Homily from the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. Jesus came to establish a Church. The Church is an essential part of God's Kingdom on earth. Jesus is the King. Peter (and his successors) are the stewards of the King. This role has the authority to teach, guide, and govern. Mass Readings from June 29, 2025: Acts 12:1-11 Psalm 34:2-92 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18 Matthew 16:13-19
Homily from the Solemnity of Corpus Christi. Jesus did not say "Read this in memory of Me." He said "Do this in memory of Me." The greatest gift Jesus gave us is Himself in the Eucharist. And yet, even people who love Jesus very much can miss this gift without the guidance and teaching of the Church. Mass Readings from June 22, 2025: Genesis 14:18-20 Psalm 110:1-41 Corinthians 11:23-26 Luke 9:11-17
Homily from the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. Even when the Bible seems clear, earnest Christians can get it wrong. We need a Church to tell us when we are wrong. The most important revelation of God is His own identity. From the beginning, Christians have needed more than the words of Sacred Scripture to guide them into all truth. We have needed the Holy Spirit leading the Church through error to know the depths of God's identity. Mass Readings from June 15, 2025: Proverbs 8:22-31 Psalm 8...
Homily from Pentecost Sunday. Without an infallible Teacher, an infallible Book is a worthless book. The Church is messy. But it is also holy. And has been given the ability and the authority of Jesus to teach. Even in the midst of the brokenness of the human element of the Church, the Church is still the Infallible Teacher of Divine Revelation. Mass Readings from June 7, 2025: Acts 2:1-11 Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 341 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13 John 20:19-23
Homily from the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord. Jesus didn't give us the Bible. He gave us the Church. And the Church gave us the Bible. All Christians believe in the 27 books of the New Testament. We all believe these books are the inspired Word of God based on the authority of the Church to recognize this truth and teach it. The same Church has the authority to declare the 46 books of the Old Testament as well. June 1, 2025: Acts 7:55-60 Psalm 97:1-2, 6-7, 9Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, ...
Homily from the Sixth Sunday of Easter. Do we rely on the Bible alone? The Church is not optional. When there is a question that is not covered explicitly in the Bible (and even when it is), where do we look for guidance? Mass Readings from May 25, 2025: Acts 15:1-2, 22-29 Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8Revelation 21:10-14, 22-23 John 14:23-29
Homily from the Fifth Sunday of Easter. Life is difficult. You don't have to move on alone. In a difficult life and a difficult mission, Paul had someone with him who helped him continue to do the work he was called to do. Paul had someone who helped him move on. Mass Readings from May 18, 2025: Acts 14:21-27 Psalm 145:8-13Revelation 21:1-5 John 13:31-33a, 34-35
Homily from the Fourth Sunday of Easter. We get the behavior we are willing to tolerate. There are times when we need to establish boundaries...even with the people we love. Even as Christians, we need to choose and clearly communicate what we are able to or willing to tolerate. Mass Readings from May 11, 2025: Acts 13:14, 43-52 Psalm 100:1-2, 3, 5Revelation 7:9, 14b-17 John 10:27-30
Homily from the Third Sunday of Easter To be restored, we must revisit the place of ruin. When we are called to move on, we may need to revisit the places in our lives that need healing in order to allow the Lord to change our future. Mass Readings from May, 4th, 2025: Acts 5:27-32, 40b-41 Psalm 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11-12, 13Revelation 5:11-14 John 21:1-19
Homily from the Second Sunday of Easter, Sunday of Divine Mercy Five words that can change your life. Life is filled with change and uncertainty. But there is one thing that is stable and unchanging. Mass Readings from April, 27, 2025:Acts 5:12-16 Psalm 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24Revelation 1:9-11a, 12-13, 17-19 John 20:29
Homily from the The Resurrection of the Lord, The Mass of Easter Day Get up and do what you can. We know that darkness is real. And death is real. But darkness and death are not the end. There are some things that never die...Faith...Love...the Promise of eternal life. Mass Readings from April, 20, 2025: Acts 10:34a, 37-43 Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23Colossians 3:1-4 or 1 Corinthians 5:6b-8 John 20:1-9
Homily from Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion This is not the end of the Story, but it had to happen for the Story to go on. The Passion of Christ is not the end of the Story, but we must pause and reflect on it. It is the lens through which we see: What love looks like when it costs everything, what sin looks like when we can see the wounds, and what mercy looks like when it refuses to give up. Mass Readings from April, 18, 2025: Isaiah 52:13—53:12 Psalm 31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-16, 17, 25Hebrews 4:1...
Homily from Holy Thursday, Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper He loved them to the end. One of the characteristics that marks modern man is that we find ourselves angry at God. In fact, we are so angry that we would be willing to hurt God if we could. Yet, God is invulnerable. He cannot be hurt. Still, God chose to step into this world and love us...while making Himself vulnerable. Mass Readings from April, 17, 2025: Isaiah 61:1-3a, 6a, 8b-9 Psalm 116:12-13, 15-16bc, 17-18.1 Corinthians 11:23-26 ...
Homily from Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion. Thank God ahead of time. We often put off joy and praise and peace. We are tempted to be preoccupied with wanting to be "there" or wanting to be "done" with whatever we are working on or whatever we are doing. Yet, as Catholics, we are called to be "here". We can best live "on the way" when we don't wait to thank God; when we thank God before we are "there". We can thank God right here. Mass Readings from April 13, 2025: Isaiah 50:4-7 Psalm 22:8-9, ...
Homily from the Fifth Sunday in Lent. We run out of all hope...and then Jesus. The Dead End is a necessary place of the way. The location where we run out of our own skill and our own strength and find ourselves completely unable to move forward on our own. In the midst of the dead end...and then Jesus. Mass Readings from April 6, 2025: Isaiah 43:16-21 Psalm 126:1-6Philippians 3:8-14 John 8:1-11
Homily from the Fourth Sunday of Lent. To look like Jesus, we must learn how to live in the Presence of the Father. When it comes to our relationship with the Father, too often it is marked by hiding our hearts or avoiding His gaze. But we must learn how to live like Jesus, who remained in the Father's Presence at all times and with profound trust. Mass Readings from March 30, 2025: Joshua 5:9, 10-12 Psalm 34:2-72 Corinthians 5:17-21 Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
Homily from the Third Sunday of Lent. We all want peak moments, but growth happens in the Valley. Why do we walk through valleys? What good is life in the valley? Is it only a negative? Is it always a punishment from God? Or could the valley be necessary? Mass Readings from March 23, 2025: Exodus 3:1-8, 13-15 Psalm 103: 1-4, 6-8, 111 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12 Luke 13:1-9
Homily from the Second Sunday of Lent. A big life is a series of small crossroads. Life happens at the crossroads. Life is also a series of small crossroads that might seem insignificant, but add up to a life of beauty and meaning...or a life potentially wasted. Mass Readings from March 16, 2025: Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18 Psalms 27:1, 7-9, 13-14Philippians 3:17—4:1 Luke 9:28b-36
Homily from the First Sunday of Lent. The only way out is through. As we enter into the desert, the desert takes away the things we tend to trust in...the things we use as comforts and crutches...and we are led through the "training place" to the place of being able to live like Christ. Mass Readings from March 9, 2025: Deuteronomy 26:4-10 Psalm 91:1-2, 10-15Romans 10:8-13 Luke 4:1-13
Homily from the Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Silence reveals our hearts and silence trains our hearts. As we enter into the place of training, we realize that there are certain things that reveal the condition of our hearts...trial, tribulation, speech, and silence. But we need to consciously enter into these if we are going to know ourselves and be trained in the way of Christ. Mass Readings from March 2, 2025: Sirach 27:4-7 Psalm 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-161 Corinthians 15:54-58 Luke 6:39-45...
Fr. Mike Schmitz discusses the challenging Gospel message of loving our enemies, explaining how this call to mercy builds upon the Old Testament's teachings of justice and dignity. He explores the concept of the Jubilee year as a model for forgiveness and freedom, and provides practical steps for loving those who have hurt us, emphasizing that this love is ultimately a reflection of God's love for us.
Homily from the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time. We live in this life, but we live for the next life. Jesus turns our fears and our hopes upside down...because through the Resurrection, Jesus has turned the world upside down. Mass Readings from February 16, 2025: Jeremiah 17:5-8 Psalms 1:1-4 & 61 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20 Luke 6:17, 20-26
Homily from the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time. There are two requirements: Be available and be willing to try. There are times when the future is so uncertain and so unknown that we hesitate to move. But since we know that God is with us, He has a call on our lives, and His grace is active...we can take the next step without fear. Mass Readings from February 9, 2025: Isaiah 6:1-2, 3-8 Psalms 138:1-5, 7-81 Corinthians 15:1-11 Luke 5:1-11
Homily from the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. Do what you know, where you are. What is the Greatest Thing you will ever do? What if the Greatest Thing is not something you accomplish, but who you become? Mass Readings from February 2, 2025: Malachi 3:1-4 Psalms 24:7-10Hebrews 2:14-18 Luke 2:22-40
Homily from the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time. You've been given a great work, and must not come down. Since you have been made on purpose, there are two ways to live: on purpose and off purpose. But if a person has been made to be great and set apart for a purpose, why would they ever choose to live off purpose? The common culprits are distraction, forgetting, comparison, and living a shadow mission. Mass Readings from January 26, 2025: Nehemiah 8:2-6, 8-10 Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 151 Corinthians 12...
Homily from the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time. Why be great? A powerful goal in life is to be great. To be able to say, "I am good at this" regardless of comparison, but with an eye towards real excellence. At the same time, even when we have a goal and have a plan, we all need to be motivated by WHY. Mass Readings from January 19, 2025: Isaiah 62:1-5 Psalm 96:1-3, 7-101 Corinthians 12:4-11 John 2:1-11
Homily from the Baptism of the Lord. You've been claimed at the lowest point. The Baptism of the Lord is a mystery. The mystery of how Christ comes into contact with the water...and it does not change Him; He changes it. This is the pattern from this moment on: Christ comes into contact with us, claims us, and changes us. Mass Readings from January 12, 2025: Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7 Psalms 29:1-4, 9-10Acts 10:34-38 Luke 3:15-16, 21-22
Homily from the Epiphany of the Lord. There is something powerful about optimism. Optimistic people are more likely to be risk takers and more likely to have a positive view of life. But optimistic people also have to have something stronger than mere "wishful thinking" to lean on when their own strength runs out. Mass Readings from January 5, 2025: Isaiah 60:1-6 Psalms 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-13.Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6 Matthew 2:1-12
Homily from the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God. When we know God's will, we must respond with "yes". There are truly horrible and troubling things that can happen in each one of our lives. And yet, at every moment, we have the opportunity to respond in faith and love. Our response of trust can be summed up in one word: "Yes". Mass Readings from January 1, 2025: Numbers 6:22-27 Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8Galatians 4:4-7 Luke 2:16-21
Homily from the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Make it your ambition to live a quiet life. In a world where so many people live their lives "on display," the Holy Family shows us what it is to live a quiet (and meaningful) life. Mass Readings from December 29, 2024: Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14 Psalms 128:1-5Colossians 3:12-21 Luke 2:41-52
