In Sermons: showing 646-660 of 1,304

The Survey At Caesarea Philippi

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Aug 20, 2017

Let's review our attitudes toward authority, particularly in the Church.

21st Sunday in Course 2017: Ordinary Form Homily Is authority a divine gift? The story we read from Isaiah suggests that Shebna, the corrupt official whose name we learn in an earlier verse, was given his office by God, and cast out of that office by God. Then God raised up Eliakim ben Hilkiah to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:16-20

Denomination: Catholic

Life On The Jericho Road

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Aug 20, 2017

For most of us, however, the times we frequently encounter beaten and bloody humans along the Jericho road is in our daily life of work and friendship.

Twelfth Sunday After Pentecost 2017 Extraordinary Form Over the past half-century I have had several careers, and I thank God for all of them. Twenty years were spent in sales and sales management, and much of that time was spent selling life insurance. It’s not the easiest thing to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:23-37

Denomination: Catholic

Mary, The Church And The Joy Of The Gospel Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Aug 12, 2017

"He [God] will dwell forever in the knowledge and love of each faithful soul”

Thursday of 19th Week in Course 2017 Joy of the Gospel The story of Joshua and the people of Israel crossing the Jordan River in flood season, on dry land, is reminiscent of the crossing of the sea by Israel in the time of Moses. We needn’t concern ourselves with just how it happened. Into the ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 3:7-17

Denomination: Catholic

The Wealth Of Intercession Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Aug 6, 2017

"intercessory prayer does not divert us from true contemplation, since authentic contemplation always has a place for others."

Thursday of 18th Week in Course 2017 Joy of the Gospel Our recent journey with the Holy Father through his encyclical, The Joy of the Gospel, has taken us to a place where we learn that our faithfulness to our call is the critical element of our discipleship. Our fruitfulness is assured if we are ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:6-10

Denomination: Catholic

Let Us Be Overshadowed By The Spirit Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jul 30, 2017

"This generous trust has to be nourished, and so we need to invoke the Spirit constantly."

Thursday of 17th Week in Course 2017 Joy of the Gospel Today’s Gospel is a reprise of part of the Gospel from last Sunday. There will be a division at the end of time, at the general judgement. Each of us will die and face what we call the “particular” judgement, based on whether we die with the ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 40:16-38

Denomination: Catholic

Dull Hearts Or Resurrected Hearts? Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jul 20, 2017

We are all called to be either on the playing field battling for good against the forces of evil, or coaching or cheerleading or passing out the water to the players.

Thursday of 16th Week in Course 2017 Joy of the Gospel One would think that with all the smoke and lightning, and the other marvels that manifest God’s presence to the people of Israel, the last thing they would do after the Sinai event is to let their hearts grow dull. But that’s human nature, ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 19:1-20

Denomination: Catholic

We're All Slaves Of Something Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jul 15, 2017

Once we give ourselves over to Our Lord, we compose new melodies with our members.

Seventh Sunday After Pentecost 2017 Extraordinary Form A few weeks ago I was driving in the Bandera Road area and I passed a little building that advertised itself as an “Acts 2:38 church.” I have a good friend who grew up in a church like that so I understood pretty much what they were ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:19-23

Denomination: Catholic

The Plague Of Results Orientation Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jul 13, 2017

"If we think that things are not going to change, we need to recall that Jesus Christ has triumphed over sin and death and is now almighty."

Thursday of 15th Week in Course 2017 Joy of the Gospel It’s extremely important for us to understand that the God who, in the person of Jesus, said “come to me–my yoke is easy and my burden is light” is the same God who called Moses and the people of Israel and smote the Egyptians. God had made a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30

Denomination: Catholic

"I Am A Mission On This Earth" Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jul 7, 2017

"My mission of being in the heart of the people is not just a part of my life or a badge I can take off"

Thursday of 14th Week in Course 2017 Joy of the Gospel When you are in love with someone, when you really care more about that person than anyone else in the world, what is the worst thing that could happen? Rejection. The beloved turns away and tells you to go away, and all of a sudden the world ...read more

Denomination: Catholic

Giving Reasons For Hope, Not As An Enemy Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jul 2, 2017

"we will know the missionary joy of sharing life with God’s faithful people as we strive to light a fire in the heart of the world."

Thursday of Thirteenth Week in Course Joy of the Gospel This incident on the Mount of Moriah, which Jewish tradition holds to later be the Temple Mount, is one of the critical Old Testament passages that looks forward to the New. Remember that St. John and St. Paul later would see the cross of ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 22:1-19

Denomination: Catholic

We Are A People Of God Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jun 16, 2017

"To be evangelizers of souls, we need to develop a spiritual taste for being close to people’s lives."

Thursday of 4th Week in Course 2017 Joy of the Gospel This is a solemnity, one of the three or four greatest saints festivals of the year, and it comes on the heels every year of the solemnities of Corpus Christi and the Sacred Heart, and the birth of St. John the Baptist. Today we hear from St. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:13-19

Denomination: Catholic

Infinite Love For Infinite Sadness Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jun 10, 2017

To enjoy infinite love curing our infinite sadness, we need to live by the moral code Jesus taught, the code of loving even our enemies.

Thursday of 2nd Week in Course 2017 Joy of the Gospel “Our infinite sadness can only be cured by an infinite love.” Those words of Pope Francis ended our reflection last Thursday on the encyclical Joy of the Gospel. Now God’s love is unconditional. He loves even jerks, even sinners like me and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:20-26

Denomination: Catholic

That Pesky Catholic "Et" Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jun 5, 2017

Christ taught us the basic belief of Christianity, that God is One and God is three. The God we believe in, the God who loves us so much, is Trinity–Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Ghost)

Trinity Sunday 2017 That Pesky Catholic “Et” A wise theologian once taught me that the distinctive character of Catholic teaching is what he called the “pesky Catholic ‘et’.” That’s the word “and” in English, “y” en Español, “und” auf deutsch. Catholic teaching uses a lot of phrases containing the ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16-18

Denomination: Catholic

A Daily Enthusiasm For Our Mission Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jun 3, 2017

Just as charity covers or eradicates an infinity of sin, so infinite sadness is cured by Christ’s infinite love.

Thursday of 1st Week in Course 2017 Joy of the Gospel “No one dared to ask Him any questions.” I am a teacher on summer break. It’s quite a transition every year for teachers to move into June. We have to have time off, or we’ll burn out prematurely. But we also have to sharpen our pencils, hone ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:28-34

Denomination: Catholic

Spirit-Filled Evangelizers Are Evangelizers Who Pray And Work. Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on May 27, 2017

All that we do must culminate in the proclamation of the Gospel of Christ.

Thursday of 7th Week of Easter 2017 Joy of the Gospel The Gospel passage we just proclaimed is one of those moments we are tempted to take comfort in and not think about. It seems all warm and fuzzy and a little like a group hug: “You in me and I in you and everybody else in us all sweet and ...read more

Denomination: Catholic