Fr. Brian Soliven Sermons

With today's Gospel passage, we now come to the end of the controversial John 6, where our Lord teachings about his True Presence in the Eucharist. It's the deal breaker for many of his followers. They simply cannot accept that his "flesh is true food and his blood is true drink." Luckily, St. Peter speaks on behalf of us all, who simply desire to follow Jesus, no matter how strange his teachings....

Once you recognize Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, your Christian life will never be the same again.  --- Help Spread the Good News --- Father Brian’s homilies are shared freely thanks to generous listeners like you. If his words have blessed you, consider supporting this volunteer effort. Every gift helps us continue recording and sharing the hope of Jesus—one homily at a time. Give Here: https...

What makes for true beauty? We easily spend effort and time to make our bodies look beautiful, but what about our souls?  --- Help Spread the Good News --- Father Brian’s homilies are shared freely thanks to generous listeners like you. If his words have blessed you, consider supporting this volunteer effort. Every gift helps us continue recording and sharing the hope of Jesus—one homily at a...

If your basketball fan, the perennial back and forth argument is, "Who is the greatest player ever?" Is it Michael Jordan, Lebron James, Kobe Bryant or someone else. Regardless of who you choose, the quality that makes them great parallels what makes an amazing saint.  --- Help Spread the Good News --- Father Brian’s homilies are shared freely thanks to generous listeners like you. If his wor...

In our Second Reading today, John uses a very specific word to refer to what the death of Jesus did, "expiation." The original greek word is "hilasmos," which is direct reference to the Day of Atonement, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar. When we understand this theological background, the full implication of Christ's sacrifice takes on new meaning.  --- Help Spread the Good News --- Fat...

Our losing fight against aging is proof we need the Resurrection.  --- Help Spread the Good News --- Father Brian’s homilies are shared freely thanks to generous listeners like you. If his words have blessed you, consider supporting this volunteer effort. Every gift helps us continue recording and sharing the hope of Jesus—one homily at a time. Give Here: https://frbriansoliven.org/give

Christ is Risen! This single event, proclaimed in the face of death and torture, changes the world as we know it. Live it.  --- Help Spread the Good News --- Father Brian’s homilies are shared freely thanks to generous listeners like you. If his words have blessed you, consider supporting this volunteer effort. Every gift helps us continue recording and sharing the hope of Jesus—one homily at...

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ changes everything . Upon this one single doctrine of our Christian religion, the entire 2,000 year old edifice of the Catholic Church is built. If Jesus is still dead, then St. Paul is absolutely correct: “ if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, your faith also is in vain.” (Cf. 1 Corinthians 15:14). We should all go home. However, we procla...

A life lived in Christ, is the truest of lives. Without him, we are slaves to the whims and changes of our circumstances. Without him my value depends on the approval and affirmation of others. Without him, death itself will devour me, no matter how much vegetables I eat. Not anymore! The resurrected Jesus changes everything. If Jesus is alive as we Christians joyfully affirm, it means that Jesus...

Ha comenzado. Ha llegado el tramo más solemne de la cristiandad: la Semana Santa. Toda la vida humana de Jesucristo en la tierra, los treinta y tres años, culminarán esta semana. Preste atención a las lecturas. Asista a todas las liturgias que pueda, desde el Jueves Santo, Viernes Santo y finalmente el Domingo de Resurrección. El drama de nuestra salvación se desarrollará ante nuestros propios ojo...

It has begun. The most solemn days of Christianity has arrived – Holy Week. The entire human life of Jesus Christ on earth, all thirty-three years, will culminate this week. Pay close attention to the readings. Attend all of the liturgies as you can, from Holy Thursday, Good Friday and finally Easter Sunday. The drama of our salvation will unfold before our very eyes. To understand this solemn wee...

We are so much more than what we've been told. I am not an upright monkey with an iPhone. I am not my sins. I am not merely a consumer of things. Our identity, revealed to us in Christ, shows us who we truly are.  --- Help Spread the Good News --- Father Brian’s homilies are shared freely thanks to generous listeners like you. If his words have blessed you, consider supporting this volunteer...

How do we respond to the crisis' of our lives? We all know they will hit us eventually, like the next coming ocean wave. Today, as the Church celebrates the Solemnity of St. Joseph, we can find inspiration in his example. In Scripture, we always find Joseph facing a trial. His betrothed wife is pregnant. Herod wants to kill his newborn son. Jesus is lost in the Temple in Jerusalem. Crisis abounds....

At the end of the day, we all want to be happy. It’s a universal truth that unites us all. The real dilemma is how to find this happiness and most of all, keep it. Oftentimes, this happy life feels like grasping a handful of sand; we feel it, we think we have a firm hold of it, but the harder we try to clench it, the faster it slips from our fingers, grain by grain. So we reach down again to grab...

Love forces us to be vulnerable. It requires me to open myself to you and put my life in your hands. Jesus does this by dwelling among us. Even more, he does this at every single Holy Mass.  --- Help Spread the Good News --- Father Brian’s homilies are shared freely thanks to generous listeners like you. If his words have blessed you, consider supporting this volunteer effort. Every gift help...

A few days ago, I went to Elk Grove, the town I grew up in. When my family moved there in 1990, it was considered a small rural, farming community, much how Vacaville used to be. The population was a mere 17,000. Today, it has ballooned to 180,000. I wish I went there for a happier occasion, but sadly, I returned to preside over a funeral of an old friend I had known since the 6th grade. We lost t...

The oldest of the prayers used at the Holy Mass is called the Roman Canon. It's marked by a list of strange names that the early Christians wanted to remember. When we learn their stories, it's no surprise why.  --- Help Spread the Good News --- Father Brian’s homilies are shared freely thanks to generous listeners like you. If his words have blessed you, consider supporting this volunteer ef...

As the Season of Lent marches on, pay attention to the Scripture Readings at Mass. The drama is intensifying. In the Gospel passage, we find Jesus in the Temple area in the famous scene with the Lord, confronting the “money changers seated there.” Oftentimes when we think of Jesus, we see as meek, humble and kind, which he is. However, so few people imagine this Jesus in the Gospel. He is furious....

To unlock the power of Lent, we need one thing—love. Love gives us the superpower to peer beyond the mere superficial. Take the prime example of bride and groom on their wedding day. Notice how they look at one another. As stunning as the flowing dresses may be or dapperly the suits, the real drama takes place on their faces. Their eyes are locked on each other in immortal affection. The miniscule...

The Christian prays differently, according to our Lord in today's Gospel. He possesses something that the pagans "who babble" and "think they will be heard because of their many words." Once we understand this from the depths of our souls, we can never pray the same ever again.  --- Help Spread the Good News --- Father Brian’s homilies are shared freely thanks to generous listeners like you....

Ask any priest in the world and they will tell you that Ash Wednesday draws the largest crowd than any other day of the year. It can even be bigger than Easter or Christmas. This tells me one important thing -- the desire for God is not snuffed in the human heart despite the world telling me that I don't need God.  --- Help Spread the Good News --- Father Brian’s homilies are shared freely th...

Welcome to the spiritual battle! Each Lent, we join Jesus in hand-to-hand combat with our ancient foe. The blessed ashes smeared across our foreheads remind us that life is short. We refocus our gaze to higher transcendent realities. Whatever hardships and denial we've taken on for this holy season, the goal will always be the same -- grow in love for Jesus Christ.  --- Help Spread the Good N...

Have you ever wanted to read the Bible but did not know where to start? The Bible can be intimidating for many. It’s filled with strange alien places and funny names that it can be difficult to grasp what’s happening. It’s similar to walking into a crowded theater mid-movie: you don’t know the plot, the main characters, or the drama unfolding on the screen. In much the same way, picking up the Bib...

The Christian is called to see the world differently than nonbelievers. We look past the surface of things and penetrate the deeper spiritual realities. When pain and suffering eventually comes upon, the Christian, rooted deeply in faith in Christ, says, "good."  --- Help Spread the Good News --- Father Brian’s homilies are shared freely thanks to generous listeners like you. If his words hav...

If you've ever tried sitting silently in a room for any length of time, you'll immediately notice how uncomfortable it quickly becomes. There's a  spiritual reason why. Jesus, in today's Gospel, shows us the root cause.  --- Help Spread the Good News --- Father Brian’s homilies are shared freely thanks to generous listeners like you. If his words have blessed you, consider supporting thi...