TODAY
Sunday Homilies
Sunday Homilies
Jesus wants us to remain in him and he wants to remain in us, and the most important thing is to stay with the one who loves and wants to be with us, allowing God's plan to reveal itself.
- 00:00 Jesus wants us to remain in him and he wants to remain in us.
- 00:30 Youth at a boarding school in Mexico wanted to go with the speaker to make a phone call when the power went out.
- 01:01 The most important thing is to remain with the one who loves and wants to be with us, allowing God's plan to reveal itself.
Christianity is about letting Jesus abide in you and staying connected to him to avoid spiritual death, rather than just trying to be morally correct or imitate Jesus.
- 00:00 Catholics take Lent and Easter seriously, and the fifth Sunday of Easter focuses on the story of Saul becoming St. Paul.
- 00:40 A former enemy of Christians becomes a disciple and tries to join the Christian community, posing a challenge for the members.
- 01:06 St. Paul's perseverance in the face of trials is a model for us to follow.
- 01:38 Christianity is about letting Jesus abide in you, not just trying to be morally correct or imitate Jesus.
- 01:59 We are claimed by Jesus and grafted onto him, getting our life, energy, and direction from him, so the goal is to stay connected to him to avoid spiritual death.
- 02:23 Jesus prunes and props up our lives, and we depend on him for divine life.
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2021 Archive / Recent Reflections
The importance of remaining connected to Jesus in order to have a personal relationship with God and bear fruit for the kingdom of God.
- 00:00 People express their faith in various ways, but the unwavering belief in mutual love between them and God is a common theme.
- 01:16 Belief in Jesus is the condition for salvation and there is a necessity of remaining with Jesus.
- 01:50 Jesus is the vine and we are the branches, emphasizing the importance of remaining in him for confidence in prayer and acknowledging the special relationship between Jesus and God.
- 02:23 Stay connected to God by committing to remain in Jesus, establishing a personal relationship, and bearing fruit for the kingdom of God.
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Our relationship with God is reciprocal, as we need God for support and life, and God needs us to bear fruit in love and share the good news.
- 00:00 John the Evangelist emphasizes the word "abide" in this weekend's gospel, asking where do you find your nourishment.
- 01:07 Jesus teaches that our relationship with God is reciprocal, as we need God for support and life, and God needs us to bear fruit in love and share the good news.
- 02:19 Our greatest sin is self-sufficiency, but Jesus invites us into a love relationship with Him through prayer and abiding in Him.
We are called to tend to our faith, reflect on the transformative power of Christ's resurrection, and turn our Easter joy into concrete actions and refreshed commitments.
- 00:00 Reflecting on the richness of the Easter experience.
- 00:40 Jesus uses the symbolism of the vine and branches to remind us of our connection to each other and to him, and the need to tend to our faith like tending to plants.
- 02:24 We need to prune and mend ourselves to stay connected and nurtured in Christ's name.
- 03:08 We remember and share the good news of Christ's resurrection and reflect on the transformation of Saul in The Acts of the Apostles.
- 04:09 Saul, now a believer, connects with early believers and experiences the transformative spirit of Christ's life, reminding us of our connection as branches to the vine.
- 05:37 Barnabas stands up for Saul and reminds the Believers to not be afraid of him, but to remember that he is trying to connect with them and understand what it means to claim the good news of Christ.
- 07:05 We are called to turn our Easter joy into concrete actions and refreshed commitments, even when we have been offended or have offended others, as we are reminded of the power of redemption and transformation.
- 08:26 Let us cultivate the Spirit of Easter, remember that God believes in us, and proclaim the joy of Christ's life and love.
Remaining connected to Jesus, following his commandments, and having faith and love is essential for bearing fruit and living a fulfilling Christian life.
- 00:00 Disciples must remain connected to Jesus to bear fruit, Saul joins disciples in Jerusalem, speaks boldly in Jesus' name, and church grows in numbers.
- Jesus is the vine and his disciples are the branches, and they must remain connected to him to bear fruit and ensure their growth.
- Saul joins the disciples in Jerusalem, Barnabas takes charge of him, he speaks boldly in the name of Jesus, debates with the Hellenists, and the church grows in numbers.
- 03:22 Love in action and truth reassures our hearts before God, and by keeping His commandments and believing in Jesus Christ, we receive confidence and assurance from Him.
- Praise the Lord in the Assembly of his people, for all nations shall come before him and proclaim his justice to future generations.
- Love in action and truth reassures our hearts before God, and by keeping His commandments and believing in Jesus Christ, we receive confidence and assurance from Him.
- 08:50 Easter symbolizes abundance and new creation, as seen in the transformation of Saul into Paul, showing the mysterious fruit of Easter.
- Easter is a time of abundance and new creation, symbolizing the fruitful harvest of blessings from God, as seen in the readings about the transformation of Saul into Paul.
- Saul, a persecutor of Jesus' followers, was transformed into a missioner and apostle after encountering the Risen Lord, and despite suspicion and opposition, the Christian community grew in numbers and strength, showing the mysterious fruit of Easter.
- 12:57 Remaining in Jesus by following his commandments, having faith, and showing love is the fruit the Lord wants to harvest, as disciples must remain in him to bear much fruit.
- Remaining in Jesus by following his commandments, having faith in Jesus and showing love to others is the fruit that the Lord wants to harvest.
- Jesus is the True Vine and his disciples are the branches, and they must remain in him to bear fruit, otherwise they will be thrown out and burned, but if they remain in him and his words, they can ask for whatever they want and bear much fruit.
- 17:18 We must not waste the gift of the Risen Lord and remain in Jesus to bear fruit in deep faith and love.
- The gift of the Risen Lord is the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and it is our responsibility to ensure that this gift is not wasted, as seen in the transformation of Saul from a persecutor to a disciple and missioner.
- Remaining in Jesus and obeying God's command leads to deep faith and love, and the image of the vine and branches symbolizes the need for disciples to remain in Jesus to bear fruit.
- 20:55 Remaining attached to Jesus allows us to bear fruit and become his disciples, prioritizing the good and safety of others.
- Remaining attached to Jesus allows us to bear fruit and become his disciples, with the fruit being a life of joy, peace, and love that reflects the Resurrection.
- Fulfilling the word of Jesus means prioritizing the good and safety of those entrusted to us.
- 24:24 Remaining connected to Jesus, drawing nourishment from him, and aligning our principles with his teachings is essential for bearing fruit and living a fulfilling Christian life.
- 26:21 Easter is a time for new beginnings and growth, nurturing love and fulfillment through our relationship with Jesus, and spreading the word of God with faith, hope, and love.
- Easter is a season of new beginnings and growth, and we should ensure that it is an essential element of our life by nurturing love, contentment, and fulfillment through our relationship with Jesus and by witnessing to him in our words and deeds.
- The program is blessed with support and talents to spread the word of God, and the speaker hopes for continued faith, hope, and love in fulfilling their mission.
Preach
FR TONY et alia
SOURCE: Father Andrew Ricci
Crypt Church
Being “In Relationship”
Mass Introductions
An Invitation to Intimacy
Today’s Gospel challenges the depth of our relationship to Christ, who calls himself the vine and us, the branches. The immediacy of this relationship was palpable among the early Christians. But what is it for us? We’ve been invited into something far deeper and more intimate than our relationship to our own family or someone we love. How comfortable are we with this invitation?
Penitential Act
Prayer of the Faithful
SOURCE: Joan DeMerchant, National Catholic Reporter: Cycle B Sunday Resources feature series. View the full series.
Branches on the Vine
Much more than a set of truths to believe in, our faith is a union with a living person, a unity of life with Jesus our Lord. His words and actions are our guide in life; our heart is attuned to his heart, and his serving love of God and people is our inspiration and model. We cannot think of him and pray to him all the time, but we can, with his help, try to live his life. That is how we can live in him, remain in him, be one with him as he is one with the Father. Let us be intensely one with him here in this Eucharist and in everyday life.
Penitential Act
General Intercessions
SOURCE: Bible Claret Liturgy Alive
LTP Resource (PDF)
SOURCE: PastoralLiturgy.org | Archive | Resources (Pages may be reproduced for personal or parish use. The copyright notice must appear with the text)
Bishop Robert Barron
Remaining in Jesus and partaking in the Eucharist are essential for bearing fruit in the Christian life, and that various sins and struggles can cut us off from spiritual and moral values, but turning to God will bring the gift of the Holy Spirit.
- 00:00 Remain in Jesus like branches on a vine to bear fruit and live in Him, not just imitate Him.
- 01:38 We are called to live Jesus' life in us, with the church being organic and the Eucharist as the source and sum of the Christian life, and God will prune away anything preventing the life of Christ from manifesting.
- We are meant to live Jesus' life in us, which is the intimacy at the heart of Christianity, making the church organic and the Eucharist the source and sum of the Christian life.
- Jesus is the vine, we are the branches, and God will prune away anything in us that is preventing the life of Christ from manifesting itself.
- 04:16 Let go of old resentments and offer forgiveness during the Easter season.
- 05:18 Pruning away resentment and secularism allows the life of Christ to surge more fully through you, leading to deep soul sadness and spiritual laziness if you lose contact with the transcendent.
- Pruning away resentment and secularism allows the life of Christ to surge more fully through you, as losing contact with the transcendent leads to deep soul sadness and spiritual laziness.
- Prune away soul-killing secularism and attend to God and your conscience during this Easter season.
- 07:53 Pornography is a widespread and addictive industry that dehumanizes and harms both producers and consumers, often tied to human trafficking and abuse.
- 09:28 Cut out the negative influences in your life, like pornography and materialism, to protect your soul.
- 11:11 Gossiping is a soul-killing activity that steals people's reputation, and it's time to do a moral inventory and keep track of how often we are tempted to gossip.
- 12:59 Identify and pray for the removal of anything hindering Christ's life in you, and trust that God will prune it away.
UNKNOWN ARTIST | Second century
Christ the Good Shepherd
Essay by Michael Stevens
In this second-century fresco, we see one of the earliest surviving images of Christ. He is shown as a shepherd, with one goat over his shoulder, and two others at his feet. The image is drawn from the tenth chapter of John, in which Jesus describes himself as the good shepherd.
This fresco is located in the Roman catacombs, the vast network of tunnels and underground burial sites where many of the earliest Christians were buried. The catacombs became a gathering place for the persecuted early Church, whose operations needed to be kept secret in many cases.
The underground nature of the Church at this time in history made it fertile ground for the development of secret symbols that were known only among Christians. These included the anchor, the fish (still common in Christian communities today), the breaking of the bread (signifying the celebration of the Mass), and images like this one, which depict Christ and other holy figures in ways that were not as obvious to hostile persecutors.
Painting style
The manner in which Christ's face and body are painted reflects the style of Roman painting that was common at the time. The visual language of pagan Rome-typically used to portray the gods of mythology- is used for a new purpose in this fresco: to tell the story of Jesus Christ.
Christ as the New David
The motif of Christ the good shepherd strongly recalls the Hebrew shepherd-king David. In this image, the implication is that Jesus not only fulfills David's role as a shepherd but as a king as well.
BISHOP BARRON
We Live in Him, He in Us
Jesus declares that he is the vine and we are the branches. He is the power and energy source in which we live. This image is closely related to Paul's metaphor of the Body of Christ.
The point is that we live in him and he in us. Jesus is the source of supernatural life in us, and without him, we would have none of it. If, therefore, you are separated from the vine, you will die spiritually; you will stop living a supernatural life.
What does this look like concretely, to be attached to the vine? It means a steady immersion in the prayer of the Church. It means steady communion with God, speaking to him on a regular basis. It means an immersion in the Scriptures, soaking in the truth of the Bible. It means engaging in the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.
And, of course, it means you must participate in the sacraments especially Confession and the Eucharist. By the
Sacraments, we stay close to the Christ who forgives our sins and who enlivens our spirits.
Featured Podcasts
Featured Resources
5th Sunday of Easter B
Fifth Sunday of Easter (B) | Fr Timothy Radcliffe preaches on how God prunes our lives.
Our society is obsessed with identity: gender identity, sexual identity, ethnic identity and the politics of identity. Identity is to be chosen, constructed and defended. In Barbie, all the Barbies sing of their freedom to be whomever they want. But for Christians, our identity is hidden in God who is, as St Augustine wrote, ‘closer to me than I am to myself.’ God, who is beyond all rivalry, gives me to be myself. Simon Tugwell OP put it beautifully: ‘To have a pure heart is to have a life which wells up in us from a source too deep for us to plumb.’
Without God, we are nothing, and embracing humility and gratitude for His grace is essential for our souls.
- 00:00 Without God, we can do nothing; humility and gratitude are essential.
- 01:00 Our existence and ability to do good depends on God's grace, and embracing this truth will bring change to our souls.
- 01:44 Humility is the most important virtue to grow.
- 01:59 Humility means realizing we need God in everything, leading to gratitude for His constant grace in our lives.
2021 Archive / View More
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