St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church — Portland, OR; Homilies

Have you ever thought that you could be amazing to Jesus?  With the power of the Holy Spirit, we can have amazing faith.  Listen to Fr. Chuck's message for your homework, and learn how God will "set me on my feet" each morning with hopefulness and joy. Let's amaze Jesus and set our parish ablaze with God's love. Full Disclosure: Fr. Chuck edited this recording for clarity and to correct an inaccur...

How do we use the privilege we have and "excel in this gracious act", as St. Paul wishes for us in today's second reading? Jesus invites us to participate with Him, to be selfless for the good of someone else. Let's look for daily opportunities to join Christ. Catholic Mass readings for the 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, June 30, 2024 First Reading: Wisdom 1: 13-15; 2: 23-24 Responsorial Psalm: Psa...

How do we become a new creation in Christ, no longer living for ourselves? When we look back on our lives, have we been able to show Christ's love and be a blessing for others? Today's second reading tells us that the "Love of Christ impels us." Let's ask for God's grace to let His everlasting love flow through us. Here is our prayer to say every day this week, "God of all creation, I firmly resol...

Are you caring for a garden this spring? We have been planted and are growing in God's garden like the plants in today's readings. God is always nourishing us even when our faith seems tender or small. God's grace makes us sturdy. Father Chuck asks us to pray the prayer on the cover of the bulletin every day this week. " Jesus, Font of all Holiness and Fountain of Life, Saturate our souls and Floo...

In today's Gospel reading, Jesus identifies his true family - us! God offers us the same protection from sin that protects the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Listen now to Fr. Chuck's homily for the 4pm Vigil Mass on Saturday, June 8, to learn what the sign of peace really means and how God's mercy can shine through us. Catholic Mass Readings for the 10th Sunday in Ordinary Time, June 9, 2024 First Rea...

As you celebrate God's greatest sign of His love today in the Body and Blood of Christ, do you remember Jesus's very first sign at the Wedding of Cana? God is showing us through these signs that His caring for us is both practical and miraculous. We can bring God's love to others in everyday, practical ways. Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, Sunday June 2, 2024 First Reading: Exodus 24: 3...

Has something ever happened to you that felt like the end of the world? Today's readings tell us that God has chosen us, and that all three persons of the Holy Trinity are with us always, day in and day out, right here on earth. Catholic Mass readings for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, May 26, 2024 F irst Reading: Deuteronomy 4: 32-34, 39-40 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 33: 4-5, 6, 9, 18-19...

When you hear in today's Pentecost Sequence, "Guide the steps that go astray", do you think they apply to others but not to you? Father Chuck tells a story to help us realize these words are for each of us. Also, we are blessed with a visit from the Mercy Missionaries with St. Michael's parish who meet with us and tell us how the Holy Spirit helps them build relationship with Portland's homeless....

Will you accept Father Chuck's dare that every day we ask Jesus to be at work in us in the things we do for others? Let each of us become an accompanying sign of God's presence so Jesus can continue His pilgrimage of love through us. We can start by following Paul's advice today to live with humility and gentleness, with patience, and bearing with one another through love. Catholic Mass Readings f...

How do you start each day during these days of joy of the Easter season? Listen to today's homily to learn how "commonsense consecration" brings God's love to us and to one another. Catholic Mass Readings for the Sixth Sunday of Easter, May 5, 2024 First Reading: Acts 10: 25-26, 34-35, 44-48 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 98: 1, 2-3, 3-4 Second Reading: First John 4: 7-10 Alleluia: John 14: 23 Gospel:...

How can we celebrate the rest of this Easter season? How about praying more? Plants can be over-watered but we can't be "over-graced". The Holy Spirit is God's gift to help us grow in grace and realize Christ's vision for us. Catholic Mass Readings for the Fifth Sunday of Easter, April 28, 2024 First Reading: Acts 9: 26-31 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 22: 26-27, 28, 30, 31-32 Second Reading: First J...

World Day of Prayer for Vocations and "Good Shepherd Sunday" converge to invite you to consider how you—and all of us—can hear the Universal Call to Holiness and respond to it. Additionally, this special day prompts us to consider how to encourage those who should be open to becoming priests or deacons or members of religious communities. Yes, Jesus the Good Shepherd invites us all to follow him....

As we gather together just like Jesus's disciples did in today's Gospel, Father Chuck reads Archbishop Sample's message for the 2024 Archbishop's Catholic Appeal. He encourages everyone to watch the video if they haven't already seen it and to get more insight on taking part in the Church's mission in Western Oregon by going to  https://JesusChangesEverything.church . Catholic Mass Readings for th...

What does Thomas's encounter with Jesus after the Resurrection really show us? We repeat his acknowledgement, "My Lord and my God", with the Transformation of the Body and Blood of Christ during Mass. But Jesus also reveals Himself to each of us according to our own unique situation, just as the risen Christ had four different types of encounters with His disciples. Let us pray that we and our nei...

Happy Easter! Allelluia, Christ is risen! Father Chuck reads a part of Pope Francis's beautiful Easter message for us. You can read the full message at: https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/urbi/documents/20240331-urbi-et-orbi-pasqua.html . (You may need to copy and paste the link.)  With the rolling back of the stone, Jesus is here for us in all of the circumstances of our lives....

At the Last Supper, Jesus models for us how to use God's full power for love in washing the disciples' feet. His death on the cross then brings us the depth of his selfless love as the Lamb of God. (Note: There is about 15 seconds of silence after the Holy Thursday homily, and the Good Friday homily starts at the 10-minute mark.) Catholic Mass readings for Holy Thursday, March 28, 2024 First Readi...

How can you experience a new Holy Week when it may seem so familiar? Let us bring our own suffering to be transformed for the glory of God's kingdom, where Jesus is the new temple and God's love and mercy continuously flow.   Catholic Mass Readings for Palm Sunday of the Lord, March 24, 2024 Procession: Mark 11: 1-10 or John 12: 12-16 First Reading: Isaiah 50: 4-7 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 22: 8-...

Did you know that it was Alexei Navalny's Christian faith which gave him courage and helped him to persevere? His death in a Russian prison reminds us to take seriously our 40 days in the Lenten wilderness. May his example help us be strengthened by Lent to live each day for our beliefs.   For Navalny's 2012 written exchange with another Russian dissident: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/odr/akun...

Did you know that your eternal life starts right here on earth? Because Christ is in us, we are here to do God's good works "on earth as it is in heaven". We can rejoice on Laetare Sunday that perseverance in our Lenten journey means that Easter is near. Catholic Mass Readings for the 4th Sunday of Lent, March 10, 2024 First Reading: Second Chronicles 36: 14-16, 19-23 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 13...

What do you take on your journey of faith? In today's readings and homily, we learn that we travel as a family and that prayer brings us God's power and wisdom for our pilgrimage together. Catholic Mass Readings for the Third Sunday of Lent, March 3, 2024 First Reading: Exodus 20: 1-17 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 19: 8, 9, 10, 11 Second Reading: First Corinthians 1: 22-25 Verse Before the Gospel: J...

Yes, you're reading that correctly - it's not a typo! Listen to today's homily to learn how we can become "revelationaries", joining both revered prophets and lowly criminals in revealing Jesus's glory. Let us pray for daily opportunities to reveal our faith in Jesus. Catholic Mass readings for the Second Sunday of Lent, February 25th, 2024 First Reading: Genesis 22: 1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18 Responso...

How are you approaching your Lenten resolutions? Today's homily helps us bring loving and truthful Perseverance to our Lenten practices. Jesus strengthens us with His Purpose to bring us closer to God, while the Holy Spirit's Power drives us on our Lenten journey. Catholic Mass Readings for the First Sunday of Lent, February 18, 2024 First Reading: Genesis 9: 8-15 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 25: 4-...

Did you ever think of Lent as a remodeling project? Listen to today's homily to learn how renovation can help us become a more pleasing dwelling place for God this coming Lenten season. Catholic Mass Readings for the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, February 11, 2024 First Reading: Leviticus 13: 1-2, 44-46 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 32: 1-2, 5, 11 Second Reading: First Corinthians 10: 31 – 11: 1 All...

Samuel "Sam" Andrew Jackson, Jr. (1934–2024) was, among other numerous praiseworthy qualities and achievements, a longtime leader among African American Catholics in the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon. With fitting symbolic poignance, he died on Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday, January 15. Fr. Chuck had the honor and privilege of presiding and preaching at the Funeral Mass at Immaculate Hear...

Although we often hear about "countless stars", we learn in today's Psalm that God counts the stars and calls each by name. God knows your name and counts you among the people chosen to fulfill His promise. Let us praise the Lord by sharing His care for our St. Elizabeth of Hungary stars. Catholic Mass Readings for the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, February 4, 2024 First Reading: Job 7: 1-4, 6-7...