A collection of homilies and talks on the spiritual life, produced by the Catholic parishes of Pastoral Region XII in Dayton, Ohio. Learn more at www.daytonxii.org
In this powerful homily on mercy, Deacon Bob Gutendorf emphasizes our need to forgive. He says: "It may be easy for us to ask God to forgive us our trespasses. But God, in is His infinite wisdom, teaches us that in order for Him to forgive our wrongdoings, we must be willing to forgive those who have hurt us."
"All we really are called to do as disciples of Jesus is to be at the feet of the Lord and hear what he has to say," says Fr. Tony Cutcher, adding "this is the better part of being a disciple." In this spirit of discernment and charity, he invites Sr. Magdelena to speak about her work, ministry, and the needs of her community in Tanzania.
What are the different ways in which we can serve God and our neighbor? What makes Christian charity unique? Fr. Ambrose Dobrozsi reflects on this, saying: "Our charity is different from other charity because we seek to serve Christ."
In the simplest of reflections, Fr. Joseph Kindel asks: Who is Lord in your life? Who's in charge in your life?
What does it mean to love your neighbor as yourself? How is something so profound even possible? Fr. Ambrose Dobrozsi asks this question while meditating on the parable of the Good Samaritan. "When we want to love our neighbors," he says, "we have to have that story of Christ taken as our story...we have to understand ourselves in relationship to Christ because otherwise it just doesn't make sense."
Christians are called to be joyful people. This is our mission, as Fr. Tony Cutcher describes it in this wonderful gospel reflection. He implores the congregation: "Most of you don't have to be great theologians. You don't have to have all the answers. You just have to have joy. The thing that attracts people to the faith is joy."
Contemplating spiritual roots and spiritual DNA on the feast of Corpus Christi, Fr. Tony Cutcher examines how we are all connected in Christ. He says: "We're a part of something huge. We're a part of a family that transcends genetics and family trees. This is our strength. This is our being....How is it lived in each of our lives?"
The Holy Trinity is one of the great mysteries the Church. Fr. Tony Cutcher reflects on the theological and liturgical implications of "one God in three persons." He says: "It is God the Father who sends God the Holy Spirit into the bread and wine to make them God the Son. Even our Eucharist becomes Trinitarian. It is a great mystery and it is at the core of our belief..."
In this powerful reflection on nature of the Trinity, Fr. Deepak D'Souza beautifully emphasizes this great mystery of our faith. He says: "It is a mystery for us. But it is a mystery that is being revealed by Christ...So let us acknowledge the work of the Holy Spirit, the friendship of Jesus, and the fatherly love of God the Father, Himself, in our life."
Have you ever wondered why Catholics make the sign of the Cross before praying? Fr. Joseph Kindel reflects on this [and more] on Trinity Sunday. He says: "When you make that sign of the cross, do you allow it to be a meditation that takes you into the presence of God, who is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit? Because that's the only way we can begin to pray..."
