Category: Feasts

Subordination & Love

On By Fr. David NeuschwanderIn Feasts

Feast of the Holy Family

Jesus not only came as a baby at Christmas, He also entered into a human family – with all the joys and frustrations that go with it.  We are challenged in all relationships, but especially in the family, to put the wants and needs of others before our own, to stretch our hearts, to learn how to love more, to sacrifice for each other.  Our readings today all challenge us to put others first, “Children, obey your parents in everything…Wives, be subordinate to your husbands…Husbands, love your wives.”  Jesus loved us, and so He subordinated Himself to our needs, even to the point of death.  We can practice this kind of love every day, especially in the family!

Thy Kingdom Come

On By Fr. David NeuschwanderIn Feasts, Ordinary Time

Solemnity of Christ the King

As Americans we are naturally weary of anything having to do with a “king”, we also don’t like the word “authority” all that much – it was the abuse of power by some oppressive authority, even some kings, that brought many of our ancestors to America in the first place.  Scripture, however, has no problem with the idea of a king or authority; in fact, Scripture makes it very clear that all authority has been given to Jesus Christ, that Jesus came to this earth to bring a kingdom, and that He is the King of that kingdom!  As Christians we proclaim that we are followers first and foremost of Christ, our true King, and that we are committed to bringing His kingdom more fully onto this earth.  His kingdom started in us at our baptism and is meant to grow in us throughout our lives.  Can you invite Jesus to reign in your heart for a little bit longer each day this week?  Think, if we each did that for a few more minutes every day, how much more of a reality the words we pray in the Our Father would become – thy kingdom come!

Experiencing the Trinity

On By Fr. David NeuschwanderIn Feasts

I have a favor to ask of you: this week I will be traveling to Rhinelander for the second week of our diocesan Extreme Faith Camp; if you could please keep me, all of our middle school and high school youth, our young adults and chaperones in your prayers – that hearts might be opened to experience Jesus Christ in a deeper and more profound way that will lead to a lifelong relationship with Him!  (Thank you in advance for your support.)

Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

In the new parishes I am serving – St. Joseph in Hayward and St. Ann in Cable – we have three gifted deacons.  It is the custom in this cluster that the deacons preach every 1st and 3rd weekend of the month.  As a result, I will be preaching less often.  Lucky for you, I have homilies from previous years that I will continue to share ; ).  This is last year’s homily from Trinity Sunday: (Enjoy!)

Remember to Breathe

On By Fr. David NeuschwanderIn Easter Season, Feasts

Pentecost Sunday

The coming of the Holy Spirit CHANGED the first followers of Jesus.  We received the Holy Spirit in baptism, we were sealed by the Holy Spirit in Confirmation, we receive the Body and Blood of Jesus at every Mass…but how much are we CHANGED by these experiences?  Do you ever long for more in your faith but just don’t know why you aren’t getting it?  If that’s ever been you, listen to this homily, and most importantly – remember to breathe (spiritually)!

Why is Jesus Baptized?

On By Fr. David NeuschwanderIn Christmas Season, Feasts

The Baptism of the Lord

Today Jesus is baptized, not to be washed by the water but to wash the water; not to be cleansed by the waters but to cleanse the waters.  Today Jesus isn’t baptized by water – water is baptized by Jesus.  So when we go down into the water in baptism, we no longer just get wet, we get Jesus Christ!  At our baptism we were set free from the hold of sin, worry and anxiety in our life, brought into God’s family, and given the power of the Holy Spirit to live this new life in God.  The challenge this week: how are we doing?  How are we living out the gift of our baptism?  Have we in some ways forgotten the power and strength God gave us on our baptism day and settled for a less than full and vibrant life of faith?  This week, let’s ask for a renewal of that strength of our baptism!

Following Stars

On By Fr. David NeuschwanderIn Christmas Season, Feasts

Epiphany

Today three wise men/three kings/three magi arrive at the place where Jesus was born after following the sign of a star.  The presence of these three non-Jewish kings reveals that God is not only calling the Jewish people but ALL people of the world to believe in and follow His Son Jesus.  God’s sign was a star; presumably everyone could see it.  So why is it only these three wise men who followed that star?  Was everyone else just too busy?  Were they so caught up in life that they didn’t even notice the sign?  We encounter three different kinds of people in the Gospel today: those who don’t notice the sign, those who notice the sign but don’t follow it, and those who notice the sign AND follow it.  This week: What are the signs God is placing in your life (what are the stars)? And when you see a sign, do you follow it?

How to Live as a Family

On By Fr. David NeuschwanderIn Christmas Season, Feasts

Feast of the Holy Family

Jesus was born into a human family, with everything that entails.  He learned to live with an immediate and extended family (and based on the lineage we hear in other Bible passages, his relations were far from perfect).  In an imperfect world, with imperfect people and imperfect families, today’s readings give us some very practical advice on how we can live more fulfilling lives: put the wants and needs of others before your own…as Christ did.

Paul gives us a very concrete example of how this looks in one of the most fundamental sets of relationships we find ourselves in: the family.  Before getting up-in-arms about how Paul could write, “Wives, be subordinate to your husbands,” let’s look at the reading in context and see how Paul is challenging everyone to stretch their hearts and love others the way Christ loved us.