The Emmaus Pastorate’s Podcast

Archbishop‘s Homily from 9-19-21

In Fr. John's absence, Archbishop Michael Jackels visited St. Joseph Parish in Elkader and St. Mary Parish in Strawberry Point this weekend.  In his homily, he relays this Wisdom: Rejoice in what is, rather than lament in what is not.  Let us also be happy with what we have, rather than decry what we are without.

Homily from 9-19-21

Happiness is an inside job.  Happiness isn't something we can find through other people, activities, substances, or fame.  Happiness starts with ourselves, by looking at ourselves and our priorities.  If love of God, neighbor, and self are central to us, happiness will follow.  But if something else takes priority, anything but happiness follows.  Happiness is an inside job.

Homily from 9-12-21

Centuries ago, there was a huge debate over the importance of faith and works and whether a person needed one or both to earn his/her way into heaven.  Although that was one struggle in the 16th century Reformation, it's a struggle with which we still grapple today.  As St. Paul tells us, a Christian must have a balance of both faith and works in order to present ourselves at the pearly gates.  If we're focused on either extreme, a good Christian we do not make.  Fr. John tells us more in his homily from the Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Homily from 9-5-21

Are you open?  It's so easy for us in the 21st century to get closed off to hearing God's voice, and it's hard to see God working in our daily lives.  It's important to set aside time and energy to hear him and allow him to speak and work.  Are you open?  Be opened!

Homily from 8-29-21

Do you get heartburn?  Heartburn is something some people develop after eating certain foods, after putting something not-so-good into themselves.  Our spiritual lives also experience a kind of heartburn, but the difference here is that spiritual heartburn is not born of something we put into ourselves.  It comes from things already inside us.  Just like taking an antacid will help relieve our physical heartburn, there are some practices we can take on to relieve our spiritual heartburn.  What kind of vices already exist in you?  And what are you doing about it?

Homily from 8-22-21

So we've come to a turning point in the Gospel.  The goin' has gotten tough, and some people following Jesus have said, "This is just too hard!  Who can listen to and do these things?!"  And they left.  Then Jesus turned to his disciples and asked them, "Will you also leave?"  St. Peter answers back simply, "Lord, to whom shall we go?  You alone have the words of everlasting life."  So when you goin' gets tough, when your life gets rough, when you start to wonder why you believe in this Jesus, "Will you also leave?"  Or will you respond like faithful Peter, "Lord, to whom shall I go?"

Homily from 8-15-21

Happy Solemnity!  Every August 15, the Catholic Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the day Mary was taken body and soul into heaven.  Today's Gospel contains the Magnificat, Mary's song, during which she magnifies the Lord and rejoices in all the good he has done for her.  We also have a visit from Dennis Rima from Clarity Clinic in Dubuque.  Clarity Clinic is a pregnancy crisis center aimed at helping young women and men(!) experiencing an unexpected pregnancy.  Dennis tells us stories of how Clarity Clinic helps young parents say yes to the gift of life, just as Mary did over 2,000 years ago.

 

If you would like to make a donation to Clarity Clinic for the holy work they do, please make checks payable St. Mark Parish and write Clarity Clinic Donation in the memo.  Mail checks to St. Mark Parish, PO Box 365, Edgewood, IA 52042 or bring them to St. Mark at 203 S Locust Street in Edgewood.  Thank you for your generosity!

Homily from 8-8-21

Receiving the Eucharist is more than getting a ticket punched saying we've done our duty to attend Sunday Mass.  That is the point of Sunday Mass of course - to hear the Word of God and to receive the Body and Blood of Christ.  But that's not why we go.  We receive the Body of Christ so that we can BECOME the Body of Christ, so that it - the Bread of Life - can transform us into something new and better.  Handy as watching Mass online is, great as private prayer and devotions are, nothing in the world can replace the need to receive Christ in the Eucharist, an action that requires our physical, mental, and spiritual presence.

Homily from 8-1-21

I AM the bread of life.  As we travel through St. John's Bread of Life discourse, Jesus speaks these most important words this week.  After all the pandemic restricts and strife, have we come to a deeper understanding, a stronger yearning for the Eucharist?  Of course the Eucharist is more than just bread and wine, more than just physical sustenance.  It's that which we need to live forever.  Hopefully we can say with fervor, "Lord, give us this day our daily bread."

Homily from 7-25-21

One bread, one body, one Lord, one Father of all.  St. Paul has a message that humanity has needed to hear over the last 2,000 years, one that we still need to hear today.  The virtue of unity is one to which each Christian is called by virtue of baptism.  How are you doing at unifying the people around you this week?