In Sermons: showing 1,066-1,080 of 1,305

Word And Spirit Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 14, 2012

The Holy Spirit acts in the human author of Scripture so that every word is inspired and true; the Holy Spirit also acts in the proclaimer and hearer so that the word can be efficatious in human life.

Monday of 2nd Week in Course 2012 Verbum Domini Word and Spirit The anointing of Saul as king of Israel was one of those pivotal moments in salvation history that set Israel on a whole new course, and not an altogether good one. We see Samuel, one of the great saints of the OT, filled with the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 15:16-23

Denomination: Catholic

Don't Chase Private Revelations Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 7, 2012

Jesus Christ is the definitive revelation of God to humanity. Any private revelations that may come after Him must point to Him and do not have the authority of public revelation.

January 9, 2012 The Baptism of the Lord Verbum Domini Today’s feast, which usually occurs on a Sunday, commemorates one of the three great Epiphanies of Jesus. Jesus’s birth was obscure, his cradle a feed-box, with cows and sheep and a few shepherds to announce Him. The great ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:7-11

Denomination: Catholic

Against His Own Self-Interest Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 7, 2012

God loved us so much that He acted against His own best self-interest, by becoming human. In doing this, He exactly contradicted the secular world's view of leadership and government.

Epiphany 2012 Against His Own Self-Interest Spirit of the Liturgy One of the insights that Pope Benedict has shared with us over the past few years continually comes to mind when I read the Gospels. It is like a unifying theme of the Scriptures. God loves us so much that he does things for us ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12

Denomination: Catholic

The Diaconal Call To Service Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 1, 2012

The plan of God for all of us, especially clergy, is a call to service and understanding, not tyranny.

Solemnity of the Epiphany 2012 Diaconate Vocation Spirit of the Liturgy “Where is the newborn king of the Jews?” the Magi said to Herod. It was a straightforward question to the wrong guy. There are times to be subtle and times to be blunt. I recall many years ago when I was a sales ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12

Denomination: Catholic

Abraham, Man Of The Divine Gift Of Faith

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 30, 2011

The patriarchs were saints like us, venal, self-serving and often flawed, but devoted to doing the will of God as revealed to them.

Abraham’s Call and Covenant Abram ben Terah was in Haran when he first heard the call of the Lord: “Go from your country and kindred and father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that ...read more

Denomination: Catholic

You Said What To An Angel Of God? Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 17, 2011

The Word of God comes in silence and is revealed as the word of the new and everlasting covenant, so that when we celebrate Eucharist we are freed from our messy little daily sins and given strength for the journey.

Monday of 4th week in Advent 19 December 2011 Verbum Domini As a member of the tribe of Levi, and a priest, Zechariah would have been familiar with all the books of the Old Testament, just as he stood at the threshold of the New. He would have heard the Levites singing the psalm that praises the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:5-25

Denomination: Catholic

Not From A Distance Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 12, 2011

Let's us witness to a fundamental truth: that in the Incarnation, God truly came to be with us forever.

Fourth Sunday of Advent 2011 “Not From a Distance” The Spirit of the Liturgy About a quarter of a century ago a song that made it to number 2 on the Billboard chart taught us that “God is watching us–from a distance.” The idea was, I suppose, not much different from ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:26-38

Denomination: Catholic

Jesus Was The Word And Kept It

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 3, 2011

Unlike the first Adam, who heard God

Monday of 2nd Week in Advent 2011 Verbum Domini As we hear the Word of God through Isaiah today, it’s hard to miss the fact that as soon as the words: “God will come and save you” are uttered, blindness and deafness are cured and the deserts become gardens and holiness fills the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:17-26

Denomination: Catholic

The Abbreviated Word Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Nov 26, 2011

It is to our benefit that God condescended to become human. In the words of the Church Fathers, he "abbreviated" Himself.

Monday of the First Week of Advent 2011 Verbum Domini What a providential, or shrewd, juxtaposition we have this year on this first Monday of Advent. The word of God today brings together the expectation of Advent, our reflections on Verbum Domini, and the reintroduction of truly Scriptural ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 8:5-11

Denomination: Catholic

The Divine Condescension Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Nov 19, 2011

Those who know God's word--like Mary--also know fully the significance of every creature.

Monday of the 34th Week in Course 21 November 2011 Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Verbum Domini Those who know God’s word also know fully the significance of each creature. For if all things “hold together” in the one who is “before all things” (cf. Col 1:17), ...read more

Scripture: Luke 21:1-4

Denomination: Catholic

The Word Of God, Secular Society And The Natural Law Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Nov 12, 2011

By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and the natural moral law.

Monday of 33rd Week in Course Verbum Domini “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” This is one of what the Egyptian hermits used to call “javelin prayers” that the Church has held dear from the beginning. The story we hear in today’s Gospel, which originated in ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:35-43

Denomination: Catholic

The Celebration Of The Wedding Of The Lamb Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Nov 6, 2011

The New Mass gives us an opportunity to show to the world the earthly celebration of the heavenly banquet--the wedding of the Lamb and His Bride.

33rd Sunday in Course 13 November 2011 Spirit of the Liturgy Stewart the Steward was patting himself on the back. His boss, a hard man without an ounce of patience or forgiveness, was returning today from a long business trip, during which he had bought and sold several companies. In the course ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:14-30

Denomination: Catholic

The Meanings Of The Word Of God Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Nov 5, 2011

The Wisdom of God is another word for the Word of God, which itself has many meanings, primarily the Logos, the Second person of the Trinity

Monday of 32nd Week in Course Verbum Domini God’s word to us today is strong and admonitory. Seek wisdom–which means seek the will of God–and follow after it. Don’t think you can hide from God. The spirit of God is everywhere, and knows everything we think or say. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 17:1-6

Denomination: Catholic

The Word Of God--Constant Reminder Of Our Need To Repent Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Oct 22, 2011

This homily is largely identical to the previous week's, which I did not get to deliver. The relationship between the spiritual gifts and the deposit of faith in Scripture

Monday of 30th Week in Course St. Anthony Mary Claret Verbum Domini The early Church, built on the immediate remembrance of Pentecost, was “charismatic” in the best sense. That is, the spiritual gifts, interior and exterior, characterized the relationships between the Christian, the ...read more

Denomination: Catholic

To An Ever Greater Love Of The Word Of God Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Oct 8, 2011

Two guides help us in our journey with the Scriptures: St. Paul and the prologue to John's Gospel

Monday of 29th Week in Course St. Ignatius of Antioch Verbum Domini Our saint today, Ignatius of Antioch, is a most appropriate patron for our reflections on the Word of God. He was the third bishop of Antioch, but, more importantly, was a disciple of John the Apostle. His writings give us a ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:69-75

Denomination: Catholic