Homilies about scripture

God's Unwavering Fidelity: Lessons from Elijah and Jesus

The homily explains the context of the Elijah and Baal prophets story, emphasizing God's unwavering fidelity despite human failings. It connects this to Jesus' fulfillment of the law, highlighting that God's word and promises remain constant, inviting all people to rest in his law and presence.

Why We Believe in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist

Father Pavle

The homily emphasizes the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, contrasting it with the common belief in symbolic presence. The priest uses a series of questions about Jesus' miracles to build a case for believing in the Eucharist's true nature, and shares stories of Eucharistic miracles and the life of St. Carlo Acutis to affirm this faith. He connects the Eucharist to Old Testament prefigurations like the manna in the desert and the Passover lamb, highlighting its significance as a treasure and a source of eternal life.

The Inexhaustible Gift: Understanding the Eucharist on Corpus Christi

Father John Kagum

The homily for Corpus Christi Sunday emphasizes the Eucharist as the inexhaustible gift of Christ's body and blood, given for our salvation. It connects the Eucharist to the manna in the desert and highlights its role in fostering unity within the Church and nourishing us for eternal life, urging preparation through scripture reading.

Fulfilling the Law: Living Under the Lordship of Jesus

The homily emphasizes that Jesus did not abolish the Jewish law but came to fulfill it, offering a deeper revelation of God. It calls believers to live under the lordship of Jesus, following God's will through actions and witness, and sharing His love with others.

Jesus Fulfilled the Law: Why We Love God and Neighbor

The homily connects the Old Testament story of Elijah challenging the prophets of Baal with Jesus's teaching in the Gospel. It emphasizes that Jesus did not abolish the law but fulfilled it by bringing us back to its spirit: loving God and loving our neighbor. The priest highlights that our participation in Mass should stem from an experience of God's love, not merely obligation.

Corpus Christi: Why Jesus Says 'Gnaw' My Flesh, Not Just 'Eat' It

This homily for Corpus Christi emphasizes the distinction between the Holy Thursday and Corpus Christi celebrations of the Eucharist, highlighting the latter's focus on the resurrected Christ leading us to abide in him. The priest delves into the challenging language Jesus uses in John's Gospel, specifically the Greek word 'throgo' (to gnaw) for eating his flesh, underscoring the concrete reality of the Eucharist as a true encounter with Christ's person, not merely a metaphor.

Why God Revealed the Trinity in Stages

The homily on Trinity Sunday explains that the full revelation of the Trinity was withheld in the Old Testament because ancient Israelites, coming from pagan backgrounds, needed to first grasp the concept of one God. Once monotheism was established, God could then reveal Himself as three persons in one, a mystery that calls us to a life of total self-giving love, mirroring the relationship within the Trinity.

Why Belief in the Eucharist Starts with Believing Jesus is God

The homily addresses the common struggle among Catholics to believe in the true presence of the Eucharist. The priest argues that belief in the Eucharist hinges on the more fundamental question of whether Jesus Christ is truly God. If Jesus is God, then his words about eating his flesh and drinking his blood must be taken literally, as evidenced by his repeated emphasis and the disciples' departure when they couldn't accept it.

How the Old Testament Points to Christ's Sacrifice

Father Don

The homily connects the Old Testament story of Elijah's challenge to the prophets of Baal with Jesus' statement that he came not to abolish but to fulfill the law and prophets. It highlights the symbolic parallels between Elijah's sacrifice and Christ's crucifixion, emphasizing that the Hebrew scriptures point towards Christ's redemptive action and the full revelation of God's love in Jesus.

The Bible: God's Love Letter to You

The homily reflects on Jesus fulfilling the law and the prophets, interpreting this to mean Jesus, as the Word of God, is the revelation of the Father's mind. Drawing on St. Augustine, the homilist emphasizes that the sacred scriptures are God's love letters to us, offering comfort and guidance in all life situations, demonstrating God's immense love and care.

Why God's Plan is Always Better Than Ours

The homily connects the Old Testament (Elijah's challenge to the prophets of Baal) with the New Testament (Jesus fulfilling the law), emphasizing that God's plan is perfect and divine, not human. It encourages believers to trust in God's plan, even when prayers aren't answered as expected, and to continuously proclaim the scriptures.

The Eucharist: Our Food for the Journey Home

Father Bamick

The homily emphasizes the Eucharist as the source and summit of Christian life, tracing its significance from the Last Supper to the present day. It highlights how the Eucharist is foreshadowed throughout the Old Testament, from the Tree of Life in Genesis to the mana in the desert and the sacrifice of Melchizedek, demonstrating its deep roots in scripture and its role as 'food for the journey home.'

Understanding the Real Presence: Old Testament Foreshadowing and Jesus's Words

Father Pat

The homily addresses the Catholic belief in the Real Presence of the Eucharist, noting historical and contemporary struggles with this concept. It explains how the Old Testament, through events like eating the Passover lamb, manna in the desert, and the bread of the presence, prefigures the Eucharist. The homily emphasizes the clear meaning of scripture and Jesus's words as foundational to understanding the Eucharist as truly his body and blood.

Father John Paul: Fulfilling the Law - Beyond Just Hearing Scripture

Father John Paul

The homily focuses on Jesus' teaching that he came not to abolish the law but to fulfill it, emphasizing the permanence and authority of scripture. It challenges listeners to truly listen to the scriptures and embrace their deeper meaning through Christ, living with integrity and cultivating a righteousness that reflects God's kingdom.

Trinity Sunday: Understanding God's Agape Love

The homily, delivered on Trinity Sunday, delves into the profound meaning of God's love, specifically 'agape' love, as revealed in scripture. The priest shares his personal theological study, emphasizing that God's love is not merely a nebulous concept but a self-giving, self-sacrificial force that wills the good of all creation. He connects this understanding of agape love to the mystery of the Holy Trinity and our call to be conduits of this divine love.

El Misterio Incomprensible de la Santísima Trinidad: ¿Por Qué Debemos Creer?

The homily emphasizes that the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, though complex and incomprehensible to finite minds, is a necessary belief for salvation because it is how God revealed Himself. The priest uses scriptural examples and the analogy of St. Augustine to illustrate that understanding God's infinite nature is beyond human capacity, urging listeners to choose faith based on Jesus's words and works, rather than seeking full comprehension.

How the Old Testament Prepares Us for the New and the Eucharist

The homily explores the relationship between the Old and New Testaments, using the French Revolution's attempt to erase the past as a contrast. It emphasizes that Jesus did not abolish the old law but fulfilled it, much like a living tree grows new branches and leaves while remaining rooted. The homily connects the Old Testament story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal to the Mass, showing how the old prepares us for the new, particularly in the symbolism of water and fire leading to the Eucharist.

Elijah, Mount Carmel, and the One True God

The homily focuses on the First Commandment and the dramatic confrontation between Elijah and the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, as described in the First Book of Kings. The priest emphasizes God's singular nature and how this event reinforced the belief in one God, which continues to shape Christian worship. He also connects this historical event to the origins of the Carmelite order and its legacy of prayer and spiritual writings.

Why Knowing God's Law Matters More Than Science

The homily begins with a humorous anecdote about the priest's past struggles with natural science, contrasting it with his expertise in theology. He then briefly connects the first reading about Elijah and the prophets of Baal to the First Commandment, urging the congregation to meditate on loving God above all else.

The Eucharist: Why We Believe in the Real Presence

Father Pat

The homily emphasizes the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, addressing common doubts and historical struggles with this belief. It connects the Eucharist to Old Testament prefigurations like the Passover lamb, manna, and the bread of the presence, highlighting how these foreshadowed Jesus as the true bread of life and the new covenant.