The Emmaus Pastorate’s Podcast

Pentecost Homily 2025

Come, Holy Spirit!  Yes, indeed we need the Holy Spirit, perhaps now more than ever!  Pentecost celebrates the birthday of the Church, the unofficial end of Christ's work on earth and the simultaneous beginning of people's work on earth.  The Archdiocese of Dubuque is also undergoing long-term pastoral planning, considering how to best be the Church in northeast Iowa in this modern era.  As we do so, it's important to remember what the Church is and what it's not.  It's more than a building.  It's really the people that gather there.  But it's also the people who gather in other churches too!  In this homily this weekend, Fr. John uses the hymn Sing a New Church to describe what the Church should be.  We include the full set of lyrics here for your reflection: 

 

Sing a New Church

NETTLETON/Delores Dufner, OSB

 

1. Summoned by the God who made us Rich in our diversity,

Gathered in the name of Jesus, Richer still in unity:

 

Refrain: Let us bring the gifts that differ And, in splendid, varied ways,

Sing a new church into being, One in faith and love and praise.

 

2. Radiant risen from the water, Robed in holiness and light,

Male and female in God’s image, Male and female, God’s delight: (refrain)

 

3. Trust the goodness of creation; Trust the Spirit strong within.

Dare to dream the vision promised, Sprung from seed of what has been. (refrain)

 

4. Bring the hopes of ev’ry nation; Bring the art of ev’ry race.

Weave a song of peace and justice; Let it sound through time and space. (refrain)

 

5. Draw together at one table All the human family;

Shape a circle ever wider And a people ever free. (refrain)

 

Text: 87 87 with refrain; Delores Dufner, OSB, © 1991, The Sisters of St. Benedict. Published by OCP. All rights reserved. Music: J. Wyeth’s Repository of Sacred Music, Part II, 1813.  Permission to reprint and stream under ONE LICENSE #A-629030.

Confirmation Homily 2025

See.  Judge.  Act.  These three steps have been used by saints and martyrs for centuries to discern the will of God and the direction he desired for their lives.  On the Vigil of Pentecost, 15 students of the Emmaus Pastorate were confirmed by Archbishop Thomas Zinkula.  He reminded them and all of us that the Church, that Jesus, needs us to be active in today's world and that as Christians we are called to live the vocation God has set for us.  Using these three steps can guide our discernment now and in the future as we strive to follow God's plan.

The Emmaus Pastorate thanks Archbishop Zinkula for visiting with us and congratulates all who were confirmed this year!  We pray that the Holy Spirit enkindles in them a fire of love and service for Christ and his Church!

Homily on the Ascension of the Lord

Christian living and sacrifice go hand-in-hand.  To have one, you must have the other to be true.  One can't be a Christian and not live a life of sacrifice for God.  To live a life sacrificing for your faith is to be a Christian.  But we don't like sacrificing.  The concept is sometimes even foreign to us!  But as Jesus ascends into heaven this Sunday, we're left on earth with the question: what am I going to do for my faith?  How am I going to spread the Good News Jesus gave me?  The answer involves sacrifice!

Homily from 5-25-25

Peace!

Homily on 5-18-25

New.  Change.  We tend to dislike these words because they involve something different than our status quo.  They sometimes also require us to put down our own ideals, let go of our own desires, and allow something different to happen within us.  In today's Gospel, Jesus gives a "new" commandment - that for Jews wasn't actually new at all - which requires people wanting to follow him to do new and different things, to allow God to perform changes within them.  We don't always like these things, but if we do allow Christ to work within us, the possibilities are endless!

Good Shepherd Sunday Homily 2025

To whom do you listen?  That's the question as we mark the Fourth Sunday of Easter, which is often called Good Shepherd Sunday.  Certainly we listen to our moms - or we should anyway!  With the election of a new Holy Father, hopefully we're listening to him as well.  But Jesus is the Good Shepherd, to whom we should listen always.  In 2025, with all the news and social outlets surrounding us, to whom are you listening?

Homily for First Communion Weekend 2025

Better and better!  That's what Jesus makes us when we come to receive him in the Eucharist.  Whether it's our first time or maybe we've received him faithfully for 50+ years, every time we receive Jesus' Body and Blood, we are made better and better disciples.  

Congratulations to all of our First Communicants!  We are very proud of you and wish you many, many blessings!

Divine Mercy Sunday Homily 2025

Miracles happen when people are unified in the Lord.  Take St. John, stranded on the island of Patmos, for example.  Even in that banishment, he still received the overwhelming message from Jesus to "be not afraid."  Take another example from the Upper Room.  Even as the disciples were terrified when Jesus appeared despite the door being locked, Jesus said, "Peace be with you."  Miracles!

But then Jesus gave them all a job, the same job he gives us today: be merciful as God is merciful.  Now mercy isn't getting even.  It's about forgiveness.  And before we can be merciful to others, we must first accept God's mercy upon ourselves.  When we start thinking it's too hard to give or accept mercy, we need to remember that all things are possible with God.

Mercy is the great thing our country and world need now because we are so divided.  Showing and granting forgiveness to others creates peace, concord, and unity - a miracle for those united in the Lord!  In order for an alleluia to be on our lips this Easter, we must show mercy to others!

Easter Sunday Homily 2025

What difference does the empty tomb make?  Flowers are nice, but what's it all about?  It's about transformation, about change, and that's one thing people hate the most!  God always accepts us where we are on our own spiritual journeys, but he never wants to leave us there.  He always wants to draw us closer to him.  So let's ask ourselves if we're more than Jesus than this time last year.  This year, let us dare to be more like him!  From the staff of the Emmaus Pastorate, happy Easter!

Beginning this Easter Sunday episode is Though Not Seeing You, arranged by Craig Kingsbury and featuring John Uhal on guitar.  Following Fr. John's homily you heard Three Days, arranged by Jeffrey Honore.  Both were sung by the St. Joseph Choir, conducted by John Uhal, and accompanied by Becky Gundacker.  Permission to stream under ONE LICENSE #A-626030.

Easter Vigil Homily 2025 + Music

Why do we do this?  Why do we gather late at night to celebrate a liturgy more different than any other?  Well it's not for doctrine or dogma.  Christ didn't come to set church teachings or a catechism, though he did do that.  No, we come instead to share our faith.  We come to share the faith that Christ brought us and the Good News is carries because Jesus desires that every person enter eternal life.  But to share the faith we profess, we must also accept the crosses and burdens that come with it, just ask Christ did.  The best thing we can do to express our faith is to share it with others regardless of the cost and with the aim of inviting new members into its fold through the sacraments.  From the staff of the Emmaus Pastorate, happy Easter to you and your family!

Included in this episode is the Easter Alleluia, the first time "alleluia" is uttered since Ash Wednesday 40 days ago.  It was cantored by mother and daughter Anne and Molly Franta.  Deacon Paul Dolan proclaimed the Gospel, Luke 24:1-12.  As Fr. John introduced, the Litany of Saints ends this episode.  John Becker's rendition was cantored by Tara Ketoff.  Both pieces were accompanied by Coleen Glaza, conducted by John Uhal, and featured the combined ensembles of the Emmaus Pastorate, Collen Moore on flute, and Steve Steinfadt and Marge Gaul on guitar.