The Emmaus Pastorate’s Podcast

These days we usually don't like change, even if it's good for us.  In his homily this week, Fr. John Haugen poses some really good reasons to change.  Then he posits this questions to us: How is Christ calling you to change your heart and your attitude to make them more like his?

For my ways are not your ways, nor are my thoughts your thoughts, says the LORD.  But how can our ways and thoughts become like the Lord's?  Fr. John Haugen has the answer in this Sunday's homily.

Never.  Never is a really long time.  We are never done forgiving others, reconciling differences and injustices with others.  God is never done forgiving us, washing us clean of our debts.  Never is a REALLY long time.  It might even be an eternity!

Why can't we just get along??!!  That proverbial question rings true in almost every part of our life today.  But Christ's mission was centered on reconciliation and forgiveness, on getting long...aka loving...each other.  Fr. John Haugen dives into the concepts of forgiveness and reconciliation and what they look like in the 21st century.

How are you doing this week?  Have you answered the question, "Who do YOU say I am" from last week?  If so, now the question is: Have we given in yet, have we become like everyone else?  Or, have we transformed ourselves by taking up our own cross, denying ourselves, and following Christ?  Find out more in Fr. John Haugen's homily from the Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time!

This week, Jesus is traveling.  On the way, he asks the apostles about what people say about him, who they say he is.  Then, Jesus asks the Twelve, "But who do YOU say that I am?"  In your 30 second answer, who do YOU say Jesus is?

In his homily this weekend, Fr. John Haugen asks us a central question, "Am I bringing more division, or am I trying to bring things together?"  How are you doing on the unifying front these days?

Remember, taking our eyes off of Jesus is a matter of sinking or walking!

Do you sometimes feel like God is far away, that the world is so full of despair and hopelessness that there's little point in fighting the good fight?  St. Paul tells us this week that "neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:37-39)."  Throughout any calamity, Christ is always ready to help us continue the journey, and this weekend Fr. John reminds us that Christ has promised to do that and has already shown that he will.  The only catch is: we have to let him!

Archbishop Michael Jackels joins us this weekend, filling-in for Fr. John.  Archbishop Jackels dove into the first reading this Sunday and came out with a very applicable message for our times.  The young King Solomon received a wise heart when he humbly asked God for assistance.  Humility, charity, and concern for the common good are signs of the wise, humble hearts instilled in us by God.