Sermons on Lent Special:

Faith Seeking Understanding

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Mar 1, 2014

God redeemed the world through suffering, and we can understand, if not fully comprehend, the mystery.

Thursday after Ash Wednesday 2014 Lumen Fidei On this first day after the solemn beginning of Lent, as we begin our forty-day retreat, the Church gives us some stark words. Deuteronomy tells us that the choice is between life and death, between blessing and curse. Honor and obey God alone, and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:22-25

Denomination: Catholic

An Unbroken Chain Of Witnesses Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Mar 15, 2014

The rich man was isolated, even from his brothers. True faith comes usually from someone sharing it with us.

Thursday of the Second Week of Lent 2014 Lumen Fidei Recently we discovered an infestation of what are called “acrobat” ants, Crematogaster hespera, in our house. We had the pest control folks treat the house with good success. The treatment was a chemical friendly to the good fauna ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:19-31

Denomination: Catholic

What Leads Us To Believe The Gospel? Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Feb 23, 2012

The Bible is the Church's book, so we must read it in faith and read it as a member of the community of the Church.

Monday of First Week of Lent Verbum Domini There are a whole series of websites on the Internet devoted to trying to debunk the Sacred Scriptures. For instance, with respect to the book of Leviticus, which we read from today, one can find tons of places where the clear natural law prohibition ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:31-46

Denomination: Catholic

A Feast To Remember: Book Of Esther

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Aug 29, 2015

An intended genocide against the people of God is thwarted. Behind all the machinations of human deliverers, we see the quiet unassuming hand of providence. Praise the LORD!

A FEAST TO REMEMBER. Esther 7:1-6; Esther 7:9-10; Esther 9:20-22. Esther is a book of feasts. First there was the extravagance of a six-month long drinking feast for the army and the princes of the 127 provinces (Esther 1:3-4). This was immediately followed by a seven day drinking feast for the ...read more

Scripture: Esther 9:20-22, Esther 7:9-10, Esther 7:1-6

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Evangelizing The Cities Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Feb 28, 2015

Just as post-Resurrection Judaism created a culture that rejected the Gospel, so modern society tries to make people incapable of receiving Christ. But we must bear witness, especially in the cities.

Thursday of the Second Week in Lent Joy of the Gospel Last Sunday we heard Jesus tell his key disciples not to disclose their vision of Him transfigured until He would rise from the dead. There was a good reason for that. The Jewish mindset, which had been formed by prophets like Jeremiah, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:19-31

Denomination: Catholic

How Can We Fail To Share That Love Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Sep 6, 2014

Being a Christian is the result of an encounter with Jesus Christ, giving life a new horizon and decisive direction.

Thursday of 23rd Week in Course and Commemoration of 9/11 Today we remember the events of September 11, 2001. That day, called nine-eleven, the whole world changed. In the Muslim world, it was an anniversary of the battle that raised the siege of Vienna, a huge defeat for the Muslim Turks, and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:27-28

Denomination: Catholic

Fight The Obsessive Evil Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 30, 2021

Our evil habits are harmful to ourselves and everyone around us. Repent, and ask Jesus to heal and forgive you.

Monday of 4th week in Course 2021 One of the most helpful actions that a husband and wife can share with each other is from time to time to tell each other the story of their love. My wife and I are in the fiftieth year of marriage, so we have a fifty-one year story to share with each other and ...read more

Scripture: Mark 5:1-20, Hebrews 11:32-40, Psalm 31:20-24

Denomination: Catholic

What Kind Of Loving God Is That? Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Feb 20, 2021

The story of Abraham's call from God to sacrifice his only son, the son of the promise, can be confusing if we don't see the larger picture of God's love for humans.

2nd Sunday in Lent 2021 Imagine a young man, maybe eleven or twelve, picking up the Bible and reading this story of Abraham and his only son, Isaac. If he’s read the chapters leading up to this scene, he knows that Abraham and Sarah were promised a son by God, and that after decades of waiting, ...read more

Scripture: Mark 9:2-10, Romans 8:31-34, Genesis 22:1-18, Genesis 18:1-15, John 3:16-17  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Catholic

That Critical Word "unless" Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Mar 13, 2021

Isn’t it true that when we ask Jesus for some favor, His timing is always flawless?

Monday of 4th Week in Lent 2021 One of the most contemptible features of our modern culture shows up today in the Gospel of John. Jesus tells this petitioner: “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” The man repeats his request for Jesus to come from where he was in Cana to ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 65:17-21, John 4:43-54, 1 John 2:15-17, Revelation 21:1

Denomination: Catholic

That They All Be One Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Mar 31, 2017

Our witness must be positive–we hold fast to what we know is true, and treat those who don’t share those views with charity and patience.

Thursday of fifth week in Lent 2017 Joy of the Gospel Today we look at the person and commitment of Abraham, whom the Liturgy calls “our father in faith.” Genesis records the fundamental promise that the Jews–and Christians–hold dear. And it’s not the land of Canaan, or Palestine, over which ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 17:3-9

Denomination: Catholic

Tentación

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Feb 24, 2017

Al comienzo de la Cuaresma

1A Lent Robert Louis Stevenson una vez escribió una historia inolvidable sobre un Dr. Jekyll y un Sr. Hyde. El Dr. Henry Jekyll era respetado en su comunidad como un caballero en todos los aspectos. Sin embargo, el tenía algunos vicios secretos que guardaba cuidadosamente ocultos de la vista ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 4:1-11, Matthew 2:7-9

Denomination: Catholic

"My" Pew Or God's Pew?

Contributed by The Rev Deniray Mueller on Mar 9, 2018

how do we welcome strangers in our midst

I wish I could say this is a made-up story, but unfortunately it is not. We recently had a couple visit Saint John’s while looking for a new church home. They were warmly greeted by the ushers and told to sit anywhere they wished. So, they picked a pew about midway up the aisle. The people around ...read more

Denomination: Episcopal

Success Or Failure? Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Feb 20, 2016

We must realize that the whole of God's plan is greater than the part we play in it.

Thursday of Second Week in Lent 2016 Joy of the Gospel Sometimes I think of irony as God’s invention to help us cope with the effects of original sin. Just consider this rich guy, fat and happy, with what he thinks is everything he ever wanted. He dies, and the Douay-Rheims translation ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:19-31

Denomination: Catholic

The Dialogue Of Ecumenism Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Mar 12, 2016

Our prayer is that all Christians be One.

Thursday of Fifth Week in Lent 2016 Joy of the Gospel The providential juxtaposition of St. Patrick’s Day with the readings of this Lenten feria should lead us to make a comparison between the call of St. Patrick and the call of the Hebrew patriarchs. Patrick was called by God to return ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 17:3-9

Denomination: Catholic

Yes, A Church Leader Must Have A Sense Of Humor Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Feb 23, 2019

We are told to have salt in us. Salt was used in the ancient world, and occasionally today, to preserve meat from corruption. So if we have spiritual salt, we will be preserved against that kind of corrupt thought and behavior.

Thursday of the 7th Week in Course 2019 St. Hilarius Today we have a rare treat because of the late date of Ash Wednesday and Easter. We get the rare festival of St. Hilarius, about whom I will speak in a moment. By now, most years, we are deep into Lent, and so the saints’ days are suppressed in ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 1:1-6, Mark 9:41-50

Denomination: Catholic