Homily 4th Sunday of Easter: April 21st

Here is my homily from Sunday April 21st, the Fourth Sunday of Easter.

I'm back

Hello All,

I've been really bad about updating my blog recently.  

I am going to try to make a greater effort to post things more consistently.

Feel free to send me an email if I'm getting lazy again and remind me to post more stuff.

A beautiful prayer and song

Hello all,

Some of you may know that I am a big fan of bluegrass music.  One of my favorite bluegrass artists is Alison Krauss and Union Station.  I came across this song last night and it brought me to tears.

I really feel as if she put to song (in her angelic voice) a very personal prayer of mine.

Enjoy!

Homily: Holy Family Sunday Dec. 30th 2012

Hello all,

For some reason I did not share this homily with you.

I received an email from someone asking me for it and I went back and looked and I found the recording of this homily.  If not it would have been lost to time and eternity.

Thanks again to Adam for recording this.

Homily: Epiphany Sunday

Hello all,

Here is my homily from Epiphany Sunday.  
I'm grateful to Adam who records this from time to time.  His work saves me a lot of time typing out my homily, illustrating it, and posting it here.

A very cute Christmas video from New Zealand

What should we do?!?

In the gospel reading this past Sunday the crowds asked John the Baptist, "What should we do?!?"

John had inspired them to actively prepare the way for the coming of the Lord and they wanted to do something.  

I think we are feeling the same thing... what should we do?

Our tragedy has us feeling helpless, powerless, hollow, and vulnerable.  We want to do something.  We want to respond with action.

I firmly believe that we can only make the world a better place if we change.  The difficult truth is that I can't... you can't... no one can make another person better.

We only have control over ourselves.  

Our world really is about people.  If the people are selfish, angry, or violent then our world will be.

If we change our lives then we can really make the world a better place.  The answer to our question, "What should we do?!?" is to grow in holiness, charity, compassion, kindness, patience, tolerance, and love.

I'm not John the Baptist... but this is what I'll tell you to do.

Give something significant to the poor/a charity and make that a habit.
Pray for at least a few minutes a day.
Smile.
Do something nice for the person in your daily life that annoys you the most.  Make this a habit.
Be patient in traffic.  Make this a habit.
Smile!!!
Watch at least 1/2 hour less of TV a day... make that a habit.
SMILE!!! (this is important)
Get some exercise.
Get a bit more sleep.

These are some basic things that you can do that really will help you become a holier person.  

You can only change yourself.  If you do that you will really make the world a better place.