5th Sunday in Ordinary Time

In our Gospel today we see Jesus healing those who are sick or possessed by demons, restoring some people physically and some people spiritually.  Jesus’ wholeness heals others.  While His apostles aren’t yet healing others at this point in their lives, we know that one day they will.  While the saints aren’t yet healing others when this Gospel passage happened, we know that one day they will.  And all of it comes from closeness with the Father, often exemplified through prayer-Jesus in our Gospel goes off early in the morning to pray to His Father.  Their wholeness/holiness came from deep union with God, often in prayer, and it spilled over into those around them, bringing restoration and healing…and God will do the same through us when we spend time growing in deep union with the Father, too!

2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

The spiritual life, I believe, is actually very simple; it’s not easy, but it’s simple.  It’s following the impulses that come from deep within, the calls that arise from the depths of our soul and heart, from the place within us where God already dwells.  God is so much closer to us than we realize.  God molded our inmost being, He created us, He placed a spark of eternity in each of us, He gave each of us the breath of His Spirit to give us life; God already dwells deep, deep within each of us.  “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”

34th Sunday in Ordinary Time

At the end of this liturgical year our readings focus on the end of time, the final judgment, and the coming of God’s kingdom in its fullness, the completion of God’s great plan for all of creation. Jesus speaks of all people being assembled before the Son of Man, and that “he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.” And those on his left “will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”  Is God fair?  Is this treatment fair?  Listen and find out why this is actually incredibly GOOD news for us!

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time

This weekend I am thankful to preach back at my home parish of St. Patrick in Hudson.  Thank you to all of you who inspired me in the faith and grew me into who I am today.  I am a priest because of you.  As Paul said in our second reading, “We were determined to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our very selves as well.”  Thank you for sharing with me and others not only the Gospel of God but your very selves as well…and keep doing that!

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

I’ve been hearing a lot of discouragement at the state of our world, our country: the divisions, the politics, the games, the manipulation from all sides.  I hear people sad that many of their own kids have fallen away from the active practice of the Catholic faith, that their own grandkids or great-grandkids aren’t baptized.  I hear people lamenting that our younger generations are spending so much time on their phones and on social media.

All legitimate feelings.  But there is a very evil temptation/conclusion that can come about as a result of these feelings.  It’s a temptation that must be rejected, with a positive call to action from God that must be accepted and lived out by His followers here on earth if we wish to see souls saved and lives changed for the glory of God!

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Last Advent we preached about the 4 Marks of a Disciple: Quick to Pray, Joyfully Sacramental, Intentional in Relationships, and Committed to Growth.  Since then, I hope that you’re finding yourself on certain weeks striving to grow in one or another of those Marks as we have continued to bring them up in preaching.  This weekend we return to the first — Quick to Pray — and after some examples of how we as a staff here at our Central Office have been changing our habits and actions to grow in being Quick to Pray, I’d invite you to consider for yourself: How have you been more Quick to Pray in your daily life?  What are some ways you’ve thought of being more Quick to Pray but maybe just haven’t acted on yet?  (That’s likely the Holy Spirit inviting you to take the next step.)  The call in these days ahead: start challenging yourself, as we the staff are challenging ourselves, to grow in being more Quick to Pray!

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

“Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

“Forgive your neighbor’s injustice; then when you pray, your own sins will be forgiven… Remember your last days, set enmity aside;”

“So will my heavenly Father do yo you, unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart.”

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Last week we heard about how the gates of the netherworld would not prevail against the Church, how Jesus actually sees His Church as being on the offensive, and how the gates of darkness will not be able to hold back His kingdom.  This week’s readings continue and clarify that them, showing us what it will actually cost to overcome gates of darkness in our world and bring the light of Christ.  It won’t be easy, but it will absolutely be worth it!

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

In our Gospel today Jesus says an often misinterpreted and misunderstood line: “upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.”

In the face of such seemingly steep opposition, pushback and darkness in our modern world, I believe this line of Jesus, correctly understood, provides us the key to understanding how and with what attitude we as Christians are called to engage the world today!

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

This weekend is the kickoff for our annual diocesan Catholic Services Appeal (CSA).  The CSA provides incredible opportunities to spread the faith of Jesus Christ in northwestern Wisconsin – for our seminarians, for our youth, for our schools, for our parishes – opportunities that I witness and see the fruits of firsthand!  I’m challenging you this year to stretch yourself in prayerful generosity to all of your favorite organizations and non-profits.   I challenge you particularly this week to think what you might be able to sacrifice monetarily to support the CSA for your parish this coming year.  Jesus Christ is our model of prayer and generosity; let’s act more like Christ in this life, so as to become more of who we are called to be in the next!