The Emmaus Pastorate’s Podcast

First Communion Homily 2023

What are the three most important days of our lives?  For Catholics, they aren't what we normally think!

 

1) Our Baptism Day

2) Our First Communion Day

3) Our death day

 

These are the days we become united with Christ.  As St. Augustine said, in receiving the Eucharist, we become what we receive!  As we come to the Lord's table and partake in his Body and Blood, let's always remember to become Christ in the world!

Homily on Divine Mercy Sunday 2023

Do you have doubts?  Yes?  Good!  That's great!  (If you didn't, we might be worried!)  Christ came to save us and heal us, even our doubts!  As an Easter people, "Alleluia" is our song, even if we have doubts about God and Jesus.  The trick is not to hide them but rather make them known to Christ.  That's how we're saved and healed, just like Thomas!

Easter Vigil Homily 2023

Our birth dates are pretty important days to be sure.  But there are two dates even more important in our lives: the day we're baptized and the day we die!  We are made for death and resurrection because we are an Easter people, and "Alleluia" is our song!  Happy Easter!

Easter Vigil Homily 2023

Alleluia!  We are an Easter people!  "Alleluia" is our song because the Savior - promised from SOOO long ago - has finally come to redeem the world!  If that doesn't make sense, if you can't understand that, don't worry.  We don't need to understand it.  We're still an Easter people because we simply BELIEVE it!  We believe that Jesus Christ - the only begotten son of the eternal Father - was crucified, buried, and risen from the dead!  And because of that, we can conquer anything and everything no matter what!  Alleluia!  We are an Easter people, and "Alleluia" is our song!

Good Friday Homily 2023

Were you there?  Of course you weren't!  But that's not question.  If it was, anything we do around God's altar would be purposeless, and everything Jesus endured would be just a history lesson!  The real question is: Are you there?  Are you there when people are crucified?  Are you there when people are nailed to a cross?  Are you there when people are laid in their tombs?  Are you there?

Holy Thursday Homily 2023

Do.  Do it to the felon, the transgender, the gay, the illegal immigrant, and every other social outcast.  Do.  Want to be a disciple of Jesus?  Do.

Homily on 4-2-23

"Lord, it's hard to be holy."

Yup!  Sometimes it really is!  And sometimes we aren't very good at it.  Just look at Peter.  He denied Jesus three times and was named the first pope!  We sometimes deny Jesus too, but Jesus' love and mercy for us overpowers those times and makes us holy just like the apostles!  Can you turn to someone and say, "Truly, this IS the Son of God?"

Homily on 3-26-23

Do you want to be resurrected?  The obvious answer is yes, but sometimes we don't really act like it.  Jesus is certainly trying to resurrect us - right from the moment we're baptized!  But it's not something he imposes on us; we have to ask for and accept it.  How's your Lent going five weeks in?

Homily on 3-20-23

It wasn't flashy.  It wasn't miraculous.  It probably wasn't much fun.  But it was important.  It was obedience.  And it was God's mission.  St. Joseph isn't quoted at all in the scriptures, and we know very little about him.  Most of what we do know comes from his dreams!  But he has a lot to teach us despite his silence.  Happy Solemnity of St. Joseph from St. Joseph Parish in Elkader!

Homily on 3-19-23

Blind spots.  The blind man had them, but so did the Pharisees.  And so do we.  What are yours?