Homilies about gratitude

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.

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.

How Kindness Changed a Refugee's Life: A Priest's Lenten Reflection

Father Mike

The homily focuses on kindness as a form of almsgiving during Lent, drawing from the speaker's personal experience as a Vietnamese refugee. He recounts how the kindness of strangers, a Filipino priest, and the Vincentian community shaped his life and led him to the priesthood, attributing God's kindness to the intercession of the Blessed Mother. The homily encourages listeners to extend similar kindness to others.

Why God Made You Perfect: A Homily for Kids on Self-Acceptance

Father Javier

The homily, delivered to a school audience, uses a fable about a man who repeatedly wishes to be more powerful than various elements (sun, cloud, wind, mountain) only to find each is surpassed by something else, ultimately returning to the man himself. The core message is that God loves us as we are and has given us everything we need to be truly happy, urging listeners not to be swayed by external pressures to be someone else.

Father Hugo's 5-Year Journey: An Adult Vocation Story

Father Hugo Laete

This homily is a deeply personal reflection by Father Hugo on his five years of priesthood, celebrating his 'adult vocation' and the challenges and graces he has experienced. He shares his journey of discerning God's call later in life, his formation in Brazil and the Philippines, and his ordination during the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing gratitude for divine support and the community.

From Africa to LA: The Healing Power of Gratitude in Lent

Fr. Tadeusz Brzożowski

The homily, delivered by a missionary from Kenya, emphasizes the transformative power of gratitude and trust in God's plan, drawing parallels between the joyful and grateful spirit of African communities and the need for Westerners to overcome a 'paralysis of time' and a tendency to dwell on past grievances. It encourages a shift from complaint to thanksgiving, from control to surrender, and from spiritual blindness to seeing with the 'eyes of the heart,' especially during Lent.

7 Habits for a Blessed Life: Finding Joy in God's Presence

This talk, based on the speaker's new book, outlines 'Seven Keys to Trusting God and Embracing Joy,' using the acronym BLESSED. It emphasizes that true happiness comes not from chasing it, but from walking with God through intentional practices like appreciating beauty, embracing laughter, fostering encounter with God, engaging in worship, seeking silence, connecting with others, and living a distinctly faithful life. The speaker shares personal anecdotes, scientific research, and scriptural references to support these habits for a joyful, God-centered life.

Embracing the Suffering of Love: Why Rest and Gratitude Transform Your Life

Father Romy

This homily, delivered during a Lenten Parish Mission, emphasizes the importance of embracing 'the suffering of love' in marriage and in our relationship with God. It challenges listeners to reorient their lives to grace by observing the Sabbath as a day of rest, gratitude, and communion, rather than succumbing to modern distractions like social media and over-scheduling. The speaker highlights that true fulfillment and transcendent living come from allowing God's plan to unfold and experiencing His love, even amidst difficulties.

Deja de Culpar a Otros: Asume Tus Decisiones y Encuentra la Libertad en Cristo

The homily emphasizes the human tendency towards ingratitude and forgetting God's blessings, often blaming others for personal decisions. Drawing from the Samaritan woman's encounter with Jesus, the priest urges listeners to assume responsibility for their choices, reject victimhood, and prioritize God's love over societal pressures and material pursuits. He challenges the congregation to embrace freedom in Christ and not be enslaved by external circumstances or human relationships, especially abusive ones.

A Son's Heartfelt & Humorous Tribute to Shirley Kudrna

This homily is a eulogy delivered by a family member, offering a personal and humorous tribute to Shirley A. Kudrna. It highlights her life, family values, love for housekeeping and games, and her peaceful passing, emphasizing her impact on her family and community.

How God Sees You: A Lenten Reflection on True Sight

Father Spawn

The homily reflects on the theme of 'seeing' from the day's readings, emphasizing that God sees into the heart with love, unlike human perception. The speaker shares a personal anecdote about finding joy in an airport while grieving, illustrating how we often miss God's loving gaze amidst distractions and self-pity. The homily encourages a Lenten reflection on what we are truly seeing and what God invites us to see with new eyes, especially in ourselves and our communities.

Finding Peace and Gratitude in Hardship: A Homeless Woman's Story

The homily uses the story of a homeless woman who, despite immense hardship, finds contentment and gratitude in the kindness of others and her love for her disabled daughter. This personal anecdote illustrates Jesus' teaching that the greatest commandment is love of God and neighbor, emphasizing that faith's core is not rules but love, which brings peace and order to life.

Fr. Ed Shea: God's Proactive Mercy and the Four Commandments of Contentment

Fr. Ed Shea

This homily, delivered during a parish mission, emphasizes God's proactive and preemptive mercy, contrasting it with human mercy. Drawing from the story of the Samaritan woman at the well, the homilist encourages listeners to embrace their belovedness in God, overcome divisions, and transform pain through the cross. He offers four 'commandments of contentment' for a happier life: live in the present, don't be in a hurry, don't take yourself too seriously, and be grateful.

You Are a Living Sacramental: Embracing God's Glory Within You

Fr. Kenneth

The homily, titled "Sacramental Imagination," encourages Catholics to recognize their inherent sacredness and the divine glory within them, seeing themselves as living sacramentals that radiate God's grace. Drawing from a child's question about the Eucharist and a poem by Gerard Manley Hopkins, the priest emphasizes that God's presence is not limited but flows through us, enabling us to overcome challenges and evangelize by living out our faith with joy and gratitude, even amidst suffering and worldly distractions.

Deacon Don Wigel on the Global Refugee Crisis and Catholic Relief Services

Deacon Don Wigel

This homily, delivered by Deacon Don Wigel from Catholic Relief Services (CRS), focuses on the theme of 'living water' from the Gospel, connecting it to the physical and spiritual needs of refugees and displaced persons globally. He shares personal anecdotes from his experience with Syrian refugees and highlights CRS's work in providing aid and helping people stay in their homelands, emphasizing the increased need for support due to recent cuts in foreign aid.

De la Cena Judía a la Misa: El Significado Oculto de la Pascua

This teaching homily provides a deep dive into the Jewish Seder meal and its direct liturgical connections to the Catholic Mass. The priest explains the symbolic meaning of the Seder plate elements—such as the bitter herbs, the unleavened bread, and the four cups of wine—to illustrate how Christ transformed these ancient traditions into the Eucharist.

The Four Levels of Happiness: Climbing the Mountain of God

Drawing on the work of Fr. Robert Spitzer and Frank Sheed, the speaker outlines four levels of happiness: immediate gratification, personal fulfillment, contribution, and ultimate union with God. He challenges listeners to move beyond egocentricity and 'climb the second mountain' by living a life of service and gratitude, even amidst suffering. The talk concludes with a call to model one's life on Jesus as the only path to lasting joy.

Finding Life After Unthinkable Loss: Mary Francis's Story

The priest briefly connects the raising of Lazarus to the 'death-dealing' choices in our daily lives, such as bitterness and anger, before transitioning into the annual diocesan appeal. A 92-year-old parishioner, Mary Francis, shares a moving personal testimony about how the diocese's counseling services helped her survive the tragic loss of her daughter and four grandchildren.

Seeing Jesus in the Poor: Lessons from El Salvador

Deacon Nathan

This homily, delivered by Deacon Nathan, focuses on seeing Jesus through the lives of the poor, drawing inspiration from a 20-year mission trip program to El Salvador. Two young participants share their transformative experiences, highlighting the profound hospitality and gratitude of the Salvadoran people despite their poverty, which opened their eyes to true blessings and humility.

How Jesus Loves You in Your Most Shameful Moments

The homily emphasizes the transformative power of a personal encounter with Jesus, drawing parallels between the Samaritan woman's experience and the priest's own life-changing retreat. It highlights that only Christ can truly satisfy our deepest thirsts and love us unconditionally, even in our most shameful moments, urging listeners to remember and cherish their own moments of spiritual rescue and to share that experience with others.