The Emmaus Pastorate’s Podcast

Homily from 6-27-21

When bad things happen, we need something on which to hold.  Some turn to friends or family, some a job or set of tasks, others to substances.  As Christians, we can mimic the hemorrhaging woman or Jairus, who both came to Jesus in their distress.  She was instantly healed, and his daughter was raised.  What will you hold onto this week?

Homily from 6-20-21

Does your life feel like a storm sometimes?  We all have those days, they're part of life, especially the Christian life.  But just like the disciples, who were afraid for their lives, Jesus is with us to calm our storms.  One only thing we have to do is let our faith rule over our fear!

Homily from 6-13-21

As we enter the growing season in Iowa, we also look again at how we're growing our hearts.  Do they need some tilling?  Perhaps some fertilizer?  How are your heart and soul growing in love for God and others?  Fr. John has more in his homily from the Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time!

Homily from 6-6-21

This Sunday is the ancient feast of Corpus Christi, the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.  Fr. Dan Knipper visits us as well since Fr. John Haugen is on retreat.  As Fr. Dan points out, the Eucharist - the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ - is central to our believes as Catholics.  It's important that we mark this feast every year, just like we mark birthdays, anniversaries, and other annual celebrations.  But Corpus Christi also reminds us of something else: to become what we eat!  Receiving Christ is so important for us, but so is being Christ for others.  As baptized Christians, we are called to be the body and blood, the hands and feet of Christ in this world.  How are you doing at receiving and becoming Christ?

Homily from 5-30-21

On the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, Fr. John asks us if we're like a pipe organ.  The Trinity is three divine persons in one, three distinct individual beings yet one person.  And so are we called be.  Just as when one flat or broken pipe in the organ affects the entire sound, so one person can affect all of society.  Let us be unified like the Trinity!

Homily from 5-23-21

Has your mind ever exploded from too much information?  The disciples sure had that experience, and Jesus knew it.  That's why he sent the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, to give them more and more guidance as they began the Church's ministry.  To be faithful Christians, we need an experience of faith, an inner conviction, and to publicly witness to Christ.  These baptismal callings aren't always easy, sometimes they're mind blowing, but through the Holy Spirit Christ will make them possible.  When you need some treatment or healing, turn to the Advocate!  Amen?!

Homily from 5-16-21

As we celebrate Ascension Sunday and Baccalaureate at St. Mark this weekend, we remember the day Jesus went "up, up, and away."  Although he didn't ascend in a hot air balloon, we rose to better things: heaven.  We are also called to bigger, better things: discipleship.  As we focus on getting out of our tombs this Eastertide, are you leaving aside the pride, selfishness, and need for control that keep you in your tombs?  Are you going up, up, and away to the better things St. Paul describes?  We can do that for each other!

Homily from 5-9-21

Love one another.  Friendship is as simple and complicated as that.  To be my friends, you must love one another, Jesus tells us.  Not love some people, or kind of love others.  Love one another.  How do we do that in 2021?  How are you doing in that these days?

Homily from 5-2-21

"I am the vine, and you are the branches.  Remain in me, and bear much fruit."  As with any crop, without the vine and proper care of watering and weeding, no branch would produce any grape for wine.  Remaining close to Christ sounds easy, but in the day and age it's anything but that!  Remaining close to Christ requires work on our part, and only after putting in the work will we bear much fruit.  So how's your connection this week?  How's your workload?

Homily from 4-25-21

On this Good Shepherd Sunday, we hear about how a good shepherd lays down his own wants, desires, even his own life for those of the his flock.  Such a shepherd is so loving that he knows the voice of each sheep, and they know his voice.  As we traverse through the often confusing messages we encounter today, Jesus asks us a question.  Who's your shepherd?  Who's voice are you hearing?