Je Vous Salue, Marie: In Honor of Feast Day of St. Louis de Montfort At the end of the most recent Feast Day of St. Lous de Montfort, . . .. . . the Queen of All Hearts Music Minstry surprised the priests by singing this song n French. The words may be displayed by selecting the description below. Join in the celebration of the founder of the Compa…

The Queen of All Hearts: Mary’s Role in Building the Body of Christ This conference emphasizes the deeply communal and celebratory nature . . .. . . of Christian spirituality, rooted in the victory of Jesus Christ over sin and death. It highlights that this victory is not merely individual but shared among all believers, particularly through their …

Peter’s Journey and Ours: Seeing, Believing, Following Today the Church celebrates Easter . . .. . . as the central feast of Christianity, highlighting the Resurrection of Jesus Christ as the foundation of faith. Today’s Gospel explains how the Resurrection gives believers new spiritual vision, reveals the truth of life beyond death, and confirms t…

From Silence to Glory: The Mystery of Easter This Homily reflects on the liturgy of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, . . .. . . emphasizing how Scripture readings during the Easter vigil narrate the entire history of God’s love for humanity. It traces the journey from creation and fall, through the Exodus, prophetic calls to return to God, and fin…

The Lord Who Orders Time: Letting Jesus Christ Be First in All This Homily explores the profound theological claim made by Jesus in the Gospel . . . . . . that He is not simply another figure in the historical lineage of Israel (like Abraham, Moses, or the prophets), but rather the origin and end of all history. It challenges our typical understand…

Obedience and Freedom: Discovering Your True Self in Jesus ChristThis Homily explores Jesus’ message from the Gospel where He declares that those who believe in Him . . .. . . will find freedom through truth . . . truth that is found in Him. Jesus teaches that sin enslaves, but by remaining in Him, one can be set free. This freedom is not simply th…

Public Faith, Private Strength: Living as Children of GodThe Homily begins by reflecting on the daily act of making choices, . . .. . . beginning with a personal story about struggling to wake up early for school. This serves as a metaphor for the broader and more meaningful choices we face in life, such as choosing to be kind, forgiving, and gener…

Reigning Through Love: Jesus’ True Model of Leadership in Holy Week Today the Church marks the beginning of the celebration of the Paschal Mysteries . . .. . . Christ’s suffering, death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. It emphasizes two key themes from the Gospel of Luke:-1- Jesus as a Humble King: Unlike wor…

After Completing the First 5 Weeks of Lent: Preparing for the Actual Mystery of Holy Week: Lenten Conference #6: Part 2 In Silence and Fire: Encountering Christ in the Holy Days This is Part 2 of this conference, given just before Holy Week.This conference continues by capturing a rich and passionate reflection on the liturgical depth and spiritual…

After Completing the First 5 Weeks of Lent: Preparing for the Actual Mystery of Holy Week: Lenten Conference #6 Entering the Mystery: A Journey Through Holy WeekThis is Part 1 of this conference, given just before Holy Week.The conference delves deeply into the liturgical, historical, and spiritual significance of the days leading up to and includi…

Veiling the Mystery: Passiontide: Why the Church Covers the Cross Before EasterThis Homily explains the Catholic tradition of covering statues and crucifixes . . .. . . during the final part of Lent, known as Passiontide. The veiling symbolizes the Church’s recognition that we do not yet fully understand the mystery of Christ’s cross and passion. T…

Gardens of Trial: From Eden to Daniel’s Vindication of SusannaThe Homily explores the theme of testimony and witness in Scripture, . . .. . . particularly focusing on the story of Susanna from the Book of Daniel and its parallels to other biblical narratives. The homily highlights that to “testify” means to bear witness, often in challenging situat…

When Human Love Falls Short, God’s Love Remains To better understand the first reading, it’s important to grasp its context: . . .. . . the people of Israel are in exile, living under Babylonian oppression. Years have gone by, and their suffering shows no sign of ending. Their dream of returning to Jerusalem feels more distant than ever. In their d…

Mary at the Foot of The Cross: Lenten Conference #5 The conference reflects on Mary at the Foot of The Cross, encouraging believers to deepen their relationship with God as Easter approaches. The listeners are invited to examine their spiritual progress and open their hearts to God’s love, mercy, and presence.The meditation draws parallels between …

From Weakness to Grace: The Gift of Repentance and Drawing Closer to God The readings emphasize the beauty of repentance . . .. . . and the opportunity to grow closer to God, especially during the Lenten season. It highlights how prayer, charity, and self-reflection help bridge the gap between humanity and God. The closer we draw to God, the more w…

God’s Enduring Love: A Lesson from the Prophet Hosea During This Lenten Season The Book of Hosea, one of the Minor Prophets, . . .. . . delivers a profound message about the relationship between God and Israel, depicted as a husband and wife.Though Israel turned away from God to worship idols, God remained faithful and sought reconciliation. This m…

Persevering Through Lent: Rising After We Fall At the beginning of Lent, many approach the season with enthusiasm, setting spiritual goals and making promises.However, as time passes, some may struggle or fall short of their commitments. The Church encourages perseverance, reminding believers that even if they falter, they should rise and continue …

Strengthening Our Spiritual Journey: Prayerful Lessons from the Gospel of Matthew This Homily reflects on the significance of the Lord’s Prayer (from Matthew 6) . . .. . . in the context of Lent, emphasizing the three key Lenten practices: fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. It highlights Jesus’ teachings on sincere prayer, warning against hypocrisy a…

Silent Strength: Lessons from St. Joseph, Spouse of Mary Today’s Gospel focuses on St. Joseph.As you know, there are several feasts honoring St. Joseph, while today the focus is on his role as the spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. While there are other celebrations—such as St. Joseph the Worker and the Feast of the Holy Family—this occasion highli…

Awakened by Grace: Lent as a Call to Deeper AwarenessA group of retreatants, after completing their retreat and visiting a shrine, . . .. . . were asked by a priest whether they had become holier or could now avoid sin entirely. They honestly responded that they couldn’t make such promises but shared that the retreat had made them more aware—of the…

The Seven Last Words of Jesus From The Cross: Lenten Conference #3 From Mercy to Completion: A Journey Through the Seven Last Words This conference is a theological reflection centered on the Seven Last Words of Jesus on the Cross, . . .. . . contemplated as we Prepare Our Hearts for Holy Week observances. This reflection emphasizes the theological…

When Prayers Go Unanswered: Faith Beyond ResultsThe homily opens with a story about a young man frustrated by a vending machine, . . .. . . drawing a parallel to how people often treat God—as if He should instantly grant every request. It reflects on Jesus’ teaching, “Ask, and it will be given,” emphasizing that while God does answer prayers, the a…

Loving Like God: The True Challenge of Lent During this season we are faced with the key challenges Christians are called to embrace during Lent— . . .. . . deepening our relationship with God through prayer, detaching from worldly comforts through fasting, and extending love to others through almsgiving. The scripture readings emphasize obedience …

More Than the Desert: Rediscovering Lent Through the MountainIt is generally the case as we move through the season of Lent. . .. . . that we hear the statement that during Lent, we are in the desert with Jesus. And that’s true, but only to a certain extent. The church has a much fuller understanding of the season of Lent than simply being in the d…

Living Lent as People Baptized Into the Death of Christ This reflection opens with prayer and introduces the theme . . .. . . of a spiritual recollection centered on living out our baptism during Lent, particularly as people baptized into Christ’s death and resurrection. It draws from Romans 6:3-11, emphasizing that baptism unites us with Christ’s …

The Cross, the Choice, and the Call to Follow It sounds so deceptively simple.I place before you life or death and you get to choose. I place before you, the blessing and the curse, and you can take your pick. And when you put it that directly and that bluntly, it seems like this is just the ultimate no-brainer. Well, of course, I am taking life al…

Lent: A Journey of Grace, Not Just Sacrifice The Church reflects, in today’s readings, . . .. . . on the traditional Lenten practice of giving up things and making commitments to God but suggests shifting the focus. Rather than centering on personal sacrifices, it encourages believers to reflect on God’s promises of mercy, compassion, and love. By …

The Spiritual Meaning of Lent: Lenten Conference #1 Psalm 95 and Psalm 51: The Foundations of Lent’s Spiritual JourneyDuring each Friday of the Lenten Season, there will be a Lenten Devotional Conference.This is the first week within this series. Each conference will appear singularly on the Website, SoundCloud, Facebook and iPod platforms. All con…

Seeking God’s Will: The Foundation of Lasting RelationshipsThe readings explore the themes of friendship, commitment, and obedience to God’s will.The Homily begins with a discussion on the nature of true friendship, emphasizing that genuine friendship requires discernment, testing, and trust. The Homily contrasts shallow acquaintanceship with deep,…

Walking in Wisdom: Preparing for Lent with Sirach As the Catholic Church approaches the Lenten season;we stand at the threshold of a sacred time—a time to reflect on the profound mystery of our salvation and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Lent calls us to renew our baptismal promises and deepen our spiritual journey. But why is this reflection so e…

The Mystery of Belonging: Receiving the Kingdom as a Child The readings today explore the profound mystery . . .. . . behind Jesus’ invitation for children to come to Him. We all have heard the story of Jesus holding a child. But do we really understand the meaning behind the mystery?The Essence of Being a ChildIt emphasizes that the essence of bei…

The Chair of St. Peter: A Seat of Authority and Faith The Church emphasizes the significance of the Chair of St. Peter, . . .. . . on this Feast Day, which symbolizes the authority and witness of the Apostle Peter and his successors. It explores the meaning of a chair as a place of rest, stability, and authority, linking it to the role of Peter as …

The Tower of Babel and the Danger of Self-GlorificationSt. Augustine’s definition of sin is self-centeredness . . .. . . when a person turns inward instead of toward God. Using the metaphor of a bronze helmet with a mirror, the saint illustrates how sin causes individuals to focus only on themselves, unable to see beyond their own image. This idea …

The Strength of Restraint: Lessons from David and Jesus The Homily reflects on a challenging Gospel passage that urges . . .. . . believers to transcend the natural human desire for revenge and vindication. Using the Old Testament story of David sparing King Saul’s life as an example, the Homily highlights the importance of choosing mercy over reta…

The Beauty of Waiting: God’s Plan Unfolds in Time The Homily today emphasizes the importance of patience . . .. . . in growing our faith and waiting on God’s timing rather than our own. Using the story of Noah from Genesis, it highlights how he waited patiently before leaving the ark. We’ll hear the significance and the lessons for us within the Ho…

Who Do You Say That I Am? A Call to Deep Discipleship For hundreds and hundreds of years in the Catholic tradition, . . .. . . well before the image of the rainbow was co-opted for other agendas less connected to the gospel of the Lord, the rainbow set in the sky as a sign of the covenant has long been held to be a symbol of Our Lady. It is not unc…

The Gift of Hearing: A Path to Faith and Proclamation There is a special prayer of blessing at the baptism of children, . . .. . . spoken immediately after pouring water on the child. In this prayer, the priest or deacon invokes the Lord who made the deaf hear and the mute speak, asking that He touch the child’s ears to receive His word and their m…

Mercy Rising in the East: The Promise of Salvation In the entrance antiphon for today’s Mass, . . .. . . we hear that the Virgin Mary is blessed because from her arose the Son of Justice, Christ our God. This image—Christ, our Savior, rising from the Virgin Mary to bring light to the world—is deeply significant in light of today’s readings.At the e…

Turning Hearts to God: The Key to Eternal LifeToday’s readings guide us to seek something that never ends—eternal and everlasting blessings.In the first reading from the book of Jeremiah, we encounter two types of people: those who are cursed and those who are blessed. Jeremiah warns, “Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings.” This prompts us …

The Sower’s Hope: A Reflection on God’s Patience God’s Hope in You and MeGod has hope in you. God has hope in me. And in His infinite mercy, He grants us time.There is a well-known saying: Keep the Word of God, and the Word of God will keep you. This wisdom reminds us of the importance of holding onto God’s truth, for it has the power to sustain an…

The Mustard Seed of Faith: How Small Actions Shape Our Spiritual Journey The readings we hear today—from the Letter to the Hebrews and the Gospel of Mark—share a common theme: . . .. . . they were written during times of Christian persecution. The first reading describes the hardships faced by early believers: some were killed, others imprisoned, a…

Faith Beyond Sight: Trusting God in the Unseen Today’s readings present us with a fundamental question: What kind of faith do we have?Renowned theologian Roger Haidt describes faith as a universal human experience. He argues that everyone possesses faith in some form. For example, when you leave your home to come here, you have faith that you will …

When God Enters His Temple: The Mystery of the Presentation A Light Revealed: The Feast of the Presentation We begin with candles—simple yet profound. By doing something so unusual, the Church signals that today’s feast is anything but ordinary. The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, also known as Candlemas, begins with the lighting of candles,…

From Law to Grace: The Conversion That Changed Christianity The Conversion of St. Paul: A Remarkable TransformationToday, we celebrate the conversion of St. Paul. Before becoming one of Christianity’s most influential figures, Paul was known as Saul. He was born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, to Jewish parents who were slaves to Roman citizens. Howe…

Jesus, Melchizedek, and the Priesthood of All Believers Today’s homily reflects on Jesus as the eternal priest, . . .. . . drawing a parallel to Melchizedek, a mysterious biblical figure who blessed Abraham and had no known lineage. The comparison highlights Jesus’ divine origin. The homily then shares a personal anecdote from the early days of his…

Faith in the Face of Violence: The Message of the Holy InnocentsThe Feast of the Holy Innocents: A Call to Faith and CompassionThe Church gives us the Feast of the Holy Innocents as a reminder that the birth of Jesus Christ—the coming of God to dwell among us—will be met with resistance. From the very beginning, his presence is opposed, and his pat…

Receiving and Sharing God’s Love: The Secret of St. John the Evangelist The Witness of Love: Learning from St. John the EvangelistYesterday, as we honored the Feast of St. Stephen, we reflected on his life and martyrdom. The word “martyr” means to witness—offering a total and unwavering testimony of faith.Today, we celebrate another profound witnes…

He Must Increase: St. John the Baptist’s Lessons in Spiritual Humility The first reading comes from the First Letter of St. John, ending with a powerful reminder:“Do not make yourselves idols.” This message speaks to the human tendency to create idols—objects, ideas, or even people—that we elevate to the status of a god. An idol is something we des…

Devotion to Mary: Levels of Consecration For those that are considering making an act of Consecration to Our Lady, there are normally several questions.What exactly is Consecration vs. Total Consecration? How do the various forms of Consecration relate to each other?In this audio, the Levels of Consecration are described as degrees or steps. Total …

The Root of Jesse and the Bloom of Christ: An Advent MeditationThe entrance antiphon for today’s Mass reflects a powerful image.“A shoot shall sprout from the root of Jesse.” Sometimes translated as “from the stump of Jesse,” this image resonates deeply when we pause to consider its implications. A stump represents what remains after a tree has bee…