Discipleship

St. Francis De Sales on How Words Matter

By Fr. Jeff | 12/27/2022

This is the seventh article in my series based on my reading of the Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis De Sales. Written 400 years ago, it is available in various translations. I am reading the 2015 version published by…

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St. Francis De Sales on Friendship, Fasting, and Modesty

By Fr. Jeff | 12/20/2022

This is the sixth article in my series based on my reading of the Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis De Sales. Written 400 years ago, it is available in various translations. I am reading the 2015 version published by…

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More on the Virtues from St. Francis De Sales

By Fr. Jeff | 12/13/2022

This is the fifth article in my series based on my reading of the Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis De Sales. Written 400 years ago, it is available in various translations. I am reading the 2015 version published by…

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St. Francis De Sales on Virtues

By Fr. Jeff | 12/06/2022

This is the fourth article in my series based on my reading of the Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis De Sales. Written 400 years ago, it is available in various translations. I am reading the 2015 version published by…

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The Devout Life – Prayer

By Fr. Jeff | 11/29/2022

This is the third article in my series based on my reading of the Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis De Sales. The first article was “What Does It Mean to be Devout?” followed by “Purification in the…

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We Need to be Thankful

By Fr. Jeff | 11/24/2022

Thanksgiving DaySirach 50:22-241 Corinthians 6:3-9Luke 17:11-9November 24, 2022 Today we celebrate Thanksgiving Day.  It is a national holiday for us.  It is a secular holiday but it is a day that we need to celebrate. Why do we need Thanksgiving…

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Purification in the Devout Life

By Fr. Jeff | 11/22/2022

Last week I began a series of articles inspired by my present reading of St. Francis De Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life. The first article was “What Does It Mean to be Devout?”. I ended that article with a…

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Video – Third Presentation in series “Being Church in Today’s World”

By Fr. Jeff | 11/18/2022

Last night I offered the third (and final) presentation in my series, Being Church in Today’s World. The video and slides for Part III are now available on my website at https://www.renewaloffaith.org/beingchurch2022part3. If you watch the video in the next…

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What Does It Mean to be “Devout”?

By Fr. Jeff | 11/15/2022

Last month I began reading St. Francis De Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life. Written 400 years ago, it is available in various translations. I am reading the 2015 version published by Ignatius Press (San Francisco) and the Augustine Institute…

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The Faith Comes Alive

By Fr. Jeff | 10/11/2022

October 9th is the feastday of Cardinal John Henry Newman. This year it fell on a Sunday. Sundays take precedence over the feastdays of saints (unless it is a solemnity). So, his feast was not celebrated this year. However, I…

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Increase Our Faith

By Fr. Jeff | 10/02/2022

“The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.“ These are the words that begin our gospel reading today. The apostles had seen Jesus do many miracles as He cured people and drove out demons. Through the power Jesus gave…

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Who Wants to Talk About Money

By Fr. Jeff | 09/27/2022

Some people don’t want to hear about money at Mass. That’s okay. I don’t want to talk about money at Mass. Then why did I talk about money in my homily this past weekend? I certainly didn’t do it because…

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26th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 09/25/2022

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year CAmos 6:1a, 4-7Psalm 146:7, 8-9, 9-10 (1b)1 Timothy 6:11-16Luke 16:19-31September 25, 2022 Jesus offers us a parable today contrasting two men.  The first is “a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine…

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First Video Presentation in New Series – Being Church in Today’s World

By Fr. Jeff | 09/23/2022

Last night I began my new series of presentations, Being Church in Today’s World. The video recording and slides are available at https://www.renewaloffaith.org/beingchurch2022part1 . Here is a description of the series – “For centuries western civilization was rooted in Christianity.…

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25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 09/18/2022

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year CAmos 8:4-7Psalm 113:1-2, 4-6, 7-8, (see 1a, 7b)1 Timothy 2:1-8Luke 16:1-13September 18, 2022 The role of a steward is to manage the property and finances of the owner.  Thus, in squandering the rich’s man…

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What Do You Have That You Don’t Need?

By Fr. Jeff | 09/13/2022

How much stuff do you have? How much stuff do you have that you don’t need? Why? Sometimes it is simply that we accumulate stuff over time and, if we aren’t forced to go through it, we forget about it…

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The Cost of Discipleship

By Fr. Jeff | 09/04/2022

“Great crowds were traveling with Jesus.” Maybe they had seen him cure people. Maybe they saw him drive out demons. Maybe they had heard him preach and wanted to hear more. What does it mean to truly follow Jesus? How…

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The Heart of Christianity

By Fr. Jeff | 08/23/2022

We have Ten Commandments. It isn’t easy to follow all ten. Sometimes we struggle with just one. Imagine what it would be like to follow 613 commandments. Why 613? Because that is how many the Jews were taught in the…

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Who’s in Control: Your Anger or You?

By Fr. Jeff | 08/09/2022

How is your anger?  Would others describe you as short-tempered or as having a short-fuse?  Do you feel like you struggle with having enough patience?  You are not alone.  Dr. Ray Guarendi (known as Dr. Ray on radio and tv)…

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19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

By Fr. Jeff | 08/07/2022

It is no secret that we live in a world with suffering and challenges. We may feel like we are being put to the test in our sufferings. We may fear some of the challenges we face in the world.…

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Jeremiah Today

By Fr. Jeff | 08/02/2022

Some people see the Bible as outdated. It is not. It is God’s Word and it is a living word, still relevant to us today. In recent days the first reading at daily Mass has been from the Book of…

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18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 07/31/2022

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year CEcclesiastes 1:2; 2:21-23Psalm 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14, 17 (95:8)Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11Luke 12:13-21July 31, 2022 Many people had come to Jesus for healing or to be freed from demons.  Today someone offers a different request,…

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16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 07/17/2022

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year CGenesis 18:1-10aPsalm 15:2-3, 3-4, 5 (1a)Colossians 1:24-28Luke 10:38-42July 17, 2022 Abraham loved the Lord.  Today we hear of a time when “the LORD appeared to Abraham” but Abraham did not know it was the…

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14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 07/03/2022

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year CIsaiah 66:10-14cPsalm 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20 (1)Galatians 6:14-18Luke 10:1-12, 17-20July 3, 2022 We are called to be a missionary church. This means we are to share the gospel and God’s mercy with others.…

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13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 06/26/2022

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C1 Kings 19:16b, 19-21Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11 (see 5a)Galatians 5:1, 13-18Luke 9:51-62June 26, 2022 Today’s gospel passage begins a new section in Luke’s gospel that will continue until the time for Jesus’…

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