Homily Rewind from St. Margaret Mary Church

Hope.... No mater what happens, Jesus always loves us and we need to have hope in him. Deacon Dave tells us we need to embrace the cross and embrace the true life that Jesus wants to give us.

Expectations are imposed on everyone. Jesus did not meet the expectation of his society as a Messiah. Fr. Joshy tells us Peter was named as "The Rock" of the Church when he said to Jesus "You are Christ the living God." Jesus' ultimate sacrifice far exceeded all expectations!

God truly loves us and we truly belong to Christ! Deacon Walt tells us we are commissioned to take the good news we hear at Mass and share it with the world.

Deacon Dave and Fr. Charles asks us to support their ministry in Uganda. If you would like to support this ministry you can go to helpkibale.org to learn more about how you can help.

"You are a beloved son/daughter for whom I am well pleased." Fr. Joshy speaks on the Transfiguration and says we need to all strive to hear those words when we finally reach heaven.

"I wish I could do it all over again" is a statement Fr. Walsh has heard many times. He tells us we need to make sure our life counts and that we do not have any regrets when we face that eternal door at the end.

Today we hear the parable of the weeds and the wheat. Fr. Walsh reminds us we are all God's children and we are all going to be judged. We are all challenged to find an area in our lives that we need to work on to bring us closer to God. He also tells us we, as a community, we are never alone.

The power of one seed can change the world. Fr. Joshy tells us of a type of seed that changed the entire economy of India. One seed of faith that falls on good soil in a person that is receptive to His message can make a difference in this world.

Each one of us carries a burden... Deacon Bill tells us we need to pray to Jesus, and give to Him our wants and our needs. Jesus may help us with our wants.... but He WILL give us what we need.

The two Steves… Fr. Walsh tells us of two individuals who lived the mission of Jesus, this is a call of commitment, dedication and sacrifice. Fr. Walsh tells us we are never alone. When we come to Mass, Jesus is always with us and we are called to live out His Gospel Message.

Do not be afraid! Fr. Joshy tells us that if fear rules our life we are not living the Gospel. If we live a life truly united with God, we have nothing to fear!

We are all called to be witnesses of God's truth. Deacon Dave tells us small things change history, and even the smallest gesture of sharing our faith can make the biggest difference to those we meet.

Where is everybody? In this information age people seem to be missing. Fr. Walsh tells us Jesus is always here, always present in the Eucharist. It is not just a symbol but Christ is truly present in the Eucharist!

1+1+1=1. Fr. Joshy tells us that the mystery of the Trinity is more to be experienced than to be understood. One God has revealed Himself to us in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Christmas. Easter. Pentecost. Fr. Walsh tells us these are the three big Feasts in the Catholic year. On Pentecost, the Lord gives us the gift of His Spirit. In order to take full of advantage of this gift we need to be open to what the Lord is calling us to do. The question is asked, what ministries can we be involved in?

Jesus gives the 11 the great commission to go and make disciples of all nations. That extends to all of us today as we enter a new apostolic age with mission territory in every direction.

We are not orphans. Jesus promises we are not alone, the Holy Spirit is with us always. Deacon Tommy tells us we are all capable of beautiful things with this gift of the Spirit.

What do we bring to the Altar? When we receive Communion either it be on our First Communion or just every Sunday, Fr. Adam tells us, as a member of the Body of Christ, we need to offer up our sufferings and our needs in prayer every time we receive Communion.

The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want. Fr. Walsh tells us that Jesus is our true shepherd, and we need to have a relationship with Him. The way we do this is through the Eucharist.

Our joy in the resurrection of Jesus is not meant to be for one day. It should grow throughout these 50 days of the Easter season. The disciples on the road to Emmaus turned from discouragement when they encountered Jesus in the breaking of the bread. We must be open to receiving the love of Christ as we come forward to receive him truly present in the Eucharist.

Like the early Disciples we all face challenges. Deacon Tommy tells us that Jesus wants us to trust in Him and embrace Him through the Eucharist.

Following is Christ is so much more than just "showing up." Fr. Walsh tells us in order to be true disciples, we need a community in order to support us and a realization that Christ is truly present to us in the Eucharist.

Palm Sunday: The Passion On Palm Sunday we hear the proclamation of the Passion of Christ. Fr. Walsh then tells us we are all encouraged to re-read the Passion in any of the Gospels and look to see 'how WE fit' in this story.

Do we live for heaven or do we live avoiding death? God is calling all or us to eternity to live as saints. Fr Adam talks about miracles and the difficult topic of death.

Deacon Bill challenges us to do 3 things this Lent; look for Jesus in those we encounter, pray for the gift of acceptance, and participate in the gift of Reconciliation.