Sermons on Milton Cunningham:

No Dualistic Approaches To Scripture Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Apr 6, 2012

The fact of the physical Resurrection of Jesus dominates the New Testament, but we must, when studying the various accounts, read the NT with the faith of the Church.

Monday of Easter Week Verbum Domini The apostles’ experience of the Resurrection of Jesus changed their lives forever. In the light of our week-long Easter festival, it makes sense to look at the Word of God recording the Resurrection, and to do so in the spirit of the Synod and the Holy ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:8-15

Denomination: Catholic

False Gods, No God, And The Divine Mercy Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Apr 7, 2012

The Divine mercy is real, active, working in individuals and especially in the history of the Church.

Divine Mercy Sunday 2012 Spirit of the Liturgy “As newborn babies, alleluia, desire the pure milk of the Spirit, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.” With these words of the Introit, we began our sacrifice of praise today. With these words, we began our celebration of Divine Mercy. Human ...read more

Scripture: John 20:19-31

Denomination: Catholic

The Divine Mercy Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Apr 15, 2012

As preached at 8 a.m. Mass April 15 2012--revised Divine Mercy homily with comment on the accusation that the early Church was communist.

Divine Mercy Sunday 2012 (As preached Sunday a.m.) Spirit of the Liturgy Before beginning I would like to respond to the folks who, in the past, have argued from today’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles that the early Church practiced communism. It is true that Acts records all of them ...read more

Scripture: Acts 4:32-35

Denomination: Catholic

St Anselm Patron Of American Bishops

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Apr 21, 2012

The Church is Incarnational, and must have both a sacred and secular existence, and yet must not become subservient to the state, whether kings or democratically elected tyrants who would make us do evil.

St. Anselm Day April 21, 2011 If today’s lesson from Acts chapter 6 has any historical meaning at all, it is a confirmation that there have always been little fissures forming in the living stones that make up the Church. Early in our history, Greek-speaking converts to Judaism were ...read more

Scripture: Acts 6:1-7

Denomination: Catholic

Both Faith And Reason Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Apr 21, 2012

Both our faith and our reason must inform our study and preaching of Scripture.

Monday of the 3rd Week of Easter Verbum Domini The breaking in of the Word of God into the closed-in Jewish culture of the first century was heavily resisted by the Jews. In fact, by one estimate, only a small minority of Palestinian Jews turned to Jesus as the Messiah and became members of the ...read more

Scripture: Acts 6:8-60

Denomination: Catholic

Four Helpful Senses Of Scripture Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Apr 27, 2012

We can see in the writing of the story of Cornelius and Jesus's words about the sheepfold very helpful examples of the literal and spiritual senses of Scripture.

Monday of 4th Week of Easter Verbum Domini The richness of today’s Scripture readings should suggest to us a couple of responses. First, we need several hours of study of the text and its meanings. Second, we should, in worshipful awe, spend a few more hours before the Blessed Sacrament ...read more

Scripture: Acts 11:1-18

Denomination: Catholic

Falling Towers Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Mar 2, 2013

Everyone must face the problem of evil; Jesus tells us to be faithful to our call.

3rd Sunday of Lent 2013 Despite the fact that nobody but academic researchers remember it, November of 1641 was one of the most important months in history. In that month, just before the English Civil War broke out, the first issue of what would be called a “newspaper” appeared in ...read more

Scripture: Luke 13:1-9

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

Laetare, Rejoice Jerusalem Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Mar 2, 2013

We are challenged by God to rejoice. That doesn't always mean "enjoy," but if we repent of sin we will be forgiven gladly by God and have room to rejoice.

Fourth Sunday in Lent 2013 Rejoice! “Laetare, Jerusalem! Rejoice, Jerusalem, and gather round, all you who love her. Rejoice gladly, those who were sorrowful; exult and be refreshed with motherly consolation.” These words of today’s beautiful Introit antiphon remind us that ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32

Denomination: Catholic

Your Child Will Live Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Mar 9, 2013

Wisdom gently attracts the mind of humans to a quest and a love for what is true and good through the beautiful. The modern mind no less than the ancient mind needs God.

Monday of 4th Week in Lent 2013 Gaudium et Spes Most commentators–even those who wrote in the first millennium–believe that John’s Gospel was the last one written. The historian Eusebius quotes Clement of Alexandria as saying that John, aware of the other three Gospels, wrote a ...read more

Scripture: John 4:43-54

Denomination: Catholic

We've Tried It All Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Mar 11, 2013

Only Jesus, acting through the ministry of the Church, can fill the gaping hole in our hearts.

Fifth Sunday of Lent 2013 “We’ve Tried it All” “We’ve tried it all,” haven’t we? Our culture certainly has, and many of us have tried to reach fulfillment with everything the world has offered us. Maybe we started out with the high-priced commercials ...read more

Scripture: John 8:1-11

Denomination: Catholic

They Know Not What They Do Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Mar 16, 2013

The horror of living a life of willful ignorance leads to enslavement to passions and sin.

Monday of 5th Week in Lent 2013 Gaudium et Spes “Vos autem nescitis.” “But you do not know.” These words of Jesus in today’s Gospel reverberate through the Gospel of St. John. Over and over again Jesus tells the Jews–and, by extension, us–that we do not ...read more

Scripture: John 8:12-20

Denomination: Catholic

Why Did Jesus Have To Die? Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Mar 16, 2013

Jesus had to die because He was fulfilling the covenant promise made to our father in faith, Abraham.

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion 2013 One of the great questions Christians ask, once they understand the true horror of Jesus’s death on the cross, is “why did Jesus have to die?” Yes, God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, but why such a gruesome ...read more

Denomination: Catholic

Seeds, Part I Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Mar 23, 2013

Jesus was the seed that died so that we might live; we too are called to die to self so that others may live.

Monday of Holy Week 2013 Seeds 1 Two of the privileges given to deacons in this diocese is the ability to preside at baptisms and wake services. What is striking to me every time is the use of this psalm 27, this psalm which begins this first day of three at the head of Holy Week. “I ...read more

Scripture: John 12:1-24

Denomination: Catholic

Seeds, Part Ii: The Use Of Compost In The Spiritual Life Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Mar 23, 2013

The seed that needs to die to bear much fruit needs nutrients; these come from composting the great temptations in our lives.

Tuesday of Holy Week 2013 Seeds 2 “Unless a grain of wheat fall to the ground and die, it remains alone; but if it die, it yields much fruit.” As we continue our Holy Week contemplation of the death of Jesus, we encounter the prophecy of Isaiah about the Messiah. This is a later ...read more

Scripture: John 13:21-28

Denomination: Catholic