Sermons on Milton Cunningham:

Little Children, Love One Another Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 23, 2014

John believed, and spent the rest of his life preaching agape love.

St John’s Day Mass 2014 (December 27) Thirteen Days of Christmas Tradition tells us that of the three first witnesses to the empty tomb, St. John lived the longest. That is not surprising, since Tradition also holds that he was the youngest, perhaps a teenager during Jesus’s ministry. ...read more

Scripture: John 20:1-8

Denomination: Catholic

The Holy Innocents As Witnesses To Christ Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 24, 2014

The massacre of the Holy Infants was a tragedy that God turned into a victory.

Holy Innocents Mass (December 28) Thirteen Days of Christmas Saint Matthew is the only evangelist who records what might be called the “Joseph Gospel.” He gives us the account of the angel appearing in a vision to Joseph, confirming Mary’s story that she was pregnant by the Holy ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:13-18

Denomination: Catholic

No Traitor, But Servant Of God Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 25, 2014

St. Thomas of Canterbury lived a life in service to God, a service in love and defense of His Church and people.

St. Thomas of Canterbury Mass (December 29) Thirteen Days of Christmas There is no doubt what happened on December 29, 1170, but what one thinks of it depends very much on a connection to the people and places of twelfth century England. On that day, four English knights of Norman descent came ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:4-6

Denomination: Catholic

Propagating A Family Like An Olive Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 26, 2014

Raising a family is like building an olive orchard, and it is hard work.

Feast of the Holy Family (Sunday after Christmas) Thirteen Days of Christmas Since the family is the basic unit of society, the Church, and her Scripture, has much to say about it. Our psalm today uses agricultural metaphors for the family: the husband will eat the fruit of his hands, the wife ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 128:1-5

Denomination: Catholic

Love, Not Concupiscence Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 27, 2014

We should understand how we can be distracted from our true Goal, God.

Sixth Day in the Christmas Octave (December 30) Thirteen Days of Christmas If you have been following this series of homily-sermons, which I have called “Thirteen Days of Christmas,” you probably realize something. Although this is the sixth day in the Christmas Octave, it is the ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:12-17

Denomination: Catholic

Just Like Jesus And Mary Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 28, 2014

We need to understand what it means for the Word to become flesh, and dwell among us.

Seventh Day in the Christmas Octave (December 31) Thirteen Days of Christmas Every so often you’ll find a columnist or author complaining or inferring that God has no sense of humor, or that the Church is too serious. Today’s readings, on this last day of the year, prove that to be ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1-18

Denomination: Catholic

In What Sense Is Mary The Mother Of God Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 29, 2014

We will understand better the term Mother of God if we realize that the January 1 feast is really a feast of Our Lord Jesus.

Solemnity of Mary Mother of God–January 1 (Thirteen Days of Christmas) To begin every New Year, the Church gives us a great gift, the Solemnity of Mary in her title “Mother of God.” But even though the feast has Mary in the title, like every Marian celebration, it is really a ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:16-21

Denomination: Catholic

God From God, Light From Light Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 30, 2014

The anointing by the Holy Spirit makes all special knowledge worthless. Gnosis is not the way to salvation.

Feast of St. Basil and St. Gregory (January 2) Thirteen Days of Christmas Let’s be clear about something as we move into the new year. The word “Christ” in English is the same as “Christos” in Greek and “Mashiah” in Hebrew. It means ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:22-28

Denomination: Catholic

The Holy Name Of Jesus Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 31, 2014

We should take time to consider the meaning of Jesus's name, and the respect we owe that name.

The Holy Name of Jesus (January 3) Thirteen Days of Christmas The Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus is placed at this time of year because January 1 is the Octave day of Christmas, and that day was the day Jesus, Son of Joseph, Son of Mary, underwent the ceremony of circumcision. At a boy’s ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:5-11

Denomination: Catholic

Prophecy And Discernment Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 1, 2015

All Christians are anointed with prophetic gifts by our baptismal anointing, but before speaking for God, we must also practice discernment of spirits.

Feast of St. John Neumann (January 5) Thirteen Days of Christmas Today St. John speaks to us of “testing the spirits.” In theological language, derived from St. Paul, this is the spiritual gift of discernment. Let’s talk about its exercise in the first century: in the churches ...read more

Denomination: Catholic

All Are Called To Right Thinking, Living And Worship Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 2, 2015

The Feast of Epiphany is a call to people of every background to come and worship the newborn Messiah of Everybody.

Solemnity of Epiphany (January 6) Thirteen Days of Christmas The twelfth day of Christmas is the sixth of January; on that day, traditionally, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Three Kings, or Epiphany. It is one of the big four festivals of the Church year, and traditionally it is even more ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 60:1-6

Denomination: Catholic

Can We Refuse To See Our Brothers And Sisters? Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 3, 2015

We cannot love God if we refuse to work for the betterment and evangelization of the poor.

Thursday after Epiphany 2015 Joy of the Gospel St. John’s letter is pretty stark today: “If any one says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.” Our love for our brothers ...read more

Denomination: Catholic

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

Evil Embedded In The Structures Of Society Leads To Death Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 17, 2015

The sacrifice of Christ needs to be imitated by the Christian, by loving service and working to put down evil.

Thursday of 2nd Week in Course Joy of the Gospel There is an innate drive in every human, once he has discovered the existence of a transcendent reality, a creative Being who can impact his life, to offer something to that Being. In pagan societies, where the forces of nature, or economics, or ...read more

Denomination: Catholic

Let Us Astonish Like Jesus

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 18, 2015

The teachings of Jesus were radical and astonishing; if we are to convert the world, especially Islamic adherents, we must be both loving and astonishing in our witness.

In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti, Amen. Today’s communion verse, which is taken from the Gospel lines just preceding these two healing stories from St. Matthew, are as follows: “the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 8:1-13

Denomination: Catholic