Sermons on Maunday Thursday:

Spirit-Filled Evangelizers Are Evangelizers Who Pray And Work. Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on May 27, 2017

All that we do must culminate in the proclamation of the Gospel of Christ.

Thursday of 7th Week of Easter 2017 Joy of the Gospel The Gospel passage we just proclaimed is one of those moments we are tempted to take comfort in and not think about. It seems all warm and fuzzy and a little like a group hug: “You in me and I in you and everybody else in us all sweet and ...read more

Denomination: Catholic

No Compromise With Evil

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on May 5, 2018

Our faith must be strong enough to stand firm and not look for “middle” positions.

Thursday of 6th Week in Easter 2018 Reformation/Revolution Our New Testament readings today show two approaches to proclaiming the Gospel of Christ. In Acts, we are seeing Paul at the beginning of his second missionary journey, probably about the year 50 AD. He has just been to what we know as the ...read more

Scripture: John 15:18-21

Denomination: Catholic

The Positive Message Of The Gospel Is Simple Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Aug 29, 2015

Our preaching should be simple, and incorporate positive examples.

Thursday of 22nd week in course 2015 Joy of the Gospel St. Gregory the Great “May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:9-14

Denomination: Catholic

Education And Service Promote Growth In Faith Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Sep 12, 2015

Our catechesis must constantly reinforce the truths accepted in the early proclamation of the Gospel of Christ.

Thursday of 24th week in course 2015 Joy of the Gospel Today the Franciscans celebrate the feast of the Stigmata of St. Francis. The few saints who have legitimately borne the marks of Christ’s passion live out in a physical and spiritual way the long hours of Christ’s passion and ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:14-18

Denomination: Catholic

So They Want To Continue The Conversation Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jul 24, 2016

"they want someone to serve as an instrument and to express their feelings in such a way that afterwards, each one may chose how he or she will continue the conversation."

Thursday of 16th Week in Course Have you ever heard someone–maybe even a preacher–express the idea that the God of the OT is a God of judgement and vengeance, and the God of Jesus is a God of mercy and love? Some of us may have held that opinion during our life. A famous early ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 18:1-6

Denomination: Catholic

Prepare To Share Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Aug 6, 2016

"To interpret a biblical text, we need to be patient, to put aside all other concerns, and to give it our time, interest and undivided attention."

Thursday of 18th Week in Course This day we commemorate St. Clare of Assisi, the friend of St. Francis who founded the second Order of Franciscans for women religious, or the Poor Clares. As we look at the first reading about Ezekiel digging a hole in the wall of his house, we are reminded that ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 12:1-12

Denomination: Catholic

Neither Positivism Nor Scientism Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Mar 5, 2016

There must be a dialogue between science and faith, but it must also be an unequal dialogue; faith trumps the claims of any science that denies God.

Thursday of Fourth Week in Lent 2016 Joy of the Gospel In this fourth week of Lent, the week of Laetare Sunday–Joy Sunday– it is quite appropriate to continue our series on Pope Francis’s encyclical, the Joy of the Gospel. Let’s be clear that joy and enjoyment are not ...read more

Scripture: John 5:31-47

Denomination: Catholic

Dialogue With Faithful Judaism Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Mar 19, 2016

We must always remember that the Church's first mission was to the Jews, the brothers and sisters of Jesus.

Thursday in the Octave of Easter Joy of the Gospel As we bask in the warm light of the Resurrection, we hear again the stories of the reaction given by various Jewish groups to the Passion, death, Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus. We do this for another forty days, and actually fifty up until ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:35-48

Denomination: Catholic

Global And Local: Sharing The Gospel Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Mar 11, 2017

We should constantly ask God to reveal to us those ways in which we may be overlooking the opportunities to be like Christ and Mary in our daily lives.

Thursday of second week in Lent 2017 Joy of the Gospel Many people think that Jesus made up the parables, that He was a kind of novelist. I belong to a school of thought that sees Jesus as one acutely aware of what is going on around him, and who understands as nobody else does what is behind ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:19-31

Denomination: Catholic

How Much More Will God Give His Holy Spirit Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Oct 7, 2017

If there is evil in our lives, God has to permit it to happen, or it wouldn’t. But God never wills evil. He only wants our good.

Thursday of 27th Week in Course 2017 Reformation/Revolution Who among us has not looked on some captain of industry or some venal politician and wondered why “evildoers not only prosper but when they put God to the test they escape.’” as the people did in Malachi’s day? Sometimes it does seem vain ...read more

Scripture: Luke 11:5-13

Denomination: Catholic

"I Am A Mission On This Earth" Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jul 7, 2017

"My mission of being in the heart of the people is not just a part of my life or a badge I can take off"

Thursday of 14th Week in Course 2017 Joy of the Gospel When you are in love with someone, when you really care more about that person than anyone else in the world, what is the worst thing that could happen? Rejection. The beloved turns away and tells you to go away, and all of a sudden the world ...read more

Denomination: Catholic

Let Us Be Overshadowed By The Spirit Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jul 30, 2017

"This generous trust has to be nourished, and so we need to invoke the Spirit constantly."

Thursday of 17th Week in Course 2017 Joy of the Gospel Today’s Gospel is a reprise of part of the Gospel from last Sunday. There will be a division at the end of time, at the general judgement. Each of us will die and face what we call the “particular” judgement, based on whether we die with the ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 40:16-38

Denomination: Catholic

St. Michael And The Way Of Beauty Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Sep 24, 2016

the way of beauty is insidious, and effective

Thursday of the 25th Week in Course 2016 Joy of the Gospel This is one of my favorite festivals, the one the Anglicans call “St. Michael and All Angels.” Not exactly right, because we have another feast in just a couple of days for our guardian angels. If you would like a focal point ...read more

Scripture: Daniel 7:4-19

Denomination: Catholic

The Real Resurrection Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jun 4, 2016

We must stay in the game, even when we are tired or frustrated by results unseen.

Thursday of 10th Week in Course I can’t ignore the remarkable juxtaposition of the first reading and psalm with the weather events of the past weeks. The northern kingdom of Israel was the richer of the twin Hebrew nations, rich in agriculture, mining and trade. The kingdom of Judah was a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 18:41-46

Denomination: Catholic

Only When Connected To Our Lord Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Nov 4, 2018

In a real sense, St. Paul was the sheep that was lost, and Jesus left the heavens to seek him out and find him and turn him toward the truth.

Thursday of 31st Week in Course At some point in the life of every Catholic theologian, like Saint Paul there comes a time of high clarity. St. Paul’s moment was a time when he realized that all his elevated Jewish theology was just a waste of time. In fact, in the light of Christ’s suffering and ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:3-8, Luke 15:1-10

Denomination: Catholic