The Emmaus Pastorate’s Podcast

Homily on 3-23-25 #2

Fr. Dustin Vu visited St. Joseph Parish in Elkader this weekend as Fr. John continues his recovery.  Thank you for your ministry, Fr. Vu!

In this homily, Fr. Vu gives us the landowner's quarrel.  Are we getting better?  Or are we getting worse?  If we're not getting better, then we are useless, perhaps even worse.  Maybe we take up space and resources from others!  Come judgement day, the landowner - aka God - will make his decision on where we go.  But if we're getting better throughout our lives, perhaps the landowner decides to let us stay and flourish!  As we continue on our Lenten journey, let's ask ourselves - even if bit by bit - whether we're getting better at being Jesus' disciples or getting worse.

Homily on 3-23-25

Tend the ground.  Actually, tend the holy ground.  Sometimes we forget that the ground, the places on which we stand, are holy.  Sure, churches, cemeteries, maybe other "holy" places are holy.  But if God is everywhere, if God dwells in us all day long, then everywhere we go is a holy place.  And if that's true, we have a lot of ground to tend!  Let's let God into our lives by spreading some of the fertilizer and tending our seeds!

Homily on 3-16-25

To what do you listen?  On what or whom are you focused?  As we continue the journey of Lent, we continue thinking about the ways we're tending the ground in our hearts, how we are (or aren't) making good, fertile places for growth.  And this week after hearing the story of the Transfiguration, we can ask ourselves whether or not we're listening to God's voice or something or someone else.  Just as Jesus was transfigured on the mountaintop, we can be transformed into something entirely new and divine too, but only if we let God work in our hearts!

BONUS: Homily on 3-9-25

Fr. Marvin Bries celebrated Mass on the First Sunday of Lent as Fr. John recovers and continues his cardiac rehab.  In his homily, Fr. Bries reminds us of the power of the holy name of Jesus.  Whenever you're in trouble, simply think, whisper, or shout his name, and all your troubles will abate!

Homily from 3-9-25 with Song and Prayer

Tend the Ground.  What does it mean to tend the ground?  Farming is more than just planting and harvesting.  The field works also needs to be done.  The ground itself needs tending.  And so it is with our hearts.  It's so easy to take the easy road, to go through the motions, to keep a stony heart.  But this Lent, hopefully we aim for something more.  Hopefully we're ready to tend the ground in our hearts so they're ready for God to grow and transform us.

Beginning today's episode is the St. Joseph Choir in Elkader, IA singing Tend the Ground by Steven Curtis.  This is the song on which we'll focus over the next few weeks and referenced by Fr. John in his homily.  Permission to stream and reprint this content is granted under ONE LICENSE #A-626030.

Fr. John also referenced the prayer he wrote for Lent 2025, and recording of that is included at the end of today's episode.  The text follows: 

Dear Jesus, I come before you in these holy days and this is my request:

Help me tend the ground.

The ground is my entire life and indeed, it needs tending.

The weeds of distraction have overgrown my heart, and my sinful habits have produced a hard, well-worn path where your love cannot find a space to grow.

Help me tend the ground.

Plow through my apathy or my fear of change and break up the clods of pride and the need to be right.  Open up my mind and heart and plant your Word deep within, to grow and flourish.  Sharpen my awareness that I might see the small green shoots of hope sprouting up through the darkness of my rebellious heart.  Make of my life a fertile field yielding the fruits of justice and compassion and love. 

I come before you in these holy days of Lent and this is my request:

Help me tend the ground, that I might become the person you’ve called me to be.

AMEN.

~ Rev. John Haugen 2025

Ash Wednesday Homily 2025`

As we mark the beginning of Lent, let us take time to consider the ways in which we'll tend the ground in our hearts through prayer, fasting and almsgiving.  In this homily, Deacon Paul mentions the Rice Bowl program offered by Catholic Relief Services.  If you'd like to participate, visit one of our parishes or one near you to receive a Rice Bowl and bring back to church after Lent.

Homily from 3-2-25

The gift of sight is wonderful and makes life very enjoyable for those who possess it.  But many things we encounter everyday have the ability to cloud our vision.  It could be bad weather, poor eyesight, dirty glasses, or someone poking us.  And our spiritual lives have eyes that long to see, too, eyes that long to see with the eyes of faith.  And that sight can be clouded by many things too, mostly sin.  And sin is everywhere in 2025!  As we prepare to enter the season of Lent, may we consider the places where sin dwells in our lives so we can allow Christ to clean them.  Then we might just be able to see with his eyes!

Homily from 2-23-25

Let's put church teaching aside for just a minute.  When Jesus spoke, did he actually mean what he said?  And if so, what did he really mean?  Whether it makes us comfortable or not, many of the things Jesus said were (and still are) counter-cultural, radically different than the norm.  And those same things should shake us even today.  If they don't, we need to ask ourselves if Jesus really meant what he said and what those words mean today.  If he did mean what he said, then chances are that we need to do some soul searching here in 2025!

Homily on 2-17-25

Is loving easy?  Of COURSE NOT!  Loving each other is usually very hard!  It's so easy, especially in our culture, to let point fingers and demand what we want (want demand it now).  But Jesus didn't ask us to like each other, point fingers, or be divisive.  He commanded us to love our neighbors, no matter the cost!  As we celebrate Valentine's Day, let's consider what REAL love is all about!

Homily on 2-9-25

In his time on earth, Jesus had a penchant for calling some peculiar people to follow him.  These people - like Simeon and Andrew, two average fishermen - didn't have a stellar resume or unique skills.  They were just ordinary people.  But still they were called by name to join Jesus and his ministry.  They didn't have a schedule or agenda, no plans or schematics for what lay ahead.  They simply had to trust Jesus, especially when he led them into deeper waters.  Can we also cast our nets into the nerve-wracking deep waters?  Can we trust Jesus enough to let him see us through all the challenges that come with discipleship?  Greatness awaits us if we can!