Discipleship

Third Sunday of Easter, Year A – Homily (2026)

By Fr. Jeff | 04/19/2026

3rd Sunday of Easter, Year AActs 2:14, 22-33Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11 (11a)1 Peter 1:17-21Luke 24:13-35April 19, 2026 After the tomb of Jesus’ was found empty, the disciples gathered in a locked room in fear of the Jews.  Now,…

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From Peace to Peace

By Fr. Jeff | 04/14/2026

Last week, in “The Morality of the War with Iran,” I wrote concerning peace between nations.  There is also a deeper peace that we are to seek (see my recent articles “The World is a Mess” and “Pray for Peace…What is Peace?”).  This deeper peace is the Peace of Christ that Jesus offers…

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Second Sunday of Easter, Divine Mercy Sunday, Year A (2026)

By Fr. Jeff | 04/12/2026

Second Sunday of Easter, Year A (Divine Mercy Sunday) Acts 2:42-47 Psalm 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24 (1) 1 Peter 1:3-9 John 20:19-31 April 12, 2026  Jesus Christ was crucified!  Then He rose from the dead!  The Father and He sent the Holy Spirit!  With new understanding of what had happened to…

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The World is a Mess

By Fr. Jeff | 03/17/2026

If one looks at the news, one sees things in the world are not good.  The most obvious being the war between Israel, Iran, and the U.S.  It directly involves these three nations.  It also involves neighboring nations in the Middle East.  With the Strait of Hormuz being in Iranian…

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The World Needs Love

By Fr. Jeff | 03/13/2026

In today’s gospel a scribe asks Jesus a question.  Unlike other times when Jesus is asked a question, this is not a question to trap him.  It is a good question.  “Which is the first of all the commandments?”    Where do we begin?  It is not easy…

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3rd Sunday of Lent, Year A – Homily (2026)

By Fr. Jeff | 03/08/2026

3rd Sunday of Lent, Year AExodus 17:3-7Psalm 85:1-2, 6-7, 8-9 (8)Romans 5:1-2, 5-8John 4:5-42March 8, 2026 A “woman of Samaria” went to the well to draw water.  She finds Jesus there.  He asks her, “Give me a drink.”  She is…

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2nd Sunday of Lent, Year A (2026)

By Fr. Jeff | 03/01/2026

2nd Sunday of Lent, Year A Genesis 12:1-4a Psalm 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22 (22) 2 Timthy 1:8b-10 Matthew 17:1-9 February 22, 2026  Abram, who will become known as Abraham, is a model of faith to us.  God speaks to Abraham for the first time in the Bible, “Go forth from the…

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The Purpose of Lent – To Be Holy

By Fr. Jeff | 02/23/2026

We celebrate the season of Lent from Ash Wednesday until we begin the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday.  What are we trying to achieve?  What is it that we hope to accomplish during Lent?  I think the answer to this question is what we…

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1st Sunday of Lent, Year A – Homily (2026)

By Fr. Jeff | 02/22/2026

1st Sunday of Lent, Year AGenesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 17 (3a)Romans 5:12-19Matthew 4:1-11February 22, 2026 Since last September we have had seven people participating in OCIA to prepare themselves to complete their Sacraments of Initiation.  Today we send…

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Making the Most of Lent

By Fr. Jeff | 02/17/2026

Lent begins tomorrow.  How do we make the most of Lent?  Maybe you have given up the same thing for Lent for several years in a row.  That’s not necessarily a bad thing if it helps make you a better disciple or if it is a true sacrifice that shows how important your faith…

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Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A (2026)

By Fr. Jeff | 02/14/2026

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Sirach 15:15-20 Psalm 119:1-2, 4-5, 17-18, 33-34 (1b) 1 Corinthians 2:6-10 Matthew 5:17-37 February 15, 2026  “If you choose, you can keep the commandments, they will save you; if your trust in God, you too shall live.”   What way do you…

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5th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A – Homily (2026)

By Fr. Jeff | 02/08/2026

5th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year AIsaiah 58:7-10Psalm 112:4-5, 6-7, 8-9 (4a)1 Corinthians 2:1-5Matthew 5:13-16February 8, 2026 “You are the salt of the earth.” We add salt to food to make it taste better.  We are to do our part…

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Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A (2026)

By Fr. Jeff | 02/01/2026

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Zephaniah 2:3; 3:12-13 Psalm 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10 (Matthew 5:3) 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 Matthew 5:1-12a February 1, 2026  The Israelites were struggling.  In their struggles our Lord speaks to them.  He speaks of the remnant that will remain in their midst.    For several decades now,…

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What Does It Mean to be Catholic?

By Fr. Jeff | 01/27/2026

What does it mean to be Catholic?  What does it mean to follow Jesus?  The simple answer would be that being Catholic means a person is baptized in the Catholic Church.  Being identified as Catholic starts with Baptism but it is more than…

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Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A – Homily (2026)

By Fr. Jeff | 01/18/2026

2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year AIsaiah 49:3, 5-6Psalm 40:2-, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10 (8a, 9a)1 Corinthians 1:1-3John 1:29-34January 18, 2026 Paul speaks of himself as one “called to be an apostle.”  For Paul, his work to share the gospel…

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What To Write About

By Fr. Jeff | 01/13/2026

As I prayed for a topic to write about this week, I found myself without any fresh ideas.  There is always a lot going on in the world.  Yet, there are two challenges in finding ideas for articles.  The first is that much of what one hears in the news is the same…

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Treating People and Nations Right

By Fr. Jeff | 01/06/2026

Please allow me to start with a piece of exciting and positive news for the prolife community.  On Sunday, Catholic News Agency reported that Puerto Rico has passed a law that rightly declares that all children in the womb are “natural…

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The Epiphany of the Lord (2025)

By Fr. Jeff | 01/04/2026

The Epiphany of the Lord Isaiah 60:1-6 Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13 (11) Ephesians 5:2-3a, 5-6 Matthew 2:1-12 January 4, 2026  In my homily for the recent Holy Day, I spoke about peace.  It was not world peace but rather the Peace of the Lord that I was speaking…

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A Place for God in 2026

By Fr. Jeff | 12/30/2025

The year 2025 is almost over.  It is a time when many review the events they experienced in the last twelve months.  We begin the new year 2026 in less than 48 hours.  As one-year ends, people look forward to the new year with hope for better things to…

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A Christian Response

By Fr. Jeff | 12/16/2025

This past weekend there was the shooting of soldiers in Syria, a shooting at Brown University in Rhode Island, and a shooting at a Jewish celebration in Australia. Clearly, this was not a good weekend. In this article, I offer…

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Faith in Action, Part 2

By Fr. Jeff | 12/02/2025

This is the second half of a reflection on the Letter of James.  You can read the first part, including why I wrote this reflection, at https://renewaloffaith.org/faith-in-action/.   Chapter 2 of the Letter of James shows that if we faith, we will do good works.  Our works serve as evidence of our faith. …

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Faith in Action, Part I

By Fr. Jeff | 11/25/2025

Last Thursday I felt inspired with the thought of writing an article regarding the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy.  At that point I did not have any detailed thoughts.  It was just a general idea.  That was fine with me as I had a few days before…

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Our Lord Jesus Christ King of the Universe Year C – Homily (2025)

By Fr. Jeff | 11/23/2025

Our Lord Jesus Christ King of the Universe2 Samuel 5:1-3Psalm 122:1-2, 3-4, 4-5 (see 1)Colossians 1:12-20Luke 23:35-43November 23, 2025 God has always led his people.  The Israelites wanted a king like every other nation had (1 Samuel 8:1-9).  God warned…

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30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C – Homily (2025)

By Fr. Jeff | 10/26/2025

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year CSirach 35:12-14, 16-1Psalm 34:2-3, 17-18, 19, 23 (7a)2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18Luke 18:9-14October 26, 2025 How do you approach Jesus in prayer? How do you look at yourself? Are you convinced of your own righteousness? …

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29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C (2025)

By Fr. Jeff | 10/19/2025

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year CExodus 17:8-13Psalm 121:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 (see 2)2 Timothy 3:14-4:2Luke 18:1-8October 19, 2025 The Israelites were attacked by Amalek.  The Israelites did not start the war.  Their response was a defensive action and it…

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