Category: Ordinary Time

An Attitude of Forgiveness

On By Fr. David NeuschwanderIn Ordinary Time

11th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Our readings today show that we have a God with an attitude of forgiveness.  As God’s people, we are called to take on this same attitude.  Whether it’s something as small as bad driving or as large as lifelong divisions and family rifts, we are called to begin living our lives with an attitude of forgiveness.  Unforgiveness is exhausting; we carry around the weight of resentment and bitterness.  These people and situations don’t deserve to have that kind of hold on us.  Forgiveness lightens us, frees us to live life the way we were made to live it!

The Touch of Jesus

On By Fr. David NeuschwanderIn Ordinary Time

10th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The readings today announce God as the giver of life – physical and spiritual.  God wants us to live rich, fulfilled, happy lives.  In the Gospel Jesus raises a dead man to life by the touch of His hand.  Is there a part of my life that seems lifeless?  Is there an area in my life that is not as rich, deep, and fulfilling as I’d like it to be?  Today, ask Jesus to lay His hand on you and to bring that part of you back to life.

Jesus Physically With Us

On By Fr. David NeuschwanderIn Feasts, Ordinary Time

Corpus Christi

At the Mass we celebrate each weekend, when the priest says those words in the name of Jesus – “This is my body…this is my blood….” – bread and wine are transformed entirely into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.  How might your daily life be different if you experienced Jesus Christ with you, in you, next to you every hour of every day of your week?  When we receive Communion, Jesus is physically with us, in us, next to us…and He stays with us every hour of every day, even if we don’t realize it.  How will this change your week?

Trinitarian Love

On By Fr. David NeuschwanderIn Feasts, Ordinary Time

Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

From all eternity God has existed in a relationship of love – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  These Three Persons of the Trinity are so united in love that they are actually 1 God.  This is the amazing faith we proclaim every time we make the sign of the cross.  And we have personally experienced this life of God: every single time we experience love, we taste for a moment the Trinity – for ‘God is love’ (1 John 4:8).  That’s what we look forward to in heaven.  That’s why, when we don’t feel like we have anymore love, patience, kindness or compassion to give during the daily grind, we ask for strength from God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Then we start loving with Trinitarian love.

God’s Calls

On By Fr. David NeuschwanderIn Ordinary Time

5th Sunday in Ordinary Time

God’s calls to us often come as thoughts, just simple thoughts.  It’s easy to miss them if we’re not paying attention, or, if you’re like me, you reason yourself out of them.  But God is calling to us daily, in little moments, to witness to our faith, to reach out to others, to pray for others, to share our experiences of the Lord.  As Lent quickly approaches, how will you resolve to do something positive this year in order to hear these little calls of God more clearly in the daily grind?

Click here for my homily from this weekend.

The Power of Words

On By Fr. David NeuschwanderIn Ordinary Time

4th Sunday in Ordinary Time

We have opportunities each day to speak simply of our experience of God and perhaps change someone’s life by our words…even if it’s just a little.  We’re called by Jesus to be fishers of men, to cast out some lines in the midst of our day-to-day routine.  Will some disregard our words?  Yes.  But will some, even if it’s just one, be changed by what we say?  YES!  And I bet we’ll be surprised by how many faith-filled people are out there, and by how a simple little comment can lead to extremely encouraging conversations.  Our words have power, so let’s use ’em!

Click here for my homily from this weekend.

Walls and Windows

On By Fr. David NeuschwanderIn Ordinary Time

3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Walls are necessary for security, to protect the life that is fostered within those walls. To be strong in our Catholic faith we do need to be set apart, we do need to build walls to protect our life inside from the attacks of the outer world.  But we are also invited – like the Israelites, like Noah on the ark – to open the windows at opportune times and let this life transform those around us: it’s both/and.  Where do you need to strengthen a wall this week?  And where are you being asked to open a window?

Click here for my homily from this weekend.

Christ the King

On By Fr. David NeuschwanderIn Feasts, Ordinary Time

Solemnity of Christ the King – 34th Sunday in Ordinary Time

This feast is a challenge for us: is Jesus Christ the King of our lives?  And by that I mean, is Jesus Christ the King of EVERY area of our lives: family life, work life, public life, private life, personal life, mind, body?  Jesus is the King of all, and He wants to be King in your life, but He waits for you to decide.  So will you invite Jesus in today to be the King of all you heart?

My Homily from this weekend.

Apocalypse – The Unveiling

On By Fr. David NeuschwanderIn Ordinary Time

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Apocalypse literally means to pull back the veil, to uncover, to see things as they ARE.  When Jesus comes again all things will be unveiled; we will see all things as they are – visible and invisible – and all things will see us as we are – down to our depths.  Sin spiritually disfigures the soul, while grace and virtue makes ordinary people beautiful, strong and attractive at the core. So today we speak and act in such a way that if the Lord called us right now, we would be ready to meet him, unveiled!

My Homily from this weekend.

Adoration Appeal

On By Fr. David NeuschwanderIn Ordinary Time, Special Celebrations

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jesus Christ is present, 100% Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity in the Eucharist – that’s amazing!  And in adoration we get to spend time with this Jesus, one on one; we get to see this Jesus!  We all want God’s presence and God’s peace in the midst of our busy lives.  Adoration is that opportunity to give ourselves a break, to experience the peace and rest that only God can bring.  You’ve worked hard – experience peace for a moment, come to adoration.

My Homily from this weekend.