Weekly Homilies at St. Joseph Parish

Jesus, the promised Messiah, tries to call the chief priests and elders out of the darkness in today's Gospel. The words of the prophets that they clung to, they were blinded to as well, unable to recognize the Christ before them. In Isaiah, we hear how the veil will be destroyed, that no longer is God's presence reserved to one's place, but the Lord is always present before us and within us. Then...

To be wise and intelligent means to have maturity and understanding, but to be childlike is to not be pretentious and to just be ourself. St. Francis of Assisi, who died 800 years ago, had childlike faith. St. Francis was given the gift to live in poverty and not be attached to earthly possessions. He knew his weaknesses and humbly accepted them. How do we live out this childlike faith in Jesus li...

Adam and Eve were created in the image and likeness of God, but they did not humble themselves to allow the Lord God to give them the graces they needed to grow in deeper relationship and union with Him. Rather, they grasped at things beyond their reach, taking divinity on for themselves on their own terms. "I want to have all the good things, but I want to have them my way." Jesus came in as the...

In today's Gospel, Christ uses the parable to describe who He is: Generous. He is talking about his Kingdom here on Earth. One church father likened the hours mentioned in the parable to the stages of the faithful, while some have been practicing since birth and some come to know Jesus on their deathbeds. His wage is the same, no matter when you come to Him. Gospel: Matthew 20:1-16a #catholic...

This week, our Gospel readings begin to switch as we near the end of the liturgical year, with themes of the end of time and the return of the King. We hear that it's only through God's own limitlessness that mercy pours into us. But then, once we receive it, what do we do to our brothers, to those who harm us? We can't take that grudge into heaven. Gospel: Matthew 18:21-35 #catholic #...

Fraternal correction is difficult for most of us. It is easy for us to slide into defensiveness, but the correction must come from a place of love, not punishment or retribution. Let us ask our Father to be open to correcting others and to receive correction out of love. Gospel: Matthew 18:15-20 #catholic #fraternal #correction #love #gospel

In this weekend's homily, we are entering the Spiderverse as we talk about one of the most challenging things Jesus says in the Gospels. Jesus never said, if you wish to be His disciple, kick back and relax. Instead, He says, "Take up your cross and follow me." He promises suffering, not leisure. But He hasn't abandoned us in the midst of our suffering; He also promises to be rig...

Authority is not dominion or power; it is loving service and sacrifice. Jesus gave His authority to Peter and his successors. The Pope is a sign of unity for the 1.3 billion Catholics throughout the world. Jesus wants each and every one of us to be given that sacrificial care, just as He gave to his disciples as the Shepherd. Gospel: Matthew 16:13-20 #authority #service #sacrifice #catholic #Peter...

As Catholic Christians, we are witnesses to the grace of metanoia: spiritual conversion. This is a grace given in the heart of every person. The question is: Do you work with that grace, or do you push it away? As we hear in the readings and Gospel today, whether Jew or Gentile, this grace is in each of us, and we are all called to the love of Jesus. Gospel: Matthew 15:21-28 #metanoia #conversion...

"It is I; do not be afraid." Jesus says this not only to reassure the Apostles, but also to proclaim He is God, just as the Father says I AM to Moses. God has all the power over our lives. Peter knew this at first when he walked out onto the sea toward Jesus. But as Peter became more dependent on himself and thought he could do it all on his own, he began to fear and sink into the sea. T...

What can separate us from the love of Christ? Nothing--at least not without our consent. It is not Jesus who stops loving the sinner, but it is we who harden our hearts and choose not to receive his love, but choose other things. No matter what persecutions or temptations we face, we can conquer all through the love of Jesus Christ. 2nd Reading: Romans 8:35, 37-39 #love #Christ #sinner #receivelov...

This Sunday has many parables that Jesus shared with the crowd to describe His Kingdom. There is treasure that we must seek out or we might stumble upon; there is a final judgment where the good will be separated from the bad and each will get their just reward or punishment. Jesus came to this world, and He suffered and died so we can be redeemed. We are predestined for Heaven, and the Bible tell...

God is pouring out his graces on all people at all times. It is up to us to tend to it and allow it to take root in our hearts. It is our prayers that cultivate these seeds in our hearts. In the family, it is important to cultivate a life of prayer and have an openness to life, just as we have an openness to grace from our Lord. In the United States, we are honoring families with Natural Family Pl...

We aren't simply observers. We need to live out our faith in Christ. Our Blessed Mother is the perfect example of this. We can read in the Bible all of the examples of how she lived out her faith, not only in good times but also in very difficult times. Sacramentals, or devotional items, are one way to remind us to follow our faith in Jesus. The Brown Scapular symbolizes our commitment to lead...

Fr. Jacob Charalel from the Diocese of Kohima visited our parish this weekend to share his mission for the northeast part of India bordering Myanmar. In the gospel, Jesus reassures his flock. Our lives are often marred by the many experiences that make us tired and want to give up. This week, Jesus reminds us that God doesn't abandon us, but is there to hold us during our troubled times. We ne...

Enduring pain and suffering is not a slogan that will attract many people today. But Christians have a different view. Jesus isn't interested in catchy slogans or making false promises. He is interested in saving souls. We all have crosses; how do we accept them? Gospel: Matthew 10:37-42 #Catholic #Homily #Cross #Pain #Suffering #Christian #Jesus #SavingSouls

The Gospel today speaks about fear. Our own fear of man, their thoughts and opinions, can take over our focus. We read in the First Reading about the prophet Jeremiah, who was attacked by his own people as he spoke the Lord's words given to him. This wasn't the first or the last time people have been persecuted and martyred by others for the faith. Pick up your cross every day and follow H...

We have been in Ordinary Time for a while, though we had many solemnities and feast days in May and early June. We are now firmly in this season, where green is the color de jour. Green is a symbol of hope and life, the promise of eternal life with Jesus, who came and conquered death so we can live in heaven with Him forever. While Jesus was here on Earth, he sent the 12 Apostles out to proclaim t...

When we come forward for Communion, we enter more deeply into the Body of Christ. Our Lord purifies our souls, granting us the even greater unity with Him, becoming what we consume. This is not just so we can fulfill the command He gave us, but so we can go out on mission, to bring all to Christ. "Sweet Jesus in the Eucharist, my little visitor, my eyes cannot see your loving face, but my hea...

Though the word "Trinity" isn't present in the Bible, there are examples in both the Old and New Testaments that prove the Three Persons in One God. While this is one of the greatest mysteries of our faith, we are not to ignore it. Though it is hard to fathom the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, they existed from all eternity. By the grace of our Baptism, we are called to share in the life of...

Through human pride at Babel, man sought to take on God, and as punishment, God scattered them among the land and confused their language (Genesis 11). But now at Pentecost, through the power of the Holy Spirit, that confusion is gone. They are drawn and gathered among the nations, here to this place. They hear the teaching clearly. Let us take the gifts of the Holy Spirit, given to every one of u...

Waiting is an important aspect of the spiritual life. This time allows God to change the hardness of our hearts. Waiting is not pointless, but time to prepare and pray. We must call upon Jesus to help us discern without fear and anxiety, and He will open every door, but it will also call on us to wait. Gospel: John 17:1-11a #homilyhighlights #ascension #waiting #anticipation #discern #catholic #Je...

The Pascal joy that we have been talking about for weeks now sometimes doesn't have outward signs or immediate recognition. Our lives on the outside might look a mess, but inside the soul, we can give ourselves up to the will of our God. Let us have this union with God, the Trinitarian submission to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Gospel: John 14:15-21 #Pascaljoy #Joy #Trinitarian #F...

St. Thomas in today's Gospel is fearful and anxious. He wants everything to be explained. How does Jesus respond? "Do not let your hearts be troubled." Jesus is pointing his apostles - and us - toward a peace to free us from carrying our anxieties. Gospel: John 14:1-12 #trust #faith #anxiety #Jesus #Catholic

We must train our ears for the voice of the Good Shepherd. It is here that prayer is so fundamental, to cast all over voices and to recognize and hear His Voice. The best place to hear His voice is in the Most Blessed Sacrament, where He gives His life for us. We need good and holy priests to give us the Eucharist, to bring the Life of Christ into our world. May we cultivate within our families an...