Homilies about conversion

Archbishop Casey: Why You Need to Take a Leap of Faith

Archbishop Robert Casey

Archbishop Casey delivers a homily centered on taking a 'leap of faith,' using his personal story of jumping off a cliff as a teenager and his vocational calls to the priesthood and episcopacy as metaphors for embracing God's will. He encourages the confirmation candidates and the entire congregation to move from fear to faith, isolation to communion, and to become proclaimers of good news, emphasizing the joy and gratitude found in trusting God.

Beyond 'I Believe': Are You Willing to Get in God's Wheelbarrow?

The homily focuses on the profound meaning of John 3:16, emphasizing that God's love is perfect and unconditional, unlike human love. It challenges listeners to move beyond mere intellectual acceptance of God's existence to a complete, committed trust, illustrating this with the story of Charles Blondon the tightrope walker and the Greek word 'pistuo' for belief.

Rethinking the Trinity: An Interactive Homily on God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

This homily, delivered on Trinity Sunday, takes an unconventional, interactive approach by having congregants discuss their personal images of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The priest presents various biblical, artistic, and theological depictions of each person of the Trinity, challenging the audience to reflect on their own understanding and to consider new ways of relating to God.

El Amor de Dios: ¿Por qué no podemos amar a nuestros enemigos?

Padre Esteban

The homily emphasizes that true Christianity is not about being a 'good person' or following rules, but about recognizing one's inability to love and forgive on their own, and thus receiving the Holy Spirit to experience God's unconditional love. The priest argues that this divine love enables one to love even enemies and find true happiness, contrasting it with the world's self-centered pursuit of happiness and the superficial understanding of faith that often alienates young people.

Are You Trapped in a Bottle? How to Break Free and Grow

Father Robert

The homily uses the metaphor of a pumpkin growing inside a bottle to illustrate how fear, anger, prejudice, self-doubt, and even personal history can act as 'containers' that limit our potential and prevent us from growing into the fullness God intends. Drawing on scripture, the priest emphasizes God's mercy and belief in humanity, urging listeners to 'bust out of the bottle' and embrace the freedom and growth offered by faith, particularly through baptism.

How John 3:16 Led Me to Priesthood and the Sacred Heart

Padre David Arcila

The homily emphasizes the profound love of God, as revealed in John 3:16, and connects it to the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The priest shares a personal story of his vocation being sparked by this verse and encourages the faithful to embrace this devotion, especially through the first Fridays, to become instruments of salvation for others and experience deeper spiritual fervor.

El Amor Incondicional de Dios y Cómo Vivirlo en Familia

Padre Fernando Maldonado

The homily for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity emphasizes that God's love for humanity is boundless and unconditional, even when people are unfaithful. It stresses the importance of living out this Trinitarian love in daily life through harmony, peace, and humility within families and communities, highlighting that true love is conscious and transformative. The priest shares a personal anecdote about a former inmate seeking redemption, illustrating the Church's call to extend God's mercy to all, regardless of past sins.

Living as Children of God: Unity, Love, and Forgiveness in a Divided World

Father Reggie

The homily for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity emphasizes that God is love, and humanity is invited into this Trinitarian life through Jesus Christ. It highlights that we are adopted children of God, called to reflect unity, reconciliation, and charity in our relationships, even amidst disagreements, as a witness to God's presence on earth. The priest shares a personal struggle with loving those who are difficult, underscoring the challenge and importance of extending mercy and patience.

God is Not an Angry Monster: Understanding the Trinity's Love

Padre Jacob

The homily emphasizes that God is pure love, a perfect communion of love (the Trinity), not a wrathful deity to be appeased by sacrifices born of fear. The priest uses a vivid story of ancient people sacrificing to a perceived angry god to illustrate how our natural inclination to fear God is contrary to the Christian understanding of a God who descends from heaven to save us out of love. He highlights that we are called to be temples and priests ourselves, carrying this good news of God's immense, incomprehensible love to free the world from fear, and that our ultimate destiny is to be united within the Trinity itself.

Their God is My God: The Power of Faith in Martyrdom and Mission

Bishop Michael Barber

The homily recounts the story of 21 Coptic Orthodox Christians martyred by ISIS in Libya for refusing to deny Christ, and how a Ghanaian non-believer was inspired by their faith to declare, "Their God is my God." It then connects this to the evangelization of Native Americans in California by Franciscans, who also recognized God through nature and voluntarily converted, spreading the faith among their tribes.

The Eucharist: Your Life's True Purpose

The homily emphasizes the Eucharist as the source of eternal life and the central purpose of our lives, especially for the children receiving their First Communion. It draws parallels between the manna in the desert and the Tree of Life in Eden to highlight God's consistent plan to offer spiritual nourishment, culminating in the body and blood of Christ. The priest urges the faithful to prioritize the Eucharist above all else and to live lives worthy of Christ's body, stressing the importance of confession and unity.

Are You Trusting God, or Your Own 'Small-G Gods'?

The homily emphasizes the importance of absolute faith in God, drawing a parallel with Elijah's challenge to the prophets of Baal. It encourages listeners to examine their own lives for 'small-g gods' they might be prioritizing over the Lord and to seek conversion to place their trust solely in God's love, mercy, and power.

The Power of Words: Why We Believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist

The homily emphasizes the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, drawing parallels with the power of words in other sacraments like baptism, ordination, and marriage. The priest challenges the congregation to truly believe in the transformation of bread and wine into Christ's body and blood, and to understand that receiving communion means becoming Christ's presence in the world.

St. Margaret of Scotland: Finding Solitude in a Royal Court

The homily focuses on the life of St. Margaret of Scotland, emphasizing her dedication to God amidst royal duties and family life. It highlights her zeal for the Church, her consistent prayer life that influenced her husband, and her acceptance of suffering as penance, ultimately finding true liberty in Christ.

The Eucharist: Source, Summit, and Marriage Miracle

The homily for Corpus Christi emphasizes the Eucharist as the source and summit of Catholic faith, highlighting its miraculous nature through the story of St. Carlos Acutis and a Eucharistic miracle in Santarém, Portugal. The priest encourages deeper devotion to the Eucharist, stressing that its power is present in every Mass, regardless of the celebrant, and that personal prayer and communal worship can strengthen faith and even save marriages.

A Father's Unconditional Love: Living the Eucharist in the World

Raymond

The homily emphasizes that receiving the Eucharist is not merely a private act of thanksgiving, but a call to actively embody Christ's love, justice, and compassion in the world. The priest shares a powerful personal story about his father's unconditional love and acceptance after he came out as gay, illustrating how this love reflects the core identity of Christ and the purpose of the Catholic Christian life.

Responding to Christ's Call: Becoming Fishers of Men

The homily reflects on the calling of the first disciples, emphasizing that God always takes the initiative in salvation, entering ordinary lives to transform them. It highlights the concept of synergy between divine grace and human freedom, urging believers to respond freely to Christ's call and become fishers of men, drawing others from sin and death into the life of the kingdom.

Corpus Christi: Remembering God's Provision in Work and Eucharist

Padre Piersol

The homily for the Solemnity of Corpus Christi emphasizes the Eucharist as the work of Christ and calls for active participation and adoration. It draws a parallel between the Israelites' journey through the desert, their murmuring despite God's provision of manna, and our tendency to forget God's blessings in times of abundance. The homily concludes by highlighting work as a gift and a vocation, to be united with Christ's work in the Eucharist for spiritual growth and eternal life.

How the Eucharist Transforms You to Serve Others

Father Phil Felman

The homily for Corpus Christi emphasizes that just as physical food affects our bodies, the Eucharist profoundly transforms us into the Body of Christ. The priest uses a personal anecdote about his mother's glasses and a story about a nurse offering tea to illustrate how simple acts of care, fueled by the Eucharist, allow us to become nourishment and sustenance for others, ultimately changing the world through kindness.

How to Be the Salt and Light of the World

The homily emphasizes that Christians are called to be the 'salt of the earth' and 'light of the world' by aligning their will with God's will. It explains that this inner light, received at baptism, grows through faith and good deeds, allowing believers to repel darkness and bring God's glory to the world, much like Adam and Eve before the Fall. The priest also connects this to St. Ephraim, calling believers to be 'harps of the Holy Spirit' by making beautiful music for God's glory.