Sermons on Canonization:

Small Stuff Or Big Deal? Series

Contributed by Vance Elzinga on Jul 5, 2007

This is about the problem of spiritual indifference, and God’s promise, "return to me and I will return to you."

Main Idea: The problem with spiritual indifference. God’s Promise: Return to me, and I’ll return to you. HOOK A quote from David Hansen (The Power of Loving Your Church) about being ’at war’ with God sometimes but at least not ambivalent. (The strong wording of the quote gets one’s attention ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Foundational Authority Of Scripture

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Nov 25, 2013

We have the prophetic word fully confirmed in Jesus.

THE FOUNDATIONAL AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTURE. 2 Peter 1:19-21. The church is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone (Ephesians 2:20). At the back of Peter’s apostolic testimony to the transfiguration of our Lord (2 Peter 1:16-18) lies ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:19-21

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Sign Of The Cross Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jun 19, 2011

We make the sign of the cross in our worship to show the embrace of the Blessed Trinity around our persons and our community.

Monday of 12th Week in Course June 20, 2011 the Spirit of the Liturgy Abraham, first called Abram, is named as our father in faith in the Roman Canon. What that means as we look back on him from the perspective of Jesus is that he offered himself as a gift to God more than he offered his sheep ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 12:1-9

Denomination: Catholic

The Gestures Of Worship Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jul 23, 2011

Profound bows, joining of hands for prayer, and striking our breast are all important adjuncts to our worship.

Feast of St. James July 25, 2011 Spirit of the Liturgy Some of the apostles have paired feasts–Ss. Peter and Paul, Simon and Jude, Philip and James the Lesser. We would expect James and John, blood brothers, to be treated in this way, but they each have their own festival day. I think that ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:20-28

Denomination: Catholic

The Power Of The Word Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Mar 10, 2012

The story of Elisha and Naaman teaches us about the Word of Evangelization, the Word of direction, and the Word of testimony, all powerful in the saving of souls.

Monday of the 3rd Week in Lent Verbum Domini At least as early as the time of St Gregory of Nyssa in the 4th century (On the Baptism of Christ), the Fathers of the Church were seeing this healing of Naaman the Syrian as a type of Baptism. The story is a compelling reminder of the impotence of ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 5:1-15

Denomination: Catholic

The Missionary Aspiration: Reaching Everyone

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Oct 25, 2014

The Church must aspire to a necessary conversion so that our method and message is appealing to those who are in a sinful lifestyle, to return to Christ, convert themselves and be healed and reconciled.

Thursday of the 30th Week in Course Joy of the Gospel My wife was privileged to be the confirmation sponsor for a young lady this year, and her instruction to the girl was centered around this concluding passage from the letter of St. Paul to the church at Ephesus: “take the whole armor of ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-20

Denomination: Catholic

Introducing Christ Series

Contributed by Dr. Rich Denning on Apr 20, 2017

This is part one of a series of messages in the Gospel of John.

INTRODUCTION: John’s gospel is different from the others. There is no genealogy, no manger scene, no boyhood, no temptation, no Mount of transfiguration, and no Gethsemane. There are only a few special miracles chosen by John as “signs.” We have the famous “I AM” sayings of Jesus and many ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1-51

Denomination: Pentecostal

Pee Wee Paul's Big Adventure Series

Contributed by Donald Mcculley on Mar 19, 2019

How can you follow Jesus and not be on an adventure? Let’s consider some things here.

PEE WEE PAUL’S BIG ADVENTURE! I CORINTHIANS 9:24-27 INTRODUCTION: For some of you who don’t know this is a take-off on Pee Wee Herman’s Big Adventure. Out west where the back roads can get pretty muddy and they dry up to be pretty “rutty” (is that a word?) there’s a posted sign that reads ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Denomination: Baptist

Holiness And Controversy

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Aug 6, 2018

The life of St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross is inspirational but off-putting to some.

St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross August 9, 2018 We are the people of the New Covenant, the covenant made in the blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Israel was brought out of Egypt by the power of God. He then gave them the Old Covenant made in the blood of lambs and oxen, written on stone in the Ten ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 31:31-34, Matthew 16:13-23

Denomination: Catholic

Evangelization Has Many Forms--Some That Would Not Work Today

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Aug 11, 2018

Forgive those who offend you or God cannot forgive your own sins. Be merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful.

Thursday of 19th Week in Course St Stephen of Hungary Today’s first reading, from the prophet Ezekiel, is so short that it tends to run right through our heads without finding purchase. So I’ll read it again, The word of the LORD came to me: 2"Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:21-35, Ezekiel 12:1-2

Denomination: Catholic

The Twin Loves And Saint Louis Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 6, 2019

Whatever our state of life, we are called to live and die in love. We are called to follow Jesus and to become saints ourselves.

January 10, 2019 St. Louis of Toulouse Every day we wake up, we wake up to the understanding that our being able to wake up is a divine gift. Every night when we retire saying our night prayers, we make an act of confidence in God, trusting that if we die that night, we are in the care of the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:14-30

Denomination: Catholic

Who Claims Our Devotion? Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 18, 2020

Our devotion is not to a book, not even to a church building, and not even to our fellow parishioners. We derive our identity as Catholics from our devotion to the lord of the Sabbath, the lord of our lives, Our Lord, Jesus the Christ.

Feast of St. Agnes 2020 Tuesday of 2nd week in Course For generations after the Hebrews settled in the Holy Land, they acknowledged only God, the Lord, as their leader. But in the time of the prophet-priest Samuel, these tribes began to worry him about a king. The whole point of the covenant God ...read more

Scripture: Mark 2:23-28, 1 Samuel 16:1-13

Denomination: Catholic

So What Really Is Sin, Righteousness And Judgement? Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on May 25, 2019

The world thinks sin is anything they don’t like good people doing.

Tuesday of the 6th week in Easter 2019 I’m one of the folks who believes that lawyers are a bane on our existence until the day you need one, and then they are the best people on earth. In Jesus’s last sermon, in the upper room after the Last Supper, we hear that it’s better that Jesus ascended ...read more

Scripture: Acts 16:22-34, John 16:5-11

Denomination: Catholic

The Glory We Share With The Father And Son

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on May 12, 2018

St. Gregory of Nyssa, and other Fathers of the Church, teach that the glory of the Father and the Son is the Holy Spirit, who is love. The glory we are given is the Holy Spirit who enables us to image Christ in our world.

Thursday of the 7th Week of Easter 2018 St. Paschal Baylon The prayer of Jesus we just heard from St. John is part of the High Priestly Prayer Our Lord offered at the Last Supper. If you look carefully at it, you might call it the first Eucharistic Prayer, and here you find Christ offering His ...read more

Scripture: John 17:20-26

Denomination: Catholic

Love Is Holy

Contributed by Dr John Singarayar Svd on Oct 19, 2020

Saints were not born because of prayer life, fasting, following the rule and regulation of the Church and the society where he/she lived.

Love is Holy Matthew 5:1-12, 1 John 3:1-3, Revelation 7:2-4, Revelation 7:9-14. Reflection Dear sisters and brothers, Saints were not born because of prayer life, fasting, following the rule and regulation of the Church and the society where he/she lived. They were not so rich or ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12, 1 John 3:1-3, Revelation 7:2-4, Revelation 7:9-14

Denomination: Other