Category: Homilies

Brothers and sisters, we should take care. There might be some hidden passion in us that keeps us from the Kingdom of God.

We may try to follow the Commandments; we might fast; we might pray; we might do good works in many ways, in many things, but we might have something we hold onto that is ungodly that keeps us from the Kingdom of Heaven.

This is the main story here today, about the rich man when he asks the topic that involves money and commandments.

But the take-home story is that there might be something wrong with you that you are not aware of. …

… This is one of the Kingdom of Heaven parables. Whenever you hear that in the Scriptures, it is about how you need to live, the kind of person you need to be to obtain Heaven. Since it describes the Kingdom of Heaven, perhaps some think maybe it is referring the hereafter. No, the Kingdom of Heaven parables are primarily about how to live now.

And He says, the Kingdom of Heaven is likened unto “something”, and then He describes some parable. Sometimes it’s long; sometimes it’s short, but it is always about how we should live. Sometimes there is an example also about how we should not live. But it’s always about how to obtain the Kingdom by applying the examples given to the way we live.

Our Lord begins the parable: …

“So likewise shall My Heavenly Father do also unto you,” the Lord says after the parable about the unmerciful debtor. And He begins the parable by saying: “The Kingdom of Heaven is likened unto.”

We see this many times in Scripture. Pay attention because constantly the Scripture is telling you what to imitate and what will happen if you do not imitate. The Scripture is full of examples of how we should live. All of the Kingdom of Heaven parables are of this format:

“The Kingdom of Heaven is likened unto.”

And the things that are being described are meant to tell us how we should live, how we should think, what we should feel, what is important, how we should be.

…

The disciples asked our Lord a question today in the first reading, brothers and sisters: “Why could we not cast him out?”

When you read the Scriptures, I’ve told you many times because this is very, very important – read them as if they are speaking to you. So this is not just a question about why the Apostles could not cast out a demon from the boy.

This is a question about: Why do I feel unhappy? Why do I have trouble with a relationship or with my marriage or with something that makes me sad all the time? Or why can I not do this thing that is good that I know I should do? Or why can I not stop doing this thing that is bad that I know I should not be doing?

The Lord answers all of these questions:
…

The Exorcism of the Lunatic Son
Why fast? Because this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting
What is faith like a mustard seed?
10th Sunday of Pentecost
Matthew 17:14-23
2009

We need many 4th watches in the night

Don’t be afraid of having feelings that are negative. Just don’t give in to them.
9th Sunday after Pentecost
Matthew 14:22-34. Also in Audio

he Lord coming to the disciples in dark of night, after they had struggled for hours with dangerous wind and rain describes many times in our life. Although the disciples were without Christ in body during their struggle, they were not really alone, as He was praying and aware of their needs. So it is with us. When the Lord comes to us in the midst of our struggles, do we recognize him, or are we of “little faith”?.

Also available in audio and video.