12

Luke 21:5-19

Homily from the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome.

If you were what you were meant to be, you would set the world on fire.

There are some things that are dedicated...consecrated to be something special. They are meant to be something unique. Others merely used to be something unique. Which one am I?

Mass Readings from November 9, 2025: Ezekiel 47:1-2, 8-9, 12 Psalm 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-91 Corinthians 3:9c-11, 16-17

John 2:13-22

Homily from the Commemoration of All the Faithfully Departed (All Souls).

By the end of this Mass, some things will be changed forever.

Purgatory is an essential teaching of Christianity. It highlights that salvation is both an event and a process. Purgatory is God's gift on continuing the process of making our hearts like His that He began in this life.

Mass Readings from November 2, 2025: Wisdom 3:1-9 Psalm 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6Romans 5:5-11

John 6:37-40

Homily from the Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Break the cycle and build your life on a relationship with the God who saved your life.

We often find ourselves in the same cycle as many people in the Bible: We find ourselves in desperate need, we cry out to God, He answers, we thank Him...and then we forget. There is a way to break this cycle and build our lives on a relationship with the God who saved our lives.

Mass Readings from October 12, 2025: 2 Kings 5:14-17 Psalm 98:1, 2-3, 3-42 Timothy 2:8-13

Luke 17:11-19

Homily from the Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time.

You have already been given everything you need to be a saint.

Imagine finding out that you had an inheritance. So many problems could be solved and you could do so much...if only you had more. But what if you had everything you need already?

Mass Readings from October 5, 2025: Habakkuk 1:2-3; 2:2-4 Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-92 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14

Luke 17:5-10

Homily from the Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

When comfort is our god, we end up underliving our lives.

Modern life has done a powerful job of reducing stark deprivation. This is a good thing. But one of the results is that many of us have become captive to comfort.

Mass Readings from September 28, 2025: Amos 6:1a, 4-7 Psalm 146:7, 8-9, 9-101 Timothy 6:11-16

Luke 16:19-31

Homily from the Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Don't let what Jesus did for you end with you.

Jesus is the one Mediator between God and humanity. He has saved us. But God wills that all humans are saved. Because of this, He calls those who have been saved by Him to brings His salvation to everyone else.

Mass Readings from September 21, 2025: Amos 8:4-7 Psalm 113:1-2, 4-6, 7-81 Timothy 2:1-8

Luke 16:1-13

Homily from the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

The sign of our shame has become the symbol of our hope.

The Cross of Jesus is God's answer to our guilt. The Cross of Jesus is God's answer to our lack of trust. The Cross of Jesus is God's answer to evil.

Mass Readings from September 14, 2025:Numbers 21:4b-9Psalm 78:1bc-2, 34-35, 36-37, 38Philippians 2:6-11

John 3:13-17

Homily from the Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Whenever there is something of value that we desire, we have to ask these two questions.

Jesus gives the conditions for discipleship. He gives us the very "cost" of being His disciple. The condition is: He must be FIRST. He must be loved before all others.

Mass Readings from Septemeber 7, 2025: Wisdom 9:13-18b Psalm 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14 and 17Philemon 9-10, 12-17

Luke 14:25-33

Homily from the Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Humility is nothing other than acknowledging and living the truth.

Humility is not pretending to be someone other than we are. It is neither pretending to be better nor pretending to be worse than we are. But is the freedom and the joy of living the full truth about ourselves.

Mass Readings from August 31, 2025: Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29 Psalm 68:4-5, 6-7, 10-11Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24a

Luke 14:1, 7-14

Homily from the Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time

Discipline isn't the point, but it is the path.

God calls us to develop the potential He has given us by leaning into the discipline He is calling us to. Who is it you want to be? What do you want to be true about you?

Mass Readings from August, 24, 2025:Isaiah 66:18-21 Psalm 117:1, 2Hebrews 12:5-7, 11-13

Luke 13:22-30

Homily from the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Villains and Heroes are made out of the same stuff.

We are not surrounded by villains and heroes, we are surrounded by ordinary people. And every one of us, by our daily choices, can become a villain or hero.

Mass Readings from August 17, 2025: Jeremiah 38:4-6, 8-10Psalm 40:2, 3, 4, 18Hebrews 12:1-4

Luke 12:49-53

Homily from the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

God had no backup plan after Mary.

The Assumption of Mary is the reality that Our Lady was taken up entirely into Heaven. This is, in some ways, the fulfillment of her entire life. Since she belonged totally to God, she was brought totally to God.

Mass Readings from August 15, 2025:Revelation 11:19A; 12:1-6A, 10AB Psalm 45:10, 11, 12, 16 1 Corinthians 15:20-27

Luke 1:39-56

Homily from the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Without obedience, there is no faith.

Followers of Jesus want to grow in faith, but do they understand what it is to live by faith?

Mass Readings from August 10, 2025: Wisdom 18:6-9 Psalm 33:1, 12, 18-19, 20-22Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19

Luke 12:32-48

Homily from the Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Remember you will die. Remember you have died.

We are called to live a new life. But we cannot live a new life until we have allowed our old life to die. We need to remember that we will die in the future. Christians also have the chance to remember that we already have died.

Mass Readings from August 3, 2025: Ecclesiastes 1:2; 2:21-23 Psalm 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-14 and 17Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11

Luke 12:13-21

Homily from the Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

The battle of prayer.

Every one of us knows that we ought to pray. But not all of us know how. In addition, not all of us know that prayer can often be a challenge...it is a battle.

Mass Readings from July 27, 2025: Genesis 18:20-32 Psalm 138:1-3, 6-8Colossians 2:12-14

Luke 11:1-13

Homily from the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Do it for the love of Jesus.

We all have a lot to do. We may even be tempted to resent all that we have to do. But if we do it for the right reason, even the most difficult tasks take on new power and new purpose.

Mass Readings from July 20, 2025: Genesis 18:1-10 Psalm 15:2-5Colossians 1:24-28

Luke 10:38-42

Homily from the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Knowing is nice. Doing makes the difference.

We can know exactly what to do, but unless we act on what we know, nothing will change.

Mass Readings from July 13, 2025: Deuteronomy 30:10-14 Psalm 69:14, 17, 30-31, 33-34, 36, 37Colossians 1:15-20

Luke 10:25-37

Homily from the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

There are some things worth risking everything for.

Those who signed the Declaration of Independance risked everything. Every Christian who follows Jesus is risking everything in order to have the Lord.

Mass Readings from July 5, 2025: Isaiah 66:10-14 Psalm 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20Galatians 6:14-18

Luke 10:1-12, 17-20

Homily from the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul.

Jesus came to establish a Church.

The Church is an essential part of God's Kingdom on earth. Jesus is the King. Peter (and his successors) are the stewards of the King. This role has the authority to teach, guide, and govern.

Mass Readings from June 29, 2025: Acts 12:1-11 Psalm 34:2-92 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18

Matthew 16:13-19

Homily from the Solemnity of Corpus Christi.

Jesus did not say "Read this in memory of Me." He said "Do this in memory of Me."

The greatest gift Jesus gave us is Himself in the Eucharist. And yet, even people who love Jesus very much can miss this gift without the guidance and teaching of the Church.

Mass Readings from June 22, 2025: Genesis 14:18-20 Psalm 110:1-41 Corinthians 11:23-26

Luke 9:11-17

Homily from the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity.

Even when the Bible seems clear, earnest Christians can get it wrong. We need a Church to tell us when we are wrong.

The most important revelation of God is His own identity. From the beginning, Christians have needed more than the words of Sacred Scripture to guide them into all truth. We have needed the Holy Spirit leading the Church through error to know the depths of God's identity.

Mass Readings from June 15, 2025: Proverbs 8:22-31 Psalm 8:4-5, 6-7, 8-9Romans 5:1-5

John 16:12-15

Homily from Pentecost Sunday.

Without an infallible Teacher, an infallible Book is a worthless book.

The Church is messy. But it is also holy. And has been given the ability and the authority of Jesus to teach. Even in the midst of the brokenness of the human element of the Church, the Church is still the Infallible Teacher of Divine Revelation.

Mass Readings from June 7, 2025: Acts 2:1-11 Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 341 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13

John 20:19-23

Homily from the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord.

Jesus didn't give us the Bible. He gave us the Church. And the Church gave us the Bible.

All Christians believe in the 27 books of the New Testament. We all believe these books are the inspired Word of God based on the authority of the Church to recognize this truth and teach it. The same Church has the authority to declare the 46 books of the Old Testament as well.

June 1, 2025: Acts 7:55-60 Psalm 97:1-2, 6-7, 9Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20

John 17:20-26

Homily from the Sixth Sunday of Easter.

Do we rely on the Bible alone?

The Church is not optional. When there is a question that is not covered explicitly in the Bible (and even when it is), where do we look for guidance?

Mass Readings from May 25, 2025: Acts 15:1-2, 22-29 Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8Revelation 21:10-14, 22-23

John 14:23-29

Homily from the Fifth Sunday of Easter.

Life is difficult. You don't have to move on alone.

In a difficult life and a difficult mission, Paul had someone with him who helped him continue to do the work he was called to do. Paul had someone who helped him move on.

Mass Readings from May 18, 2025: Acts 14:21-27 Psalm 145:8-13Revelation 21:1-5

John 13:31-33a, 34-35

Homily from the Fourth Sunday of Easter.

We get the behavior we are willing to tolerate.

There are times when we need to establish boundaries...even with the people we love. Even as Christians, we need to choose and clearly communicate what we are able to or willing to tolerate.

Mass Readings from May 11, 2025: Acts 13:14, 43-52 Psalm 100:1-2, 3, 5Revelation 7:9, 14b-17

John 10:27-30

Homily from the Third Sunday of Easter

To be restored, we must revisit the place of ruin.

When we are called to move on, we may need to revisit the places in our lives that need healing in order to allow the Lord to change our future.

Mass Readings from May, 4th, 2025: Acts 5:27-32, 40b-41 Psalm 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11-12, 13Revelation 5:11-14

John 21:1-19

Homily from the Second Sunday of Easter, Sunday of Divine Mercy

Five words that can change your life.

Life is filled with change and uncertainty. But there is one thing that is stable and unchanging.

Mass Readings from April, 27, 2025:Acts 5:12-16 Psalm 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24Revelation 1:9-11a, 12-13, 17-19

John 20:29

Homily from the The Resurrection of the Lord, The Mass of Easter Day

Get up and do what you can.

We know that darkness is real. And death is real. But darkness and death are not the end. There are some things that never die...Faith...Love...the Promise of eternal life.

Mass Readings from April, 20, 2025: Acts 10:34a, 37-43 Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23Colossians 3:1-4 or 1 Corinthians 5:6b-8

John 20:1-9

Homily from Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion

This is not the end of the Story, but it had to happen for the Story to go on.

The Passion of Christ is not the end of the Story, but we must pause and reflect on it. It is the lens through which we see: What love looks like when it costs everything, what sin looks like when we can see the wounds, and what mercy looks like when it refuses to give up.

Mass Readings from April, 18, 2025: Isaiah 52:13—53:12 Psalm 31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-16, 17, 25Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9

John 18:1—19:42

Homily from Holy Thursday, Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper

He loved them to the end.

One of the characteristics that marks modern man is that we find ourselves angry at God. In fact, we are so angry that we would be willing to hurt God if we could. Yet, God is invulnerable. He cannot be hurt. Still, God chose to step into this world and love us...while making Himself vulnerable.

Mass Readings from April, 17, 2025: Isaiah 61:1-3a, 6a, 8b-9 Psalm 116:12-13, 15-16bc, 17-18.1 Corinthians 11:23-26

John 13:1-15

Homily from Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion.

Thank God ahead of time.

We often put off joy and praise and peace. We are tempted to be preoccupied with wanting to be "there" or wanting to be "done" with whatever we are working on or whatever we are doing. Yet, as Catholics, we are called to be "here". We can best live "on the way" when we don't wait to thank God; when we thank God before we are "there". We can thank God right here.

Mass Readings from April 13, 2025: Isaiah 50:4-7 Psalm 22:8-9, 17-20, 23-24.Philippians 2:6-11

Luke 22:14—23:56

Homily from the Fifth Sunday in Lent.

We run out of all hope...and then Jesus.

The Dead End is a necessary place of the way. The location where we run out of our own skill and our own strength and find ourselves completely unable to move forward on our own. In the midst of the dead end...and then Jesus.

Mass Readings from April 6, 2025: Isaiah 43:16-21 Psalm 126:1-6Philippians 3:8-14

John 8:1-11

Homily from the Fourth Sunday of Lent.

To look like Jesus, we must learn how to live in the Presence of the Father.

When it comes to our relationship with the Father, too often it is marked by hiding our hearts or avoiding His gaze. But we must learn how to live like Jesus, who remained in the Father's Presence at all times and with profound trust.

Mass Readings from March 30, 2025: Joshua 5:9, 10-12 Psalm 34:2-72 Corinthians 5:17-21

Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

Homily from the Third Sunday of Lent.

We all want peak moments, but growth happens in the Valley.

Why do we walk through valleys? What good is life in the valley? Is it only a negative? Is it always a punishment from God? Or could the valley be necessary?

Mass Readings from March 23, 2025: Exodus 3:1-8, 13-15 Psalm 103: 1-4, 6-8, 111 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12

Luke 13:1-9

Homily from the Second Sunday of Lent.

A big life is a series of small crossroads.

Life happens at the crossroads. Life is also a series of small crossroads that might seem insignificant, but add up to a life of beauty and meaning...or a life potentially wasted.

Mass Readings from March 16, 2025: Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18 Psalms 27:1, 7-9, 13-14Philippians 3:17—4:1

Luke 9:28b-36

Homily from the First Sunday of Lent.

The only way out is through.

As we enter into the desert, the desert takes away the things we tend to trust in...the things we use as comforts and crutches...and we are led through the "training place" to the place of being able to live like Christ.

Mass Readings from March 9, 2025: Deuteronomy 26:4-10 Psalm 91:1-2, 10-15Romans 10:8-13

Luke 4:1-13

Homily from the Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Silence reveals our hearts and silence trains our hearts.

As we enter into the place of training, we realize that there are certain things that reveal the condition of our hearts...trial, tribulation, speech, and silence. But we need to consciously enter into these if we are going to know ourselves and be trained in the way of Christ.

Mass Readings from March 2, 2025: Sirach 27:4-7 Psalm 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-161 Corinthians 15:54-58

Luke 6:39-45

Homily from the Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Love those who deserve it. And those who don’t.

Jesus gives us a commandment that existed from the beginning: we are to love those who deserve it. This is justice. Jesus goes on to teach us and even greater love: mercy.

Mass Readings from February 23, 2025: 1 Samuel 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23 Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 8, 10, 12-131 Corinthians 15:45-49

Luke 6:27-38

Homily from the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

We live in this life, but we live for the next life.

Jesus turns our fears and our hopes upside down...because through the Resurrection, Jesus has turned the world upside down.

Mass Readings from February 16, 2025: Jeremiah 17:5-8 Psalms 1:1-4 & 61 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20

Luke 6:17, 20-26

Homily from the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

There are two requirements: Be available and be willing to try.

There are times when the future is so uncertain and so unknown that we hesitate to move. But since we know that God is with us, He has a call on our lives, and His grace is active...we can take the next step without fear.

Mass Readings from February 9, 2025: Isaiah 6:1-2, 3-8 Psalms 138:1-5, 7-81 Corinthians 15:1-11

Luke 5:1-11

Homily from the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord.

Do what you know, where you are.

What is the Greatest Thing you will ever do? What if the Greatest Thing is not something you accomplish, but who you become?

Mass Readings from February 2, 2025: Malachi 3:1-4 Psalms 24:7-10Hebrews 2:14-18

Luke 2:22-40

Homily from the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time.

You've been given a great work, and must not come down.

Since you have been made on purpose, there are two ways to live: on purpose and off purpose. But if a person has been made to be great and set apart for a purpose, why would they ever choose to live off purpose? The common culprits are distraction, forgetting, comparison, and living a shadow mission.

Mass Readings from January 26, 2025: Nehemiah 8:2-6, 8-10 Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 151 Corinthians 12:12-30

Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21