Homily for Monday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time (Year A - 8/31/2026)

Scripture tells us that Jesus is the “Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:1-14). Jesus is the Incarnate Word of God. There is “spirit and power” in the name of Jesus, the Word of God. For this reason, in today’s first reading, Saint Paul tells us that he “did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom.” He “resolved to know nothing. . . except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” And that, his message and proclamation “were not with persuasive words of wisdom” attributable to him, but of “spirit and power” that come from the Word of God. Thus, our faith does not “rest on human wisdom but on the power of God” that comes from the Word of God, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Pope Francis encouraged us to ask ourselves this important and essential question: “How do I receive the Word of God?” In other words, “how do I receive Jesus Christ?” He is the Incarnate Word of God who continues to dwell among us in our hearts. In today’s Gospel, we hear that the people in the synagogue received Jesus, the Word of God, with amazement at the “gracious words that came from his mouth.” Then, as Jesus challenged them saying, “no prophet is accepted in his own native place”; and, also, that Elijah was not sent to Israel “but only to a widow in Zarephath”; and, finally, that none of the lepers in Israel were cleansed in the time of Elisha “but only Naaman the Syrian.” How quickly did the people in the synagogue become “filled with fury” and “drove him out of town, and led him to the brow of the hill. . . to hurl him headlong.” But the Word of God “passed through the midst of them and went away.”

So, once again, back to Pope Francis’ question for us to ask ourselves: “How do I receive the Word of God?” How do I receive Jesus Christ, my Lord and my God? Do we receive Jesus with affection and humility? Do we allow his preaching, teachings, and actions to challenge us so that the Word of God can help us become the best version of ourselves? Or do we reject Jesus, like the people in the synagogue in today’s Gospel did, and turn away from the Word of God when it becomes too challenging for us to accept or live by in our lives? The Word of God can cause us “fear and much trembling,” no doubt about it. However, what other options do we have on our journey to heaven? Jesus is “the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6). He tells us to “[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).

Therefore, in our spiritual and prayer life, let us ask ourselves, “How do I receive the Word of God?” And, let us pray for the grace to receive the Incarnate Word of God with awe and wonder at the “gracious words that [come] from this mouth” and be transformed so that we can be the people God created us to be.

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/083126.cfm

Homily for the Feast of Saint Bartholomew, Apostle (Year A - 8/24/2026)

Today, we celebrate the Feast of Saint Bartholomew, who is also known as Nathanael. In today’s Gospel, we hear that Philip invited Nathanael to “come and see” Jesus. Then, following a short exchange during his encounter with Jesus, Nathanael confessed to Jesus and Philip, saying that Jesus is "the Son of God. . . the King of Israel." Jesus responded to him with a promise that he “will see greater things than this” and that he “will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” Nathanael indeed saw something greater on the Sea of Galilee after Jesus’ Resurrection. Christ appeared to the apostles on the shore while they were fishing at sea (John 21:1-14). It was the third time that Jesus “was revealed to his disciples after being raised from the dead” (id).

As we see in today’s Gospel, what started as a friend extending an invitation to another friend to “come and see” Jesus truly transformed the life of Nathanael forever. I personally experienced something similar to this many years ago when my then girlfriend (who is now my wife) extended an invitation to me to attend Mass with her. For me, who was a non-practicing Buddhist at the time and did not know anything about the Mass much less Catholicism, that simple invitation to “come and see” Jesus in the Eucharist at Mass transformed my life forever. We got married in the Catholic Church. I received my Sacraments at the Easter Vigil the following year. And now, I have the blessed opportunity to serve God and his people as a Catholic deacon in the Church of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

My sisters and brothers in Christ, today’s Gospel should inspire and move us to be Philip to the Nathanaels in our lives. Philip shows us that leading others to an encounter with Jesus can be as simple as an invitation to “come and see” Jesus in the Eucharist at Mass, in Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament, or through the various parish ministries or events at our parishes. It only takes but an invitation to lead someone back to Mass, back to Catholicism and the Church, back to our Lord and our God. God can take this simple yet genuine gesture of ours toward another and transform the lives of the other person in the same way that He did for Nathanael, in the same way that Jesus did for me. He can do the same when we become Philip to the Nathanels in our lives and extend that invitation to “come and see” Jesus.

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/feast-saint-bartholomew-apostle

Homily for Monday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time (Year A - 8/17/2026)

In today’s Gospel, the rich young man approached Jesus and asked him, “Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?” Jesus responded, saying, “Why do you ask me about the good? There is only One who is good.” Saint John Paul II reflected that “[to] ask about the good, in fact, ultimately means to turn towards God, the fullness of goodness” (John Paul II, Veritatis splendor, 9). Additionally, Bishop Robert Barron said that for Saint John Paul II “to grasp the meaning of this story is to understand the central dynamic of the New Testament, the free response to Jesus’ offer of eternal life.”

In life, we obey the law so as to avoid the consequences of breaking the law, the most severe consequence of which is losing our freedom. And so, to avoid these consequences, we freely submit ourselves to just laws. In a way, we are like the rich young man, asking what good we must do to preserve our freedom according to the law - local, state, and federal. If we are so cognizant of obeying the law to live in freedom, then should we not do the same when it comes to preserving our soul for eternal life? For this reason, we should follow the rich young man’s lead and ask Jesus, “Lord, what good must I do to gain eternal life?” 

What is the good that we must do then? Bishop Robert Barron shares this insight: “What John Paul II saw was that human freedom is realized in a surrender to the truth of God, and that that truth is none other than a God who hands over his life to us.” In other words, we must “turn towards God, the fullness of goodness” (Saint John Paul II). “Jesus is the infinite good that the soul wants. He is God’s own self made flesh” (Bishop Robert Barron). Jesus tells us how we can do this in today’s Gospel: “If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments. . . If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

The first question that we must ask ourselves then is, “do I desire to gain eternal life”? Bishop Robert Barron said that “if you want to live in friendship with God, there are certain things that you must cut out of your life. Friendship with God means a life of love; therefore, those things that egregiously violate love have to be eliminated. . . God is nothing but love, straight through, and therefore the life of friendship with him, in the richest sense, is a life of total, self-forgetting love. . . The spiritual life, at the highest pitch, is about giving your life away.” And so, if our answer is, “yes, I desire to gain eternal life,” then we must ask God for the courage and humility to do whatever it takes to do the “good [we must do] to gain eternal life,” even if it means submitting ourselves to the commandments and laws of our Lord of our own freewill and in obedience to God.

I want to share this prayer for the Memorial of St. Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church: “Lord Jesus, perfection comes from your Father, who gave man his law so that we might find redemption. Yet even following these laws is not enough, O Lord, for humility must also take root within our hearts. Keep us both humble and charitable Lord, that we might always be more willing to abide by your commands.”

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/081726.cfm

Homily for the Feast of Saint Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr (Year A - 8/10/2026)

The Lord God called the Prophet Jeremiah, saying: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you” (Jeremiah 1:5). God has a purpose for all of us. The Baltimore Catechism states that God created us to know, love, and serve Him.

Saint Paul wrote to the Corinthians, saying: “God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.” We know with confidence that God gives us the grace we need to accomplish the things that He desires of us. Saint Paul affirmed this in his letter to the Philippians: “I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me” (4:13).

And then, in today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us: “Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.” For us to know, love, and serve God, we must first deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and come follow him (Matthew 16:24). When we do this, not only will we be with God for all eternity but the Father will honor whoever serves our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

We see this in the life and martyrdom of Saint Lawrence, deacon and martyr. From Franciscan Media: “He was a Roman deacon under Pope Saint Sixtus II. Four days after this pope was put to death, Lawrence and four clerics suffered martyrdom, probably during the persecution of the Emperor Valerian. . . As deacon in Rome, Saint Lawrence was charged with the responsibility for the material goods of the Church, and the distribution of alms to the poor. When Lawrence knew he would be arrested like the pope, he sought out the poor, widows, and orphans of Rome and gave them all the money he had on hand, selling even the sacred vessels of the altar to increase the sum. When the prefect of Rome heard of this, he imagined that the Christians must have considerable treasure. . . [and said to Saint Lawrence:] ‘Bring these treasures—the emperor needs them to maintain his forces’. . . After three days he gathered a great number of blind, lame, maimed, leprous, orphaned, and widowed persons and put them in rows. When the prefect arrived, Lawrence simply said, ‘These are the treasure of the Church. . .’ The prefect was so angry he told Lawrence that he would indeed have his wish to die.”

“Saint Lawrence’s martyrdom is a supreme testament to love. Saint Leo the Great, in a homily, commented on the condemnation of St. Lawrence, ‘The flames could not overcome the charity of Christ; and the fire burning him without was weaker than the one he had burning within him’ (Vatican News). “St. Lawrence teaches us that we should not fear religious oppression. With great confidence and fortitude through prayer, we can overcome the challenges that stand before us. And even in the midst of persecution, we can maintain joy in Christ” (EWTN).

Once again, it is as Saint Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.” And as Jesus said in today’s Gospel: “Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life.”

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/081026.cfm

Homily for Monday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time (Year A - 8/3/2026)

In today’s Gospel, we imagine ourselves in the boat as we struggle against the tempest at sea. The boat is the Church, protected by the Holy Spirit, with the apostles at the helm to help us navigate the many difficulties and challenges in our lives. Yet, we quickly learn that the apostles are very much like us. They experienced the ups and downs of life, with life’s joys and sorrows, but what we can learn from the apostles is perseverance in faith, particularly our belief and trust in God, finding hope in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Jesus waking on the water and coming toward us reminds us that he can calm the tempest in our lives when we turn to him in faith and cry out to him, saying: “Lord, save me!” as Peter did. Jesus walking on water and coming toward us also reminds us that in the midst of our challenges and difficulties that we experience in life, Jesus never ceases to command us to “take courage [and] do not be afraid” and come and follow him always. This is what it means to “deny” ourselves [to deny our fears, doubts, and insecurities], “take up our cross” [our burdens and sufferings], and “come follow” him (Matthew 16:24), walking always by faith (2 Corinthians 5:7). Jesus walking on the water and coming toward us reminds us that he is and will always be there with outstretched hands to catch us when we fall under the heavy burdens that we can experience in our life, for his yolk is easy and his burden light (Matthew 11:30).

Pope Benedict XIV reflected on this Gospel passage, saying: “St Augustine, imagining that he was addressing the Apostle, commented: the Lord “leaned down and took you by the hand. With your strength alone you cannot rise. Hold tight to the hand of the One who reaches down to you” (En. in Ps. 95, 7: PL 36, 1233), and he did not say this to Peter alone but also to us” (8/7/2011). Moreover, Pope Francis said: “When we receive Holy Communion we experience that Jesus is with us both spiritually and physically. . . He (Jesus) says to you, ‘I am with you’ but not in words but in a gesture, in that act of love which is the Eucharist. . . You, too, can then communicate and say to the Lord, ‘Lord Jesus, I am with you,’ not only in words but with your heart, with your body and your life” (7/31/2024).

And so, when we come up for Holy Communion, it is us telling Jesus to command us to come to him. Jesus replies to us, saying: “Come.” Jesus calls us to himself, giving of his Body and Blood in the Eucharist to give us the courage not to be afraid and be strengthened for the many difficulties and challenges that we may experience in life. My sisters and brothers, we are truly blessed that through Baptism, we are beloved sons and daughters of the Father, members of the Church of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, in which we receive grace from the Holy Spirit to “take courage and not be afraid,” because God is with us, Jesus saves us, and the Holy Spirit protects us.

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/080326.cfm