Discipleship

Being Authentically Catholic

By Fr. Jeff | 09/03/2026

As I work on our evangelization ministry, a recurring question is how do we get people to listen and engage with what our faith teaches.  This is true for people who do attend Mass.  It is even more true for those who do not come to church.    How do we…

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22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A (2026) – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 08/30/2026

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Jeremiah 20:7-9 Psalm 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9 (2b) Romans 12:1-2 Matthew 16:21-27 August 30, 2026  When Jesus asked Peter, “who do you say that I am”, Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”  Peter got it write!  Or did he?  Jesus…

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How Are We to Respond? 

By Fr. Jeff | 08/21/2026

How are we to respond when a politician says or does something we disagree with?  The same we respond to anyone, as a disciple of Jesus.  No, I am not trying to be political.  I am thinking about people who tell me how statements and actions made by our…

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Seeking the Lord’s Will

By Fr. Jeff | 07/28/2026

Are you part of the good seed or are you part of the weeds?  Today’s gospel reading invites us to ask ourselves if we are following God’s Will or not.  God is patient with us but there will be a final judgment.  Where do you plan to…

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12th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A (2026)

By Fr. Jeff | 06/21/2026

12th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Jeremiah 20:10-13 Psalm 69:8-10, 14, 17, 33-35 (14c) Romans 5:12-15 Matthew 10:26-33 June 21, 2026  As a prophet, Jeremiah faced ridicule and persecution.  He heard “the whisperings of many” who denounced him.  It wasn’t just from strangers.  Even his former friends had turned against…

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

By Fr. Jeff | 05/17/2026

7th Sunday of Easter, Year AActs 1:12-14Psalm 27:1, 4, 7-8 (13)1 Peter 4:13-16John 17:1-11aMay 17, 2026 Just before He ascended, He told his disciples to “wait for “the promise of the Father…the Holy Spirit.” After they saw Jesus ascend to…

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Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year A (2026)

By Fr. Jeff | 05/10/2026

Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year A Acts 8:5-8, 14-17 Psalm 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20 (1) 1 Peter 3:15-18 John 14:15-21 May 10, 2026  Jesus loves you.  Jesus loves every single person in the world.  It might seem hard to imagine.  There are people in the world who are hard…

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

By Fr. Jeff | 05/03/2026

5th Sunday of Easter, Year AActs 6:1-7Psalm 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19 (22)1 Peter 2:4-9John 14:1-12May 3, 2026 Do you have anxiety or distress in your life? Jesus says, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” What troubles you?  Serious illness?  Job…

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Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year A (2026) 

By Fr. Jeff | 04/26/2026

Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year A Acts 2:14a, 36-41 Psalm 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6 (1) 1 Peter 2:20b-25 John 10:1-10 April 26, 2026  Peter proclaims, “Let the whole house of Israel know for certain that God has made both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”  “Whom you crucified…”  Who…

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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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