Fr. Brian Soliven Sermons

So it begins. My first weekend commences as the pastor of St. Mary's Vacaville. I'm eager and excited to see what the Lord wants to do here at this parish. Even my sister drove all the way here to come to my first Mass and support her little brother. One thing is for certain -- if I do my job well, Satan will be terrified of this place. As priests, we're tasked to transform sinners to saints and p...

It's amazing how fast time blazes. Six years go by like six quick breaths. As God calls me to another part of his vineyard to preach the Kingdom of God, I leave you with these parting words which echo the words of St. Paul in the Second Reading -- "For freedom Christ set us free." (Cf. Galatians 5:1). Only in choosing the harder path of the cross will we ever find the true and authentic freedom we...

"It was as if the walls of the church exploded outwards and disappeared... like I was suddenly dropped in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. " He struggled for words to describe what happened as he knelt in Eucharistic Adoration. The consecrated host was placed in an elaborate glimmering gold monstrance, which as Catholics we believe is literally Jesus Christ. It's one of the hardest teachings we ha...

This past January, I flew out to Tallahassee, Florida for my yearly retreat. Each priest is required by Church law to take a breather from parish life to spend a few days in prayer with the Lord. The retreat was entitled, " Holy Desire: The Path To Freedom ." I was not expecting much, to be honest. The title was a tad cheesy and generic like when a chain restaurant proclaims, "We have the best chi...

The Christian has an impossible mission -- to proclaim Jesus Christ and convert the world. Before he sends us, he must empower us. On Pentacost Sunday, the promise is finally fulfilled as a divine force falls from Heaven. We receive fire.  --- 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...

Behind the smiles we can all carry tremendous burdens. Often in the silence of our pain, we cry out to God and hear nothing. "Where are you Jesus?" We often wonder. But that is the wrong question for the Christian to ask. You see, we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us. The Third Person of the Trinity lives in you and me. Rather, we should be asking ourselves when we face the darkness, "What c...

Never forget this important fact: Nothing, absolutely nothing in this world can fill the void you feel. This frustration is by design. It was put there at the dawn of your creation, woven if you like, into the fabric of your soul. Your hunger for an insatiable "more" is a heavenly anguish. It tells us resolutely -- you are made for love, by love, to live in the very source of love -- the Father, t...

"If God would answer your deepest prayer, what would it be?" I mass texted this very question to parishioners, many devout, not so devout, protestant pastors, non-Christians, young, old, single, and married. I wanted a broad swath of humanity represented. As the answers came flooding in, a common thread quickly emerged. When you hear it, you won't be surprised in the least.  --- Help Spread t...

We live in a loud world. A myriad of voices scream out to us, beaconing to follow them. In the midst of it all, lies a "still small voice." In this Sunday's Gospel, Jesus identifies himself as that voice and his sheep, as those who hear:  “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish ." (Cf. John 10:27-28). Are there any o...

Ever wondered why the headquarters of the Catholic Church is in Vatican City? After all, Rome and Jerusalem is nearly 1500 miles apart. How did St. Peter, who is buried in the famous church which bears his name, end up so far from home in the heart of the Roman Empire? It all comes down to the conversation between himself and Jesus in the Gospel reading. Jesus asks, "Do you love me?" How he answer...

We all want peace in our homes. We desire peace for our most loving relationships. We want peace in our cities; we want peace in our country. Three times today in the Gospel reading this Sunday, Jesus says to the disciples,  "Peace be with you." But how do we achieve it? On this Divine Mercy Sunday, Jesus gives us the secret formula.  --- Help Spread the Good News --- Father Brian’s homi...

Enter Easter Sunday. Enter into the resurrection. The death of Jesus Christ was thought to be a triumph of the Pharisees and Romans. However, through the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ bursts out of the stoney tomb. Each of us who constantly search for the answers to our deepest fears can finally find rest. There is no greater privilege than to be a Catholic alive in his faith. I say it again, t...

This Friday goes on like the rest. The Christian, however, gasps a deep breath. Something is different. Someone is missing. I look more intensely but not with my eyes. The Virgin Mother wails in the distance as soldiers walk by. "Good job!" They laugh, lauding themselves; another execution, three criminals, done well. This Friday is special, I can't help but wonder? "Why is tonight different from...

Each year, the Gospel reading for Holy Thursday always pierces my heart. It begins: " Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father. He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end."  On this night of the infamous Last Supper, Jesus would gift the Church two new Sacraments of his love -- the Eucharist and the priesthood. Nothing else in the universe demons...

Holy Week is upon us. It commences with a procession outside, with waving palm branches in hand. We mimic the crowds that trumpeted Jesus Christ entrance into the city of Jerusalem. However, these same voices that heralded him would quickly take a sinister turn within a matter of days. "Hossana!" will be replaced with "CRUCIFY HIM! CRUCIFY HIM!" The Palm Sunday vestments worn by the priest will ch...

One of the biggest stumbling blocks for many people to believing in God's existence is the problem of suffering. If your God exists, I'll often hear, then why do horrible things happen? Why do little kids get cancer? Why did God let my mother die? The list of evil can go on forever. As disciples of Jesus Christ, how are we to answer this gut-wrenching, kick-in-the-face, age-old question? The answe...

As Christians, have you ever why God calls us to give? We all have plenty of bills that need our attention. We have home projects, car repairs, gas to buy, groceries to spend on, that all require our hard-earned money. To understand why giving has always been an integral part of the Christian life, we must return to the Book of Genesis. In the Garden of Eden the cunning serpent, we’re told, begins...

The Christian sees the world differently than anyone else. We look with eyes of faith, penetrating far beneath the surface of things. In fact, you can even say we have Superman-like powers. A burning bush you say? No I see the revelation of the true God. A lonely shepherd boy in the middle of the field? No, I see a saint being forged that would convert an entire island. A criminal nailed to a cros...

Who gives you your identity? It's the question of all questions. For from our identity, flows the manner in which we live. How I answer will determine the course of my life. For the Christian, it comes from above: "Christ, the final Adam, by the revelation of the mystery of the Father and His love, fully  reveals man  to  man himself  and makes his supreme calling clear." (Cf....

The Christian life lived well will always leave scars. We're called to love like Jesus in full totality, without counting the cost. The greek word "agape", which is translated into "love" in English means to desire the greatest good of the other. That requires each of us to die to ourselves for the sake of the other. " Jesus told his disciples, 'If any want to become my followers, let them deny th...

It has begun! Lent is here. It's one of my favorite liturgical seasons of the entire year. The forty days mimic the time Jesus spent in the desert before beginning his public ministry. In the coldness and desolation of the desert, Jesus stripes himself of the distractions of comforts of daily life and returns to the core, the heart, the beating source of what makes life worthwhile. In Lent, we ret...

Ash Wednesday is upon us, marking the beginning of the holy season of Lent.  Schedule:  6:30AM & 5:30PM -Holy Family (Portola)  12:10PM -Holy Rosary (Loyalton)  Each Lent, we journey into the desert next to Jesus Christ. We strip all worldly pleasures away to get into heart of what truly matters.      --- Help Spread the Good News --- Father Brian’s homilies...

"Do you have any last words? " The captain of the fire squad asked Fr. Miguel Pro. " Yes. " Stretching out his arms in the form of a cross, with a rosary clasped tightly in the fist of his right hand, the faithful priest cried out with his last breath, " VIVA CRISTO REY! " Long live Christ the King. The gunshots rang out. The Fr. Pro fell to the dirt. The Catholic Church was in the heat of a fierc...

The last two years have been rough to say the least. The pandemic shuttered our lives in unimaginable ways. Schools, churches, small businesses, all closed. Then the social unrest of protests and riots in our major cities ensued. Everything seemed to be burning. As if we needed more, a contentious presidential election put us at each other’s throat. Friends ceased to be friends. Family relationshi...

The picture above was taken on October 7th, 2010, a few hours after my ordination to the Diaconate in Vatican City. This is where I made my lifelong promises of obedience to my bishop, fidelity to praying the Liturgy of the Hours five times a day, and the countercultural bugaboo of celibacy. It’s the final step before a man is ordained to the sacred priesthood of Jesus Christ. My family had flown...