Sanctuary Views

An ancient Desert Father sheds light on the Devil's schemes. Homily for the First Sunday of Lent.

Today's Gospel is a doozy. But it's part of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, which must mean that His words are intended not to reduce our happiness--our beatitude--but to increase it. Homily for the Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time.

Being the "Salt of the Earth" and the "Light of the World" is a calling, but not one we can achieve on our own. St. Augustine's words to God come to mind: "Give what You command, and then command what You will." Homily for the Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time.

You are...because of Him. Homily for the Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time.

What gifts do you have? What do others see in you and call you to achieve? To what is Jesus calling you? Answering these questions well helps us to properly plot our course through this life. Homily for the Third Sunday of Ordinary Time.

In this divisive and derisive time, reflecting the Lamb of God's light to the nations is as needed as ever. Homily for the Second Sunday of Ordinary Time.

Forgiveness is a defining characteristic of any Christian community, which is sincerely felt when the mask hiding our shortcomings is removed. Homily for the Baptism of the Lord.

The story of the Magi captures the deepest longings of the human spirit for truth and meaning, which opens up our lives to a great adventure. But this adventure can be compromised through the type of complacency we see in today's Gospel. Homily for the Epiphany.

The Good News of the Incarnation and Birth of Jesus Christ is only comprehensible and compelling when the bad news is understood. Then the Gospel can be more clearly seen for the gift that it is, which is reflected for us at JPII this day in a most marvelous, unexpected and generous way. Merry Christmas!

There's something at work testing your patience. What it is might surprise you. Homily for the Third Sunday of Advent.

There's plenty in this world to drive us to depression and despair, but the antidote has been given us, if only we would draw upon its source. Homily for the 2nd Sunday of Advent.

The Christian life isn't the result of abstract reasoning, but of an encounter with an event, a person, which is a gift that carries responsibilities with it. Homily for the First Sunday of Advent.

What was not assumed--not taken to Himself--by God was not redeemed. Thus the necessity for the promised King to become one with us, all the way to the grave, which is exactly the basis of our hope. Homily for the Solemnity of Christ the King.

It's about love, mature love. That's what it's about. Homily for the Thirty-third Sunday of Ordinary Time.

What did the earliest Christians identify as essential for receiving vivifying faith and finding answers to the questions of their day? Homily for the Feast of the Dedication of the Basilica of St. John Lateran.

If being united with Christ in the resurrection depends on having grown into union with him through a death like his, as St. Paul said, then what happens when we depart this life with an imperfect union, for which we are at fault? Homily for All Souls Day.

46 years ago a crowd in Warsaw, Poland gathered to make known their desire for God…in their families, their schools, their books and their workplaces. A crowd gathered today with similar sentiments. Homily for the Feast Day of St. John Paul II, our Patron. Celebrated on the grounds of our new Academy, which we blessed on this occasion. What an inspiring experience!!

Fixing our gaze on God and heavenly things is essential to successful spiritual battles. So too is mirroring God's actions. Homily for the 29th Sunday of Ordinary Time.

There is no place to which we can descend that God cannot reach, as long as we want Him there. But this took lots of time and suffering to know. Homily for the 28th Sunday of Ordinary Time.

What if we're troubled, not because of the size of our faith, but because of the object of it? Homily for the 27th Sunday of Ordinary Time ~ Respect Life Sunday.

The niceties of life have a way of making us insensitive to more important things. The parable of the rich man and Lazarus has less to do with whether or not we're rich, than with whether or not we're doing what we can for those in need. Homily for the 26th Sunday of Ordinary Time.

Jesus on the Cross reveals the depravity of human beings and that we're not beyond repair. But repairing humanity comes at the cost of witnessing to the truth--not my truth or your truth, but the truth. And truth is that upon which a free society depends. Without it, life is governed by the whim of those wielding the power of Twitter, or the presidency or a long-range rifle, instead of the inalienable rights/truths imprinted in us by God. Homily for the 25th Sunday of Ordinary Time and reflection upon the assassination of Charlie Kirk.

If the Master's life revolves around God, it only makes sense that His disciples' would, too, which turns out to be the way we can give others what's best. Homily for the Twenty-third Sunday of Ordinary Time.

It's a paradox. Focus on your "I" and joy slips through your fingers. Focus on others and joy abounds. Homily for the Twenty-Second Sunday of Ordinary Time.

"Endure your trials as discipline," the Letter to the Hebrews says. Strengthening us as disciples of Jesus is a fruit of trials--of all trials, since no qualification is stated. This means that every trial has this capacity, for God's providence is all-encompassing.

Witnesses not only provide a good example and inspiration, but also merit and share spiritual goods. Homily for the Twentieth Sunday of Ordinary Time.

Abraham was just one example of countless faithful followers of Jesus, by whom we have been blessed, and to whom we have a debt. Homily for the Nineteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time.

If God invited Abraham to wrestle with the problem of justice in a fallen world and to act for the innocent, might God do something similar with us? Homily for the Seventeenth Sunday of Ordinary Time.

The fascinating history, highlighted on this Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, discloses something of the essence of confessing Jesus and believing in Him.

On this great Solemnity of Corpus Christi, let's take a look at how the miraculous grace at work back then is at work in our parish right now. Homily for Corpus Christi.

Homily for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity on Father's Day.

God has made room for us in Himself, for our humanity, forever. Persevere in making space for God in your life. Homily for the Ascension of the Lord.

The dream that is America, and John's dream or vision in the Book Revelation of the heavenly Jerusalem is not a task we can complete, or one from which we can shrink... Homily for the Sixth Sunday of Easter.

Don't be deceived by the distance between us and the Apostles, or by the work you do. You, too, are called to proclaim the Gospel, if you're a follower of Jesus. Homily for the Fifth Sunday of Easter.

Jesus said that his sheep hear his voice. How do we hear it, listen for it, discern it? Remembering our mothers on this special day can help us understand. Homily for the Fourth Sunday of Easter.

Our faults, shortcomings and areas in need of healing are no obstacles to our Lord. Homily for the Third Sunday of Easter.

The unexpected way God approaches those who have let Him down. Homily for Divine Mercy Sunday.

Homily for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Homily for Good Friday.

There is so much more to life than meets the eye. If only we had the Key to unlocking life's mysteries... Homily for Holy Thursday - The Mass of the Lord's Supper.

Evil is not triumphant, nor did Jesus fail to leave room for us to participate in His love and so be coworkers with Him in overcoming all evil. Homily for Passion Sunday.

By delivering the woman from being stoned, Jesus also showed the way to escape being critical of others. Homily for the Fifth Sunday of Lent.

Homily for the Fourth Sunday of Lent.

Homily for the Second Sunday of Lent.

He's deceptive and tricky, but Satan can be overcome in ways that touch upon the everyday. Homily for the First Sunday of Lent.

Jesus links an unworthy guide--one who is blind--with the person whose heart doesn't permit their mouth to speak the good things people need to hear. What are the causes of blindness? Are they affecting you? How so? Homily for the Eighth Sunday of Ordinary Time.

If being good means doing good across the board, how do we avoid the compartmentalization which plagues us and is rebuked by Jesus? What serves the integrity of which He speaks? What helps or hinders our becoming good, moral people? Homily for the Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time.

An image is so very helpful. The image of my grandmother comes to mind when I hear Jeremiah's words: "Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose hope is the LORD. He is like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream: it fears not the heat when it comes; its leaves stay green; in the year of drought it shows no distress, but still bears fruit." Homily for the Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time.

Being with God leads to being sent by Him on mission, which for baptized lay people involves developing their anointing as Priest, Prophet and King. Homily for the Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time and Discipleship Renewal.

The human brain takes in a massive amount of information each moment, but we're conscious of but a sliver. That means we're significantly influenced by factors of which we're unaware. How can we positively affect the unconscious instincts produced in us? Homily for the Feast of the Presentation.

How do we discover our place in the world? Where is our relevance and importance cultivated, as well as our awareness of that of others? How does what we learn in school take on its proper and higher significance? Homily for the Third Sunday of Ordinary Time.