Homilies about temptation

Clearing the Rocky Ground of Your Soul: A Homily on Receiving God's Grace

Father Enrique Salvo

Father Salvo's homily connects the day's readings about the sower and the seed to our spiritual lives, emphasizing that God's grace is always abundant, but our reception of it depends on the 'soil' of our souls. He uses a personal anecdote from his time as a seminarian in Medjugorje, where he had to clear a rocky field to plant pomegranate trees, to illustrate the effort required to remove spiritual 'rocks' and 'thorns' (sin, worldly anxieties, ego, unhealed wounds) that prevent us from bearing fruit.

The Wheat, The Weeds, and the Vigilant Parent: God's Patience and Our Role in Raising Children

Père Gilbert

The homily emphasizes God's patience and mercy, using the parable of the wheat and weeds to illustrate how God allows good and evil to grow together, giving everyone a chance to convert. It challenges Christians to be good 'trees' that provide shade (guidance and counsel) to others, especially children, rather than being passive or allowing 'weeds' (negative influences) to take over their lives and communities. The priest shares a personal anecdote about parents needing to be vigilant with their children to prevent them from falling into bad company or dangerous situations.

Why Your Soul Needs Daily Care: Lessons from the Parable of the Sower and an Exorcism

The homily emphasizes the importance of cultivating our souls as 'rich soil' for God's grace, drawing parallels from the parable of the sower. It stresses diligence in prayer, frequent reception of the sacraments (especially confession and Eucharist), and striving for holiness, using examples of saints and a personal anecdote about an exorcism to highlight the gravity of sin and the power of forgiveness.

Cómo Ser Oveja Entre Lobos: Valentía y Confianza en un Mundo Hostil

The homily emphasizes God's infinite and unconditional love, urging listeners to embrace reconciliation. It then addresses the challenges of being a Christian in a hostile world, highlighting the need for prudence and simplicity, and the comforting presence of the Holy Spirit. The priest shares personal anecdotes about facing conflict and persecution, encouraging perseverance and courage in defending one's faith.

Why You Must Reject All Forms of Superstition (Even if it's Gold)

This homily, delivered during a Holy Hour, emphasizes the importance of rejecting all forms of evil and superstition, including witchcraft, amulets, and the Santa Muerte. The priest shares personal anecdotes about encountering items related to the occult and stresses the need to dispose of them to avoid spiritual contamination, even if they have monetary value, prioritizing spiritual freedom over material gain.

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.

How One Gospel Changed a Man's Life in Communist Ukraine

The homily begins with a personal reflection on the priest's own vocation and then delves into the Parable of the Sower, illustrating the power of God's word to transform lives, even in hostile environments. He shares a compelling story of a Ukrainian priest, Father Igor, who converted to Catholicism after reading the Gospel of Mark in communist Ukraine. The homily concludes by connecting the parable to the 'world, flesh, and devil' and offering a practical spiritual communion prayer as an antidote to temptations of the flesh, emphasizing immediate rejection and embracing Christ's love.

No Temas: Defiende Tu Fe en un Mundo que Vende Miedo

The homily emphasizes courage in faith, urging listeners not to fear human judgment but to stand firm in their convictions, even when unpopular. Drawing parallels with the prophet Jeremiah and a modern-day baseball team, the priest highlights the importance of not compromising one's soul for worldly approval, encouraging active discipleship and a willingness to represent Christ.

Cultivating Your Faith: Hard Work for a Rich Harvest

Father Matt

The homily uses the parable of the sower to illustrate that spiritual growth requires hard work, much like farming. It challenges listeners to identify with different types of soil in their own lives—hard ground, rocky soil, or thorny ground—and offers practical spiritual disciplines like forgiveness, prayer, fasting, and examining priorities to cultivate a fruitful faith. The ultimate goal is not just personal growth but also helping others on their faith journey.

Why God Lets the Weeds Grow: Lessons from St. Paul, Mother Teresa, and Carlo Acutis

Fr. James Mccclaclin

The homily explores the parable of the weeds and the wheat, emphasizing God's patience and mercy in allowing good and evil to coexist until the final harvest. It encourages trust in God's forgiveness, drawing parallels with St. Paul's 'thorn in the flesh,' Mother Teresa's spiritual darkness, and Blessed Carlo Acutis's disciplined use of technology, all as examples of perseverance in faith despite personal struggles and temptations.

The Titanic, Weeds, and Why We Still Need the Church

The homily uses the historical context of the Harland and Wolf shipyard in Belfast and the building of the Titanic, amidst sectarian tensions, to illustrate Jesus' parables about the Kingdom of Heaven. It emphasizes that the Church is a mixed body of 'wheat and weeds,' both internally and externally, and highlights the Church's transformative impact on culture and society, cautioning against modern arrogance that believes humanity no longer needs God or His Church.

¿Es tu teléfono el nuevo enemigo de tu alma? Un sacerdote comparte su experiencia.

Padre Julián

The homily emphasizes that God's call requires human effort and sacrifice, drawing parallels between the prophet Jeremiah's struggles and the priest's own vocational journey. It then critiques modern society's over-reliance on technology (phones, internet, TV) as a new enemy that isolates individuals, hinders relationships with God and others, and fosters the seven deadly sins, using a parable of 'the house of a thousand screens' to illustrate this point.

From Seeking Marriage to Finding Priesthood: A Vocation Story

Father John Marie Bingham

The homily begins by exploring Jesus' parables of the sower and the weeds, questioning if Jesus is a 'bad gardener' and emphasizing the need for attentiveness to the enemy's subtle work. It then transitions into a personal vocation story from Brother John Gabriel Carney, who initially resisted the priesthood, seeking his 'Holy Grail' in marriage, but eventually surrendered to God's will and found his calling with the Dominicans.

Why God Allows Weeds in Our Spiritual Garden: A Dominican's Reflection on Trust and Vocation

Father John Marie Bingham

This homily explores Jesus' parables of the weeds and the mustard seed, emphasizing that God, the 'good gardener,' allows trials and temptations not out of weakness, but to deepen our reliance on Him. It encourages turning to Jesus with trust in moments of disturbance, reaffirming faith, and crying out "Jesus, save us" to grow in His kingdom. The homily then transitions into a vocational testimony from a Dominican novice, Brother Edward, who shares his journey of discovering his calling through prayer, study, fraternity, and ministry, highlighting the joy found in following God's plan.

Discerning the Devil's Lies: Weeds and Wheat in Our Hearts

Bo Charles

The homily explores the parable of the weeds and the wheat, emphasizing the reality of the devil's influence in our thoughts and the importance of discerning truth from lies. The priest shares personal struggles with grief and highlights the need for repentance, self-reflection, and reliance on God's mercy, cautioning against new age practices and encouraging generosity and prioritizing Mass.

The Courage to Confess Christ: Lessons from an Olympian and Martyrs

The homily emphasizes the importance of courage in professing faith in Christ, contrasting it with fear. It uses the example of a Polish Olympian, Maria Kwaśniewska, who showed courage against Hitler, and martyrs who died for their faith, to illustrate the challenges and necessity of living out one's beliefs. The priest stresses that while people can harm the body, they cannot destroy the soul, which belongs to God, and encourages constant prayer for the grace of courage.

Understanding Hell: God's Warning of Love

Deacon Anho

The homily explores Jesus' parables about the Kingdom of Heaven, particularly the parable of the weeds, to discuss the reality of hell as a warning of God's love. Drawing on St. Faustina's vision and St. Gertrude's paradoxical statement, the deacon explains hell not as God sending people there, but as the inevitable consequence for souls who reject God's friendship and mercy, unable to withstand His purity.

Why Your 'Sins' Might Actually Be Prayers

Father Kramer

Father Kramer challenges common misconceptions about taking the Lord's name in vain, explaining that often what people confess as sin is actually an instinctual prayer in moments of intense emotion. He connects this to the parable of the wheat and the weeds, arguing that people tend to see themselves as 'weeds' due to low self-worth, a trick of the evil spirit, rather than recognizing their inherent dignity as beloved children of God.

God's Patience: Why He Lets Wheat and Weeds Grow Together

The homily reflects on the parable of the wheat and the weeds, emphasizing God's merciful and patient nature, allowing both good and evil to grow together until the harvest. It encourages paying attention to the good within us and cooperating with the Holy Spirit for transformation, rather than focusing on external pleasures or immediate judgment. The priest concludes with a Japanese wisdom about discerning right from wrong.

God's Patience: Why He Lets Weeds Grow Among the Wheat

Père Yuri Jules

The homily emphasizes God's patience and mercy, contrasting it with humanity's tendency towards 'purism' and immediate eradication of evil. Drawing from the parable of the weeds among the wheat, the priest explains that God allows both good and evil to grow together, giving everyone a chance for conversion, and that our role is to focus on cultivating goodness within ourselves rather than judging others.