Homilies about discipleship

The Narrow Gate: Why Discipleship Isn't Easy

The homily focuses on three points from the Gospel: not forcing sacred truths on unwilling listeners, practicing the Golden Rule, and understanding that the path to discipleship is a narrow, challenging one requiring sacrifice and perseverance. The priest emphasizes prayer for those resistant to faith and the importance of choosing the difficult path of righteousness.

Overcoming Our Fears to Answer God's Call

The homily reflects on Jesus' call to discipleship, emphasizing that our baptism is the start of learning from him and witnessing to the Gospel. It addresses the fears that hold us back from responding to this call, drawing parallels between Isaiah's purification and the disciples' fears of criticism or death. The core message encourages trusting in God's mercy and forgiveness, especially through the Eucharist, to overcome fears and respond to God's ongoing call to love and service.

Trusting God and Choosing the Narrow Path to Life

Fr. Saji Mukkoot

The homily emphasizes two key lessons from the readings: complete trust in God's power and choosing the narrow path that leads to life. It uses King Hezekiah's prayer in the face of Assyrian threat to illustrate trust in God, and Jesus' teaching on the Golden Rule and the narrow gate to highlight the effort required for Christian discipleship.

Father Mana on Overcoming Fear to Proclaim Your Faith

Father Mana

The homily, delivered on Father's Day, emphasizes Jesus' command to 'Fear Not' and proclaim the Gospel. The priest shares a personal anecdote about his childhood fear of praying in public and encourages the faithful to overcome their fears in expressing their faith, reminding them of God's providence and love.

Preparing the Way of the Lord: Lessons from St. John the Baptist

The homily reflects on the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, emphasizing his role as a precursor who prepared the way for Jesus. It challenges listeners to emulate John and the apostles by preparing the way for the Lord in the modern world through evangelization and bearing witness to Christ in their words and actions, understanding their sacrificial role in God's plan.

How to Live as a Disciple: Kindness, Love, and Spiritual Nourishment

The homily emphasizes that the Kingdom of God is within us and is made manifest through our actions as disciples. Drawing on the parables of growth and the image of the Good Shepherd, the priest stresses the importance of continuous spiritual nourishment, kindness, and love in reaching out to others, especially those who are lost or difficult to love.

Who Is Jesus? Your Life Is The Answer

The homily uses a story about a Jewish detective's encounter with a crucifix to explore the question, "Who is Jesus?" It connects Jesus' teachings from the Gospel to how disciples should live, emphasizing that our lives should reflect the answer to this question through courage and faith.

Are You Just 'Acting' Like a Disciple? The Chosen and True Faith

Fr. Kent O'Connor

The homily uses the TV series 'The Chosen' as an analogy to discuss the difference between outward appearance and interior disposition in faith. It emphasizes that merely acting the part of a disciple or performing good deeds in Jesus' name is insufficient; true discipleship requires an authentic, inward commitment and a life built solidly on the rock of Christ's teachings.

Class of 2026: You Were Chosen for Something Greater

Father James Sowick

This homily, delivered at a Baccalaureate Mass for the Class of 2026, emphasizes that true culture is rooted in the Roman Catholic faith, not just academic or athletic achievements. It encourages graduates to embrace their identity as individuals formed by faith, service, virtue, and purpose, rather than being mere 'photocopies,' and to carry Christ's love into the world as they embark on their future journeys.

The Narrow Gate: Why Church Rules Help Us Love God and Others

The homily explains Jesus' teaching on the 'narrow gate' by contrasting it with society's 'if it feels good, do it' mentality. It emphasizes that the Church's rules and commandments are not burdens but guides designed to help us love God and others, leading to eternal life.

Entering the Narrow Gate: Relying on God's Promise in Daily Discipleship

The homily contrasts King Hezekiah's reliance on God's promise against Assyrian military might with Israel's wavering faith. It emphasizes Jesus' teaching to enter the narrow gate of discipleship, which requires daily dying to self and a renewed mind, so that Christ may live through us.

The Narrow Gate: Why Following Jesus is a Hazardous Journey

Father Bob Camuso

The homily compares Jesus's call to discipleship to Ernest Shackleton's famous advertisement for a hazardous Antarctic journey, highlighting that both emphasize the difficulty and sacrifice involved. It stresses that following Christ requires making God the most important thing in one's life and that human effort alone is insufficient, requiring the Holy Spirit's help, but ultimately leads to eternal life.

Is Your Faith a Hobby or Your Life? A Challenge to Acknowledge Jesus

The homily emphasizes that acknowledging Jesus is not just about words, but a complete orientation of life, lived with purpose and focused on God's mission. It challenges listeners to go beyond comfort and actively demonstrate their faith through forgiveness, care for the marginalized, and commitment to truth, seeing faith as their entire life, not just a hobby.

Do Not Be Afraid: Courage in Discipleship

The homily emphasizes courage in faith, urging listeners not to fear persecution or hardship in following Jesus. Drawing parallels with Jeremiah and the early Christians, the priest highlights God's unwavering care and the importance of publicly acknowledging Christ, even when it comes with a cost. The core message is to embrace discipleship with boldness, trusting in God's love and presence.

Why Your Faith Can't Be Based on Feelings Alone

The homily emphasizes that true faith is not based on fleeting feelings but on actively living out Christ's teachings, building one's spiritual house on rock rather than sand. It warns against merely going through the motions of faith without deep reflection and understanding, using an anecdote about a man who sought re-baptism based on feeling good, and another about sacrilegious handling of holy water.

Are You a Disciple or Just Part of the Crowd?

The homily contrasts wickedness and goodness, emphasizing that the real distinction is not between different groups of people, but within individuals who at times do good and at times do evil. It highlights Jesus as the helper of the poor and unfortunate, calling believers to be disciples who actively choose good, love, and forgiveness, rather than merely following the crowd.

How to Navigate the Narrow Gate of Discipleship

The homily connects three seemingly disparate parts of the Gospel reading (Matthew 7:6, 7:12, 7:13-14) by framing them as aspects of choosing the 'narrow gate' of discipleship. It emphasizes that following Jesus means doing good to others, listening to the Church, and ultimately following the light of life.

Mary, the Handmaid of the Lord: A Call to Active Discipleship

The homily reflects on Mary's title as "Handmaid of the Lord" and how she gave herself completely to God's plan for salvation. It challenges listeners to emulate Mary's discipleship by actively seeking and doing God's will, rather than merely striving for personal salvation. The priest emphasizes that being a servant of God means looking beyond oneself to further God's will in the world.

Jesus Restores Our Dignity: The Healing Power of Christ

The homily reflects on how sin separates and divides, using the leper in the Gospel as an image of humanity separated from God. It emphasizes Jesus' role in reconciling, healing, and restoring our dignity as children of God, urging us to recognize Him so that we can be made whole and then sent out as His disciples.

Are You a Robot, Survivor, or Disciple of Christ?

Fr. Jim Berry

The homily challenges listeners to move beyond being 'robots' or 'survivors' and embrace true discipleship, which involves living a life of forgiveness, compassion, and truth, even if it puts them at odds with societal values. The priest praises the parish community for embodying these qualities, highlighting their prayerfulness, community spirit, service, and interfaith engagement, while cautioning against complacency.