Homily Blog

Imagine waking up in the middle of the night to discover that the electricity has gone out. You reach for your flashlight, press the switch, and nothing happens. The batteries are dead. You search for replacements, but there are none. Now imagine that a severe storm warning had been issued several hours earlier. You heard the warning but paid little attention. You assumed everything would be fine. Suddenly, the storm arrives, the lights go out, and you find yourself struggling in the...

Imagine standing before God and looking at an enormous crowd of people from every nation, race, language, and generation. Among these are the great saints familiar to us—Peter, Paul, Augustine, Monica, Francis, Teresa, and countless others. But then you recognize someone familiar: perhaps your grandmother, a devoted parent, a humble neighbor, a helper from your church, or someone whose quiet faith touched your life. That is the beautiful image we see in today's first reading. Saint John...

Have you ever asked someone for an opinion not because you wanted to know the truth, but because you wanted that person to agree with a decision you had already made? Sometimes, we ask questions not to learn but to justify ourselves. We seek advice, not necessarily to discover what is right, but to find someone who will tell us what we want to hear. That is precisely the situation Jesus encounters in today’s Gospel. Matthew tells us that the Pharisees went off and plotted how they might...

Imagine receiving a wedding invitation, the couple having made elaborate preparations. Beautiful venue. Enough to eat and drink. Everything has been arranged for a memorable celebration. But something strange happens. Those invited begin to make excuses. Some are too busy with their business. Others simply do not care. What would you think of such guests? Perhaps we would describe them as ungrateful or disrespectful. The matter becomes even stranger. After several invited guests refuse to...

The haunting question in today's first reading asks: “What more was there to do for my vineyard that I had not done?” That question carries pain and disappointment. But even more deeply, there is love in that voice. The lover is grieving the lack of reciprocity. Perhaps you have experienced the pain of loving someone deeply: investing yourself in that person, sacrificing for them, praying for them, giving them your time and energy. And then wondering, “What else could I have done?” Parents...

Both Philippians 2 and Matthew 21 reveal the distance between what appears on the outside and what is actually happening in the heart. The key may indeed be Paul's phrase in the second reading of this weekend: “Have in you the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus.” Hence, the readings contrast attitudes that point to the nature of the human heart. While the parable gives us two imperfect sons, Philippians gives us the true Son. The first son in the gospel says, “I will not,” but...

A Message to Our Readers — September: The Weight He Carries Remain In My Love September newsletter turns our attention to the quiet, often unseen weight men carry — in their families, in their work, and in the wider world. Every man shoulders responsibilities, expectations, pressures, and wounds that are rarely spoken aloud. But the real crisis is not that men carry so much; it’s how they respond to these burdens. Many men respond with silence, isolation, overwork, anger, or emotional...

Emeka's House is more than just a building. It has become a safe and loving home where children can grow, learn, and experience joy. With hearts filled with gratitude and excitement, the children could not help but sing and celebrate as a new chapter began for their home. We are grateful to announce that solar power has been installed at Emeka House, providing stable electricity for the children and powering essential facilities in the home. This important addition will make a meaningful...

25TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME: RELATIONSHIP VERSUS TRANSACTION: WHEN LOVE KEEPS A LEDGER These three questions sum up both the theology and the psychology of today’s readings: 1. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? 2. Am I not free to do as I wish with my own money (what belongs to me)? 3. Are you envious because I am generous? Each of these questions shows human thinking as against God’s generosity. We are often discontent with what God has given us. We resent...

These three questions sum up both the theology and the psychology of today’s readings: 1. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? 2. Am I not free to do as I wish with my own money (what belongs to me)? 3. Are you envious because I am generous? Each of these questions shows human thinking as against God’s generosity. We are often discontent with what God has given us. We resent others. We long for more. We compare ourselves with others —friends, classmates, neighbors,...

23RD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME: LOVE, A DEBT THAT IS NEVER PAID OFF An interesting episode in Grey’s Anatomy. Dr. Teddy Altman encounters a seriously ill patient who desperately needs surgery, but his insurance will not cover the treatment. She pleads with the hospital to make an exception, but her efforts fail. The young man is left with the possibility of going home without treatment and eventually dying. Then Dr. Altman thinks of something radical. She tells him, “You know I have good...

An interesting episode in Grey’s Anatomy. Dr. Teddy Altman encounters a seriously ill patient who desperately needs surgery, but his insurance will not cover the treatment. She pleads with the hospital to make an exception, but her efforts fail. The young man is left with the possibility of going home without treatment and eventually dying. Then Dr. Altman thinks of something radical. She tells him, “You know I have good insurance.” He does not immediately understand. Then she tells him that...