John the Baptizer’s dad, Zechariah, is mute. He can’t speak, for when the angel Gabriel had told him that he would have a son, he did not believe. He was too old. His wife, Elizabeth, had already gone through menopause. So, of course he didn’t believe. And so, God judged the lips that denied His […]
Parable of the Seed: Mark 4:26-34
June 17, 2012 by
A question I have sometimes pondered is this: “Does preaching do any good?” When I look at how many lives are NOT changed based on what I’ve preached, I can all-too-easily conclude that sermons are a waste of time. What do you think? But the real question isn’t what we may think, but what Jesus […]
2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1: Looking On What You Cannot See
June 11, 2012 by
Visiting Seminarian Mark Hunsaker’s Sermon: A few years ago, my youngest daughter Ally came to me with a very important request. She said: “Daddy, I want to see Jesus.” I would think any dad would love to have his child pose such a request and I was no different. Just as the buttons were about […]
Holy Trinity: John 3:1-17
June 3, 2012 by
Paradox: That’s an underlying reality for the Feast of the Holy Trinity. For the Holy Trinity is the paradox of all paradoxes. And what is a paradox? It’s a seeming contradiction that may still be true. Would you like an example of a paradox? How about this? “And the catholic faith is this: We worship […]
Pentecost: Acts 2:1-21
May 27, 2012 by
This past week in our liturgical, Church calendar, we’ve been in limbo. We’ve been existing between two realities. We celebrated our Lord’s ascension into heaven. But since the Ascension, we’ve been waiting. We’ve been waiting for this day. Like the Apostles of old, we’ve been listening to our Lord’s instructions to “wait in Jerusalem until […]
Jesus’ Ascension: Acts 1:1-11
May 20, 2012 by
No matter who we are, at one time or another, life’s frustrating events have left their abusive marks on us. It’s not a matter of if. It’s a matter of when, for we are talking about life in this fallen world, where this world’s sin and chaos ramrod our tidy and ordered lives. It was […]
In Love, Jesus Chose You: John 15:9-17
May 14, 2012 by
All religions demand some form of obedience. Now that doesn’t mean that all religions are the same. For God has only revealed Christianity to be true. That’s because Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God. He is the One-and-Only of the Father. He not only reveals to us the Father’s love, but He […]
Acts 8:26-40: What is to keep me from being baptized?
May 6, 2012 by
An angel of the Lord sends Philip chasing after a chariot. A eunuch from Ethiopia is reading the Prophet Isaiah. He reads about Jesus but doesn’t know that. Then he comes to some water and is baptized. The Gospel is a messy business, isn’t it? We don’t like it messy. We prefer our life with God […]
Jesus, Still Flesh of Our Flesh and Bone of Our Bone: Luke 24:39-49
April 22, 2012 by
How do you know that something is true? That’s a crucial question these days, especially when truth looks as if it is becoming an endangered species. Sometimes, we think that science is the way to get to the truth. That’s why we often find the phrase, “Studies have shown” to be persuasive. Although you may […]
