Sermons on Thursday:

Christmas Is For Helping The Poor Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 17, 2016

After all, what is important about Christmas?

Thursday of Fourth Week in Advent 2016 Joy of the Gospel The prayer we just heard in the Gospel is one of the most beloved in Catholic history. It is likely that it was part of the public and private prayer of Christians from the very beginning of the Church. We still pray it every day at Vespers. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:46-56, Luke 1:46-49

Denomination: Catholic

Converting The Economy To The Gospel Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 7, 2017

"We can no longer trust in the unseen forces and the invisible hand of the market."

Thursday of Second Week in Course 2017 Joy of the Gospel Mark’s Gospel, which tradition holds is the second one written after Matthew, seems to be a short life of Christ appended to an account of His passion and resurrection. Miracles such as the ones we hear about today occupy a large part of ...read more

Scripture: Mark 3:7-12

Denomination: Catholic

Grant Us Godly Politicians Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 21, 2017

"I beg the Lord to grant us more politicians who are genuinely disturbed by the state of society, the people, the lives of the poor! "

Thursday of Third Week in Course 2017 Joy of the Gospel Ss Timothy and Titus Today’s feast is a challenge to those whose denomination teaches that the Church is not hierarchical. Most of these denominations consider themselves Bible fundamentalists, but today’s readings clearly show that, from the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:1-8

Denomination: Catholic

Living The Lord's Prayer: Forgive Us Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 3, 2016

The practical love we show to the poor is critical for our discipleship.

Thursday after Epiphany 2016 Joy of the Gospel As we celebrate this day after Epiphany, we continue the readings from St. John that ornament our Christmas-Epiphany season. We also continue our review of the Pope’s long letter, the Joy of the Gospel, and we do so in this Holy Year of mercy. ...read more

Denomination: Catholic

Being Close To The Poor Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 5, 2015

'No one must say that they cannot be close to the poor because their own lifestyle demands more attention to other areas.'

Thursday of 2nd week in Advent 2015 Joy of the Gospel The passage from Isaiah we just heard is from what is often called “Second” Isaiah, probably a disciple of the original Isaiah who wrote during and immediately following the Babylonian exile. It is full of hope; from this we find ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 41:13-20

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

What Is The Revolution Of Tenderness? Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Apr 4, 2015

We are a people called to incarnate the mercy of God.

Thursday of Easter Octave 2015 Joy of the Gospel Today, as we still enjoy the glow of the Easter celebration–every day this week is a reprise of Easter day–the Church gives us two stories that are “aftermaths.” The first is Peter’s sermon to the Jews of Jerusalem ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:35-38

Denomination: Catholic

The Special Role Of The Laity Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on May 2, 2015

Lay people in the Church, especially women, serve a vital role in spreading the Gospel and building community.

Thursday of the 5th Week of Easter 2015 Joy of the Gospel Both of our readings today are concerned with what the Catechism calls “The Christian Life,” or the moral and virtuous way of life. Paul and Barnabas were traveling through the lands of what is now Turkey and Greece, going to ...read more

Scripture: Acts 15:17-21

Denomination: Catholic

National Day Of Prayer

Contributed by Dr. William D. Poovey on May 7, 2015

National Day of Prayer

National Day of Prayer 2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. In 1775, the Second Continental Congress ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14

Denomination: Foursquare

Evangelization And Grace Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on May 23, 2015

The purpose of prayer is NOT to let God know something He does not know. It is to open us to His free gift.

Thursday of Pentecost Week 2015 Joy of the Gospel In my opinion, one of the mistakes made in the seventies was the elimination of the Octave of Pentecost, and the changing of the season “after Pentecost” to what is now called “Ordinary Time.” That’s a perfectly awful ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:46-52

Denomination: Catholic

The Integrity Of The Gospel Message Must Not Be Deformed Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Nov 15, 2014

Peace in the world is only possible If we effectively communicate the need to embrace the Gospel of love.

Thursday of 33rd Week in Course 2014 Evangelii Gaudium This last season of the liturgical year has a bittersweet nature. The old year is waning; the new year is still seen in the distance. Days grow short; in northern Europe, the daylight lasts barely five hours. Even here in Texas we are ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 5:1-10

Denomination: Catholic

Breaking Habits Which Make Us Feel Safe Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 6, 2014

The Church must reach out in mission to those who are in need, whatever their stage of spiritual growth or seeking.

Thursday of 2nd Week in Advent Joy of the Gospel Not everything in the Scriptures is easy for us in the 21st century to understand. That is particularly true in our passages from Isaiah and Matthew today. Isaiah is exaggerating for effect. At the coming of the Redeemer, he says, everything ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:11-15

Denomination: Catholic

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

"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

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