Homilies about healing

El Miedo No Es Respeto: Sanando Heridas Familiares en el Día del Padre

Padre Vicente Agila

The homily, delivered on Father's Day, explores the nature of fear, distinguishing between healthy and pathological fear. The priest shares a personal story of childhood trauma and his father's assassination, emphasizing that true faith means trusting in God's love rather than relying on external objects or superstitions. He encourages parishioners, especially spouses and children, to value and appreciate their fathers, recognizing their efforts and healing past wounds through love and understanding, rather than criticism or judgment.

Healing Childhood Trauma: How Fear Shapes Our Adult Relationships

Padre Vicenteila

The homily, delivered on Father's Day, explores the theme of fear and its roots in childhood trauma, particularly regarding parental figures. The priest shares a personal anecdote about his own childhood fear of snakes and subsequent panic attacks, connecting it to the Gospel's message of 'do not be afraid.' He then delves into how unresolved traumas manifest in adult behaviors, such as seeking external validation through material possessions or relationships, and offers advice for couples to heal these wounds by valuing and respecting each other.

From Violence to Faith: How God Healed My Family's Wounds

Padre Michael Nixon

The homily emphasizes God as a loving Father (Abba) and encourages trust in Him, especially in the face of fear. The priest shares a powerful personal story of his family's conversion, marked by violence, addiction, and poverty, highlighting how God intervened to bring forgiveness and faith. He stresses that God is not afraid of our darkness and wants to heal our wounds related to fatherhood, revealing that we are not orphans but cherished children of God.

Raúl Gómez: Mi Transformación de 40 Años de Pecado a la Santidad

Raúl Gómez

The homily emphasizes that all Christians are called to holiness, not just a select few, and that this call is possible through Christ. The speaker shares a powerful personal testimony of how God transformed his life from sin and restored his dignity, illustrating that holiness is attainable even after years of spiritual degradation. He encourages listeners to embrace their unique mission, avoid comparison, and live a life of love and service, trusting in God's unwavering faithfulness.

Medjugorje: How Our Lady Reconciled My Divorced Parents

This homily, delivered on the 45th anniversary of the Medjugorje apparitions, emphasizes the profound fruit of Our Lady's presence as Queen of Peace, highlighting millions of conversions, confessions, and increased love for God. The priest draws parallels between Mary and biblical figures like Elijah and John the Baptist, suggesting she is preparing the world for Christ's second coming. He shares a powerful personal testimony of his parents' reconciliation through Our Lady of Medjugorje, urging listeners to invite her into their families for healing and peace.

God's Forgiveness: A Lesson from the Brooklyn Bridge

Bishop Qualin

This homily connects God's forgiveness, as described in Psalm 51, to a recent news event where a police officer saved a woman contemplating suicide on the Brooklyn Bridge. The homilist emphasizes that God's forgiveness is not about condemnation but about building us up, and that accepting help is a courageous act of strength, mirroring the police officer's message to the woman.

Why the Church Will Never Be Defeated: Lessons from a Leper and Napoleon

The homily begins by analyzing the Gospel story of the leper and Jesus, highlighting how both defied Jewish law through their actions: the leper by approaching Jesus, and Jesus by touching him. The priest then uses this as a springboard to discuss the enduring nature of the Church, using the example of Napoleon's failed attempt to destroy it, emphasizing that the Church will always stand firm despite external and internal challenges, sustained by the faith of its members.

From Addiction to Freedom: The Power of God's Healing Grace

Tadeusz Dzieszko

The homily reflects on the parable of the wheat and weeds, emphasizing that evil (weeds) often grows alongside good (wheat) in our lives. The priest shares the powerful testimony of Wiesław Indraszek, a former drug addict who found healing and conversion in Medjugorje, and also mentions St. Camillus, who similarly turned his life around to serve the sick. The core message is that God offers a chance for change and healing from addictions and moral failings until the very end of life, and that prayer, sacraments, and community are vital in this ongoing spiritual battle.

Superando el Trauma y el Miedo: El Valor Incondicional de un Hijo de Dios

The homily, delivered on Father's Day, explores the theme of fear and its origins, particularly in childhood trauma and negative parental figures. The priest encourages listeners to confront their fears, seek professional help for deep-seated issues, and recognize their inherent worth as children of God, rather than seeking external validation. He emphasizes the importance of valuing and supporting fathers, and for individuals to heal from past wounds to foster healthier relationships and find true freedom.

The Shroud of Turin: Scientific Evidence for Jesus' Crucifixion and Resurrection

This presentation delves into the historical and scientific evidence surrounding the Shroud of Turin, arguing for its authenticity as the burial cloth of Jesus. The speaker details the unique characteristics of the shroud's image, the forensic evidence of Jesus' crucifixion wounds, and the scientific challenges to its dating, ultimately connecting its mysterious image formation to the resurrection.

¿Qué Semilla Fue Plantada en Ti? Sanando las Heridas del Pasado

The homily uses the parable of the wheat and weeds to discuss how negative experiences and 'bad seeds' planted in us, especially in childhood, can prevent us from bearing good fruit. The priest shares personal anecdotes about his grandfather's farming and his current work with women suffering from anxiety and depression due to paternal abandonment, emphasizing the importance of identifying and uprooting these 'weeds' to allow God's kingdom of peace and harmony to flourish within us.

Healing the Weeds of Trauma: A Homily on Forgiveness and Transformation

The homily uses the Gospel parable of the wheat and weeds to discuss the pervasive nature of suffering and trauma, particularly from sexual abuse within the Church. It emphasizes that while God plants good seeds, human actions, including judgment and doubt, feed the 'weeds' of suffering. The homily calls for a transformation of behavior, not just confession, to nourish the good seeds and help others heal.

A Sister's Story: How a Ugandan Hospital Saved My Brother and Needs Your Help

Father Jim

This homily, delivered by Sister Justin, is a mission appeal for St. Joseph Chito Hospital in Uganda. She shares a deeply personal story of her younger brother's critical illness and miraculous recovery at Chito Hospital, highlighting the compassionate and professional care they received. She then appeals for donations to fund an ICU unit at the hospital, emphasizing how it would save lives and bring hope to critically ill patients and their families, connecting it to the Gospel's message of the mustard seed.

No Temas: El Amor de Dios es Más Grande que Cualquier Miedo

Padre Mauricio

The homily addresses the pervasive nature of fear in human life and contrasts it with a healthy 'fear of God,' which is reverence and a desire not to offend a loving Father. It emphasizes that God cares for us more than sparrows and encourages listeners to overcome worldly fears by trusting in divine protection. The homily also touches on the 'father wound' and encourages healing and forgiveness within families, especially in light of Father's Day.

Father Rick Fchett: How One Priest's Faith Transformed Haiti

This homily uses the parable of the sower to highlight different responses to God's word, then transitions into a powerful video about Father Rick Fchett's St. Luke Foundation in Haiti. The video showcases how Father Rick and his team have transformed lives by identifying needs and building a comprehensive network of hospitals, schools, and vocational training, demonstrating the profound fruitfulness of living out the Gospel.

How Our Broken Hearts Become Fertile Ground for God's Grace

Father Steven Lionus

The homily uses the parable of the sower to illustrate that God's word is sown abundantly, and its fruitfulness depends on the openness of our hearts, which are often broken by life's challenges. The priest emphasizes that our brokenness, whether from grief, bullying, or marital differences, can become fertile ground for God's grace to grow and lead to acts of kindness, forgiveness, and justice for others.

Is Your Addiction a 'Thwarted Good Desire'? A Counselor's Story

The homily uses the parable of the weeds and the wheat to discuss how our 'sins, faults, and failings' might actually be 'thwarted parts of fundamentally good desires.' The priest shares a personal story about an addict named Peter whose heroin addiction stemmed from a deep desire for connection and belonging, which he found by reconnecting with his birth mother. The homily encourages listeners to discern the good desires underlying their unhealthy behaviors, aiming to redirect them towards God.

Rescuing Victims of Sex Trafficking: A Sister's Mission of Love and Restoration

Father Anthony

This homily is delivered by Sister Glyeria Cruz, who shares the mission of Mary Queen of Heaven Missionaries. She details their work rescuing young women and children from sex trafficking and prostitution in the Philippines and Los Angeles, providing rehabilitation, education, and spiritual guidance to restore their dignity and offer them a new life centered on Christ. The homily emphasizes the importance of education to prevent exploitation and appeals for support for their mission.

The Church's Stance on Domestic Violence: No One is Expected to Stay in an Abusive Marriage

Father Chuck Dam

The homily, delivered by Father Chuck Dam, focuses on the pervasive issue of domestic violence, emphasizing that it is a learned behavior and not justified under any circumstances. He highlights the various forms of abuse (physical, verbal, emotional, financial, sexual) and addresses common reasons why victims stay in abusive relationships, including financial dependence, embarrassment, fear, and a misguided sense of religious obligation. Father Dam stresses the Church's stance that no one is expected to remain in an abusive marriage and calls for the parish to become a safe haven for victims.

From Genocide to Forgiveness: A Rwandan Priest's Story of Healing and Hope

Father Jean Vier Naduazu

This homily, delivered by a visiting priest from Rwanda, focuses on the enduring wounds of the 1994 genocide and the Church's mission of reconciliation, forgiveness, and healing. He shares his personal vocation story, inspired by the need to contribute to healing his wounded country, and appeals for support for educational, livelihood, and health projects, emphasizing the need for prayers and spiritual support.