Mar Abraham Church Sunday Homilies

English Mass- Fifth Sunday of Apostles- Fr. Peter Patros On Father’s Day, fathers are called to their three core roles: provide, protect, and be present. Jesus’ parable of the rich fool warns against hoarding earthly wealth while neglecting the soul — possessions and anxiety about the future can quietly become the thing that owns us. The remedy is not necessarily poverty, but a reordering of prior...

English Mass- Fourth Sunday of The Apostles- Fr. Peter Patros Prayer, worship, and sacrifice are meant to be medicine for our own spiritual sickness — not a trophy to prove how good we are. God rejected the offerings of Israel not because of how they were given, but because the hands giving them were full of injustice and hypocrisy. Jesus asks why we call him Lord but do not do what he says, and S...

English Mass- Feast of Pentecost- Fr. Peter Patros Pentecost is set against the Tower of Babel — one scattered people through confused tongues, the other gathered them back through the Holy Spirit. The strongest community can be undone by what comes out of its mouth, and the weakest rebuilt the same way. Families stop coming to Mass, people walk away from parishes, and years of relationship are de...

English Homily- Sixth Sunday of Easter- Fr. Peter Patros Scripture traces the experience of separation on a grand scale — Cornelius the outsider and Peter the rule-keeper were both trapped, one by exclusion and one by the law, until God tore the wall down. St. Paul tells the Ephesians they are no longer strangers but citizens of heaven and members of God’s household — dwelling places of the Holy S...

English Homily-Fifth Sunday of Easter-Fr. David Stephen After the resurrection, the disciples return to fishing — reverting to what they know when clarity fades and results are slow. Christ meets them there, present but unrecognized, quietly waiting as he so often does in our own confusion and failure. When a stranger tells them to cast their nets one more time, they obey — and the catch is overwh...

English Homily- Fourth Sunday of Easter- Fr. David Stephen The “little while” Christ repeats to his disciples is the space most of us live in — between prayer and answer, suffering and healing, confusion and clarity. Jesus does not promise to remove that waiting, but uses the image of a mother in labor to show that pain with a purpose is never wasted. Christian suffering, when united to Christ, be...

English Homily- Third Sunday of Easter- Fr. David Stephen Faith is not a passive practice of attending Mass and receiving sacraments, but an active way of life that shapes how we speak, think, act, and respond to others. Thomas and Philip’s question — “how can we know the way?” — mirrors our own tendency to turn to God only in crisis, treating him like a vending machine rather than a daily relatio...

English Homily-Divine Mercy Sunday- Fr. Peter Patros New Sunday (Khoshaba Khatha) is celebrated as the first Sunday after the Resurrection, coinciding with Divine Mercy Sunday and the memorial of Mar Abraham. The focus is on the Divine Mercy icon revealed to Saint Faustina Kowalska, whose rays of blood and water symbolize life, cleansing, and renewal flowing from Christ’s side. Thomas the Apostle...

English Homily- Easter Sunday- Fr. Peter Patros On this Feast of the Resurrection, Father explores a profound question: What if Jesus felt homesick? He entered every place He didn't belong—the grave, the cross, exile—so He could bring us out of the graves of sin we've made our home. But there's a crucial distinction: falling into sin is different from living in it. In this powerful homily, we disc...

English Homily- Passion Friday- Fr. Peter Patros Jesus allowed himself to be seen as the villain so he could be our hero — taking on our guilt and shame so sinners could be saved. The homily contrasts two false options: believing you are either irredeemably bad or self-justified good. The cross offers a third answer: forgiveness and full acceptance before God. Honest confession of sin is welcomed;...

English Homily- Passover Thursday- Fr. David Stephen Jesus’ foot washing is the central example of divine humility — an embodied call to concrete service. The homily contrasts worldly measures of power and dignity with Christ’s way of greatness through service. The Eucharist and the priesthood are linked to the foot-washing: one cleanses feet (service), the other cleanses the soul (sacrifice). Pra...

English Homily - Sixth Sunday of Lent - Fr. Peter Patros In this reflection on defensiveness and repair, we are reminded that many of us develop a habit of protecting ourselves through defensiveness, shaped by our upbringing and experiences, but this reaction often escalates conflict and prevents true healing. Like the Pharisees who resisted Jesus despite witnessing His work, defensiveness can bli...

English Homily - Fifth Sunday of Lent - Fr. David Stephen In this reflection for the Fifth Week of Lent, Jesus invites everyone who thirsts to come to Him and drink, revealing that the deepest thirst of the human heart is spiritual and cannot be satisfied by worldly success or possessions. We often try to fill this thirst with temporary things—money, achievements, or the approval of others—but onl...

English Homily - Fourth Sunday of Lent - Fourth Sunday of Sawma - Fr. Peter Patros In today’s Gospel, Jesus confronts the religious leaders and shares the parable of the two sons, reminding us that true obedience to God is shown through repentance and action, not just words. The message challenges us to examine our own hearts, recognizing that pride and the illusion of moral superiority can distan...

English Homily - Fourth Sunday of the Dedication of the Church . . . As the liturgical year concludes, Jesus affirms the authority given to leaders in the Church and clarifies its purpose. In His time, the Pharisees, priests, and teachers held legitimate God-given authority, just as bishops and priests do today. Bishops oversee the Church and protect the faith, while priests administer the sacrame...

English Homily Second Sunday of Moses - 2024 . . . Pride can be both a virtue and the root of all sin, as seen in Lucifer’s rebellion against God. It manifests in every sin as a rejection of God’s work in us. The Gospel story of Jairus, a powerful synagogue leader, illustrates that true grace comes when we humble ourselves and ask for help. Despite his status, Jairus had to let go of pride and see...

English Homily - 1st Sunday of Moses . . . The parable seems unfair at first glance, as workers who worked different hours receive the same wage⁠. The vineyard represents our relationship with God, and being called to this relationship is itself the reward⁠. The parable reveals our tendency to view heaven as something earned rather than a free gift⁠. God's grace is given based on our need, not our...

English Homily - Third Sunday of the Cross/Sixth of Elijah . . . The verse "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" is highlighted as one of the most famous biblical quotes. The homily contrasts this with Jesus' teaching that without God, we can do nothing, emphasizing the importance of divine strength. St. Paul's warning to "Have NO anxiety about ANYTHING" is presented as crucial f...

English Homily - 5th Sunday of Elijah/2nd Cross 2024 . . . Reasons people might tune out during a homily include the priest's voice, distractions in the church, or thinking they've heard it before⁠. Repetition is essential for learning, even if it might seem boring⁠. St. Paul emphasizes the importance of repeating teachings for the safety of his listeners⁠. Jesus expresses frustration with his dis...

English Homily - Third Sunday of Elijah 2024 . . . This homily discusses the parable of the weeds and the wheat, focusing on judgment and human dignity. Judgment is not simply about declaring who is good or bad⁠. It's difficult to distinguish between "weeds" and "wheat" until harvest time. Judgment is ultimately about who we choose to serve and align ourselves with⁠. The homily concludes by emphas...

English Homily - Second Sunday of Elijah . . . Jesus speaks in a parable that's difficult to understand, not providing a clear explanation. The disciples question Jesus' approach, and he quotes Isaiah, suggesting people are not receiving his message well due to dull hearts⁠. Jesus wants to give "The Word of the Kingdom," which inspires good, guards against sin, and provides strength⁠. The parable...

English Homily - 1st Sunday of Elijah . . . This homily speaks of two miracles from the Gospel: the healing of a blind man and the conversion of Zacchaeus. Everyone has asked God for a miracle at some point in their life⁠. The conversion of Zacchaeus is presented as a miracle, comparable to healing physical blindness⁠. Zacchaeus, a tax collector, was spiritually lost but found salvation through hi...

English Homily - Seventh Sunday of Summer . . . The homily discusses the concept of prayer through the example of two men, highlighting the right approach to prayer as taught by Jesus. It emphasizes that prayer should not be about comparing oneself to others or feeling superior, but about connecting with God and recognizing one's own goodness in God's eyes, independent of others. The story of a ma...

Homily Sixth Sunday of Summer . . . Being thankful is transformative as it shifts focus from oneself to others, acknowledging their efforts and reducing entitlement. The Gospel story of the ten lepers highlights the profound gratitude of one healed leper who was thankful not just for physical healing but for the restored ability to connect and love without causing harm. This teaches us to be grate...

Distance & Identity . . . English Homily - 5th Sunday of Summer . . . The homily emphasizes the theme of repentance, highlighting the importance of turning from evil and doing good. It discusses diagnosing the problems of our hearts, understanding sin as a relational hurt, and the story of the prodigal son. The parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus is used to illustrate how neglecting to do good can...