Archive of posts filed under the Sacraments category.

Video – “Finding Peace and Healing in a Troubled World, Part I”

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I started my new series of presentations, Finding Peace and Healing in a Troubled World, last night with Part I. You can find the video recording and slides on my website at www.renewaloffaith.org/healing1. If you watch the video, for the next few days you can complete an evaluation online at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSddXBSvh4witJHuxT-pdUJLsz5nHRSNMzcJySJuahfRnMcR6w/viewform?usp=sf_link. Registration is now open …

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The Baptism of the Lord

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With this Sunday’s celebration of the Baptism of the Lord our Christmas season ends. Christmas is a time of great hope. We hear the Christmas story of Jesus’ birth, we see Jesus laying in the manger, and our hearts are filled with hope. The sight of any baby can fill our hearts with joy for …

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Marriage and Divorce

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In the gospel for today (27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B), the Pharisees asked Jesus a question. They asked this question to test him. They were looking for a way to prove He was not the Messiah. While their motives are bad, the question can be a good question, “Is it lawful for a …

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Reflecting on the Act of Contrition

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After we confessing our sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and receiving a penance, we say an Act of Contrition. This expresses our sorrow for our sins. We say the Act of Contrition as part of the ritual of the Sacrament. Do you just say the words or do you truly pray them, reflecting on …

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Living the Priesthood (2021)

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Among the numerous pages on my website, you can find one on “Vocations.” There you will find information about “vocation” in general and how everyone is called to live as priest, prophet, and king from their baptism. You will also find links to articles I have written on life as a lay person, in seminary, …

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Baptism of the Lord, Year B – Homily

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The Baptism of the LordIsaiah 55:1-11Isaiah 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6 (3)1 John 5:1-9Mark 1:7-11January 10, 2021 Our Christmas season will end this evening following our celebration of the Baptism of the Lord. Christmas is the celebration of the birth of our savior who is Christ and Lord.  Since Jesus was baptized as an adult, one might …

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On Non-Catholics Receiving Communion

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In the third video presentation in my series, Sacraments: Channels of God’s Grace, on the Eucharist, I addressed the question of “Who Can Receive the Eucharist” in slides 36-38. I began with the general question speaking about the need to be baptized in the Catholic Church and what it means to be in communion in …

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29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A – Homily

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29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year AIsaiah 45:1, 4-6Psalm 96:1, 3, 4-5, 7-8, 9-10 (7b)1 Thessalonians 1:1-5bMatthew 22:15-21October 18, 2020 We gather on this 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time.  Today is also October 18th.  This is the feast of St. Luke, the patron saint of our parish.  We should pray regularly for his intercession for …

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Keeping Our Baptismal Promises

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At Baptism, we are asked six questions as our “baptismal promises.” (When we are baptized as infants, our parents answer for us.) At Confirmation we renew our baptismal promises ourselves. Each year at Easter time, we renew them. We respond, “I do,” to each question. How much do we think about what we are saying …

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13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A – Homily

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13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A2 Kings 4:8-11, 14-16aPsalm 89:2-3, 16-17, 18-19 (2a)Romans 6:3-4, 8-11Matthew 10:37-42June 28, 2020 We are Christians.  We believe in Jesus.  We need to take this seriously.  Jesus himself tells us the we must love him more than our fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters.  Remember Jesus tells us that the …

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