Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church: Catholic Sunday Homilies

The Holy Spirit is Revealed to those who follow Christ: Or at least seeking to!

Jesus promises to send a Holy Spirit after his resurrection and ascension to guide us to all truth.  But he also says it’s given to those who follow his commandments. God respects our free will and so we must make the first step to follow Jesus in the context of the church to discern the fulness of what the Holy Spirit is revealing to us. 

Why is Love One Another a New Command? (Jn 13:31-35) (5 ET)

Jesus changes the Old Testament command from Leviticus as love your neighbor as yourself to the new command to love one another as I have loved you. It’s new in three ways, 1) that commands we love all people, 2) that it commands we love as Jesus loved, and 3) it is new because it is His love in us by the power of the Holy Spirit. And so Jesus’s instructions to us to love one another makes God present in our world and glorifies Him. 

Can We Be As Smart As Sheep? (Jn 10:27-30)

People think of sheep as dumb. But if we have Jesus as our Shepherd, may we be as smart as sheep and follow him! Salvation is more than just "Believing in Jesus" but it is to know Him, hear His voice, and Follow Him. That is so much more. To hear God's voice is called discernment, and it is not as mysterious as we sometimes think. We can too hear God's voice. Here is one way how: The LISTEN process of discernment. 

The Gospel Vision Gives Direction and Brings Meaning, Immortality, and Love (Jn 21:1-19)

This Gospel gives us a vision of Life's Meaning and Purpose. Living that vision satisfies three of our deepest desires; Purpose, Immortality, and Love.  Why not live it? Let's make that decision today!

The Story of the Resurrection Seemed Like Nonsense to Them: Can You BlameThem? (Lk 24:1-12)

If one is honest, it is very understandable why many say the Resurrection, and all we are told about Jesus the Lord, seems like none sense. However, if one takes the time to look at the evidence, it no longer seems like nonsense, but seems possible. But evidence alone cannot bring faith. That takes a miracle! But the evidence can convince us to ask Jesus to reveal Himself to us. To show us the Truth. To help us experience His love. And if we do that with an open heart, He will. How can we know that, because in John Chapter 14 He promises that! He is Risen, and is looking for your response!

The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Lk 22:14-56) Palm Sunday

A reading of the Passion of Jesus Christ according to St. Luke. With a very brief reflection after. 

If We Are All Sinners, How Can Jesus Command that We Sin No More? (Jn 8:1-11)

The woman caught in adultery represents all of us. Jesus stands in our place, taking our condemnation for sin, enduring it's punishment of death, so we may live. We are all sinners, guilty of being unfaithful to God's Love. Yet with the new life Jesus wins for us, we can "Sin no more" if we live in His love, in relationship with Him, and avoid anything that would harm that relationship, or separate us from Him.

Could ”A Good Catholic” Not be Saved? (Lk 15:1-3,11-32)

There may be no more of a beautiful and tender story in the Gospel showing how God, liked to Merciful Father embracing and kissing his son who was a great sinner, is. As beautiful and helpful this story of reconciliation is, ultimately the parable is really about the older son who represents those who might consider themselves "Religious" or "Good Catholics".  In this parable the older son refused to enter the Father's Joy, and the banquette representing heaven, because he failed to forgive his brother as God had forgiven him.  We cannot enter into heaven unless we too forgive others. Yes this is very difficult, but we can, if we understand what it really means to forgive another, and why it is so important. 

Our Deepest Thirst is For God’s Love: But He Thirsts for Us Too! (Jn 4:5-42) (3 LT)

We are not asked to turn from sin by our own power. God meets us in our sinful state, and pours His Love into our Hearts by the power of the Holy Spirit, to draw us from slavery of sin to the fullness of life in His Holy Spirit, the Living Water, the Gift God died to give us! 

An Ah Ha Moment: The Transfiguration Reveals God’s Entire Plan of Salvation (Lk 9:28b-36) (2 LT)

The one scene of the Transfiguration reveals all that God has done in the life death and resurrection of Jesus. Our salvation is a New Covenant, patterned on the first covenant, and foretold by all the prophets. This scene also strengthens us for our Exodus, from the slavery of sin and death to the promised land of eternal life. God has entered into a relationship with us, a covenant, and has promised to faithfully love us and care for us all the days of our life, till we spend eternity with him in heaven our promised land. Each Eucharist is also a Transcendent moment where we consummate that marriage with God truly present, and we are transfigured into His Glory. So this lent, let us take time to climb the mountain, enter into prayer with scripture and sacrament, to encounter our God, so he can reveal to us more about our life's journey.