Sermons on St Francis Assissi:

Water Flows From The True Temple Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Nov 7, 2020

Jerusalem is on a series of hills, and water has to be brought into the city from elsewhere. But the real Temple of God, the Precious Body of Christ, is the source of living water.

Dedication of the Lateran Basilica 2020 Water Flows from the Temple There are few feasts quite as confusing as today’s commemoration of the dedication of the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, a church in Rome. But it’s not just “a” church in Rome, it is the church in Rome. If I asked a thousand ...read more

Scripture: John 2:13-22, 1 Corinthians 3:9-17, Psalm 69:9, Ezekiel 47:1-12

Denomination: Catholic

Just Who Are You, Anyway? Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 6, 2020

The most important question any of us can answer is the same question John answered: "who are you?"

Third Sunday in Advent 2020 “Proclaim liberty to the captives.” Those words from Isaiah have never had such meaning for the prisoners of the world. Haven’t we all felt a lot like prisoners for at least part of this plague year 2020? Our governors, for the most part, have often acted like prison ...read more

Scripture: John 1:6-8, John 1:19-28, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24, Luke 1:46-54

Denomination: Catholic

Party On! Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 31, 2019

We all know that there were parties last evening, some that lasted well into the morning hours. But I venture to say that these parties were not celebrations of religious faith, such as the ones implied by today’s Scriptures.

Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God Party On! Today’s Scriptures are so brief that if our minds are not focused, we might not remember any of them. I’ve wondered if that was an act of mercy on the part of those who back in the 1960's put together the three-year cycle of readings, and saw New ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 6:22-27, Galatians 4:4-7, Luke 2:16-21, Matthew 11:19

Denomination: Catholic

You Just Don't Get It, Do You? Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Feb 15, 2020

They are so hungry that they miss the point Jesus is trying to make. Will we miss that point, too?

Tuesday of the 6th Week in Course 2020 “You Just Don’t Get It” I’ve been a teacher pretty much all my career, at all levels except elementary school. So I can empathize with St. James in his epistle, and–although it’s weird to say it–with Jesus as He tries to help His disciples understand the ...read more

Scripture: Mark 8:14-21, James 1:12-18, Psalm 94:12-19

Denomination: Catholic

Three Young Men, Trust, Epidemics And The Saints Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Mar 13, 2020

It is truly time to emulate Our Lord and the great saints, who trusted in God and helped others who were in need or in peril.

Tuesday of the 3rd Week in Lent 2020 St. Patrick and Three Young Men and Trust When you pick up a King James Bible and read this story from the Book of Daniel, of the trust three young prophet-exiles had in their God, and their deliverance from the fiery furnace, you read this passage: “Therefore ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:21-35, John 3:16

Denomination: Catholic

Our Face Set Toward Jerusalem Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Sep 28, 2019

Athanasius taught that God became human so that humans could be made divine. But even the baptized struggle with the profound negative impacts of original sins in our physical, emotional and spiritual lives.

Tuesday of the 26th Week in Course 2019 St. Therese of Liseaux The connection between our two Scripture readings today is stark. The prophet Zechariah, writing a couple of hundred years before Christ, is in a society dominated by Hellenist culture, polytheism and utter contempt for Biblical faith ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:51-56, Zechariah 8:21-23

Denomination: Catholic

Celebrate God's Goodness Series

Contributed by Russ Barksdale on Apr 18, 2019

Brothers and sisters, your heavenly Father does not want or desire for you anxiety and depression. With all the chaos in our world and chaos in our country and chaos in our own lives, we must, we must find the path that leads to the calm and peace that God promises.

Celebrate God’s Goodness Philippians 4:4-5 I. Rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS. II. Rejoice in the Lord’s GOODNESS. III. Rejoice in the Lord’s SOVEREIGNTY. According to the New York Times, Americans are among the most anxious people on earth. One study found that Americans were ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:4-5

Denomination: Baptist

The Time Is Fulfilled

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Feb 11, 2018

Isn’t it true that when humans fail, sin, even commit the most awful injustices, God’s mercy is ever present, ever able to forgive when we repent?

First Sunday of Lent 2018 We come to Mass on the First Sunday of Lent, full of energy that has not diminished since we crowded the churches on Ash Wednesday. We know that the Word of God on this special Lord’s Day reminds us of the Lord Jesus’s battle with the Enemy of mankind, the one Scripture ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:12-15, Genesis 9:8-15

Denomination: Catholic

Justified By Faith And Living In Love Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 6, 2018

“Luther’s expression sola fide is true if faith is not opposed to charity, to love.”

Thursday After Epiphany 2018 Reformation/Revolution The action of the Israelites and the response of the Philistines we have heard proclaimed from the first book of Samuel help us see the two primitive and wrong conceptions of the divine. For the Israelites, their God was the God of Moses who had ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 4:1-11

Denomination: Catholic

Contending With Evil Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 13, 2019

Just because we are chosen by God, baptized into Christ, does not mean that we are infallibly going to attain God’s promises. We are always tempted, as Christ was, to follow the allurements of the world, flesh and devil.

Saint Anthony of the Desert 2019 Saint Anthony–the less famous one we call “Anthony of the Desert”–died 1653 years ago today. Since he is also called “Anthony the Great” and “Anthony of Egypt” and several other honorifics, we might want to know more about him, and what he can teach us today. But ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:40-45, Hebrews 3:7-14, Psalm 95:6-11

Denomination: Catholic

The Essence Of Joy As We Prepare For The Savior's Birth

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 13, 2018

Bring the Holy Family into the inn. Make your kindness known to everyone.

Third Sunday of Advent 2018 Rejoice The first words of our worship today, in both the Ordinary and Extraordinary forms of the Holy Mass, are “Gaudete in Domino semper,” or “Rejoice in the Lord always.” These are the words of St. Paul in our Epistle reading today, and they stand out like a trumpet ...read more

Scripture: Luke 3:10-18, Philippians 4:4-7

Denomination: Catholic

Bearing With One Another, And What It Does Not Mean Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Apr 16, 2023

Christ’s appearances shocked and surprised His disciples.

Sunday After Easter Office of Readings (Col 3: 1-17) We have been, as St. Paul attests, raised up in company with Christ, and must set our heart on what pertains to higher realms, things above rather than things of earth. Now as earthly creatures, coming from other earthly creatures and set in the ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:1-17, Mark 9:10

Denomination: Catholic

Taking God's Word Out From Underneath The Bushel Basket To Restore Righteousness To Our Nation And The World Series

Contributed by Lyla Dahl on Apr 21, 2023

This sermon will inform how a scripture in the Word of God has been placed under a "bushel basket," igniting a raging inferno of depravity in our nation and around the world and what we as a Church can do to restore righteousness in our nation and around the world.

- I want to share a thought-provoking riddle and its answer with those who are open to receiving it. - - The riddle goes: "Why not light a lamp and put a bushel basket over it?" The answer is clear - the light would be rendered useless and may cause a destructive fire ("No one after ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 7:11, Matthew 5:15-16, 2 Chronicles 7:14

Working And Praying Together In Spiritual Warfare

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Oct 15, 2025

Our Father will guard our coming and going both now and into eternity.

Twenty-ninth Sunday Integral 2025 One of the most long-lasting feuds in the Bible is encountered in today’s OT reading. “Amalek came and waged war against Israel.” Exodus does not tell us the why or the when, but this nation of Amalek attacked Israel, perhaps without provocation. Moses, the ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 17:8-13, Exodus 17:14-16, Psalm 121:1-8, 2 Timothy 3:14-17, 2 Timothy 4:1-2, Luke 18:1-8, Esther 3:1-15, 1 Samuel 15:1-35  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Catholic

The First Sunday Of Advent, Year C: Not Very Christmasy.

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Nov 12, 2024

The Church tells the Christmas Story backwards: the focus is to prepare for the coming of the Lord: at the end of the world, and when Christ comes for us at the end of our individual worlds, at death.

Our Gospel from St. Luke today is a little unsettling. Not very Christmasy. Unseasonal thoughts about the end of the world. Yet, the word Advent from the Latin, adventus, means “coming.” The Church tells the Christmas Story backwards: the focus is to prepare for the coming of the Lord: at the end ...read more

Scripture: Luke 21:36

Denomination: Catholic