Homilies about gratitude

Đức Maria: Người Nữ Tỳ và chữ 'Fiat' - Hiểu Sâu Sắc Ý Chúa Qua Ngôn Ngữ

Fr. Micae Phạm Quang Hồng

This homily, delivered by Father Micae Phạm Quang Hồng, is a deep dive into the Vietnamese language, particularly Hán Việt words, to explore the meaning of 'disciple' (môn đệ), 'faithful' (trung thành), 'handmaid' (nữ tỳ), and 'Fiat' in the context of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The priest uses humor and personal anecdotes to illustrate how understanding the nuances of these words can deepen one's faith and relationship with God, emphasizing gratitude, humility, and living according to God's will as a beloved child, not just a servant.

What Are Your True Treasures? A Homily on God's Priceless Love

Father Aiden

The homily explores the concept of 'treasure' from the Gospel, distinguishing between material possessions and true treasures of the heart. The priest uses personal anecdotes, including sentimental items and comic book art, to illustrate how things gain value through memory and passion, ultimately connecting these to the priceless treasures of God's love, community, and faith.

The Hidden Treasure: Valuing God's Kingdom and the Wisdom of Our Elders

Father Luis

The homily emphasizes the value of the Kingdom of God, comparing it to a hidden treasure or a precious pearl for which one should be willing to sacrifice everything. It also highlights the importance of valuing the wisdom of elders and grandparents, drawing a parallel to King Solomon's request for wisdom and the contemporary neglect of the elderly. The priest shares a personal anecdote about returning to the US to spend time with his aging parents, underscoring the irreplaceable value of family and relationships over material possessions.

You Are Jesus Today: A Missionary's Call to Bring Water and Life to Malawi

Father Pascal Kumanda

The homily emphasizes that all Christians are called to be 'Jesus today' by embodying his mission as both sowers of God's word and rich soil producing fruit. The priest shares a personal story from Malawi about a village lacking water, highlighting the stark contrast with the abundance in the US and urging the congregation to act as Jesus' hands and feet by supporting a mission to provide clean water, thereby giving 'new life' to suffering communities.

The Priceless Gift: Why Time is Our Greatest Treasure

The homily emphasizes the priceless value of time, drawing parallels between the Gospel parables of hidden treasure and the pearl of great price, and the importance of investing time in relationships and spiritual growth. The priest uses a Family Feud game as an engaging opener and shares a personal anecdote about an elderly woman's gratitude for his time, illustrating how time is the most precious gift we can offer.

Lucy's 'Five More Minutes': A Life Lived in Love and Gratitude

This homily, delivered as a eulogy, celebrates the life of Lucy Labonite Gaida Maram, a Filipino immigrant who embodied kindness, generosity, and deep family love. It highlights her unique personality, her 'Filipino time' approach to life, and her selfless devotion to her family both in America and the Philippines, emphasizing how she savored every moment and lived a life that was a 'sermon' of selfless love.

Finding Hope in Loss: Maria del Refugio Padilla's Legacy of Faith and Love

This homily, delivered at a funeral mass, emphasizes that despite the pain of death, believers find hope and consolation in Jesus' resurrection. The priest highlights that God is not distant from human suffering, but experienced it through Christ, and that living a life united with God gives meaning to suffering and ensures resurrection. The homily also includes heartfelt eulogies from the deceased's grandson and daughter, who share personal anecdotes and reflect on her deep faith, love for family, and gratitude, portraying her life as a testament to sowing good seeds and reaping a rich harvest of love and unity.

Crying Babies, Cheese Heads, and Sandhill Cranes: Finding the Kingdom of God in Unexpected Places

Father Dominic Rashi

The homily uses three seemingly disparate images—crying babies, cheese heads, and sandhill cranes—to illustrate different aspects of the Kingdom of God and our relationship with it. It emphasizes the importance of welcoming children in church, trusting God's plan even in suffering, and finding joy and wonder in God's creation and our memories. The core message is about recognizing God's presence and love in both the mundane and the extraordinary, and having a childlike faith.

How a Simple Meal Transforms Lives: The Mission of Mary's Meals

This homily, delivered by a representative from Mary's Meals, focuses on the organization's mission to provide daily meals to children at school in impoverished countries. It highlights how these meals enable children to learn, develop, and have hope for a better future, emphasizing the importance of sharing resources and the profound impact of this simple act of charity on individuals and communities.

The Legacy of a Kind Painter: How Christine's Generosity Transformed Our Church

The homily begins with parish announcements, then transitions into a personal story about a deceased friend named Christine, a professional painter who dedicated her life to painting churches worldwide. The priest shares how Christine, despite her humble means, left a significant donation to their church, emphasizing her kindness and generosity as her most profound legacy.

La Mejor Herencia: Transmitiendo la Fe a Nuestras Familias

Padre Lisandro Barba

The homily emphasizes gratitude for the gift of faith passed down through generations, particularly highlighting the role of grandparents like Saints Anne and Joachim. The priest shares a personal story about his grandmother's prayers influencing his vocation and challenges the faithful to reflect on what spiritual legacy they are leaving for their children and grandchildren, urging them to prioritize faith over material inheritance.

What is the True Treasure? Holding Lightly to Passing Goods

Father Joseph Johnson

The homily emphasizes that while worldly goods like baseball cards, careers, or even family are good, they are ultimately passing. The true, enduring treasure of greatest value is the Kingdom of God, which is Jesus himself. We are called to hold lightly to passing things so we can hold fast to Christ, recognizing that he first sees us as precious and has given his life to buy us back.

Are You the Most Foolish Person in the Bible? (And How to Be Wise)

The homily begins by posing a provocative question: "Who is the most foolish person in the Bible?" The priest then reveals the answer, drawing from the Gospel parable of the hidden treasure, identifying the foolish person as the one who sold the field without realizing the treasure it contained. He applies this to the congregation, urging them to recognize and appreciate the spiritual blessings and gifts they already possess, emphasizing gratitude as the key to wisdom and happiness.

Father Adam on the Toughest Priestly Promise: Obedience

Father Adam Potter

Father Adam reflects on the difficulty of priestly obedience, particularly in the face of a new assignment, contrasting it with the perceived difficulty of celibacy. He connects his personal struggle to the Gospel's parable of the sower, emphasizing that our hearts must be fertile soil to accept God's will, even when it involves affliction or discomfort. He shares his gratitude for his time at the parish and the lessons learned through trusting God's plan.

What is Your Greatest Treasure? A Homily for Grandparents Day

Father Adilso Coelho

The homily, delivered on Grandparents Day, emphasizes that true treasure lies not in material possessions but in faith and the Kingdom of God. Drawing parallels between Solomon's request for wisdom and the parables of the hidden treasure and pearl of great price, the priest encourages listeners to prioritize Christ, who brings joy and gives proper place to everything else in life. He highlights the invaluable legacy of faith, prayer, and perseverance passed down by grandparents.

The Eucharist: Our Greatest Treasure

Father Felix

This homily emphasizes that true treasures in life are not material possessions but rather gifts that bring us closer to God, particularly the gift of faith and the Holy Eucharist. Drawing on the Gospel parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price, the homilist encourages listeners to prioritize their relationship with God and receive the Eucharist with gratitude, recognizing it as the real presence of Jesus Christ.

Finding the Hidden Gold Within: What is Your True Treasure?

The homily explores the concept of 'treasure' from the Gospel, first by encouraging listeners to recognize their own inherent worth, often obscured by external criticism, much like a muddy Buddha statue hiding a golden core. It then emphasizes that true spiritual treasures, like sacraments and God's presence, are not freely given but require active searching and valuing, and are accessible to everyone, not just those in 'palaces.' Finally, it connects this to acknowledging the 'treasures' of love and sacrifice received from family, especially grandparents, urging gratitude and reflection on Christ as the ultimate treasure.

God's Unconditional Love and the Legacy of St. Benedict

The homily emphasizes God's intimate and unconditional love for us, drawing on the Gospel's image of God knowing even the sparrows and counting the hairs on our heads. It also highlights the significance of St. Benedict's feast day by acknowledging the Benedictine sisters and monks who have educated many priests in the diocese, sharing a personal anecdote about a priest whose vocation was nurtured by the monks.

What is Your Greatest Treasure? Lessons from Solomon and Grandparents

Father Francisco

The homily explores the parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price, urging listeners to identify their true greatest treasure in life. It contrasts the fleeting value of material possessions and distractions like phones with the enduring worth of faith and love, drawing parallels with Solomon's request for wisdom and the wisdom gained through the life experience of grandparents.

What is the Greatest Treasure in Your Life?

The homily emphasizes that true treasure lies in our relationship with God, not in worldly possessions or achievements. Drawing from the parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price, and Solomon's request for wisdom, the priest encourages listeners to prioritize Christ, recognizing that sacrifices made for Him lead to infinitely greater gains. He shares a personal anecdote about decluttering and realizing the impermanence of material things.