Fr. David Hogan

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time “Our culture has filled our heads but emptied our hearts, stuffed our wallets but starved our wonder. It has fed our thirst for facts but not for meaning or mystery. It produces "nice" people, not heroes.” (Peter Kreeft) Because people have been so intent on other things that they have given up on reflecting on the works of God and thereby praising the creator for Hi...

The Baptism of the Lord One of the most important moments in the life of a Christian is their baptism. Yet, for most people their baptism took place when they were weeks or months old with little to no personal recollection of the event. Gratefully, our parents knew better and acted on our behalf. Baptism can be seen strictly as a membership card to Church or rite of passage. Yet, baptism is more...

Feast of the Holy Family Being part of a family is wonderful but also complicated and messy at times. On the last Sunday of the calendar year, we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family. Today we offer our own families and all their members on the altar of God to ask for His blessing on them and obtain for them the guidance of the Holy Family.  Scripture Readings for December 29, 2024 Sirach 3:2-7,...

The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas) The people who walked in darkness         have seen a great light;     upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom         a light has shone. (Is 9:1) May the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ bring glad tidings to you and your family this Christmas season!    

Fourth Sunday of Advent In today’s readings as in our daily lives, the presence of God is recognized in the little things. Does not each of us know how a small gesture of greeting can transform someone? Not a word from Mary is recorded in today’s Gospel but her gesture of familial love speaks volumes.  We have probably been busy with the hustle and bustle of the Christmas shopping season, placing...

Third Sunday in Advent St. Luke's account for this Sunday's Gospel is written at the beginning stages of Jesus' public ministry. St. Luke was an eyewitness to the life of Jesus, therefore he sets the stage for the one coming who will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. Today we light the third advent candle symbolizing joy. Are we joyfully preparing for the one who is to come?   Scripture Readi...

2nd Sunday in Advent In our second reading, St. Paul is writing to the Philippians encouraging them that, he is "confident, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus." Biblical scholars would call God the "hound of heaven." We love God because God first loved us (1 John 4:19). Here is how Jesus acknowledged this truth, “You did not choose...

First Sunday of Advent The season of Advent is a time of waiting, properly understood as preparation. During the hustle and bustle of the holiday season it is normal to focus on menu planning, shopping for gifts, and writing Christmas cards. These are the usual ways to prepare for Christmas. One important part we left out though is found in today's Gospel. Jesus tells his disciples, “Be vigilant a...

Solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe The dialogue between Pilate and Jesus is quite intriguing: “Are you a king?” Both Pilate and Jesus are coming from two different understandings of kingship. Jesus responds, “Yes, I have a kingdom, but it is not of this world. Christ’s kingdom is derived from a greater power than intimidation and worldly influence. The kingdom of God is built upon wil...

Thirty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time The movie Gladiator, directed by Ridley Scott, tells the story of a well respected general in the Roman Army, who sets out to exact vengeance against the corrupt emperor who murdered his family and sent him into slavery. Maximus fights for his freedom and those he has become friends with as fellow Gladiators.  The theme of this Sunday's readings are about battl...

Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time The famous expression, "We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak,” resonates well with all three readings this Sunday.  Shema Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. You shall love your neighbor as yours...

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus, teaches us in our Gospel for Sunday how to see with the eyes of faith. Yes, we may be able to see physically, but that does not mean we know where we are going spiritually. Through prayer and discernment, God equips you and I to seek Him out despite the most chaotic of environments.   Scripture Readings for October 27, 2024 Jeremiah 31:...

Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time This weekend the universal Church celebrates World Mission Sunday. This year, Pope Francis asked us to reflect on the theme, Go! and invite everyone to the banquet. We can find this message in the parable of the wedding feast, urging us to extend God's invitation of love and salvation to all. Before we are to engage in the worldwide mission of evangelization, t...

Twenty Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time The God of Israel wants his people to be fruitful and to multiply. In our modern times, the breakdown of marriage and family life comes from a tendency to define one's own life on one's own terms. This kind of philosophy represents the breaking apart of the biblical vision of God's intentions for mankind.  As Jesus referenced in the book of Genesis, "It's not...

Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Once again we are in the middle of a contentious election cycle, which presents challenges and opportunities to proclaim our Catholic faith. This year in Missouri we are voting on Amendment 3, a proposal to radically change out constitution. Jennifer Brinker, archdiocesan columnist wrote, "Amendment 3 would eliminate legal protections that currently safeguard t...

Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Modern technology along with advertising agencies invest time, research, and millions of dollars toward selling products that people may or may not actually need or buy! As a result, we get used to the sales pitch. If Jesus' "marketing campaign" began today he may not last long as he spoke about people eating his flesh and drinking his blood, rejection, sufferi...

Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time The song, How Can I Keep from Singing by Pauline T & Robert Lowry, speaks poetically about the song of hope we carry as human beings. A hope not just for a better tomorrow, but one in which the Lord is walking with us through the ups and downs of life. When the man in today's Gospel was blessed to receive his hearing and speech back, it is the gift of faith...

Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time This Sunday's Gospel continues from this past week's chastisement of the pharisees and scribes by Jesus Christ. The pharisees and scribes were attempting to make good on the promises of Israel, but unfortunately started to fall into duplicity and eventually interior spiritual corruption. Fellow sinners, we too can fall into a similar lifestyle without the powe...

Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time These past couple of weeks we have had the privilege of learning more about Eucharistic theology through the words of our Gospel writer St. John. The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life, which necessitates that we take the time to learn more about God's substantial gift of himself through the appearances of bread and wine.  Simply learning...

Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time The Gospel of John, Chapter 6, continues this Sunday with Jesus' definitive teaching regarding his substantial presence: body, blood, soul, and divinity in the Holy Eucharist. St. Peter, standing on behalf of the Church, states to whom shall we go...you have the words of eternal life. May we continue to open our minds and hearts to the power of God working through...

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Today's Gospel continues to lead us through the Bread of Life discourse, John 6.  Life is a journey in which we continue to learn about God and his plans for our lives. Like any journey via car or airplane it can be uncomfortable, there may not be many opportunities to stretch, or we may just get bored. Basically, life is difficult, therefore to get to our final...

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time The formative years of the celebration of Holy Mass took place with the first one hundred years after the resurrection. It was an organic movement through peace and times of persecution. Our world hungers for God, and as the disciple in today's Gospel asks Jesus to "give us this bread always," it is important to know where to find food. Scripture Reading for Augu...

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time American novelist Flannery O'Conner once said, "If its just a symbol, to hell with it," in response to a friend who described the Eucharist as a "pretty good symbol." During the opening ceremony of the Olympics, intended to bring people together from all over the world under the banner of sportsmanship, competition, and unity, sought the means of unity to be a g...

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time In today's Gospel Jesus welcomes back the twelve Apostles. He sent them out to preach repentance, drive out demons, and cure the sick. Now they have returned, full of stories of their successes and anxious to tell Jesus all they have done. Jesus has missed his friends. The excitement and anticipation has been tempered though when Jesus and the twelve arrive at the...

Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time This Sunday's Gospel reminds us to pay attention to God's power. Just last week's Gospel, Jesus used three words to calm the storms at sea, "Quiet...Be Still." This week He brings a young girl back to life using only two: Talitha koum," which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise!" Both instances invite people of faith to reflect upon Jesus' authority to direc...