Fr. Brian Soliven Sermons

The Pharisees in today's Gospel passage asked Jesus a very interesting question, "When will the Kingdom of God would come?" His answer is unexpected and mysterious. The Kingdom is closer than they realize.  --- 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....

In every age, the Christian has a mighty task. He must bring Jesus with him. The Dominican Order, founded in the 13th Century, reminds us how to do this in a powerful way.  --- 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 reco...

What's the hardest part of being a follower of Jesus? The answer lies in one of the promises that each priest makes on his ordination day. We promise obedience. There it is. Obedience is hard for a heart infected with rebellion. Since the fall of our first parents, all have joined the revolution. Jesus, on the other hand, shows us the path to surrender.  --- Help Spread the Good News --- Fath...

Last Saturday, our parish had the great honor of hosting the Confirmation of nearly 80 adults and their families from different parishes throughout the Diocese of Sacramento. St. Mary’s was packed; standing room only. We probably had close to 700 people in attendance. Our very own Bishop of Sacramento, Most Reverend Jaime Soto, presiding over the Holy Mass. In the middle of Mass, he extended his h...

Today we celebrant the dedication of the cathedral of Rome, the  "Mother Church of all Christendom." This feast day reminds us of one critical, important fact -- God's providence in human history. We need not worry about world events. Our Father is with us. We need only trust Him and only Him.  --- Help Spread the Good News --- Father Brian’s homilies are shared freely thanks to generous...

In today's Gospel passage, Jesus tells us that if we want to be his disciples, we must embrace the crosses of our lives and follow him. For the first century listener, they new what Our Lord was asking of them. They would have seen people hanging from crosses with their own eyes. The cross was violent, vociferous and vehemently vile. To that visceral reality, Jesus says, "Pick it up."  --- He...

“Why do Catholics call your priests ‘father’?” How many of you have heard that before? It’s a common question that non-Catholics will use against us. They will then point to the Scripture passage that we just had in the Gospel reading this Sunday, “Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven .” (Cf. Matthew 23:9). See, Catholicism is unbiblical! How are we to respond when c...

Resist the temptation to be bored with Jesus. Look at him with Jewish eyes. The shock of his words will hit you square in the chest.  --- 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...

Following Jesus Christ means putting him first. By definition, it means my ego must die. That process is never easy.  --- 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 tim...

Today's Solemnity of All Saints answers the existential angst of the human heart, "Am I alone?" --- 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://frbri...

At this very moment, what does God want? It’s a weird question to reflect upon. When we normally think of God, we naturally do it from our perspective and need. We worry about the many issues that leap around our minds, like chimpanzees in a tree, keeping us awake at night. We especially worry about our own family, our kids, our health and ask God to help with our quagmire of problems. After all,...

When we were baptized, something made an appearance. This same something will return at our death, when the Christian Burial Rites are done. It's a solemn reminder that those in Christ can never be extinguished.  --- 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 e...

My heart explodes with joy to report to you the number of people in this year's OCIA (formally known as RCIA) class. It’s the formation and catechetical classes that non-Catholics take, in order to be received fully into the Catholic Church. We have thirty-three! It’s the largest class our parish has seen in the last few decades. The Holy Spirit is proving to us again that He is active and moving...

Reducing Christianity to mere "niceness" has never made sense to me. If that were true, why is Christianity the most persecuted religion on earth? Why does Our Lord, as he tells us in this Gospel reading, that we will be hated for our faith? After all, who hates someone for sharing their cookies? Our faith is more than being nice. It's about the Lordship of Jesus Christ.  --- Help Spread the...

"The future of humanity passes through the family," as the Pope John Paul II used to always remind us. The family is the bed rock of our civilization. In an age when many young people question its usefulness, I dare say, it's one of the most heroic decisions anyone can make. As G.K. Chesterton famously said, "The most extraordinary thing in the world is an ordinary man and an ordinary woman and th...

The Church celebrates St. Luke today in the liturgy. He authored the Gospel, which bears his name, along with the Acts of the Apostles. If you haven't read Acts, I highly recommend it. It reads like a modern tale, but true. It tells the drama of the beginnings of our Church.  --- Help Spread the Good News --- Father Brian’s homilies are shared freely thanks to generous listeners like you. If...

The weirdness of Christianity is found in today's Gospel. Our Lord tell us the way to find our true life. Strangely, it's not the way we think. To find it, we must actually lose 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 con...

If you have been keeping up with the news lately, you’re aware of the tragic situation unfolding in Israel as we speak. The suffering is unspeakable, almost unimaginable. The conflict seems poised to spread to other countries in the Middle East. All the while, war continues to rage in Ukraine. China sets its lustrous eyes on Taiwan. While back at home, many struggle to pay the bills. The problems...

As Catholics, we are known as the "People of the Word" as opposed to merely the "People of the Book". As important as Sacred Scripture is, Jesus has given us more. So much more. He gives us himself. Jesus is the Word of God in the flesh (Cf. John 1:1-5). As his followers, we strive to be obedient to Him.  --- Help Spread the Good News --- Father Brian’s homilies are shared freely thanks to ge...

We've all been tempted to stop praying. Especially when our cries go unanswered, we wonder, "What is the point anyway? God is not listening." To all who want to give up, Jesus speaks directly to us in today's Gospel.  --- 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 volunt...

In today's Gospel, Jesus teaches us the perfect prayer. It reveals the truth of our identity, which we so desperately long.  --- 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 a...

We fear many things, don’t we? We worry about our families, our health, politics, the list is endless. Each day can seem to bring us new challenges, to the point it is difficult to breathe. To all with heavy hearts, St. Paul speaks directly to us in our Second Reading this Sunday. Hear it again in all its power: “Have no anxiety at all, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,...

“The church is filled with hypocrites!” I often hear this accusation from people who do not attend Mass regularly. I simply nod my head in agreement, knowing that I myself, is the biggest hypocrite of them all. The bad witness of Christians is a great mystery when you think about it. We profess that we are following the “narrow way” of Jesus Christ, who is God made manifest in the flesh. Who calls...

"I am a Catholic. Had I a thousand lives I would gladly offer them all for him. Never shall I apostatize. You may kill me, if that is what you want. To die for God -- such is my will.” These were the last words uttered by St. Lawrence Ruiz, a Filipino saint we remember today, before he was martyred in Japan in 1637. --- Help Spread the Good News --- Father Brian’s homilies are shared freely t...

"I LOVE YOU"  should be the most heard phrase in our families. The second is like it, "I'm sorry."  --- 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:...