Homily for Monday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time (Year A - 7/20/2026)

In today’s Gospel, the scribes and Pharisees asked Jesus for a “sign.” Jesus responds, saying: “An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it.” Are we not sometimes like the scribes and Pharisees, demanding that God prove Himself to us - that He is real, that He exists, that He is truly present in our lives? What proof is there that God exists? We know God is real in the existence of the universe, in the beauty of God’s created world in which we live, and in the complexity of our own human body? However, while “the evidence. . . provides good and strong reasons to believe that God exists. . . it can’t prove beyond any doubt that God exists. Science is incapable of reaching that high bar” (Reese, 8/1/2024). When we do this, when we ask these questions, I can imagine hearing what the Lord God said to the Prophet Micah, in the first reading: “O my people, what have I done to you, or how have I wearied you? Answer me!”

There is nothing wrong with questioning our faith because it is our way of finding the truth of God and, in turn, the purpose and meaning in our lives. But as we heard Jesus say in today’s Gospel: “. . .no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights. . .” What did Jonah do while he was in the belly of the whale, when all hope was seeming lost in his life those three days and three nights? Jonah prayed this prayer, which I now paraphrase: “Out of my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me; From the womb of Sheol I cried for help, and you heard my voice. . . you brought my life up from the pit, O LORD, my God. . . When I became faint, I remembered the LORD; My prayer came to you in your holy temple. . . Those who worship worthless idols abandon their hope for mercy. But I, with thankful voice, will sacrifice to you; What I have vowed I will pay: deliverance is from the LORD.” In this prayer of Jonah, we learn to remain faithful to God and trust in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Moreover, the Prophet Micah gives us a better way to be faithful, saying: “You have been told. . . what is good, and what the LORD requires of you: Only to do the right and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God.” “Walk humbly with God” is the episcopal motto of Bishop Garcia, as you can see right over there at the chair of the See of Austin. And so, how do we do this? How do we “walk humbly with God.” Let us listen and take to heart these words of the first pope, Saint Peter, who encourages us: “[All] of you, be of one mind, sympathetic, loving toward one another, compassionate, humble. Do not return evil for evil, or insult for insult; but, on the contrary, a blessing, because to this you were called, that you might inherit a blessing. . . For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears turned to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against evildoers. Now who is going to harm you if you are enthusiastic for what is good? But even if you should suffer because of righteousness, blessed are you. Do not be afraid or terrified with fear of them, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear. . .” (1 Peter 3:8-9, 12-16).

These words of Saint Peter remind us that there is no more powerful sign, or reason for our faith, hope, and love, than the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/072026.cfm

Homily for Monday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time (Year A - 7/13/2026)

In today’s Gospel, Jesus talks about the cost to come and follow him, particularly when it comes to our families. Our Lord had this to say: “For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one’s enemies will be those of his household.” As I reflected on this passage, I was reminded of my own conversion to Catholicism. I recall not telling my parents about my journey in O.C.I.A. to become a Catholic for fear of how they might react. I recall not telling my mom I was at the Rite of Election. I recall getting baptized and received into the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil without my parents or brothers present. However, to encounter our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is to love him more than anyone and anything else in this world; and that was precisely what happened to me. I love Jesus more than my own mother and father and brothers. This is the cost of discipleship, I believe.

I recently read these remarks from His Excellency, Samuel J. Aquila, Archbishop of Denver, who had this to say about “cheap grace” and the “cost of discipleship”. He wrote: “What is ‘cheap grace?’ It’s ‘preaching forgiveness without repentance … grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without the living, incarnate Jesus Christ.’ In other words, it’s living as if one’s actions don’t matter; since one has already been forgiven – no conversion of life is required.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German Protestant theologian, wrote that “[cheap] grace is the mortal enemy of our church. Our struggle today is for costly grace.” Archbishop Aquila continued, saying: “We have a lot to learn from the suffering Church when it comes to costly grace and its value. There is no avoiding the cross in life. . . Every human being suffers as a result of the Fall. What our faith does is give meaning to our suffering. Through faith, suffering can become something that we embrace as an act of love. A willing offering of love for God, for a friend or even an enemy.”

The Archbishop then spoke of “spiritual martyrdom.” Asking ourselves: “How God is calling each of us not to settle for “cheap grace”? How is [God] calling you to embrace the more difficult but eternally rewarding path of costly grace that accompanies the life of a true disciple? We are called instead to embrace the cross so that the very image of God, the form of Christ, takes shape within us. . . We are called to preach the truth in love, seeking out the lost and forsaken as Christ did. Becoming confirmed to the image of Christ means loving those who don’t understand us, who hate us and who ridicule us, as Jesus was during his Passion. It means remaining at the foot of the Cross with the suffering, who may not even think they are suffering.” He went on to suggest “that today we must cultivate the virtues of courage, wisdom and perseverance. These virtues mark the lives of every martyr – whether spiritual or physical – and they lie at the heart of witnessing to the faith in a hostile culture.”

How do we go about doing this in our own lives? Well, I believe that the Prophet Isaiah tells us how in today’s first reading. Here is that the Prophet Isaiah had to say: “Hear the word of the LORD. . . Listen to the instruction of our God. . . Bring no more worthless offerings (such as “cheap grace”). . . Wash yourselves clean! Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes; cease doing evil; learn to do good. Make justice your aim: redress the wronged, hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow.” We should not settle for “cheap grace” but to embrace “costly grace” as faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. This is how we can live our lives in a way that is worthy of the sacrifice of the Crucified One for our salvation out of his love for us.

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/071326.cfm

Homily for Monday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time (Year A - 7/6/2026)

Today’s Gospel gives us hope that we are never far from God’s love and mercy. In the story of the daughter of the official, even in death, we are not separated from the love of God. Like our first parents, Adam & Eve, for whom Jesus, after he died on the cross, hallowed hell to bring them from darkness of death into his marvelous light, Jesus restored life to the daughter of the official. For us, our death is a death to sin, through the waters of Baptism and the Sacraments of the Church, especially through the frequent reception of the Eucharist and Reconciliation, because, as Saint Paul teaches us: “[if] the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through his Spirit that dwells in you” (Romans 8:9, 11-13). For our part, we must strive to live lives of holiness because, “if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (id.).

Moreover, in the story of the “woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years,” Jesus said to her: “Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you.” Her faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ moved her to believe with all her heart, mind, and soul that if she touched his cloak, she shall be cured. Jesus cured her and so her faith restored her into communion with her fellow believers. Sin separates us from the Body of Christ, the Catholic Church, and, more importantly, sin separates us from our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the head. However, when we turn away from temptation and sin, through the power and help of the Holy Spirit, we return into communion with the faithful people of God and reconcile ourselves to God. We are the prodigal children who return to the loving embrace of our Father in heaven. This is the call to a life of holiness and faith, which not only Saint Maria Goretti lived throughout her life, as short as it was, but in the life of her killer, Alessandro Serenelli, who found redemption in the love and mercy of God.

From Franciscan Media, Saint Maria Goretti was “the daughter of a poor Italian tenant farmer, had no chance to go to school, never learned to read or write. .  [She] made her First Communion not long before her death. . . On a hot afternoon in July, Maria Goretti was sitting at the top of the stairs of her house, mending a shirt. She was not quite 12 years old, but physically mature. A cart stopped outside, and a neighbor, 18-year-old Alessandro, ran up the stairs. He seized her and pulled her into a bedroom. She struggled and tried to call for help. ‘No, God does not wish it,’ she cried out. ‘It is a sin. You would go to hell for it.’ Alessandro began striking at her blindly with a long dagger. . . Maria Goretti was taken to a hospital. Her last hours were marked by the usual simple compassion of the good—concern about where her mother would sleep, forgiveness of her murderer (she had been in fear of him, but did not say anything lest she cause trouble to his family), and her devout welcoming of Viaticum, her last Holy Communion. She died about 24 hours after the attack.” 

“Alessandro was sentenced to 30 years in prison. For a long time he was unrepentant and surly. One night he had a dream or vision of Maria Goretti gathering flowers and offering them to him. His life changed. When he was released after 27 years (three years early due to his good behavior), his first act was to beg the forgiveness of Maria’s mother” (Franciscan Media). On Christmas Eve, Maria’s mother replied to him, saying: "’If Maria forgives you, and God forgives you, how can I not also forgive you?’" The two went together to Midnight Mass and received Holy Communion kneeling side by side.  Alessandro also publicly confessed his sin before the congregation and asked for their pardon as well. Assunta then adopted Alessandro as her own son.” At her canonization, “a 66-year-old Alessandro Serenelli knelt among the quarter-million people and cried tears of joy.” The stories of Alessandro, the woman with hemorrhages, and the daughter of the official gives us hope that we are never far from God’s love and mercy.

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/070626.cfm

The Fall of Prime Minister Min Jeong-woo ("Perfect Crown")

Growing up, I enjoyed watching phim bộ (or T.V. series). Some of the series I enjoyed included The Legend of the Condor Heroes (Anh hùng xạ điêu), The Return of the Condor Heroes (Thần điêu đại hiệp), and General Father, and General Son (Tiết Đinh San và Phàn Lê Huê) to name a few.

Within the past few years, you all might have noticed that there has been an "invasion" of Korean drama (or K-drama) on live-streaming services like Netflix, PrimeVideo, and even Hulu/Disney+. I have enjoyed watching series like "The K2" and "The Story of Yanxi Palace" (currently streaming on Prime Video); "A Rational Life", "Autumn's Concerto", and "The Glory" (currently available on Netflix), and "Perfect Crown" (on Hulu/Disney+). I am sure I have seen others but these series stand out because on the compelling stories and character development, and to an extended, the soundtrack.

As a side note, the way to watch these series is to pace yourself and be disciplined. For example, watch 1 or 2 episodes a day. However, there will be times when an episode ends with a cliff-hanger and you cannot help but watch another, especially as the series reaches its climax toward a conclusion to the storyline. Now that we have gotten a bit of background out of the way, here is the purpose of this blog, which I have titled, "The Downfall of Prime Minister Min Jeong-woo (K-Drama "Perfect Crown")"

In "Perfect Crown", there is a love triangle amongst the three main characters - Grand Prince I-AN, heiress Soeng Hee-joo, and Prime Minister Min Jeong-woo (pictured below). I will not delve into this storyline, except to say that Prime Minister Min Jeong-woo is the odd man out in the end, but not for the lack of trying. However, throughout the show, the prime minister never did anything to compromise his morals as a Catholic-Christian and the integrity of the office that he holds. There was an episode where we see the Prime Minister attending Mass. He also wears a Rosary around his wrist at all times.

However, in Episode 9, we see Prime Minister Min Jeong-woo visiting his father's gravesite as he contemplates his next moves. The Queen Dowarger was also present (see picture below) to pressure him to take certain actions. Right before he leaves, he removes that Rosary around his wrist and puts in on his father's grave. Right then, I knew that he was prepared to set aside his morals, honor, and integrity to do whatever it takes to ensure that he gets what he wants. Soeng Hee-joo even notices and points out to him that he is no longer has his Rosary. In the end, the Prime Minister loses everything - the trust of his friend, the Grand Prince, the respect of his friend, Soeng Hee-joo, his honor, his position / title, and, more importantly, his sense of who he is as a beloved son of the Father. He even blamed the Grand Prince for turning him into the villain. Unfortunately, Prime Minister Min Jeong-woo's story ends abruptly with his downfall and disgrace. I would have liked to see him given a chance for repentance for his actions and reconciliation with the two most important people in his life - Grand Prince and Soeng Hee-joo, his close friends.

The Prime Minister's simple, yet profound, action of removing his Rosary reminded me of the atheistic phrase: "If God is dead, everything is permitted." Moreover, I am reminded of this quote from the horror movie, "Don't Breathe", in which the "Blind Man" said, "There is nothing a man cannot do once he accepts the fact that there is no God." I think this is one of the reasons why Catholics have holy images in their homes, cars, and person because these sacramentals remind us to strive for holiness and saintliness in our lives at all time. Of course, we will stumble and fall, but we are never too far from the love and mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. For me personally, I wear a ring on my right ring finger to remind me of our commitment to God, to Christ and his Church, and to live a life of humble obedience. I am also glad that the Knights of Columbus give all men who become a member of the Order a Rosary and ask that they carry it with them at all times and pray the Rosary as often as possible.

Let us, therefore, always stay close to our Lord Jesus Christ. He will guide us in life and give us the strength to live lives of holiness, to walk the straight and narrow path that leads to salvation and eternal life with our Father in heaven. Jesus: "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few" (Matthew 7:13-14).

Homily for the Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A - 6/28/2026) (UPDATED 7/1/2026)

Towards the end of Paul’s life, as he sat in prison, he wrote to Timothy, saying: “I am already being poured out like a libation. . . I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:6). A libation is a sacrifice, a singular act of giving something over to God, for His glory and praise (Nowlin, June 26, 2019). Saint Paul was “being poured out like a libation,” because he opened his heart to God and lived his life as a complete and sacrificial offering for Jesus. It is the life that he encouraged all Christians to live, urging us “by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. . . that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12:1-2).

As I reflect on this, I remember fondly my Ordination to the Sacred Order of the Diaconate. I recall kneeling before Bishop Vasquez who handed me the Book of the Gospels and said to me: “Receive the Gospel of Christ, whose herald you have become. Believe what you read, teach what you believe, and practice what you teach.” Although I made a promise to live a life of obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ, the Church, and the Bishop, before the assembly of the people of God, at my Ordination, it was not the first time that I opened my heart to God and made such promises.

In fact, all of us opened our hearts to God and these promises at our Baptism, when we were “buried with Christ Jesus into death so that. . . we might live in newness of life. . . [we are] dead to sin and living for God in Christ Jesus.” We recall these words from the Order of Baptism:

“Almighty ever-living God. . . make [this child] the temple of your glory, and to grant that your Holy Spirit may dwell in him.”

“This is our faith. This is the faith of the Church. We are proud to profess it in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

“Almighty God. . . now anoints you with the Chrism of salvation, so that you may remain members of Christ, Priest, Prophet and King, unto eternal life.”

“Receive the light of Christ. . . this light is entrusted to you to be kept burning brightly, so that your child, enlightened by Christ, may walk always as a child of the light. . .”

“May the Lord Jesus. . . grant that you may soon receive his word with your ears and profess the faith with your lips, to the glory and praise of God the Father.”

Pope Saint Paul VI once said: “Not to preach the Gospel would be my undoing, for Christ himself sent me as his apostle and witness. The more remote, the more difficult the assignment, the more my love of God spurs me on. I am bound to proclaim that Jesus is Christ, the Son of the living God. Because of him we come to know the God we cannot see. He is the firstborn of all creation; in him all things find their being. Man’s teacher and redeemer, he was born for us, died for us, and for us he rose from the dead” (Homily, November 29, 1970).

This is the life that we are called to live as Christians, as followers of Jesus Christ the Redeemer who extends his saving hands to us and says to us: “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?” (Matthew 16:24-26). Jesus commands us to “love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment” (Matthew 22:37-38). The love of God must be first and foremost in our hearts, even if, for instance, it means following the will of God and embracing the vocation that He has called us to in life rather than the careers or vocations that we may want for ourselves or our children.

These are the conditions of discipleship, of being faithful followers of Christ. And, like with all of his teachings, Jesus does not back down on these conditions but double-downs on them. Jesus knows how essential it is for us to understand this for our salvation, so much so that, despite the importance of family in human relationships, Christ still says to us: “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” Make no mistake about it, though. Jesus is in no way telling us not to love our families. After all, the central mystery of the Incarnation is that “when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman” (Galatians 4:4). However, even as a child, Jesus knew that his first priority was to do the will of his Father in heaven while being obedient to his parents. Recall the time when Mary and Joseph lost Jesus for three days and when they found him in the temple, Jesus’ response to their anxiety was to ask them: “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (Luke 2:49).

In the event of the finding of the child Jesus in the temple, we learn that when our hearts abide in the Sacred Heart of Jesus, God teaches us how to love our families as He loves them. As much as Mary and Joseph “did not understand what he said to them. . . [and Mary] kept all these things in her heart,” they loved and supported Jesus in the vocation that God the Father had laid out for their beloved Son (2:50-51). Jesus “advanced [in] wisdom and age and favor before God and man” precisely because of their love and support (2:52). Mary and Joseph understood then what Jesus would later teach about encouraging and nurturing the vocations of loved ones: “whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because the little one is a disciple - amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.” It is as Jesus says: “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”

Today’s readings invite us to open our hearts and homes to God for “when he comes to us he can stay here,” because “we believe that we shall also live with him.” The readings invite us to reflect on our response to Jesus’ call to discipleship as baptized Catholics, to lose our lives for his sake so that we may find eternal life with our Lord and our God in heaven because we “are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation; announce the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” Only then can we look on our lives, as Saint Paul did, and say: “I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith. From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the just judge, will award to me. . .” (2 Timothy 4:6-8).

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/062826.cfm

Listen on St. Albert's Podcast: https://saintalbert.podbean.com/e/deacon-phuc-phan-1000-am-sunday-mass-homily-english-1782917837/

Listen on my Podcast: https://phucphan.podbean.com/e/hhomily-for-the-thirteenth-sunday-in-ordinary-time-year-a-6282026/

Reflecting on Fr. Charlie Garza's Chaplain Report (6/22/2026)

Brother Knights, before my reflection on our Chaplain's report, I want to express my gratitude to our Chapter President for the opportunity to continue to serve as the Chapter's Spiritual Director. The end of June concludes my 7th year serving as the Chapter's Spiritual Director. I start my 8th year in July. I am also grateful to Fr. Charlie Garza for accepting my invitation to be our Chaplain. I look forward to serving with him the coming fraternal year.

Moreover, my Council 10333 had a fun time hosting the Chapter Meeting and providing the meal. Many thanks to all the Councils that have hosted a Chapter Meeting this past fraternal year and will host one this coming fraternal year. As you probably have seen in our Worthy Chapter President's email, please prayerful consider hosting a Chapter Meeting at your parish. I enjoy visiting the different parishes and meeting brother Knights from the Councils there. Thank you for all you do in support of the clergy, the Order, and the parishes.

Finally, I invite you all to visit the web-sites for Greater Austin Area Chapter Knights of Columbus, the Texas State Council, and the Supreme Council. These web-sites contain a wealth of information for all brother Knights and their families.

Now, in his Chaplain Report, Fr. Charlie talked about Seminarians. He reported that there are 26 seminarians from different parishes, in the Diocese of Austin, and that 5 seminaries are in their pastoral (or internship) year. This year, 10 seminarians accepted, which brings the total number of seminarians in the Diocese to over 55-56 seminarians.

Fr. Charlie encouraged all Knights and families to support seminarians since, sometimes, seminarians can experience challenges with family when they choose to follow God. Additionally, some seminarians are not from area so they are far from their families and friends and support system.

He encouraged the Knights to interact with the seminarians because some of the seminarians lack fathers or father figure in their lives. This serves a twofold purpose. First, the seminarians need to know the people that they will serve. Second, our interactions with the seminarians help to encourage them in their discernment and our moral support will help them overcome any discouragement that they may have. As for supporting seminarians financially, while there is a $2,000 cap reimbursement ($100 per $500) per Council, set by Supreme, individual Knights can "pass the hat" for a collection for seminarians.

In the Spiritual Director Report, I deferred to Fr. Charlie and he spoke about the Sacred Heart of Jesus. He invites us to pray this simple prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus:

Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like your own. Amen.

The prayer is from Scripture, in the Gospel of Matthew, where Jesus says: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light” (11:28-30).

Fr. Charlie explains that meekness is not weakness. Meekness is special deference. For example, the Son defers, or is obedient, to Father. Recall how Jesus struggled with his own Passion during his Agony in the Garden. However, Jesus remained obedient to his Father in heaven, saying: “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39).

To be obedient to God takes discipline, especially when discerning things that are of God and things that are from the Evil One. Know that God asks to do simple things that are hard to do because it requires sacrifices from us. Think of this Sunday's Gospel, in which Jesus says: “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me.

Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it" (Matthew 10:37-42). On the other hand, Satan asks us to do something easy but complex. For example, life becomes increasing complex when we live a lie.

Moreover, Fr. Charlie explains that there are two types of humility that we should be aware of. The first is other-centered and the counter to humility is pride (one of the seven deadly sins) when we believe that we are better than others, The second type is false humility in which we refuse to take compliments. The Sacred Heart of Jesus teaches us to do something hard but with humility.

The month of June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In particular, on the occasion  of America celebrating its 250th anniversary, the United States Bishops consecrated the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Here is the web-page on the USCCB dedicated to the Consecration of the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, including the homily by Supreme Chaplain, Archbishop William E. Lori. Fr. Charlie invited all brother Knights and families to pray this Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and  this Litany to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Also, you and your family can pray the Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Lastly, here is the Consecration of the U.S. to the Sacred Heart of Jesus by the Diocese of Austin. Also you all are aware, we have the traveling pilgrim icon of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. If your Council or Assembly would like to have the icon at your parish, then please reach out to Sir Knight Ricardo R., whose contact information can be found on the web-page for the pilgrim icon. Our Chaplain suggest displaying the pilgrim icon in the Adoration Chapel of your parish if the main church is not available.

Other Chaplain's Reports

Reflecting on Fr. Charlie Garza's Chaplain Report (2/23/2026)

Reflecting on Fr. Charlie Garza's Chaplain Report (4/27/2026) (UPDATED 5/21/2026)

Homily for Monday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time (Year A - 6/22/2026)

In today’s Gospel, Jesus gives us another teaching that challenges us: “Stop judging, that you may not be judged. For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.” In our modern, perhaps even post-Christianity society, we hear things like: “I’m not judging,” “no judgment here, “you do you,” “Love the sinner, not the sin,” etc. For many of us, who try to live according to the natural laws of God and His Commandments, and the Beatitudes and teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ, we shy away from “judging” the actions of others for fear of being labeled judgmental or worst (Homily, 6/30/2025).

I want to share this commentary from Donald DeMarco, Ph.D. that I recently read in hopes of helping us to better understand what Jesus means when he tells us to “stop judging, that you may not be judged.” Quote: “It is important that we not overextend the meaning of ‘Judge not’ to include the legitimate use of the mind in judging ideas, whether they are correct or erroneous actions, whether they are good or bad, and propositions, whether they are true or false. We need to make judgments in these matters in order to help people. [Saint Thomas Aquinas once said,] ‘The greatest kindness one can render to any man consists in leading him to truth. Sheer ignorance would be of no help to anyone. But we are neighbors to each other and inherit the solemn obligation to be of help to each other, especially on the road to salvation. We are, in fact, required to use our minds to assist others as we navigate through the various [obstacles] that life has set before us.”

The author continues, saying: “The day will come when God will judge each one of us. But who we are in the eyes of God is not someone that any one of us can know. It is in this sense that the command, ‘Do not judge’ has its decisive meaning. Jacques Maritain, in his book, “On the Use of Philosophy”, expresses the matter accurately and beautifully: ‘But we are utterly forbidden to judge the innermost heart, that inaccessible center where the person day after day weaves his own fate and ties the bonds binding him to God. When it comes to that, there is only one thing to do, and that is to trust God. And that is precisely what love for our neighbor prompts is to do.’”

Finally, today begins Religious Freedom Week with the feast day of Saint John Fisher, Bishop and Saint Thomas More, Martyrs. According to the USCCB: “Sts. Thomas More and John Fisher. . . bore witness to a deep faith in Christ and his Church. . . More and Fisher are well-known for opposing King Henry’s divorce. Ultimately, it was their refusal to sign an oath of supremacy that led them to be executed. . . It is good to love one’s country, but ultimate loyalty is due only to Christ and his kingdom. Sts. Thomas More and John Fisher show us what faithful citizenship looks like. They loved and served their country. . . But when the law of the king came into conflict with the law of Christ, they submitted to Christ. These men gave their lives for the freedom of the Church and for freedom of conscience. They bear witness to the truth that no government can make a claim on a person’s soul.”

Therefore, my sisters and brothers in Christ, may we exercise right judgment, examine our conscience, and use our religious freedom to live out our Catholic faith not only in our private lives but also in public and to serve the good of all for the greater glory of God.

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/062226.cfm