SJBExcelsior Podcast

In this week's readings we hear about the two greatest commandments: You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. Although these are easier said than done, once we receive the love that the Lord has to offer, we are able to give love to others for freely.

Even though we all are made in God's image, he made each one of us unique. In the words of St. Carlo Acutis, let us not become photocopies but stay as originals.

The feast of the Kingdom of Heaven is a universal feast, a feast for all. Therefore we must accept the invitation ourselves and in turn extend the invitation to others.

When we get anxiety, it can be easy to try to deal with it on our own. But the beautiful thing is we don’t have to. We serve a graciously giving God who wants to help us. Let us humble ourselves and ask Him for help.

The Lord is constantly knocking on the door to our heart, reminding us to turn back to Him and stay with Him.

Jesus uses this parable to show that life in the Kingdom of Heaven is not a transactional reward based on who worked the hardest or the longest. Instead, God’s grace, mercy, and salvation are freely given gifts of love, inviting us to celebrate when others receive His blessings rather than giving in to envy.

When someone wrongs us, it is easy to hang onto the anger and bitterness we feel. However, to continue to live in these feelings keeps us from living like Christ. We must be merciful as Christ is merciful with us.

We are called to love one another. This sometimes looks like fraternal correction. But before we implement fraternal correction, we must build a relationship.

When it comes to our suffering, it can be easy to think that we are far from the Lord and that the Lord has abandoned us. However, the Lord allows suffering as a way to grow closer to Him. So we must ask ourselves, what do we do with our suffering?

The story of Peter and his role as the first pope is very important to us Catholics. Pray for Pope Leo, that he would be able to lead us and guide us with the authority he has been given.

We must not give up on the Lord when our prayers are answered in silence but instead we must remain persistent and continue to go to the Lord.

Fr. James Huvane speaks about the mission work of Maryknoll in this year's Mission Appeal.

Fulfillment is never going to come from worldly things. We long for God.

If we want to grow in the spiritual life, we need to spend time in prayer. We might find it hard, but the Holy Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness, and helps us to pray. The Holy Spirit is the master of the interior life. May we let him work in our hearts.

Fr. Carlson dives into why Jesus speaks in parables, and begins to unpack the parable of the sower.

God calls us into a unique relationship with Him. May we humble ourselves to realize that we can’t do this on our own, and acknowledge that we need God.

Are we in right order? Do we follow the instructions of Jesus clearly, and do we know what He’s actually saying? Fr. Andy McAlpin O.P. invites us to see how Jesus calls us to put first things first, in right order.

What do we fear? Fr. Carlson speaks to this in his homily this past Sunday.

Who, or what, do we worship? Do we worship God or do we worship our job? Someone else? Sports? Money? Fr. Carlson speaks about right worship in his homily this past Sunday.

God loves the world. This may seem like a simple point, but it's one we always have to remember.

What happens when Jesus ascends to heaven? We hear in the Nicene Creed that he is - “seated at the right hand of the Father.” What does it mean for a king to sit down on his throne? It means he’s been victorious.

Fr. Carlson speaks about the great gift of Confirmation. We are never alone. We always have the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, with us.

"The Church is the sheepfold whose one and indispensable door is Christ." - Lumen Gentium

Fr. Josh Brown dives into the significance of Baptism on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord this past Sunday.

During the Advent season, we hear a recurring theme of light. Light helps us to see clearly, through darkness. Advent is a time to rekindle the flame inside us - the living flame of our relationship with Christ. When we do this, we put on the armor of Christ and it transforms us.