Category: Ordinary Time
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The Gift of the Holy Spirt: Fear of the Lord
One of the easier gifts of the Holy Spirit to understand, I think, is the last listed, the gift of fear. Fear of God is one of the gifts that pertain to a person’s will. With our human will, assisted by God’s grace, we have the freedom to choose good actions that lead to our…
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Gifts of the Holy Spirit
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (1830-1831) says that the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit “sustain” a Christian’s “moral life.” Moral life has to do with the good or evil acts that form the character and eternal destiny of a person. These seven gifts of the Holy Spirit—that is, wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge,…
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Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. In the life of Christ, we see extreme hatred turned on him, even though he went about…
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Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, brought peace, reconciling man to God and to one another. Christ wished his Apostles peace at the Last Supper: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you” (Jn 14:27). The very first thing Christ said to…
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Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God
Christ’s purity of heart or singular focus can be seen in his first words recorded in Sacred Scripture. When the twelve-year-old Christ was lost to his parents for three days and they finally found him in the Temple, he said to them, “How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I…
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Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy
Christ personifies mercy. He came, lived, and died to bring us salvation and sanctification. “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (Jn 3:16). One of Christ’s most touching examples of mercy was the woman caught in adultery. The Mosaic…
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The Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year A
Central Idea: God elevates humanity. Doctrine and practical application: We are a priestly, prophetic, and royal people. To access Lectionary 91, click here. Reading 1: Ex 19:2-6a In those days, the Israelites came to the desert of Sinai and pitched camp. While Israel was encamped here in front of the mountain, Moses went up the mountain to…
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Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied Did Christ live this beatitude? Christ said, “I came to cast fire upon the earth; and would that it were already kindled!” (Lk 12:49). When he drove the merchants out of the Temple because they were making his Father’s house into…
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Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
The full outline for the Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time is here. The readings are Lectionary 79. The theme is the universal call to holiness and love. In addition to how God instructs Israel to do no unnecessary harm to others, but in fact to show kindness and mercy to one’s neighbor, Leviticus adds one…
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Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
A full Doctrinal Homily Outline for the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary time, the focus of which is conscience, can be found here. We live in a time of liars. Even many in the clergy teach heresy. Our Lord said You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery. But I say to…
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Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
For a full outline for the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, click here. The central idea for Lectionary 75 comes from Our Lord’s words, “Light of the world,” which He was and his disciples are called to become. The doctrine is on the right to religious freedom and the social duty of Catholics. The practical…
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Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
A complete outline of a salvific message, relevant Catholic doctrine, and a practical application, based on the Lectionary readings for the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A, can be found here. It is titled A Vocation to Beatitude. The central idea is the Beatitudes. The Catholic doctrine drawn from that idea is that Christ’s Beatitudes…