Great Catholic Homilies

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Archive for the ‘Easter Season’ Category

Not politicians, not Batman — Jesus is the only Messiah

Wednesday, June 1st, 2011

Go to Fr. Brankin's bioFifth Sunday of Easter, 2011
Fr. Anthony Brankin

Gospel: John 14:1-12 “I am in the Father and the Father in me”

Full homily text: If you want to know why they put Jesus up on a cross—just look at today’s gospel. There it is plain as day. Jesus is equating Himself with God the Father. He says the Father is in Him, and He is in the Father—and He means this in a far deeper and more meaningful way than you and I might talk about grace. “Yes I have God in my soul, and that inspires me to do good things.”

Go to Sister Anna's Facebook page.The twin apostolates of prayer and the education of young women are pursued by the Visitation Sisters of Georgetown. Are you searching for God’s calling? Consider a life with the Sisters of the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary, Washington, DC.

No. Jesus here is claiming a special relationship that is way beyond what we have with God. He is in fact claiming He is God—that He and the Father are one. If you look at Jesus, you are looking at the Father—though it is obvious that they are two distinct Persons.

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We follow Jesus’ Resurrection in soul and body

Sunday, May 8th, 2011

Read bio Fr. Joseph EddyThird Sunday in Easter, May 8, 2011
Fr. Joseph Eddy, O. de M.

Gospel: Luke 24:13-35 He became known to them in the breaking of the bread

(Sorry, no audio)

Full  homily text: In today’s Gospel we have the spiritual image of walking along “the Way.” We travel on many journeys during our life. We go from dependant infants to children experiencing the world. Then, we go from adolescence to young adults. The journeys go on throughout our life, until we go on the ultimate journey that leads from this life to the next. At each stage, there is a danger of being lost. Of losing our bearings along “the Way.” We need guides. We need figures to walk with us. Parents, relatives, and friends often act as these guides.  They walk with us on “the Way” helping us to understand what life is all about and how to make it through safely.

Blessed Virgin Mary of MercyFr. Joseph Eddy is the vocation director of the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy, founded to redeem Christians whose faith is in danger. The Order’s student house in the U.S. is in Philadelphia.

Is God calling you to become a Mercedarian friar? Visit Fr. Joseph’s Facebook page, or the website of the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy.

But, it is Jesus who is the hidden guide that instructs us through the Scriptures and tradition of the Church. But he is not just present with us in an obscure way; the Risen Lord walks with us tangibly. His Holy Spirit dwells within us at Baptism and is strengthened within us through the gifts at Confirmation.
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The wicked hate Christianity — but we must convert them

Wednesday, May 4th, 2011

Fr. Anthony BrankinWednesday, May 4, 2011
Fr. Anthony Brankin
Gospel: John 3:16-21 Men loved darkness rather than the light

Homily summary: In today’s reading the Apostles were arrested for preaching about the new way. The reading shows that there is a tremendous bitterness toward Christians. Pagans wouldn’t have minded about Christianity. But Jewish people resented Christ.

St. Jane de ChantalWalk on the spiritual path along with St. Francis de Sales and St. Jane de Chantal into the Love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Are you a lay person interested in plunging more fully into a way of daily devotion? Or considering a vocation to the monastic Visitandine tradition? Go to Visitation Spirit website.

As today’s Gospel says, everyone who is wicked hates the light. These people are not content to just ignore Christians, but do everything possible to persecute them. You don’t see it, but it is going on in the world. A month ago, muslims killed one thousands Christians. You didn’t see it in the news.

What we can do is to get these people to love Jesus, to convert. Muslims, Jews, atheists, and pagans need to be converted to Christ — to the light. There will thus be much more peace in the world. Then the world can be saved.

Pope John Paul II shows us what Mercy is all about

Monday, May 2nd, 2011

Read bio Fr. Joseph EddyDivine Mercy Sunday, May 1, 2011
Fr. Joseph Eddy, O. de M.

Gospel: John 20:19-31 Jesus appears to Thomas

(Sorry, no audio)

Full homily text: This May there is great rejoicing in the Church — amidst all that is wrong in the world and even at times in the Church. We rejoice to know that today our beloved John Paul II is going to become Blessed John Paul II.  This is yet another step to his eventual canonization as a Saint of the Roman Catholic Church. How this man has touched the lives of so many of us!! In fact, it is amazing to realize that this great holy man of our time is also the most viewed person in all of history. Think about it! Who has been seen by more people than the “traveling Pope”? He has traveled all over the world and been seen via television by so many others. It’s hard to believe that any person in the past one hundred years has had a greater positive impact on the world.

Blessed Virgin Mary of MercyFr. Joseph Eddy is the vocation director of the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy, founded to redeem Christians whose faith is in danger. The Order’s student house in the U.S. is in Philadelphia.

Is God calling you to become a Mercedarian friar? Visit Fr. Joseph’s Facebook page, or the website of the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy.

And, yet, not all people were fans of him when he was alive. Many criticized this Pope and disagreed with his stance on multiple issues. In fact, thirty years ago he was almost assassinated by a trained expert Turkish gunman who was a member of a militant fascist group. The Pope truly almost died that day. He lost three-quarters of his blood and went through five hours of surgery. The gunman was quickly apprehended and sentenced to life in prison. Continue Reading…

We can do all good things because of the Resurrection

Friday, April 29th, 2011

Fr. Anthony BrankinWednesday, April 27, 2011
Fr. Anthony Brankin
Gospel: Luke 24:13-35 They recognized Him in the breaking of the bread.

Homily summary: The Gospel is about the disciples who were met by Jesus on the road to Emmaus. They recognized Him in the breaking of the bread, which we know to be the Holy Mass. After the Resurrection Peter, who had denied Christ, was able to perform miracles.

Go to Sister Anna's Facebook page.The twin apostolates of prayer and the education of young women are pursued by the Visitation Sisters of Georgetown. Are you searching for God’s calling? Consider a life with the Sisters of the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary, Washington, DC.

Because of the risen Christ, we are able to change ourselves, our families, and our world. It is not us, but Christ who does this.