Reflections on the Word

(2013/9/22) Fr. Anthony speaks about being chaplain of the Elder football team and how God is offering us opportunities for growth every day to become more single-hearted for Christ. // Readings (Cycle C) // Amos 8:4-7 Psalm 113: 1-2,4-6,7-8 1 Timothy 2:1-8 Luke 16:1-13

2013/9/15) Fr. James preaches about the parable of the prodigal son and how both sons have the same root problem - they don’t know their Father. // Readings (Cycle C) // Exodus 32:7-11,13-14 Psalm 51:3-4,12-13,17,19 1 Timothy 1:12-17 Luke 15:1-32

(2013/9/15) Deacon Jeff gives a pop quiz and then preaches about the necessity of embarking on a quest to know God, unpacking the message of God’s mercy found in today’s readings. // Readings (Cycle C) // Exodus 32:7-11,13-14 Psalm 51:3-4,12-13,17,19 1 Timothy 1:12-17 Luke 15:1-32

(2013/9/8) Fr. Jan preaches about how we must be resolute in following Jesus through difficulties and how Mary gives us an example of commitment to the Body of Christ. // Readings (Cycle C) // Wisdom 9:13-18b Psalm 90:3-4,5-6,12-13,14-17 Philemon 9-10, 12-17 Luke 14:25-33

(2013/7/21) Fr. James gives us a solution for our tiredness and anxiety by unpacking what it means for Mary to be sitting at Jesus’ feet. He invites us to ask ourselves, “Do I truly listen to the Lord before I act?” // Readings (Cycle C) // Genesis 18:1-10a Psalm 15:2-5 Colossians 1:24-28 Luke 10:38-42

2013/9/1) Fr. James preaches about what humility really is - living in the truth - and how it ultimately comes from knowledge of God’s love for us. // Readings (Cycle C) // Sirach 3:17-18,20,28-29 Psalm 68:4-7,10-11 Hebrews 12:18-19,22-24 Luke 14:1,7-14

(2013/9/1) Fr. Jan preaches about the contrast between how our culture sees humility and how the Christian sees humility and explains how this virtue means recognizing that our achievements ultimately come from God. // Readings (Cycle C) // Sirach 3:17-18,20,28-29 Psalm 68:4-7,10-11 Hebrews 12:18-19,22-24 Luke 14:1,7-14

(2013/8/25) Fr. Jan preaches about how we can be too casual in regards to our salvation. Time is not ultimately on our side, and God calls us not just to be generally “good people”, but to be holy. // Readings (Cycle C) // Isaiah 66:18-21 Psalm 117:1-2 Hebrews 12:5-7,11-13 Luke 13:22-30

(2013/8/18) Fr. Jan discusses what Jesus’ words about bringing fire and division mean and how these are intimately connected to love. // Readings (Cycle C) // Jeremiah 38:4-6,8-10 Psalm 40:2-4,18 Hebrews 12:1-4 Luke 12:49-53

(2013/8/15) Fr. Jan talks about what the Assumption of Mary can teach us about hope and what we can learn from the Book of Revelation. // Readings // Revelation 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab Psalm 45:10, 11, 12, 16 1 Corinthians 15:20-27 Luke 1:39-56

2013 | 43 - 19th Sunday of Ordinary Time / Fr. Jan Schmidt (2013/8/11) Fr. Jan speaks on what it means to live like a faithful steward that God can trust. // Readings (Cycle C) // Wisdom 18:6-9 Psalm 33:1,12,18-22 Hebrews 11:1-2,8-19 Luke 12:32-48

2013 | 42 - 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time / Fr. James Brooks (2013/8/11) Fr. James speaks on the importance of keeping the end (heaven) in mind and the need to experience God’s love in order to love and live by faith. He also invites Teresa Phillips from the Archdiocesan Mission Office to speak. // Readings (Cycle C) // Wisdom 18:6-9 Psalm 33:1,12,18-22 Hebrews 11:1-2,8-19 Luke 12:32-48

2013 | 41 - 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time / Fr. Jan Schmidt (2013/8/4) Fr. Jan preaches about the perspective we should have on our own possessions and invites us to ask ourselves how we assign importance to material wealth. // Readings (Cycle C) // Ecclesiastes 1:2; 2:21-23 Psalm 95:1-2,6-9 Colossians 3:1-5,9-11 Luke 12:13-21

2013 | 38 - 16th Sunday of Ordinary Time / Fr. Jan Schmidt (2013/7/21) Fr. Jan preaches about what both Martha and Mary can teach us about being evangelical Catholics in love with Jesus and how this relates specifically to the SMOY community. // Readings (Cycle C) // Genesis 18:1-10a Psalm 15:2-5 Colossians 1:24-28 Luke 10:38-42

2013 | 40 - 17th Sunday of Ordinary Time / Fr. James Brooks (2013/7/28) Fr. James teaches us about why the apostles found Jesus’ prayer so unique and ties it back to the ways we pray at Mass. // Readings (Cycle C) // Genesis 18:20-32 Psalm 138:1-3,6-8 Colossians 2:12-14 Luke 11:1-13

2013 | 37 - 15th Sunday of Ordinary Time / Dn. Jeff Perkins (2013/7/14) Deacon Jeff preaches about the risk and discomfort involved in acts of compassion, as seen in the life of Our Lord. He continues on to speak about why we should be generous nonetheless. // Readings (Cycle C) // Deuteronomy 30:10-14 Psalm 69:14,17,30-31,36-37 Colossians 1:15-20 Luke 10:25-37

2013 | 36 - 14th Sunday of Ordinary Time / Fr. Jan Schmidt (2013/7/7) Fr. Jan preaches about Georgia, the universal call to be a missionary, what it means to be the salt of the earth, and what really draws people into the Church. // Readings (Cycle C) // Isaiah 66:10-14c Psalm 123:1-4 Galatians 6:14-18 Luke 10:1-12,17-20

2013 | 35 - 14th Sunday of Ordinary Time / Fr. James Brooks (2013/7/7) Fr. James preaches about the stigmata and what it means to bear the marks of Christ not only on our souls, as we do in Baptism, but also in our bodies. // Readings (Cycle C) // Isaiah 66:10-14c Psalm 123:1-4 Galatians 6:14-18 Luke 10:1-12,17-20

2013 | 34 - 13th Sunday of Ordinary Time / Fr. Jan Schmidt (2013/6/30) Fr. Jan preaches about how this world is not our home and that followers of Jesus should expect persecution, as seen in this age especially regarding marriage. // Readings (Cycle C) // 1 Kings 19:16b,19-21 Psalm 16:1-2,5,7-11 Galatians 5:1,13-18 Luke 9:51-62

2013 | 33 - 12th Sunday of Ordinary Time / Fr. Jan Schmidt (2013/6/23) Fr. Jan encourages us to reflect on how we view Jesus (as simply a teacher, a political leader, or something more?) and how this view shapes our lives as disciples. // Readings (Cycle C) // Zechariah 12:10–11; 13:1 Psalm 63:2–6,8–9 Galatians 3:26–29 Luke 9:18–24

2013 | 32 - 11th Sunday of Ordinary Time / Fr. Jan Schmidt (2013/6/16) Fr. Jan preaches about the necessity of recognizing our own need for God’s mercy, which becomes the catalyst for our own love. // Readings (Cycle C) // 2 Samuel 12:7-10,13 Psalm 32, 1-2,5,7,11 Galatians 2:16,19-21 Luke 7:36—8:3

2013 | 31 - Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity / Fr. James Brooks (2013/5/26) Fr. James preaches about fridge artwork, Michaelangelo, what we can learn about the Trinity through creation, and what will truly make us happy. // Readings (Cycle C) // Proverbs 8:22-31 Psalm 8:4-9 Romans 5:1-5 John 16:12-15

2013 | 30 - Pentecost / Fr. Jan Schmidt (2013/5/19) Fr. Jan briefly analyzes last year’s football season and preaches on how belonging leads to believing and understanding leads to evangelizing. // Readings (Cycle C) // Acts of the Apostles 2:1-11 Psalm 104:1,24,29-31,34 1 Corinthians 12:3b-7,12-13 or Romans 8:8-17 John 20:19-23

2013 | 29 - 5th Sunday of Easter / Fr. James Brooks (2013/4/28) Fr. James preaches on what is new in Jesus’ commandment to love one another and why that is attractive. // Readings (Cycle C) // Acts of the Apostles 14:21-27 Psalm 145:8-9,10-11,12-13 Revelation 21:1-5a John 13:31-33a,34-35

(2013/4/21) On Good Shepherd Sunday, Fr. James preaches on how freedom is necessary for love, and how this relates to the Boston bombing. In the face of tragedy, God is not to blame, but Fr. James presents a challenge for us. // Readings (Cycle C) // Acts of the Apostles 13:14,43-52 Psalm 100:1-2,3,5 Revelation 7:9,14b-17 John 10:27-30