Homilies about family

The Nasty Glitter of Pride (and the Macaroni Miracle)

Fr. Joe

Fr. Joe concludes a Lenten series on the seven deadly sins by focusing on pride, describing it as a 'nasty glitter' that sticks to everything and ruins life's joyful moments. Through humorous personal stories about a slow coffee order and his father's 84-year-long silent endurance of macaroni and cheese, he illustrates how humility is the only cure for the self-obsession that fuels our misery.

The LGBTQ+ Way of the Cross: Finding Christ in the Marginalized

Father Paul

This is a specialized Stations of the Cross devotion that interweaves the traditional Passion of Christ with the modern-day sufferings and experiences of the LGBTQ+ community. Each station reflects on specific themes such as the 'closet' as a tomb, the persecution of trans individuals as a form of crucifixion, and the sanctity of queer families and marriages.

How to Keep Your Kids Catholic: A Father of 11 Shares His Secrets

Tom Britain shares a deeply personal and practical roadmap for raising children who remain active in the Catholic faith, drawing from his experience as a father of eleven. He identifies modern challenges like unprecedented freedom and material comfort while offering five specific pillars: personal parental conversion, intentional Catholic friendships, family unity through shared non-religious passions, simple non-negotiable rules, and the importance of faithful higher education.

Fr. Walt on Losing His Father: Finding Hope in the Story of Lazarus

Father Walt

Father Walt shares a deeply personal reflection on the death of his father during his childhood, connecting his experience of grief and shock to the raising of Lazarus. He discusses his mother's resilience, his father's integrity as a role model despite not attending church, and the Christian hope of being reunited with loved ones in the kingdom of heaven.

Letting God Hold Your Hand: Finding Blessing in Brokenness

Fr. William Kaliaden

Fr. William Kaliaden explores the Beatitudes as a roadmap for finding blessedness in the midst of human brokenness, sharing personal stories of loss and vocation. He challenges the faithful to move beyond a performance-based culture and instead embrace the 'holy disturbance' of God's call to mercy, meekness, and peace.

A Son's Poetic Tribute: Remembering Jerryanne Mason's Life and Legacy

Father Michael Woods

The homily is a eulogy delivered by the deceased's son, Jeffrey. He offers a heartfelt, poetic tribute to his mother, Jerryanne Mason, highlighting her many talents, competitive spirit, love for family, and deep faith. He shares personal anecdotes, including her singing at Carnegie Hall and for the Pope, her prowess in bridge, and her dedication to her grandchildren, emphasizing her 'all heart' nature and the lasting legacy she leaves.

The Day My Father Found Me: A Story of God's Unconditional Love

Father Ben

The homily uses a vivid personal anecdote from the priest's childhood about getting lost and being found by his father, who, despite his anger, only expressed immense relief and love. This story is then connected to the Easter message, emphasizing that God, like the father, sent Jesus to search for us, pick us up, and carry us home, driven by profound love and a desire for our safety and return.

The 17-Hour Bus Ride: How God Chases Your Heart

Using the story of his grandfather's 17-hour bus rides to court his grandmother, the speaker illustrates God's persistent pursuit of humanity through the Eucharist. He connects Old Testament types like the Passover lamb and Manna to the Real Presence of Christ, challenging listeners to prioritize the Mass over worldly commitments. The talk concludes with a deep dive into John 6 and the liturgical continuity of the Catholic Church from the early centuries to today.

Cuando te sientes muerto por dentro: Una historia de cáncer y reconciliación

Diácono Araón Po

The deacon reflects on the reality of 'spiritual death' where people are physically alive but emotionally and spiritually dead inside due to suffering and hopelessness. He shares the personal story of his mother's stage 4 cancer diagnosis and a family reconciliation after 10 years of silence to illustrate how God recreates life from death.

Saying Goodbye: A Priest's Story of Faith and Loss

The priest reflects on the raising of Lazarus as a 'preview' of Christ's own resurrection, emphasizing that no pain or infirmity is beyond God's power to redeem. He shares a deeply personal account of telling his own dying parents via FaceTime that it was 'okay to go,' using this to illustrate that faith provides hope even in the face of terminal illness and death. The message centers on the idea that while grief is real and painful, we are never alone because Christ weeps alongside us.

Beyond Food: New Ways to Fast This Lent (Inspired by Pope Francis)

Padre Juan Nicolá

The homily reinterprets Lenten fasting, moving beyond traditional food abstinence to focus on 'new ways of fasting' proposed by Pope Francis. These include acts of charity and interpersonal connection like greeting others, expressing gratitude, listening without prejudice, offering encouragement, helping those in need, celebrating others' qualities, and prioritizing family, especially elderly parents. The core message emphasizes that true sacrifice and love are found in these everyday acts of kindness and connection, which are more challenging and meaningful than mere dietary restrictions.

Healing the Father Wound with St. Joseph

The priest uses a poignant story about prisoners who eagerly sent Mother's Day cards but refused to send Father's Day cards to highlight the deep wounds caused by absent or abusive fathers. He presents St. Joseph as a model of graced masculinity and a source of healing for those with 'aching hearts' regarding their own earthly fathers. The homily emphasizes that children don't need perfect parents, but rather parents who genuinely love and respect one another.

The Enduring Love That Gives Meaning to Every Season of Life

The homily reflects on the transient nature of life, emphasizing that 'everything has its time' as described in Ecclesiastes. It uses the life of the deceased, Phero Maria Nguyen Duc Hoang, as an example of navigating different phases of life with faith and love, particularly highlighting his unwavering love and sacrifice for his wife and family, and his commitment to teaching his children right from wrong. The core message is that true love, especially for God and family, gives meaning to all seasons of life and prepares us for the ultimate encounter with God.

The Blindness of the Heart: Seeing God's Love and Our Own Flaws

Cha Giose Đinh Quang Thành

The homily explores different forms of blindness, both physical and spiritual, drawing from the Gospel story of the man born blind and a poignant story about a mother's sacrifice. It challenges listeners to recognize their own spiritual blindness, especially in failing to see God's love and the love of those around them, and encourages them to seek spiritual sight during Lent.

A Son's Homily: Learning to Be a Father, Like God

This homily, delivered by the deceased's son, an Archbishop, reflects on his father Robert's life, his quiet faith, and his journey of learning to be a father. It connects his father's example to God's fatherly nature and uses the parable of the ten virgins to emphasize the personal relationship with Christ that cannot be shared but must be cultivated individually. The homily concludes with a poignant act of returning his father to God, mirroring an earlier experience with his grandmother's passing.

Anadelsa Espinal: A Life of Selfless Love and Concrete Faith

Padre Ambioric

This homily celebrates the life of Anadelsa Espinal, highlighting her profound and selfless love for her family, her community, priests, and the poor. The priest emphasizes that Anadelsa's life was a testament to Christ's love, making her an apostle who lived out the Beatitudes through concrete acts of service and unwavering faith. Her legacy is presented as an inspiration to continue living out the mission of the Church.

Cómo Preparar a Nuestros Hijos para Elegir su Vocación y Defender su Fe

Dr. Marcos Randle

This homily, delivered by a psychologist, focuses on the critical role of parents in guiding their children through vocational discernment, particularly as they approach adulthood and career choices. It emphasizes the importance of fostering a strong sense of self-worth, teaching children to seek God's will, and cultivating virtues like magnanimity. The speaker also addresses common parenting errors and offers advice on preparing children to navigate the challenges to faith in secular environments like universities.

The Zero Regrets Policy: Loving Others Until Their Last Breath

Father Hank

Fr. Hank reflects on the 'zero regrets policy' of accompanying the dying, inspired by the morning's passing of a longtime parishioner and the liturgical readings of women facing execution. He emphasizes that the core of Christian outreach is ensuring that no one feels forgotten or unloved in their final moments, regardless of the outcome.

St. Joseph the Dreamer: How to Let God Guide Your Decisions

In this interactive homily for the Solemnity of St. Joseph, the priest engages the school community by exploring the four dreams of St. Joseph recorded in Scripture. He introduces the concept of 'St. Joseph the Dreamer' using a 'Sleeping St. Joseph' statue, encouraging the faithful to entrust their difficult decisions and personal intentions to Joseph's intercession.

How God's Love Appears in Unexpected People

Deacon Nathan

The homily emphasizes that God's love and formation begin at baptism and are often manifested through people in our lives, not always through direct divine intervention. Drawing on personal experience of parental divorce and feeling unloved, the deacon highlights how his grandparents provided unconditional love and forgiveness, serving as Christ-like examples. He urges listeners to be that source of love and forgiveness for others, especially enemies, as a true act of faith and transformation during Lent.