Sunday Homilies from Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Hermosa Bch, CA. Fr. Paul Gawlowski OFM Conv. (English), Fr. Carlos Morales OFM Conv., (Spanish).
Adam and Eve were originally given the task to care for the Earth and all creation and to keep everything in accord with God's plan. That is the task they forfeited, and Christ fulfilled, and now He once again shares with us that vocation. But now we are not left alone to do that, we have the direction and the power of Jesus guiding his church on earth until he comes again.
Christianity is not about following rules so that we can get to heaven. Salvation is because God has come to us and offered us a way to join ourselves to him who lives forever. It is a union of love mediated through the church and its sacraments in which he is truly present offering himself to us. Then by his power we obey his commands and we are formed to become like him when we love.
Sometimes we take for granted the most basic tenant of our faith; that God became a person! This is a great gift that allows us to know God better than we could have if he did not. But are we taking advantage of that gift? Do we spend the time needed to truly come to know him, especially in prayer, scripture, and sacrament? He is present inviting us to be in a deeper relationship with him. That is why he came and died for us, that we may know him intimately.
That God is not distant, but our shepherd, is a huge gift that we don't take advantage of. Let us use our intelligence to realize that we should be smarter than sheep and follow our shepherd.
It helps to step back and see our lives from the lens of salvation and to see the guide we have in the Church that guides our way. Jesus, is that way and today He's teaching us how to see Him.
In the midst of our fear, grief, confusion, doubt, shattered dreams, discouragement, darkness... God wants to come in MERCY, not comdemnation, the Risen Lord comes, bringing peace, faith, hope, mercy, and whatever we may specifically need that only he knows. Let us turn to him in the similar situations of our lives, or in our desire for something still greater. Let us recognize he's still coming to us just as he did the early church. He is coming today, through the church, it's scripture, sacrament and community.
Jesus promises that he will reveal himself to those who follow his commands.Those commands include not only love God and love your neighbor, but that we love God by following all his commands including; "Do this in memory of me", being baptized and receiving the apostles. This encounter is a miracle that need to make room for.
Jesus is the resurrection and the life, because of him, we have eternal life that starts not just after we die. But with our baptism.
The man born blind was healed when Jesus put mud on his eyes and sent him to the pool. This allowed him to participate in his salvation like we do when we participate in the sacraments and church.
The scene of the transfiguration gives us hope on our journey through death to life, and reveals the entire plan of salvation history that God has worked since we first rebelled against him.
Jesus Is faithful where we weren't, and wins the victory we lost. He shares that victory against the devil, sin and death with us.
Christianity is not simply about following laws. Laws are important but the goal that Jesus is after us to transform our heart so that we live our lives according to the law in freedom and joy by the power of God in Christ Jesus.
In the Beattitudes Jesus warned that those who follow him need to be different than the world. Today he tells us we are salt, and light. Salt transforms the world and helps bring about the kingdom of God. When our light shines, people see God's presence in our world. Jesus needs us to be salt that is salty and light that is shown not hidden.
To live the gospel in this world torn by sin is difficult and today Jesus warns us that and that it will cause us persecution and suffering. It's not only hard to live when we know the right thing, it's sometimes hard to apply it to the difficult situations of our lives. (The teachings of the church can help us in this area.) But let us not abandon the difficult task of applying the gospel to our world because members of the kingdom of God are those who try to live the gospel to all situations in our lives, families and world.
A disciples is one who sees the world with the eyes of Jesus. To become a disciple is the call for all of us. But it is a miracle every time it happens pray for that miracle and do what's needed to make that miracle possible.
How Jesus saves us has been attempted to be described by hundreds throughout the History of the church. But what atonement is, and how we respond, needs to be understood even if we can't describe fully how God does it.
Homilia del padre Carlos.
In baptism we are truly made God's children members of God's royal family. As such we can have confidence to walk boldly in this world free from all that holds us back, and free to serve the Lord and live fully the life he intends for all his children.
The Wisemen, or Magi, use their freedom and leisure time wisely on things that mattered; to find the ultimately meaning and purpose for life. We are all called to make a similar journey and not to fall into the trap of using our freedom to enslave ourselves, or our leisure to busy ourselves from this important task. Jesus promises that if we embark upon this journey, using our natural Insight, and scripture, he will further miraculously help us to have a life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ.
A Holy Family is not an ideal family it is a family that puts Jesus at its center. It does everything for Jesus and looks to God for direction and protection.
That there is a God is, for many, difficult enough to believe. But even more difficult is that; that God through whom all things were created would enter into his creation! Yet that it's exactly what we celebrate and remember on Christmas. What an awesome gift we've been given!
Joseph and Mary were definitely in a difficult situation when Mary was found to be with child but Joseph remained righteous, that is following God, and Mary and Joseph did God's will, allowing salvation and the power of God to be unleashed in their lives for them and for us!
My recent heart surgery Is a great gift that has added years to my life. Far better however is the new heart God gives us in Christ that brings eternal life!
Death is seen by most of us as an enemy or a foe. But God uses it to invite all people to surrender to him and to be saved.
We are called to be humble before the Lord in both prayer and life. When we see others doing wrong we can judge acts, but not persons, but instead recognize our need for God's mercy And help others know God's mercy for them.
The scriptures encourage us today to continue to pray against all our adversaries, these include the things that we face personally in this life, but also together as a church against the unjust structures of our world.
Why doesn't God just heal us miraculously when we're sick and ask for it? Why doesn't God just send us his grace without us needing to go to church and receive the sacraments? God chooses ordinary means to communicate his healing and grace. Maybe this is his way of helping us participate in our salvation.
Jesus shares that just a little Faith will go along way. Faith helps us serve God with joy and with less sense of duty obligation and weight. Faith hope and love are gifts from God that we should ask for and receive in the Eucharist.
The poor are still at our doorstep today. The prophets still cry out on behalf of the poor. Will we listen or will we be indifferent ?
Instead of condoning dishonesty, Jesus is saying that if we posses any of our Time, Talent or Treasure as our own, it becomes dishonest wealth. All things, even our money, is a gift from God to be used for the good of all, especially the poor.
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