In Sermons: showing 1,261-1,275 of 1,305

The Problem Of Evil; The Solution Of Praise

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Feb 7, 2009

Politics cannot relieve our suffering, nor can science; only praise from the midst of suffering can make us like Jesus and the saints.

Septuagesima Sunday 8 February 2009 The Problem of Evil “The pain of death surrounded me, and the sorrows of the netherworld encompassed me, and in my affliction I called upon the Lord, and from his holy temple he heard my voice.” The words of the ancient Introit antiphon tell us one of the ...read more

Scripture: Job 7:1-7

Denomination: Catholic

Miracles Still Happen

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 31, 2009

Miracles are sudden inbursts of God’s love into His world and our lives, and attract attention to the truth of the Gospel.

February 3, 2009 St. Blaise “since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy ...read more

Scripture: Mark 5:21-43

Denomination: Catholic

Confessing Our Sins Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 31, 2009

Before approaching communion, we are admonished to be in right relation with God and the Church; this is accomplished through Reconciliation.

Feast of the Purification/Presentation February 2, 2009 Sacramentum Caritatis St. Luke must have had a terrific sense of humor, history and irony. He also knew his Bible–especially the prophets like Malachi. The picture here in Malachi is apocalyptic. The Lord visits His temple and purifies the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:22-32

Denomination: Catholic

Who Are My Brothers?

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 26, 2009

Our brotherhood is in Christ, and cannot exclude other Christians.

January 27, 2009 Who are my brothers The passage I just proclaimed from the third chapter of Mark is one that has caused volumes of ink to be spilled. When I talk Church with my non-Catholic friends, they frequently bring up our alleged “worship” of the Blessed Virgin Mary and then these lines ...read more

Scripture: Mark 3:31-35

Denomination: Catholic

Completing Our Initiation Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 26, 2009

Baptism is called the “portal to all the sacraments,” but it is our participation in the Eucharistic sacrifice which perfects within us the gifts given to us at Baptism.”

January 26, 2009 Timothy and Titus Sacramentum Caritatis On this feast of Saints Timothy and Titus, who are linked forever in the Church’s memory with St. Paul, whose conversion we celebrated yesterday, we continue with the Holy Father to reflect on the relationship between the Blessed Eucharist ...read more

Scripture: Titus 1:1-4

Denomination: Catholic

Communion And Unity Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 17, 2009

Eucharist is the supreme manifestation of the unity of Christians

January 19, 2009 Sacramentum Caritatis There is a special co-incidence of today’s readings, the week of prayer for Christian unity, and the words of the Holy Father in Sacramentum Caritatis, where we are at article 15. This Mass, this memorial of Christ, is the supreme sacramental manifestation ...read more

Scripture: Mark 2:18-22

Denomination: Catholic

The Sacred Oath

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 17, 2009

God swore an oath to Abraham and fulfilled it in Jesus, even taking on the covenant curse so that we, even though unfaithful, could receive the covenant blessing.

January 19, 2009 The Sacred Oath When God made a covenant with Abraham, promises were made by both sides. In fact, God made three covenants with Abraham, one of each of the three types. In the first type of covenant, all the obligations were on the inferior party, Abraham, and he swore an oath ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 6:10-20

Denomination: Catholic

Church And Eucharist Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 10, 2009

the Church is able to celebrate and worship the mystery of Christ in the Eucharist “precisely because Christ first gave himself to her in the sacrifice of the Cross.

January 12, 2008 Sacramentum Caritatis Through His Divine Son, the Father created the world. Through the same Son, He also recreated the world, once Jesus had been made–in the words of the letter to the Hebrews–perfect (complete) through suffering. “The Fathers of the Church often meditated on ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:14-20

Denomination: Catholic

Perfect Through Suffering

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 10, 2009

We are not complete until we are life-giving, and that means that we, like Jesus, must suffer.

January 13, 2009 Strengths and Weaknesses We’d better get this one right, because if we don’t, life is pretty miserable. Our strengths are for others; our weaknesses are for our own growth. What we see in Hebrews here is an elaboration of the hymn St. Paul gives us in Philippians chapter 2. ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 2:5-12

Denomination: Catholic

Feeding The Sheep

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 3, 2009

As Jesus fed the five thousand, so we are challenged to give authentic teaching to the millions of our brothers and sisters who are uncatechized.

January 6, 2009 The Feeding of the Multitude Love doesn’t begin with us. Love begins with God, because God is Love. “God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.” Matthew and Mark say it a little differently: when Jesus looked on the crowds, he saw that they were ...read more

Scripture: Mark 6:34-44

Denomination: Catholic

The Eucharistic Action Of The Holy Spirit

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 3, 2009

The transformation of bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ is the work of the Holy Spirit, the same Spirit that gathers us into one body.

January 5, 2009 Sacramentum Caritatis The radical change, the change meant to set off a process which transforms reality, a change made present in Bethlehem as God revealed Himself as human, is the same change we celebrate here each day on our altar. Reality is transformed; the insignificant ...read more

Denomination: Catholic

Baptism As Soaking In Christ

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 29, 2008

In Baptism, we become, like Jesus, prophets, priests and leaders for our world.

Feast of the Lord’s Baptism January 11, 2009 “Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan.” Why? Was Jesus a sinner? And what does this event, which we celebrate every year, mean to you and me the other 364 days of this year? To better understand the meaning of Jesus’s baptism, we need to ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:7-11

Denomination: Catholic

The Transformation

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 29, 2008

Jesus renews the ancient Hebrew Passover meal and gives it a new reality in the true Lamb of God.

December 29, 2008 Sacramentum Caritatis The new priest offered his first sermon to his congregation. As the people left, many stopped and complimented him on his preaching. He thanked them, went through the week and, the next Sunday, noticed a larger congregation. Some of the parishioners ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:3-11

Denomination: Catholic

Why Shepherds?

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 20, 2008

Jesus was revealed to the shepherds because He was the true Lamb of God.

December 22, 2008 Sacramentum Caritatis He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the LORD’S, and on them he has set the world. Why was the first revelation of the newborn ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:46-56

Denomination: Catholic

The Extravagence Of God

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 6, 2008

Human existence is not a cosmic joke, for what we see is the veiled reality of God’s immense love for us.

Tuesday of the 2nd week in Advent 2008 Extravagant. God is extravagant. Let’s face it, God is in love with us, and so much in love with us that he spares nothing to show that love. If we look carefully at the word of God today, we can see His answer to many of the lies that we hear from the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:12-14

Denomination: Catholic