Homilies about discernment

How God Uses Ordinary Things (and People) to Reveal Your Path

Deacon Bender

The homily reflects on the Gospel story of the man born blind, emphasizing how God uses ordinary things and people to bring about extraordinary grace and open our eyes to His will. The deacon shares a personal story of his vocation being discerned through a conversation with his pastor, highlighting that God often reveals our path through others, and the most profound decisions are often gifts we receive, not choices we make.

St. Ignatius' 10-Minute Prayer to Transform Your Life

Father Leland Thorp

This homily, delivered as part of a retreat, delves into the life of St. Ignatius of Loyola and introduces his Examen prayer as a tool for daily spiritual discernment. The speaker emphasizes cultivating awareness of God's presence in all things, recognizing spiritual consolation and desolation, and responding to God's grace through gratitude, repentance, and concrete resolutions. The core message is about fostering a continuous, conscious relationship with God through daily self-reflection, leading to profound spiritual growth and joy.

Why God Looks Into the Heart: Beyond Appearances in Life and Love

The homily emphasizes the importance of looking beyond superficial appearances and into the heart, both our own and others', as God does. Drawing from the anointing of David and the healing of the blind man, the priest discusses how true discernment, especially in vocations and relationships, requires deep prayer and an understanding of the two great commandments: love of God and love of neighbor. He illustrates the tragic consequences of failing to look deeply through examples of clergy abuse and the exploitation of child actors in Hollywood.

Are You Spiritually Blind? A Lenten Reflection on Seeing Christ

The homily for the Fourth Sunday of Lent, also known as Laetare Sunday, emphasizes moving from spiritual darkness to the light of Christ. Drawing on the anointing of David and the healing of the man born blind, it challenges listeners to reflect on their own spiritual blindness, open their hearts to God's plans, and live as Christ's representatives in the world, promoting justice, peace, and love.

The Sanctuary of Conscience: Hearing God's Voice in Silence

This homily emphasizes the importance of conscience as the most secret sanctuary of a person, where God's voice is heard. It discusses how freedom and natural law guide us, and how we must be open to God's will, even when it challenges our own understanding. The homily also touches on the need for silence to discern God's voice amidst the noise of the world.

How to Recognize God's Voice in a Noisy World

Father Ethan

The homily emphasizes the importance of listening to God's voice, especially during Lent, by drawing parallels to listening to teachers and recognizing familiar voices. The priest uses an interactive exercise with the congregation to illustrate how knowing someone helps recognize their voice, applying this to discerning God's voice from other distractions in daily life. He encourages prayer and scripture reading to cultivate this recognition and follow Jesus' teachings.

Unlocking Your Spiritual Gifts: How to Discern and Live Your Charisms

This homily, part of a Lenten mission, focuses on understanding and activating spiritual charisms within the community. The speaker emphasizes that these gifts are for the building up of the Church and humanity, not for personal glory, and encourages participants to discern their charisms and overcome internal obstacles or 'lies' that prevent their full expression. The homily culminates in an exercise where parents and adults are prompted to affirm and pray over the gifts they see in children and each other, fostering an environment of love and encouragement.

Why Listening and Obedience are Key to Hearing God's Voice This Lent

Father Tu

The homily emphasizes the importance of listening and obedience to God's voice, especially during Lent. It connects this to the vows taken by religious and priests, and highlights the need for discernment guided by the Holy Spirit, urging listeners to soften their hearts to hear God's guidance and resist temptations and evil.

Why God Looks Into Your Heart (And Why You Should Too)

Father Mullen

The homily emphasizes the importance of seeing beyond superficial appearances and looking into the heart, both in others and ourselves, as God does. Drawing on the readings, the priest discusses how this discernment is crucial for making life decisions, understanding vocations, and avoiding being misled by external glitter, citing examples from biblical figures like David and contemporary issues like clerical scandals and the exploitation of child actors in Hollywood. He encourages deep prayer and self-reflection to align one's heart with God's will.

Are You Stuck in a Spiritual Echo Chamber?

The homily uses the analogy of Spotify algorithms and echo chambers to illustrate how people can become closed off to new ideas and the truth. It challenges listeners to actively seek out diverse perspectives and, most importantly, to discern the true message of Jesus Christ, who came for all and preached peace and love, rather than narrow, biased interpretations.

The 'Pre-Flight Check' for God's Will in Your Daily Choices

Father Hank

The homily emphasizes the importance of a 'pre-flight check' in our daily lives, urging us to pause and ask if our choices align with God's will, especially when they impact others. Using the examples of Joseph's brothers and the vineyard tenants, the priest illustrates the destructive consequences of acting solely on self-interest without considering God's desires. He encourages listeners to cultivate the habit of discerning God's will to foster a more heaven-like world.

Do as I Say, Not as I Do: Understanding Authority in Faith

Father Danny

The homily uses a personal anecdote about the priest's childhood grades and his father's 'do as I say, not as I do' philosophy to explain Jesus' teaching on authority. It emphasizes that while leaders may have flaws, their God-given authority should be respected, and discernment is crucial to align actions with God's will rather than simply following flawed human examples.

Why We Try to Silence Uncomfortable Truths

The homily reflects on the human tendency to silence voices that present uncomfortable truths, drawing parallels to the Gospel where Jesus's claims of divinity led to attempts to kill him. It emphasizes that truth does not die with the messenger and encourages listening, discernment, and seeking truth over eliminating those who speak it, warning that silencing others risks losing our own humanity.

Why Listening to Others Can Deepen Your Spiritual Life

The homily emphasizes the importance of docility and openness to the wisdom of others in our spiritual lives, drawing a parallel between the priest's own discernment journey and Naaman's initial resistance to Elisha's simple instruction. It suggests that the path to holiness may not always be what we expect, and sometimes simple, external advice can be more profound than our own internal struggles.

How to Safeguard Your Conscience in a Divided World

The homily emphasizes the importance of a well-formed conscience, drawing parallels between Jesus's teaching on being 'with me or against me' and the challenges of discerning truth in society. It warns against being misguided by erroneous concepts and radicalization, urging listeners to be guided by the Holy Spirit to make good choices and understand Jesus Christ more deeply.

Why Neutrality is Not an Option for Christians

The homily emphasizes that neutrality is not an option for followers of Christ when it comes to moral truth. Drawing from the Gospel, it highlights that remaining silent in the face of evil is a form of negligence, akin to spiritual muteness. The priest encourages discernment to distinguish between wise silence and silence born of fear, urging believers to courageously speak truth with love, trusting in God's ultimate victory over evil.

Understanding True Faith: Jesus as the Light and Water of Life

The homily emphasizes that Jesus is the 'water of life' and 'light of the world,' urging believers to understand the true meaning of faith beyond mere intellectual assent. It highlights that God has given us intellect to discern between light and darkness, good and evil, and to follow His path, rather than dictating terms to Him. The core message is about actively living out faith by following Christ's teachings and understanding God's spiritual presence within us.

How the Devil Divides Us and How to Fight Back

The homily emphasizes the destructive nature of division, both personal and communal, drawing parallels to Satan's strategy of 'divide and rule.' It calls believers to unity with Christ, discerning truth, and resisting the evil one's attempts to scatter and misinform, ultimately seeking to grow in God's grace.

Do You Really Hear God's Voice? A Challenge to Listen

The homily challenges listeners to reflect on whether they truly listen to God's voice and discern His presence in their daily lives, drawing parallels to the ancient Israelites and the Pharisees who refused to believe despite witnessing miracles. It emphasizes the importance of not hardening one's heart and being a force for unity rather than division in the community.

Are Your 'Good Works' Really About You?

The homily uses a vivid personal anecdote about a 'weird bird' seminarian to illustrate the difference between actions done for self-glory and true good works. It emphasizes the importance of examining our intentions and ensuring our actions align with God's teachings of humility, kindness, and service, rather than being driven by pride or misguided notions of piety.