Sermons on Francis Carracciola:

Lessons In Apologetics #4: Pragmaticism & Combinationalism

Contributed by Frederick Meekins on Aug 27, 2010

Lessons In Apologetics #4: Pragmaticism & Combinationalism

The next theory of truth and religious knowledge is pragmatism. Developed initially by Charles Sander Pierce and expanded by William James, pragmatism is the theory that truth is not determined by what one thinks, feels, or discovers but rather by what works. Christians may instinctively recoil ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 19:1

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Herod Wants To Kill You Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Oct 24, 2015

Part of our mission to the world is to defend the social teachings of the Church.

Thursday of 30th week in course 2015 Joy of the Gospel “Herod wants to kill you.” “ISIS wants to kill you.” “Planned Parenthood wants to destroy you.” Jesus and His followers have heard these refrains almost continually since Christ first began to proclaim ...read more

Scripture: Luke 13:31-35

Denomination: Catholic

The Joy Of The Gospel And Freedom From Slavery Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 9, 2016

We must spread the joy of the Gospel as we fight all kinds of enslavement.

Thursday of First Week in Course 2016 Joy of the Gospel I can’t imagine what it is to be a slave, or, for that matter, like Lincoln, a slave-owner. But all of us have sinned, and many have been addicted to one sin or the other. That’s the worst kind of slavery. The nation of Israel ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 4:1-11

Denomination: Catholic

Neither A Slave Nor A Slave-Owner Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 13, 2016

We must stand up for the freedom of the Gospel and the rights of pre-born humans.

Thursday of First Week in Course 2016 Joy of the Gospel I can’t imagine what it is to be a slave, or, for that matter, like Lincoln, a slave-owner. But all of us have sinned, and many have been addicted to one sin or the other. That’s the worst kind of slavery. The nation of Israel ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 4:1-11

Denomination: Catholic

Stewards Of Children And Creation Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 16, 2016

The Church cannot be expected to change position on the evil of murder.

Thursday of Second Week in Course 2016 Joy of the Gospel The readings today remind me of the cynical epigram: No good deed goes unpunished. David was the champion of Israel, defeating the Philistines time after time. Still, king Saul, who was probably suffering from a long-lasting clinical ...read more

Denomination: Catholic

Speaking The Truth Series

Contributed by Kevin Ruffcorn on Dec 6, 2012

Jesus engaged in people's real life questions, issues and challenges. As followers of Jesus we are challenged to engage in caring conversations with others in order to share God's love and grace.

John 4:37-30, 39-42 “Speaking the Truth INTRODUCTION One of the gifs of the technological revolution is that of communication. We are now able to communicate over greater distances, with more people, in a shorter time, than has ever been possible. • No more five day mail ...read more

Scripture: John 4:27-42

Denomination: Lutheran

No Purse, No Bag, No Sandals Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Sep 30, 2017

The reformers of every age have pointed to the words of Jesus to His first disciples: “Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and salute no one on the road,” as a call to poverty.

Thursday of 26th Week in Course 2017 Reformation and Revolution The rebuilding of the Temple of Jerusalem, which the prophet Haggai had commanded, was accompanied by a rebuilding of Jewish identity and worship in the community of returned exiles. We must never forget that God does not act ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:1-12

Denomination: Catholic

The Scene Is Set For Revolution And Reformation Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Oct 21, 2017

God writes straight with crooked lines, in every age.

Thursday of 29th Week in Course 2017 Reformation and Revolution Let’s imagine for a moment what happened when St. Paul and his companions came to a town in Anatolia or Greece, his two assigned missionary territories. There were probably Jews there, who met in someone’s home or maybe, if the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:49-53

Denomination: Catholic

A Second Look At Freedom Of Religion Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on May 13, 2017

We must seek to meet those who have no connection to religious tradition but sincerely seek truth, goodness and beauty. Ultimately, Jesus Christ is the what and the whom they seek.

Thursday of 5th Week of Easter 2017 Joy of the Gospel The words of today’s Gospel could be a reflection on the Beatitude, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” Ultimately our food, our clothing, our housing and our health care are not ends in themselves, but rather means to the end of ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:22-31

Denomination: Catholic

Vanities, Poverty And Destitution Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Sep 22, 2018

We must find in our heart the vast chasm, the infinite need that only Infinite Goodness and Truth and Beauty can fill.

Thursday of the 24th Week in Course 2018 St. Vincent de Paul The book we call Ecclesiastes is often referred to as Qoheleth, for the Hebrew name of the author, here called “the Preacher.” The first words form one of the major themes of theology, that all things human are perishable, that even what ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:1-11, Psalm 90:3-17, Luke 9:7-9

Denomination: Catholic

Led Into Temptation Series

Contributed by Aneel Aranha on Feb 22, 2021

In our Lord’s Prayer, we beseech God not to lead us into temptation. Can he? Does he?

Scripture Reading: Matthew 6:7-15 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:7-15

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Entering Through The Veil Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 26, 2019

The gift we offer is the gift of ourselves, in Christ, for the Father to do with as He wills.

St. John Bosco 2019 St. Matthew records, in his passion narrative, an old tradition from the earliest days of the Church which is referred to in this letter to the Hebrews. The story tells us that when Our Lord died, there was an earthquake, and one of the results was the ripping of the Temple ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:19-25, Mark 4:21-25, Matthew 27:51

Denomination: Catholic

The Ascension Of Jesus

Contributed by Paul Andrew on May 1, 2019

Let go to go

The Ascension marks the beginning of a new phase in Christ’s relationship to humanity, kind of a "spiritual presence of the absence“ for baptized believers. After all, “Christianity was founded upon the loss of a body,” writes the Jesuit historian Michel de Certeau, what he calls “an ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:46-53

Denomination: Catholic

Compassion

Contributed by Gerald Roberts on Jun 15, 2020

Jesus showed compassion , but what is compassion?

1. What is compassion? Matthew 9:35-38 • Verse 36 of today’s text reads: “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” So Jesus had compassion. But what is it? • Definitions for compassion include feeling sorrow for ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 9:35-38

Denomination: Methodist

Twenty-Ninth Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year A--Church And State

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Sep 3, 2023

Otherwise, politics is about "bread and circuses."

Have you ever noticed that when you combine the two words, “THE” and “IRS,” it spells “THEIRS”? At one and the same time Jesus affirmed the rights of the state and freedom of conscience to worship and serve God. By allowing Caesar to collect taxes, Jesus opposes the Pharisees by acknowledging ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 22:15-21

Denomination: Catholic