Shawn The Baptist - Sunday Scriptures

The following homily was given to Boy Scouts gathered for Mass in the Chapel of the Twelve Apostles on the H. Roe Bartle Scout Reservation in Osceola, Missouri. Do you know what story you are in? Did you even realize you are part of a big story? We can tend to get so focused on the little things of every day life, that we lose sight of the big picture. We can have trouble finding meaning and makin...

On this Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, also known by its Latin title, Corpus Christi, we celebrate and honor the incredible gift of the Eucharist. It is the greatest gift that Jesus has left us on this earth because it the gift of his very self. Today's homily proposes two key aspects of this feast for meditation. First, we need to better understand what/who this Eucharist re...

On Memorial Day, we are called to remember the great cost of our freedom so as to appropriately value our country.

Laurel or Yanny? It turns out the answer is both/and. Appropriately for Pentecost, it's the same phenomenon that makes the Church Catholic.

What is real? We often reduce reality to what is scientifically provable. The Ascension of Jesus shows us there is much more to reality.

In today's gospel, Jesus talks about the greatest love in the world. Surprisingly, the word he uses to describe this love is "friend."

Have you noticed fields filled with beautiful purple flowers now that it's Spring? I recently learned the shocking truth about these flowers.

"A good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep." Really? Doesn't it seem a little crazy that a a human being would die for mere animals?

Every gets hurt, but not everyone uses their power to heal. Jesus returns from the dead bringing peace and sends us to forgive others.

Mary Magdalene, Peter, John, they all have reasons for being present on the first Easter Sunday. What's your story on this Easter Day?

The last words of Jesus, "It is consummated," are often associated with marriage, and that's what we we see when we look at the cross.

If you knew today was your last day, what would be most important? For Jesus, it was making sure that we knew he loved us.

Palm Sunday seems to go so quickly from "Hosana" to "Crucify him." The days of Holy Week allow us to experience things a little more slowly.

Do you try to avoid suffering? Even Jesus desired to avoid it if possible, but sometimes salvation lies precisely in going through suffering.

God often takes what looks like defeat and bring an unexpected victory. The cross is the greatest example.

When asking "What would Jesus do?" remember that making a whip out of cords and beating people in church is among the possible answers.

Abraham trusted God, even to the point of not withholding his only son. Do you trust God? What are you withholding?

The disciplines of Lent are only a means to an end. The entire origin of the season of Lent is all about baptism.

It's Valentine's Day... but it's also Ash Wednesday. This many seem like a downer, but there is also a happy connection.

At the time of Jesus, leprosy carried a two-fold stigma. First, it was a terribly painful and debilitating disease which left the person suffering with sores and rotting flesh. As if this wasn't bad enough, the second affliction of leprosy was that the person would be cast out of society and have to live apart as we see described in our first reading. The leper would have to yell out "unclean" if...

Today's homily was given to the archdiocesan candidates for the diaconate at the conclusion of their weekend of formation. In the second reading, St. Paul tells us about the need to preach the gospel. Yet, in today's world, "preaching" has almost taken on a negative connotation. "Don't preach at me!" In this sense, the listener seems to understand the one preaching as coming from a position of sup...

What does it mean to "teach with authority" and why were people so astonished at the teaching style of Jesus? Demonic opposition is expected.

God is calling you. Have you heard him? Today's homily offers three insights into how God calls so you might be able to hear him and respond.

In today's homily I take the three letters of the Latin word for peace and outline a path to peace offered to us by the example of the Magi.

Today's gospel is one of the most well-known. "God so loved the world that he gave his only son." Find out the connection with the Trinity.