Sermons on Homily:

Maundy Thursday And What God Wants Us To Be

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Mar 29, 2015

What are the washings that God has as gift for us?

Maundy Thursday 2015 With what are we washed, followers of Christ? The first physical sign of an impending birth is a rushing of waters from the mother’s womb, as the sac that encloses the infant ruptures. That is one reason that water is connected with birth, and why it is most fitting ...read more

Scripture: John 13:1-15

Denomination: Catholic

Adapt The Delivery, Not The Message Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Mar 2, 2013

The stark message of the Gospel must be delivered in ways that will be heard by modern humans.

Monday of 3rd Week in Lent Gaudium et Spes Adapting the Delivery, Not the Message Those commentators who are not very familiar with the documents of Vatican II, but who count themselves experts on the “spirit” of Vatican II frequently see the Council as creating a break with the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:24-30

Denomination: Catholic

Godly Forgetfulness

Contributed by Rev. Matthew Parker on Jan 12, 2014

If not left behind us, our pasts, our mistakes and sins are ever in front of us, and we spend our time tripping over or dodging them. God wants us future- focused, not past-ensnared.

The following is a brief homily given during a weekly mid-week event called: "The Feast" at Yonge Street Mission in Toronto, Canada. The future is a big mystery. One thing that we all share in this room is a lack of knowledge about what’s going to happen in the future. Often we think of the ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:10-11

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Harden Not Your Hearts Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 10, 2015

Not to share one's wealth with the poor is stealing from them.

Thursday in the First Week in Course 2015 Joy of the Gospel The two NT readings we have heard today are linked by a single notion expressed in the words “moved with pity.” Jesus looked on this poor leper and, in the Greek, became splagchnistheis. This is something we have all ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:40-45

Denomination: Catholic

No One Is Excluded From The Joy Of The Lord. Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Aug 16, 2014

The joy of the Gospel and the impediments to enjoying the Gospel.

St. Pius X 2014 Evangelii Gaudium “The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept his offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness. With Christ joy is constantly born anew.” Last November, Pope Francis ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 36:23-28

Denomination: Catholic

David And The Census And The Plague Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jul 8, 2020

We can look to the past, either in the Scriptures or in our own country’s history, and discover that when we repent of our sin and cry to Our Lord, He always answers.

Plague Year Homilies: David and the Census The second book of Samuel, which recounts the life and rule of King David, ends with several passages we would call “appendices,” because they appear to be tacked on by the editors of the book. It’s either difficult to put them into the history, or they ...read more

Denomination: Catholic

Some Actions Are Always Wrong So What Do We Do? Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jun 19, 2021

Murdering the innocent is always gravely immoral. Thus we have been taught since the first Christians accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and celebrated communion together.

Homily Monday of 12th week in ordinary time If we are to understand what the Lord is saying to us today, and more importantly what He is not saying, we need to find the key word in the Gospel: it’s “hypocrite.” A hypocrite is someone who calls sin a sin in other people, but ignores the sin in ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 12:1-9, Matthew 7:1-5

Denomination: Catholic

Freedom To Be Like Christ

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Aug 1, 2024

We are no longer, if we live as Christians, able to do wrong and hurt others and then plead “but I’m only human.”

Eighteenth Sunday in Course 2024 While looking over my old homilies in preparation for today, I noted that these same readings, as they will do, came up back in 2018. Keying on the lesson from Exodus about the Israelites constantly griping about the time since God, with a “mighty hand and ...read more

Scripture: John 6:24-35, Ephesians 4:17-24, Exodus 16:2-16

Denomination: Catholic

Mother Appreciation

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on May 10, 2015

Motherhood is one of the most influential, powerful truths in the universe. When all is said and done, when we stand in eternity. If your a Christian, it is very likely, it was the prayer of your mother that touched the heart of God, that moved Him to grant favor in your life.

Title: Mother Appreciation Theme: Enjoying God's Gift To Children Topic: A Compilation of Short Truths - That Warms the Heart Introduction: Today, let us just do something appreciative, something truthful and intriguing to the heart in regard to the value of a mother. Proposition: I would ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:5

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Have Faith And Pray

Contributed by Craig Condon on Jun 5, 2015

Our Christian life is not to be confined to a closet. Our belief must be revealed in our practice. If we walk in Christ, then we must act as Christ would act because Christ is in us-our hopes, our love, our joy and our lives. We are Christ's reflection.

At first glance, the reading from Hosea 1:2-10 doesn't seem to make sense. Would God really ask a prophet to marry a prostitute? Well, the answer is yes he can, and yes he did. You see, this was part of God's plan, and we all know that God's ways are not our ways, and sometimes God's ways don't ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 1:2-10

Denomination: Anglican

The Rock

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Mar 6, 2024

Let’s look at some important scriptures for Catholics, Protestants and Orthodox Christians and how they affect us all. Let’s examine Matthew 16.

Let’s look at some important scriptures for Catholics, Protestants and Orthodox Christians and how they affect us all. Let’s examine Matthew 16. A Sign Are we sometimes like the Pharisees, seeking a sign instead of living by faith? Are we looking for conspiracies rather than simply discerning the ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

New Year’s And The Way To God’s Kingdom

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 31, 2009

Force, violence and recession are all just external means to get attention, but the way to bring God’s kingdom begins with a conversion of heart.

New Year’s Homily Isaiah 4:2-3 The words from Isaiah today are the comforting part of a longer passage that I would like to quote in full. Isaiah is speaking for God, and talking about the day of judgement: Seven women will take hold of one man on that day, saying: “We will eat our own food and ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 4:1-6

Denomination: Catholic

Beatitudes: A Program Of Life Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Oct 30, 2010

Our worship must be an authentic and total gift of self in the spirit of the Beatitudes

All Saints Day Nov 1 2010 The Spirit of the Liturgy Today is part of what we might call a great cosmic convergence, at least for our nation. Yesterday was both Hallowe’en, and, for Protestants, what they call Reformation Sunday, the anniversary of the great religious revolution that split ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Denomination: Catholic

Why Carry That Weight?

Contributed by Rev. Matthew Parker on Mar 5, 2015

Jesus died to forgive our sins, and He also helps us bear our pain and suffering, as Isaiah 53 describes. Why would we want to bear our sin and suffering alone when Jesus stands at the ready?

[This is a short homily given at evening program at an inner-city mission church, mid-week meeting]. We’re in the season of Lent, when we get ready for Easter. Part of getting ready for Easter is preparing our hearts to be able to take in what Easter is about. What is Easter about? ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 53:1-12

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Giving With The Right Motive

Contributed by Rev. Matthew Parker on Jan 21, 2014

Gold wants love and genuine caring concern in all our giving. He could care less about giving by rote, without a heart of worship.

This is a homily shared at The Feast, an inner-city gathering with the Yonge Street Mission that invites everyone from the community in to Feast on good food, the Word of God and fellowship. God is not the same as us. He thinks very differently. Nowhere is this more obvious than in almost all of ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 12:41

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational