Homilies about holiness

Why God Wants You to Be a Saint: The Journey of Transformation

Butch Murphy

This homily, part of a parish speaker series, emphasizes that while God's intention is for us to become saints and be conformed to the image of Christ, this is a process of purification that requires our cooperation. It highlights that God transforms us both by what He puts into us (virtues, gifts of the Holy Spirit) and by what He takes out of us (suffering, sin), ultimately for our benefit and to bring us into a deeper relationship with Him, guided by His Word.

St. Joseph: The Servant Heart and Terror of Demons

The homily contrasts the careerist mindset of James and John with the servant heart of St. Joseph, emphasizing Joseph's unwavering faith and acceptance of suffering. It encourages devotion to St. Joseph as a path to holiness, highlighting his role as a protector against evil and a guide to Jesus and Mary, illustrated with a vivid anecdote about St. Teresa of Avila.

Holiness: More Than Just Piety – It's Hard Work

The homily emphasizes that holiness is not merely external piety but an inward journey of allowing God's goodness to be revealed through our lives. It highlights that living a life of faith and holiness requires hard work and attention to our souls, minds, and social constructs, rather than being a magical process. The priest observes that even in Christian nations, the understanding of holiness is often mired in conflicting mentalities, calling for deeper inner work to reflect God's goodness.

How St. Francis of Rome Found Peace Amidst Suffering

The homily focuses on the life of St. Francis of Rome, highlighting her journey from a desire to be a nun to becoming a holy wife and mother. Despite immense personal suffering—losing two children to the plague and caring for a bedridden husband—she found peace and joy by serving others and looking beyond her own problems. The homily emphasizes that holiness is a universal call for all baptized individuals, not just religious, and that true peace comes from lightening the burdens of others.

Why Your Good Works Aren't Enough (and What Is)

This homily for the Fourth Sunday of Lent focuses on the concept of merit in the Christian life, emphasizing that while initial grace and justification are God's free gifts, we are called to cooperate with this grace through good works. Drawing on the readings, particularly the healing of the man born blind, the homily highlights that God looks into the heart and that our actions should be a fruit of our relationship with Christ, not a means to earn salvation. It encourages reliance on God's goodness rather than our own efforts to achieve holiness.

Lent's Call to Holiness: Fulfilling the Law Through Prayer, Fasting, and Charity

The homily emphasizes that Jesus came to fulfill the law, not abolish it, and calls believers to strive for holiness during Lent. It encourages giving up things that hinder spiritual growth and embracing prayer, fasting, and charity as means to imitate Christ and grow closer to God.

Holiness Isn't Out There, It's Right In Front of You

Father Grant

The homily emphasizes that opportunities for holiness and spiritual growth are often not grand or distant, but are present in our daily lives and immediate relationships. Drawing on the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, the priest encourages listeners to recognize and act upon these readily available opportunities to be a good person and a saint, rather than waiting for an obvious sign.

The Healing Waters of Christ: From Physical Wellness to Eternal Life

The homily connects the Old Testament vision of life-giving water flowing from the temple to Jesus Christ, who brings refreshment to bitter souls and eternal life through the blood and water from his pierced side. It emphasizes that true healing from Christ involves not just physical wellness but a call to holiness and a life of virtue, loving God and others, to attain life in abundance and eternal life.

Ite ad Joseph: Why St. Joseph is Your Most Powerful Intercessor

Focusing on the Solemnity of St. Joseph, the priest explains the tradition of 'Ite ad Joseph' (Go to Joseph), linking the Old Testament patriarch to the foster father of Jesus. He emphasizes St. Joseph's unique role in heaven as a powerful intercessor who remains a spiritual father and patron of the interior life for all believers.

Holiness in Everyday Life: Living for God's Glory, Not Your Own

The homily emphasizes that Jesus's life was about obedience and love for the Father, not self-promotion. It calls believers to live for God's glory, not their own, and to be people who give life and hope to others through their daily actions, recognizing that true holiness is found in ordinary tasks done with love and integrity. The homily concludes by reminding us that our choices matter and that we will be judged.

Why Holiness is Never Boring (and Evil Is)

The priest reflects on the Annunciation as the moment where Mary becomes the 'New Eve,' choosing to say yes to God where Eve said no. He emphasizes that holiness is not a 'cookie-cutter' experience but is filled with infinite variety, whereas evil is repetitive and boring.

From Blindness to Spiritual Sight: Your Lenten Journey to Holiness

The homily connects the healing of the man born blind to our own spiritual awakening and baptismal renewal during Lent. It emphasizes that encountering Jesus leads to spiritual sight and transformation, calling us to holiness and to share God's love with the world, just as Jesus started with 12 followers.

Marriage as a Covenant of Service: Willing the Good of Your Spouse

The homily emphasizes that love in marriage is not primarily a feeling but an act of the will, a covenant of service where spouses aid each other in holiness. Drawing from Genesis and the Wedding at Cana, the priest explains that marriage mirrors God's covenant with humanity, where God, like a bridegroom, wills our good and draws us into communion, not as servants but as equals in dignity.

Does Faith Really Make You Live Longer? A CDC Study Says Yes.

Father Henry

The homily explores the profound connection between faith, holiness, and happiness, drawing on a CDC study that links active faith life to increased longevity. The priest emphasizes that happiness is a fruit of holiness, not a goal in itself, and that faith provides essential relationship with God and a context for meaning in life, even amidst suffering. He encourages the faithful to rediscover the value of their baptismal gift of faith, which offers a more abundant and meaningful life on earth and prepares for eternal communion with God.

Jesus Didn't Abolish the Law: He Fulfilled It

The homily explains that Jesus did not come to abolish the Old Testament law but to fulfill it, bringing it to its full meaning and revealing its deeper intention beyond mere external observance. It emphasizes that the law, when understood through Christ, guides people towards holiness, justice, and a faithful relationship with God, rather than being a set of limiting restrictions. This understanding is particularly relevant during Lent, as it calls believers to a deeper understanding of what it means to belong to God.

Why Sin Makes Us Miserable and How Christ Offers True Happiness

The homily interprets the parable of the wicked tenants as a metaphor for humanity's rejection of God's plan for holiness through sin, particularly mortal sin. It emphasizes that by seeking our own inheritance and happiness apart from God, we reject the true inheritance of divine adoption offered by Christ. The homily encourages reflection during Lent on how sin leads to misery, urging a turn to Christ to embrace the joy and adoption he offers.

How to Live and Teach God's Commandments This Lent

The homily emphasizes the importance of following God's commandments, not just by obeying them, but by actively teaching them through our words and example. It highlights Lent as a special time for renewing this commitment, reflecting, repenting, and growing in holiness to better live out God's will and inspire others.

The Quiet Love of Joan Michael Rich: Finding Holiness in Everyday Family Life

This homily, delivered by a family member, celebrates the life of Joan Michael Rich, focusing on her simple yet profound faith and love for her family. It emphasizes that true holiness is found not in extraordinary acts, but in consistent, small acts of care and kindness, echoing the teachings of Mother Teresa and St. Thérèse of Lisieux. The speaker shares a personal anecdote about his mother's desire to ensure she was Catholic before her death, highlighting her deep faith.

How Psychology and Faith Agree on the Path to Happiness

The homily connects the Gospel's greatest commandment to love God and neighbor with psychological principles of human wholeness. The priest shares his personal journey from business to psychology, highlighting how the four aspects of human beings (physical, intellectual, emotional, spiritual) parallel Jesus' teaching on loving God with heart, soul, mind, and strength. He argues that good psychology and good theology are intertwined, both aiming for human happiness and holiness through balanced love.

Why God Chose Imperfect Disciples: The Path to Holiness

The homily emphasizes God's gradual revelation throughout salvation history, from the Old Testament prophets to the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. It highlights the mystery of God's intervention in human life and the unique way Jesus chose his disciples, not based on their perfection but their openness to repentance. The homily concludes by stressing that our ultimate goal is to become holy, just as our Heavenly Father is holy, drawing lessons from the life of St. Cyril of Jerusalem who defended Christ's divinity.