Formation | A Podcast from Mundelein Seminary

Homily for Luke 16:19-31 Jesus said to the Pharisees: "There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man's table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores. When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames.' Abraham replied, 'My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented. Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours.' He said, 'Then I beg you, father, send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment.' But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.' He said, 'Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' Then Abraham said, 'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.'"  

In this Rector Reflection, Fr. Kartje encourages us to be a ‘Giant of Faith' where lived faith should move us for all of our life.

Homily for Mt 14:1-12 Herod the tetrarch heard of the reputation of Jesus and said to his servants, “This man is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why mighty powers are at work in him.” Now Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, for John had said to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” Although he wanted to kill him, he feared the people, for they regarded him as a prophet. But at a birthday celebration for Herod, the daughter of Herodias performed a dance before the guests and delighted Herod so much that he swore to give her whatever she might ask for. Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and the guests who were present, he ordered that it be given, and he had John beheaded in the prison. His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who took it to her mother. His disciples came and took away the corpse and buried him; and they went and told Jesus.  

Homily:  Luke 10:25-37 There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus said to him, "What is written in the law? How do you read it?" He said in reply, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself." He replied to him, "You have answered correctly; do this and you will live." But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" Jesus replied, "A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn, and cared for him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, 'Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.' Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers' victim?" He answered, "The one who treated him with mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."  

Homily for Matthew 9:14-17 The disciples of John approached Jesus and said, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast much, but your disciples do not fast?” Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. No one patches an old cloak with a piece of unshrunken cloth, for its fullness pulls away from the cloak and the tear gets worse. People do not put new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined. Rather, they pour new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”  

Homily for Luke 9:51-62 When the days for Jesus' being taken up were fulfilled, he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem, and he sent messengers ahead of him. On the way they entered a Samaritan village to prepare for his reception there, but they would not welcome him because the destination of his journey was Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?” Jesus turned and rebuked them, and they journeyed to another village. As they were proceeding on their journey someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” And to another he said, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.” But he answered him, “Let the dead bury their dead. But you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” And another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say farewell to my family at home.” To him Jesus said, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Homily for John 16:12-15 Jesus said to his disciples: "I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you." If you would like to receive these reflections to your email, sign up: usml.edu/rector-reflections/ Support the Seminary Submit Prayer Intentions  Thank you for subscribing to Formation! Please spread the word to your family, friends and parish community about this podcast. Please rate and review this podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts so that others can discover it more easily. Together with you in Christ, we are Mundelein. We form parish priests and those who collaborate with them in ministry.

Homily for John 21:20-25 Peter turned and saw the disciple following whom Jesus loved, the one who had also reclined upon his chest during the supper and had said, “Master, who is the one who will betray you?” When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus said to him, “What if I want him to remain until I come? What concern is it of yours?  You follow me.” So the word spread among the brothers that that disciple would not die. But Jesus had not told him that he would not die, just “What if I want him to remain until I come? What concern is it of yours?” It is this disciple who testifies to these things and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true. There are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written. If you would like to receive these reflections to your email, sign up: usml.edu/rector-reflections/ Support the Seminary Submit Prayer Intentions  Thank you for subscribing to Formation! Please spread the word to your family, friends and parish community about this podcast. Please rate and review this podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts so that others can discover it more easily. Together with you in Christ, we are Mundelein. We form parish priests and those who collaborate with them in ministry.

Homily for John 17:20-26 Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed saying: “Holy Father, I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me. And I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may be brought to perfection as one, that the world may know that you sent me, and that you loved them even as you loved me. Father, they are your gift to me. I wish that where I am they also may be with me, that they may see my glory that you gave me, because you loved me before the foundation of the world. Righteous Father, the world also does not know you, but I know you, and they know that you sent me. I made known to them your name and I will make it known, that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in them.” If you would like to receive these reflections to your email, sign up: usml.edu/rector-reflections/ Support the Seminary Submit Prayer Intentions  Thank you for subscribing to Formation! Please spread the word to your family, friends and parish community about this podcast. Please rate and review this podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts so that others can discover it more easily. Together with you in Christ, we are Mundelein. We form parish priests and those who collaborate with them in the ministry.  

Homily for John 15:15-21 Jesus said to his disciples: “If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you. Remember the word I spoke to you, ‘No slave is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. And they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me.” If you would like to receive these reflections to your email, sign up: usml.edu/rector-reflections/ Support the Seminary Submit Prayer Intentions  Thank you for subscribing to Formation! Please spread the word to your family, friends and parish community about this podcast. Please rate and review this podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts so that others can discover it more easily. Together with you in Christ, we are Mundelein. We form parish priests and those who collaborate with them in the ministry.

Homily for John 13:31-33a, 34-35 When Judas had left them, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and God will glorify him at once. My children, I will be with you only a little while longer. I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” If you would like to receive these reflections to your email, sign up: usml.edu/rector-reflections/ Support the Seminary Submit Prayer Intentions  Thank you for subscribing to Formation! Please spread the word to your family, friends and parish community about this podcast. Please rate and review this podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts so that others can discover it more easily. Together with you in Christ, we are Mundelein. We form parish priests.

In this episode of the Formation podcast, we chat with Bishop Robert Barron '86 about his long history with Mundelein Seminary--from his first visit to campus as a college seminarian, his time as a student, his return as a faculty member and his tenure as rector. He also discusses the inspiration of Cardinal Mundelein, his favorite memories and spots on campus, and his hopes for the future of Mundelein Seminary. Thank you for subscribing to Formation! Please spread the word to your family, friends and parish community about this podcast. Please rate and review this podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts so that others can discover it more easily. Together with you in Christ, we are Mundelein. We form parish priests. Support the seminary: https://usml.edu/support/ Submit prayer intentions: https://usml.edu/prayers/

If you would like to receive these reflections to your email, sign up: usml.edu/rector-reflections/ Support the Seminary Submit Prayer Intentions  Thank you for subscribing to Formation! Please spread the word to your family, friends and parish community about this podcast. Please rate and review this podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts so that others can discover it more easily. Together with you in Christ, we are Mundelein. We form parish priests.

In this episode, alumnus Father Greg Sakowicz '79 and former Mundelein Seminary staff member Mark Teresi, who both now work at Holy Name Cathedral in the Archdiocese of Chicago, reminisce about their time on campus and ongoing association with the seminary. They also tell some fascinating stories about Cardinal Mundelein and the history of the campus in its centennial year. Father Greg will be co-hosting the Celebration of Mundelein on Thursday, April 21. Click here to reserve tickets and get more information. Support the Seminary Submit Prayer Intentions  Thank you for subscribing to Formation! Please spread the word to your family, friends and parish community about this podcast. Please rate and review this podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts so that others can discover it more easily. Together with you in Christ, we are Mundelein. We form parish priests.

Homily for John 5:17-30 Jesus answered the Jews: “My Father is at work until now, so I am at work.” For this reason they tried all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the sabbath but he also called God his own father, making himself equal to God. Jesus answered and said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, the Son cannot do anything on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for what he does, the Son will do also. For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything that he himself does, and he will show him greater works than these, so that you may be amazed. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives life, so also does the Son give life to whomever he wishes. Nor does the Father judge anyone, but he has given all judgment to the Son, so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes in the one who sent me has eternal life and will not come to condemnation, but has passed from death to life. Amen, amen, I say to you, the hour is coming and is now here when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in himself, so also he gave to the Son the possession of life in himself. And he gave him power to exercise judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not be amazed at this, because the hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and will come out, those who have done good deeds to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked deeds to the resurrection of condemnation. “I cannot do anything on my own; I judge as I hear, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will but the will of the one who sent me.” If you would like to receive these reflections to your email, sign up: usml.edu/rector-reflections/ Support the Seminary Submit Prayer Intentions  Thank you for subscribing to Formation! Please spread the word to your family, friends and parish community about this podcast. Please rate and review this podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts so that others can discover it more easily. Together with you in Christ, we are Mundelein. We form parish priests.

In this final episode from the Holy Land, hosts Kevin Gregus and Dan Korenchan of the Archdiocese of Chicago welcome special guest Michael Mehringer of the Archdiocese of Chicago to reminisce about all the incredible experiences they had during their time on pilgrimage. Catch up on all the blog posts from the Holy Land: www.usml.edu/pilgrimage Support the Seminary Submit Prayer Intentions  Thank you for subscribing to Formation! Please spread the word to your family, friends and parish community about this podcast. Please rate and review this podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts so that others can discover it more easily. Together with you in Christ, we are Mundelein. We form parish priests.

Homily for Matthew 20:17-28 As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the Twelve disciples aside by themselves, and said to them on the way, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.” Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something. He said to her, “What do you wish?” She answered him, “Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom.” Jesus said in reply, “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?” They said to him, “We can.” He replied, “My chalice you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” When the ten heard this, they became indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus summoned them and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Father John Kartje's homily references the 2022 Albert Cardinal Meyer lecture delivered by Bishop Robert Barron on April 10-11. You can watch the lecture and faculty responses by clicking here. If you would like to receive these reflections to your email, sign up: usml.edu/rector-reflections/ Support the Seminary Submit Prayer Intentions  Thank you for subscribing to Formation! Please spread the word to your family, friends and parish community about this podcast. Please rate and review this podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts so that others can discover it more easily. Together with you in Christ, we are Mundelein. We form parish priests.

Holy Land podcast hosts Kevin Gregus and Dan Korenchan of the Archdiocese of Chicago welcome special guest Alan Soto Hopkins of the Diocese of Tucson to catch us up on their adventures in Jerusalem as they approach the end of their time in the Holy Land. Sign up to receive updates via email: www.usml.edu/pilgrimage Support the Seminary Submit Prayer Intentions  Thank you for subscribing to Formation! Please spread the word to your family, friends and parish community about this podcast. Please rate and review this podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts so that others can discover it more easily. Together with you in Christ, we are Mundelein. We form parish priests.

Homily for Luke 9:28b-36 Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray. While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem. Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But he did not know what he was saying. While he was still speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.” After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. They fell silent and did not at that time tell anyone what they had seen. If you would like to receive these reflections to your email, sign up: usml.edu/rector-reflections/ Support the Seminary Submit Prayer Intentions  Thank you for subscribing to Formation! Please spread the word to your family, friends and parish community about this podcast. Please rate and review this podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts so that others can discover it more easily. Together with you in Christ, we are Mundelein. We form parish priests.

Holy Land podcast hosts Kevin Gregus and Dan Korenchan of the Archdiocese of Chicago welcome special guest Alex Lorang of the Diocese of Joliet to catch us up on their recent activities, including the privileged opportunity to take a canonical retreat near the Sea of Galilee in preparation for their diaconate ordination in the spring. They reflect on the graces received from the silent retreat and how it affirmed their vocational calling to the priesthood. Sign up to receive updates via email: www.usml.edu/pilgrimage Support the Seminary Submit Prayer Intentions  Thank you for subscribing to Formation! Please spread the word to your family, friends and parish community about this podcast. Please rate and review this podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts so that others can discover it more easily. Together with you in Christ, we are Mundelein. We form parish priests.

Homily for Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 Jesus said to his disciples: “Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. “When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. “When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.” If you would like to receive these reflections to your email, sign up: usml.edu/rector-reflections/ Support the Seminary Submit Prayer Intentions  Thank you for subscribing to Formation! Please spread the word to your family, friends and parish community about this podcast. Please rate and review this podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts so that others can discover it more easily. Together with you in Christ, we are Mundelein. We form parish priests.

Homily for Mark 9:38-40 John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.” Jesus replied, “Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us.” If you would like to receive these reflections to your email, sign up: usml.edu/rector-reflections/ Support the Seminary Submit Prayer Intentions  Thank you for subscribing to Formation! Please spread the word to your family, friends and parish community about this podcast. Please rate and review this podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts so that others can discover it more easily. Together with you in Christ, we are Mundelein. We form parish priests.

Homily for Mark 8: 22-26 When Jesus and his disciples arrived at Bethsaida, people brought to him a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. Putting spittle on his eyes he laid his hands on the man and asked, “Do you see anything?” Looking up the man replied, “I see people looking like trees and walking.” Then he laid hands on the man's eyes a second time and he saw clearly; his sight was restored and he could see everything distinctly. Then he sent him home and said, “Do not even go into the village.”   If you would like to receive these reflections to your email, sign up: usml.edu/rector-reflections/ Support the Seminary Submit Prayer Intentions  Thank you for subscribing to Formation! Please spread the word to your family, friends and parish community about this podcast. Please rate and review this podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts so that others can discover it more easily. Together with you in Christ, we are Mundelein. We form parish priests.

Throughout our centennial celebration, we have hosted a tour of Holy Hours for Vocations at nearby parishes using a historic monstrance that was a gift from Pope Pius the eleventh to Cardinal Mundelein. It was first used at the 1926 International Eucharistic Congress held in Chicago, the first such congress to be held in the United States. The monstrance displayed the Eucharist during a procession around the Mundelein Seminary campus with 800,000 people in attendance. At a recent Holy Hour for Vocations at Saint Mary Immaculate Parish in Plainfield, Deacon Greg Alberts of the Diocese of Joliet, who will be ordained to the priesthood in the spring, offered inspiring remarks about his gratitude for his time in formation at Mundelein Seminary and the role that every Catholic has to play in fostering and supporting vocations to the priesthood. Listen to his remarks and consider joining us for an upcoming Holy Hour. The full schedule of the tour can be found by visiting www.mundelein100.org. Support the Seminary Submit Prayer Intentions  Thank you for subscribing to Formation! Please spread the word to your family, friends and parish community about this podcast. Please rate and review this podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts so that others can discover it more easily. Together with you in Christ, we are Mundelein. We form parish priests.

Homily for Mark 7:14-23 Jesus summoned the crowd again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile.”  When he got home away from the crowd his disciples questioned him about the parable. He said to them, “Are even you likewise without understanding? Do you not realize that everything that goes into a person from outside cannot defile, since it enters not the heart but the stomach and passes out into the latrine?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) “But what comes out of the man, that is what defiles him. From within the man, from his heart, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile.”   If you would like to receive these reflections to your email, sign up: usml.edu/rector-reflections/ Support the Seminary Submit Prayer Intentions  Thank you for subscribing to Formation! Please spread the word to your family, friends and parish community about this podcast. Please rate and review this podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts so that others can discover it more easily. Together with you in Christ, we are Mundelein. We form parish priests.

Holy Land podcast hosts Kevin Gregus and Dan Korenchan of the Archdiocese of Chicago welcome special guest Frank Pusateri of the Diocese of Joliet to catch us up on the holy sights and places they have visited over the past couple weeks. They discuss their initial experiences in the "School of Nazareth," seeing the places where Jesus lived his early life with the Holy Family before his public ministry began. Sign up to receive updates via email: www.usml.edu/pilgrimage Support the Seminary Submit Prayer Intentions  Thank you for subscribing to Formation! Please spread the word to your family, friends and parish community about this podcast. Please rate and review this podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts so that others can discover it more easily. Together with you in Christ, we are Mundelein. We form parish priests.

Homily for Luke 2:22-40 When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord, and to offer the sacrifice of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons, in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.  Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.  He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:             “Now, Master, you may let your servant go                          in peace, according to your word,             for my eyes have seen your salvation,                         which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples:             a light for revelation to the Gentiles,                         and glory for your people Israel.” The child's father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted --and you yourself a sword will pierce-- so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem. When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.   If you would like to receive these reflections to your email, sign up: usml.edu/rector-reflections/ Support the Seminary Submit Prayer Intentions  Thank you for subscribing to Formation! Please spread the word to your family, friends and parish community about this podcast. Please rate and review this podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts so that others can discover it more easily. Together with you in Christ, we are Mundelein. We form parish priests.

In the first podcast from the Holy Land, seminarian hosts Kevin Gregus and Dan Korenchan of the Archdiocese of Chicago discuss their experiences in the first few weeks of the study-pilgrimage. They talk a lot about their experience at the Church of the Nativity, which marks the spot where Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Kevin and Dan will be hosting more episodes from the Holy Land, so subscribe to this podcast to follow along! You can also follow the Holy Land blog to hear more stories and see photos from all the seminarians on the pilgrimage. Sign up to receive updates via email: www.usml.edu/pilgrimage Support the Seminary Submit Prayer Intentions  Thank you for subscribing to Formation! Please spread the word to your family, friends and parish community about this podcast. Please rate and review this podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts so that others can discover it more easily. Together with you in Christ, we are Mundelein. We form parish priests.  

Homily for John 2:1-11 There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servers, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings, each holding twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told them, “Fill the jars with water.” So they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it.  And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine, without knowing where it came from — although the servers who had drawn the water knew —, the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves good wine first, and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one; but you have kept the good wine until now.” Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him.   If you would like to receive these reflections to your email, sign up: usml.edu/rector-reflections/ Support the Seminary Submit Prayer Intentions  Thank you for subscribing to Formation! Please spread the word to your family, friends and parish community about this podcast. Please rate and review this podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts so that others can discover it more easily. Together with you in Christ, we are Mundelein. We form parish priests.