Homilies about vocation

A Priest's Story: How God Loved Me as a Sinner and a Loser

Father David

The homily, delivered by a new parochial vicar, Father David, focuses on God's immense patience and unconditional love for sinners, drawing parallels with the Gospel parable of the weeds and the wheat. Father David shares a deeply personal testimony of his youth, marked by a struggle for acceptance, alcoholism, promiscuity, and resentment towards his parents, culminating in a suicidal crisis. He recounts how a simple question from a friend on a pilgrimage, "Don't you know there is a God who loves you as you are?", transformed his life, leading him to believe in God's mercy and eventually to the priesthood.

50 Años de Sacerdocio: Las Redes que Sostienen la Fe y la Lucha por Cuba

P. José Conrado Rodríguez Alegre

This homily, delivered by Father José Conrado Rodríguez Alegre on his 50th priestly anniversary, reflects on the 'nets' of support in his life: family, Christian community, seminary, and friends, culminating in God as the ultimate protective net. He shares personal anecdotes about his experiences with the Cuban exile community and his own exile, emphasizing the need for unity, forgiveness, and speaking truth for the liberation of Cuba, drawing parallels to the story of 'Muñeco,' a boy he ministered to who found redemption.

A Missionary's Story: How One Woman's Generosity Changed My Life

Father Richard On Muaro

Father Richard, a missionary from Kenya, shares the story of his congregation, the Apostles of Jesus, and their mission to evangelize Africa and the world. He emphasizes God's patience and compassion, as seen in the parable of the wheat and weeds, and urges the faithful to be patient with themselves and others. He concludes with a powerful personal testimony of how a woman's generosity enabled his priesthood, highlighting the profound impact of supporting the Church's mission.

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.

What Oscar Schindler Teaches Us About Eternal Life

This homily uses the story of Oscar Schindler, a deeply flawed man who converted his priorities to save over a thousand Jews during the Holocaust, to illustrate the Gospel's parable of the unjust steward. It emphasizes the urgency of investing in spiritual relationships and eternal salvation rather than corruptible earthly possessions, urging listeners to make 'friends for heaven' through prayer and sacrifice.

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.

¿Qué Tipo de Tierra Eres? La Parábola del Sembrador y Tu Vida Espiritual

The homily uses the parable of the sower to encourage listeners to reflect on the 'soil' of their own hearts. The priest shares personal anecdotes about farming with his grandfather to make the ancient parable relatable, emphasizing that the focus should be on preparing one's soul to receive God's word and bear fruit. He urges self-examination to identify and remove 'thorns' and 'stones' like vices, bad habits, criticism, and lack of prayer, and to 'fertilize' their spiritual lives through prayer, scripture, retreats, and service.

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.

A Martyr's Legacy: Honoring Nicholas Gosselin's Life of Service and Faith

This homily celebrates the life of Nicholas Gosselin, a bush pilot who died serving remote communities. The priest reflects on Nicholas's courage, dedication to helping others, and deep faith, emphasizing how he embodied the Gospel's call to serve the 'least of these.' The homily also addresses the family's grief, offering consolation through faith and highlighting Nicholas's lasting legacy and the hope of eternal life.

A Priest's Stroke, a Lifelong Dream, and the Mission to Care for the Abandoned Elderly

Father Dason

The homily is a deeply personal account of the priest's lifelong dream to build a home for the homeless, which evolved into a mission to prepare elderly souls for their last hour, especially those abandoned by family. He shares how a personal stroke opened his eyes to the true suffering of the elderly and the importance of reconciliation with parents, urging the congregation to support this mission through prayer, care for their own parents, and financial contributions.

The Weeds Among the Wheat: How God's Patient Love Transforms Us

The homily emphasizes God's patient and merciful love, using the parable of the weeds among the wheat to illustrate how God allows good and evil to coexist, giving sinners a chance to repent. It highlights the Church's growth from humble beginnings despite persecutions and 'weeds' within, guided by God's hand. A personal story of an older brother's sacrificial love for his wayward younger brother, leading to the younger brother's conversion and vocation, underscores the transformative power of love and faith.

The Three Pillars of a Stable Marriage: Lessons from St. Benedict and Particle Physics

The homily for Jonathan and Mila's wedding focuses on the concept of 'stability' in marriage, drawing parallels from St. Benedict's monastic vows and a scientist's observation of subatomic particles that are stable only in threes. The priest emphasizes that a stable marriage requires the couple and Christ, forming a 'Trinity' of love and support, and encourages them to see and serve Christ in one another.

The Missionary's Motorbike: Bringing God's Presence to Remote Villages in Vietnam

Cha Phêrô Trần Đức Lâm

The homily, delivered by a visiting priest from the Hung Hoa diocese in Northern Vietnam, uses the Gospel's parable of the wheat and weeds to illustrate God's patience and the Church's commitment to its mission field. The priest shares the challenges and hopes of evangelization in his diocese, which is the largest in Vietnam with 31 ethnic groups, many living in remote mountainous areas. He emphasizes the need for basic resources like motorbikes for missionaries and support for young ethnic seminarians to serve their own communities, highlighting that the Church does not abandon its 'field' despite difficulties.

Why We Must Listen to God's Word in Times of Tyranny (Feat. Fr. Eliosbel Pereira)

Eliosbel Pereira

The homily emphasizes the importance of listening to God's word and discerning His will, drawing parallels with St. Benedict's life of renunciation and dedication to prayer and work. It also strongly connects these spiritual principles to the political and social realities of Cuba and Venezuela, urging listeners to resist tyrannical systems and defend freedom and life, reminding them that 'with God everything, without God nothing.'

Why 'Just Do It Afraid' is the Key to Overcoming Fear

Father Patrick Smith

The homily emphasizes that despite our inherent vulnerability and the many reasons to fear in a broken world, Jesus calls us to "Fear no one." The priest explains that true fearlessness comes from being deeply rooted in a relationship with Christ, who is perfect love, and encourages listeners to "just do it afraid" when facing challenges, trusting that God will show up and provide. He draws inspiration from the lives of saints and the Exodus story to illustrate God's ability to make a way where there seems to be none, ultimately transforming fear into awe of God's power and love.

The Indispensable Role of Fathers in the Family (Father's Day Homily)

This homily, delivered on Father's Day, emphasizes the crucial role of fathers in the family, drawing parallels to God the Father. The priest highlights that a father's love and discipline are distinct from a mother's, and that the absence of a father can negatively impact children's development. He challenges men to embrace their masculine identity and women to respect it, advocating for a balanced family structure where both parents fulfill their God-given roles.

El Irremplazable Rol del Padre en la Familia: Abre las Puertas del Cielo para tus Hijos

The homily, delivered on Father's Day, emphasizes the crucial and irreplaceable role of fathers in the domestic church. It encourages fathers to embrace their ministry with love and courage, reminding them that their sacrifices are not forgotten by God and that their words and actions leave a lasting impact on their children, either opening or closing the doors of heaven for them.

A Missionary's Story: Water, Life, and Faith in Africa

Fr. Pascual Kumanda

The homily, delivered by a visiting missionary priest from the Congo, emphasizes perseverance in faith despite life's trials, drawing parallels with Jeremiah and Jesus' disciples. The priest shares a personal story of his mission in Malawi, highlighting the extreme difficulties faced by communities there, including lack of water and dangers for missionaries, and invites the congregation to support their mission to provide water and evangelize.

God's Patience: Why He Doesn't Fix Everything Immediately

Fr. Michael Mononttoya

The homily emphasizes God's patient and merciful nature, contrasting human impatience and desire for immediate solutions with God's long-term formation. Drawing on the parables of the weeds, mustard seed, and yeast, the priest highlights that God sees potential and possibilities, not just current conditions. He shares personal reflections from 32 years of priesthood, affirming that God's faithfulness is revealed not in quick fixes, but in sustained, transformative love.