Ad Jesum per Mariam

From Resurrection to Mission: The Church Comes Alive The Gospel tells us about the first Pentecost. The Homily begins by emphasizing “what a difference 50 days makes.” It reflects on the transformation between Easter Sunday and Pentecost. This Homily begins with the quiet, unseen resurrection of Jesus and contrasts it with the public, explosive outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. Through b...

The Power of Unity: A Prayer of Jesus, A Call to Us This Homily, delivered in the middle of the Novena leading up to Pentecost, . . . . . . centers on three key Christian themes: unity, faithfulness, and eternal hope. The Homily emphasizes that Jesus, in His final prayer, did not ask for power or success for His followers but prayed for their unity . . . a unity modeled after the perfect harmony w...

For I Am With You: Living the Presence of Christ The Homily tells us of a recent celebration of the Ascension of Jesus Christ, . . . . . . where the Shrine hosted a group of children and were inspired by their understanding and expressions of faith . . . especially one boy who insightfully described a shrine as a holy place to encounter God and affirmed Christ’s presence in the Eucharist and the C...

Loving as Jesus Loved: A Challenge and a Consolation The Homily focuses on Jesus’ words from John’ s Gospel 15, . . . . . . where He urges His followers to “remain in me as I remain in you.” This call to dwell in Christ is central to spiritual fruitfulness. Just as branches cannot bear fruit without being connected to the vine, Christians cannot bear spiritual fruit without remaining in Jesus. Thi...

Not Just Dying for Freedom, But Living Into It: The Mystery of Memorial Day This Memorial Day Homily discusses the dual nature of the holiday: . . . . . . a time of remembrance and a celebration of life. While modern culture often focuses on barbecues and the start of summer, the core of Memorial Day is about honoring those who gave their lives in service to others. The Homily draws a parallel bet...

Jesus Tells Us to Remain in My Love: The True Heart of Christian Life The Church tells us of the Council of Jerusalem, the first ecumenical council of the early Church, . . . . . . which addressed a critical theological question: Must Gentile converts follow the Mosaic Law to become Christians? The council affirmed that Christianity is not merely a continuation of Judaism, but something fundamenta...

The Five Verbs of Faith: How Christ Shapes the Christian Life The Gospel message today centers on Jesus’ powerful promise: “If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you.” But this promise comes with a condition . . . that we remain in Him and allow His words to dwell in us. To remain in Jesus is not a momentary feeling or a Sunday obligation; i...

Jesus’ Command to Love: The Hardest and Holiest Calling Jesus gives us His commandment to “love one another,” . . . . . . emphasizing that true love, as exemplified by Jesus, is the most difficult yet most essential commandment. Rather than focusing on religious rituals like daily prayer or tithing, Jesus calls for radical, sacrificial love modeled after his own. The Homily underscores that love i...

Christ the Fulfillment: St. Paul Proclaims the Past, and the Power of the Present The Church marks the midpoint of the Easter season and . . . . . . highlights a shift in the liturgical readings toward Jesus’ teachings during the Last Supper. These teachings serve to deepen the understanding of the mysteries of Christ’s death and resurrection. The Homily emphasizes that these events are not just h...

Love as Christ Loved: A Higher Standard The Homily examines the commandment of Jesus: “Love one another as I have loved you.” It emphasizes that Christian love must mirror the selfless, sacrificial love of Christ, not merely be based on human sentiment or self-interest. Often, people believe they are acting in love, but if not rooted in the example of Jesus’ love, their actions may unintentionally...

Living Jesus: The Christian Journey Explained Today’s Readings emphasizes the exclusivity and centrality of Jesus Christ in Christian faith. This means that while human nature longs for options and multiple paths, scripture is clear that there are only two ways: God’s way and not God’s way. The Homily underscores that Jesus is not merely a guide or teacher but the embodiment of the way, the truth,...

Seeing the Father Through the Son: A Call to Deep Relationship with Christ This Homily centers on the theme of God’s universal plan for salvation and our personal role in fulfilling it. It begins with the story of Paul and Barnabas, who, after facing rejection from Jewish leaders, turn to preach to the Gentiles, fulfilling God’s inclusive mission. The message underscores that God initially chose I...

Where Else Shall We Go? The Call to Choose Christ This Homily emphasizes the deep spiritual significance of preparing for the sacraments, . . . . . . particularly for young people approaching their first Holy Communion and Confirmation. It draws on the symbolism of wind as the presence of the Holy Spirit and focuses on the example of Saint Peter, the first pope, as a model of faith and clarity. Th...

Blessed Are Those Who Hear: Honoring Mary by Living the Word While Jesus was speaking, a woman from the crowd called out and said to him. Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nest. He replied, rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it. This Homily centers on Luke 11:27-28, where a woman praises Jesus by honoring His mother, . . . . . . but Jesus...

Seeing with New Eyes: Lessons from Paul and Ananias The election of a new pope, specifically Pope Leo XIV, . . . . . . is seen as a profound new beginning for the Church. Not because the Church had stopped functioning, but because such moments renew the sense of unity and purpose among believers. The joy of his election is contrasted with the heavy burden of leadership he assumes, modeled on the c...

The Real Miracle of the Sun: Hearing and Doing the Word This conference centers on the events of Fatima, . . . . . . emphasizing the spiritual significance of the Virgin Mary’s appearances to the three shepherd children in 1917. It explores the contrast and connection between seeing and hearing . . . highlighting that although many witnessed the Miracle of the Sun, only three children saw Our Lady...

The Apostles’ Witness: Our Questions, Christ’s Answer This Homily reflects on the deep significance of the apostles’ witness . . . . . . not merely as conveyors of Jesus’ teachings, but as those who voiced the questions all hearts ask, receiving direct answers from Christ for the benefit of all future believers. It centers around a Gospel reading from the Last Supper where Jesus emphasizes his one...

From Bread to Belief: Seeing Jesus as the Giver Behind the Gift This Homily on John Chapter 6 explores the deeper spiritual meaning behind Jesus’ miracles, . . . . . . particularly the multiplication of loaves and fishes and his walking on water. The commentary contrasts the emptiness of worldly provisions, symbolized by the Roman emperor Tiberius, with the true sustenance that comes from Christ....

The Bread of Life in a Time of Struggle The Homily highlights the mysterious growth of the Church and Christian faith, . . . . . . especially through suffering and persecution. It begins by recalling how the Sanhedrin believed killing Jesus would end His movement, unaware that His resurrection would spark the beginning of Christianity. Similarly, early Christians, even when persecuted, chose to re...

Do You Love Me? Jesus Tells Us of The Journey to Deeper Discipleship This Homily reflects on the spiritual growth of the apostles, . . . . . . especially Peter, after the resurrection of Jesus. The message begins by highlighting the disciples’ joy in suffering “for the Name,” signifying their deep identification with God through Christ. The first Christian preachers boldly proclaimed Jesus as the...

Judas and Mary (of Bethany): Two Hearts Before the Mystery of Christ The Readings and Homily reflect on the profound spiritual themes leading up to Holy Week, . . . . . . beginning with the “Suffering Servant” songs from the Book of Isaiah. It emphasizes the divine calling and mission of the servant, who acts with God’s authority yet reveals God’s power through humility and suffering . . . not thr...

Je Vous Salue, Marie: In Honor of Feast Day of St. Louis de Montfort At the end of the most recent Feast Day of St. Lous de Montfort, . . . . . . the Queen of All Hearts Music Minstry surprised the priests by singing this song n French. The words may be displayed by selecting the description below. Join in the celebration of the founder of the Company of Mary. Listen to: Je Vous Salue, Marie: In H...

The Queen of All Hearts: Mary’s Role in Building the Body of Christ This conference emphasizes the deeply communal and celebratory nature . . . . . . of Christian spirituality, rooted in the victory of Jesus Christ over sin and death. It highlights that this victory is not merely individual but shared among all believers, particularly through their connection with Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Montfo...

From Silence to Glory: The Mystery of Easter This Homily reflects on the liturgy of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, . . . . . . emphasizing how Scripture readings during the Easter vigil narrate the entire history of God’s love for humanity. It traces the journey from creation and fall, through the Exodus, prophetic calls to return to God, and finally to the New Testament, culminating in Christ’...

Peter’s Journey and Ours: Seeing, Believing, Following Today the Church celebrates Easter . . . . . . as the central feast of Christianity, highlighting the Resurrection of Jesus Christ as the foundation of faith. Today’s Gospel explains how the Resurrection gives believers new spiritual vision, reveals the truth of life beyond death, and confirms the truth of Jesus’ teachings. The Homily emphasiz...