Homilies about truth

When Political Issues Become Moral: A Priest's Stance on Injustice

Father Edward Smith

The homily challenges the congregation to view current events, particularly the killing of immigrants by ICE and political dishonesty, not merely as political issues but as moral ones. The priest argues that actions like murder and lying have inherent moral implications that transcend political debate, emphasizing personal responsibility and the need for truth and justice in society. He expresses his personal frustration with government actions and his refusal to support them with his tax money, instead preferring to donate to charities.

Father George on the Power of Truth and Praise in the Face of Adversity

Father George

The homily emphasizes the importance of speaking the truth, even if it means losing friends or connections, because ultimately, we stand before God alone. The priest shares his personal story of overcoming prostate cancer, attributing his healing to prayer and the support of a friend, and urges the congregation to let go of grudges and embrace praise and service to others as the true drivers of life.

Building Your Life on Rock: Why Doing God's Will Matters More Than Just Saying 'Lord, Lord'

This homily emphasizes the importance of not just hearing God's word, but actively doing His will, contrasting Jesus's authority with the scribes' reliance on others' opinions. It warns against building lives, institutions, and even nations on shifting sands of human opinion and ego, advocating instead for a foundation built on God's truth and the power of the Holy Spirit, leading to lasting impact.

The Golden Rule: Beyond Personal Preference to Eternal Truths

The homily emphasizes that while the Golden Rule is crucial for human interaction and faith, it must be balanced with eternal truths and moral principles. The speaker cautions against allowing personal preferences to override what is objectively right and good, urging adherence to God's call for truth and responsibility.

God, Truth, and Love: Unpacking the Golden Rule

This homily connects seemingly disparate teachings from the Gospel of Matthew—treating holy things as holy, asking and receiving, and the Golden Rule—under the unifying theme of the proper relationship between God, truth, and love. It emphasizes that divine truth is precious, prayer is an opening to God's gifts, and love received from the Father must be reflected in how we treat others, seeing each person as a child loved by God.

The Mission of St. John the Baptist: Pointing to Jesus

The homily, delivered in both English and Spanish, emphasizes that St. John the Baptist's mission to point to Jesus is also the mission of the parish and its parishioners. It calls for personal and communal repentance and renewal, stressing that true love must be accompanied by truth, and that the parish's purpose is to lead others to Christ, not to itself.

How to Share Your Faith with Discernment and Trust

The homily focuses on discerning how and when to proclaim the truth of the Gospel, drawing from Jesus' teaching not to 'throw pearls before swine.' It emphasizes that sharing faith requires intentionality and a trust in the attractive power of God's love, rather than relying solely on human prudence. The priest encourages believers to serve others with questions that invite them to verify the truth of Christ's proposal.

Finding Truth and Dignity in a Polarized World

Father Kevin

The homily reflects on the priest's sheltered childhood and the importance of father figures, then transitions to the challenges of discerning truth in a polarized, information-saturated world. It emphasizes that ultimate truth is found within, not online, and calls disciples to be fearless prophets who recognize the inherent dignity of every person, striving for reconciliation and love over condemnation and division.

Why Christians Are Hated: The Courage to Speak God's Truth

The homily emphasizes that following Jesus does not guarantee an easy life, but often leads to persecution for speaking God's truth, which often contradicts worldly views. Drawing parallels with the prophet Jeremiah, the homilist urges Christians not to fear ridicule or suffering, but to prioritize God's approval over human disapproval, proclaiming the Gospel boldly.

Building on Rock: Resisting 'Anything Goes' Morality

The homily emphasizes the importance of acting on Jesus' words, not just hearing them, and warns against false teaching and moral relativism that can defile the Church. Drawing a parallel to the Babylonian captivity, the priest stresses the need for the Church to teach truth and for the faithful to discern between good and evil.

Speaking the Truth: Why Understanding and Being Understood Matters for Salvation

Monseñor Dan Stack

The homily emphasizes the importance of speaking and understanding the truth, especially in the face of adversity and misunderstanding. Drawing parallels from Jeremiah and the Exodus story, the priest encourages listeners not to fear those who can only harm the body, but to trust in God's protection and to clearly articulate their inherent dignity as God's creations. He highlights the challenges of communication, even within close relationships and across cultural barriers, stressing that salvation and peace depend on our determination to understand and be understood.

The One Seed of Truth: Cultivating Your Heart for God's Harvest

Father Shuquin

The homily emphasizes that Jesus came to plant one singular seed of truth, the Gospel, in our hearts, not a variety of truths or revolutionary changes. It uses the parable of the sower to highlight our free will in accepting or rejecting this divine seed, urging listeners to cultivate their hearts to grow holiness rather than allowing the 'thorns of life' to choke it out.

Overcoming Fear: Why God's Opinion is the Only One That Matters

The homily emphasizes overcoming fear by trusting in God's presence and truth, rather than public opinion or worldly pressures. It highlights how fear can paralyze us and inhibit growth in relationships and faith, urging listeners to embrace sincerity and draw strength from the Eucharist to face life's challenges and maintain personal integrity.

Your Divine Purpose: Lessons from John the Baptist

The homily celebrates the Nativity of John the Baptist, highlighting his role as a precursor to Christ and the significance of his birth in relation to the solstices. It emphasizes that, like John, all individuals have a divine purpose, are called to point others to Christ through their lives, and to proclaim the truth of Jesus.

Stand for Truth: Overcoming Plots and Adversity with God

The homily reflects on the first reading from Micah and the Gospel of Matthew, highlighting the common human tendency to plot against others out of jealousy, envy, or fear. It emphasizes that those who stand for truth, like Jesus, will ultimately prevail, and encourages listeners to be strong and steadfast in doing what is right, trusting in God's support through adversity.

Why Truth Can Be a Stumbling Block on God's Straight Path

The homily emphasizes that the 'straight paths of the Lord' can be a stumbling block for those who reject the truth. It highlights that fundamental truths of the faith, like God being a Father or Jesus being the one Lord, become barriers for those unwilling to accept them, despite the path itself being clear.

Speaking Truth with Charity: Be Shrewd as Serpents, Innocent as Doves

The homily explores Jesus' command to be 'shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves,' emphasizing the importance of speaking truth with charity. The priest uses the analogy of a direct serpent and a gentle dove to illustrate how to deliver difficult truths, like addressing a loved one's health issues, in a way that promotes change rather than causing hurt or enabling harmful behavior. He stresses that while truth can be uncomfortable, it must always be delivered with love, mirroring God's own approach.

Why Politics is a Prostitute and Jesus is the Only Truth

The homily, delivered on the feast day of Sts. John Fisher and Thomas More, criticizes the tendency to prioritize political affiliations over faith, calling politics a "prostitute" that lacks truth. The priest emphasizes that Jesus Christ is the only truth and that Christians are citizens of heaven, called to be witnesses of God's kingdom on Earth. He urges listeners not to judge or condemn, but to intercede for the world, especially for those in power.

Why We're Afraid to Speak the Truth (And How God Helps Us)

The homily reflects on the difficulty of proclaiming the Gospel's truth in a world that prefers darkness, drawing on the priest's personal struggle with cowardice in his preaching. It emphasizes that despite this fear, the Holy Spirit provides the strength needed to be a witness and apostle of the good news.

Why Martyrs Stand for Truth: Lessons from Saints John Fisher and Thomas More

The homily reflects on the martyrdom of Saints John Fisher and Thomas More, emphasizing the importance of standing for truth in a world of relativism. The priest challenges listeners to live with integrity and honesty, aligning their lives with the Gospel and the truth that sets us free, even when it comes at a personal cost.