Your Sunday Sermon Notes

Was there was good point in the sermon you heard during the Mass you went to as you fulfilled your Sunday precept?

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42 Comments

  1. ejcmartin says:

    It was actually Mass Friday but a visiting priest spoke about purgatory and our need to pray for souls especially next month. He stated that yes purgatory still exists despite what some people, even some with collars have told you.

  2. wanda says:

    Father talked about defending marriage, as God designed it, protecting life from conception until natural death and protecting religious freedom. Annnddd..he said that Catholics could not in good conscience vote for a platform or party that espouses intrinsic evils. God bless and defend this faithful shepherd. Caritas in veritatae.

  3. Vox Laudis says:

    “MORES”, Father? A slip of the hands outward on the laptop keyboard, perhaps? Or an excellent ‘slip of the tongue’? How many of those assisting at Mass hear of ‘mores’–as in the bisyllabic word–in homilies?

    I pray that our usually-good-homilist pastor is recovered enough from recent illnesses to both offer Low Mass for Christ the King and preach Sunday (tomorrow) morning.

  4. Marie S. says:

    One of our deacons preached a great homily on the gospel lesson on blind Bartimaeus – comparing Bartimaeus’ response to Jesus to the rich young ruler’s from a couple of weeks ago.

    Where the rich young ruler couldn’t leave his wealth and past behind, as soon as Jesus called him, Bartimaeus cast aside his only possession, his cloak, and leapt up to follow Jesus.

    Where the rich young ruler wanted to enter the kingdom of God, as long as the price wasn’t too high, Bartimaeus showed his faith by calling Jesus by his Messianic title Son of David, and asked to see – allegorically asking to deepen his faith.

  5. Jenice says:

    Father preached a great homily about how we are all Bartimeus before God–blind beggars. It was brief and to the point. Reminded me of a question asked of me in spiritual direction a few years ago: How would you answer the question that Christ asks Bartimeus: What do you want from me? My answer then, and now: intimacy and holiness.

  6. Pax--tecum says:

    Today the priest focussed on the Gospel reading: We are in fact all blind. We don’t see the good God gives to each of us. Even in times of trouble the Lord continues to give his grace, we only need to accept it. We also need to open our eyes to the needs of other people around us. We are often blinded by money, by materialistic ideas. Christ can make us see again.

  7. frjim4321 says:

    Was vocation weekend and we had a visitor.

    It was a pretty good homily around the issue of “call,” and coincidentally the scriptures were perfect for the theme.

    A needed weekend off preaching for me. I love it but the occasional fallow time is often rewarding.

  8. nonna9 says:

    Our Bishop asked us to consider who we would be in the story of Bartimaeus. Would we be one of the crowd who rebuked him? Would we have encouraged Bartimaeus to meet Jesus when He called? He went on to talk about our role in evangelization. He reminded us that being nice is not necessarily being moral. We cannot separate our moral lives from the teachings of the Church. Do we live a moral life? Is it apparent to others?

  9. akp1 says:

    Excellent homily; how we, as practising Catholics, need to be open to seeing the good the Church is in the World. Fr. quoted from Guadium et Spes and explained a lot of the document; and encouraged us all to work on getting to really know our faith in this year of faith, so that we will be able to live genuinely Christian lives, not just for 30 mins on a Sunday!

  10. revs96 says:

    In the Byzantine Rite, today’s Gospel is the Exorcism into Swine (Lk 8:26-39). We heard about how powerful demons are compared to us, having ravaged the man so severely, but cower in terror at the sight of Our Lord, begging for their lives. We were exhorted therefore to stay close to Our Lord to avoid our own destruction because of our feeble weakness versus His great strength.

  11. AA Cunningham says:

    Anticipated Mass on Saturday afternoon, the Pastor at Holy Ghost in Denver started out his homily by offering the “Ask not what your country can do for you …” JFK quote. I was waiting on the edge of the pew for what I feared was going to follow. He went on to speak about how his mother tried to explain to him what the feeling in the country was about Kennedy and the “optimism” that he created. He and his five siblings were children in the 50s and 60s and weren’t concerned with politics then and even though the facade of “Camelot” has been exposed in the decades since, one could never say anything bad about JFK in his mother’s presence . Then he segued into how that feeling has manifested itself again today with supporters of the current administration. He detailed how our very ability to worship as Catholics was seriously at risk if the current course is maintained. Having the government mandate that the Church accept and embrace immoral, evil doctrines imposed upon her could ultimately drive it underground. He deftly walked right up to the line and didn’t cross it but it wasn’t difficult to read between the lines. In closing he told us to ask us ourselves the following questions in not only the upcoming election but also in the Year of Faith: ask what you can do for your Church and ask what you can do for your faith? One family got up and walked out; too bad. They obviously missed the message. I thanked him for his homily after Mass and told him that he had touched some nerves. He smiled and said “Yes, I know I did.” God Bless Father Christopher Uhl, OMV.

  12. r.j.sciurus says:

    In the traditional calendar, it is the Feast of Christ the King, always on the last Sunday of October before the new calendar moved it to the end of the liturgical year. We were taught the difference between the two dates. With the former, Holy Mother Church placed the feast on the Sunday nearest All Saints Day, when we celebrate those who truly placed Christ as king of their hearts and lives. On the new calendar we point to the kingship of Christ at the end of time. After Mass we said prayers consecrating the U.S. to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

  13. JonPatrick says:

    At our EF Mass father used the occasion of Christ the King to talk about the 1920’s Cristero war in Mexico in the 1920, as featured in the recent movie “For Greater Glory”. The rallying cry of the Cristeros was “Viva Cristo Rey” (long live Christ the King). The story of what happened in Mexico should concern us as we see signs of a possible persecution of the Catholic Church in this country.

  14. Joseph-Mary says:

    Archbishop Aquila of Denver met with his priests this past week and instructed them to preach on the 5 non-negotiables. He told them he expects 100% orthodoc teaching from them. So today we had an excellent homily on the 5 non-negotiables as our priests are both orthodox and obedient to our good archbishop.

    Archbishop also asks our priests to promote Eucharistic Adoration. He also began his time in Denver with a holy Mass dedicated to Our Lady. I would say he is off to an excellent start as our new archbishop.

  15. frjim4321 says:

    “the 5 non-negotiables”

    The “‘5 non-negotiables’ vs all the other moral issues of the day” is, as I have stated frequently, a false dichotomy.

    So how would they know which priests did and which did not follow this directive?

    Our bishop is wise enough to avoid imposed unenforceable dictates.

  16. NickD says:

    Novus Ordo Gospel readings

    Our pastor connected the fact that Jesus, the Light of the World, gave light to Bartimaeus’ darkness and and that Bartimaeus followed Him to Jerusalem, where He would die on the cross and bring light to the world’s darkness

  17. disco says:

    We got the audio homily prerecorded by Cardinal O’Malley. He’s been pretty serious about fighting question2 which would legalize assisted suicide here in Massachusetts. It was about that. Always clunky when he references the readings though since we have the Latin mass

  18. chantgirl says:

    For the Feast of Christ the King, Canon spoke about the nature of Christ’s kingdom. I have often felt sad that the word Christendom could not really be applied to the time and culture in which I live. He stressed that Christ’s kingdom is not of this earth, but that Christ triumphs every time a person allows Christ to be the master of his life. I felt touched, thinking about the early martyrs and their beautiful sacrifices that actually changed an empire. Christ triumphed when they offered Him their lives, and the world was changed in the process. If Christ is our sovereign Lord, we too can change the world.

  19. ByzCath08 says:

    Today, our Pastor took advantage of an upcoming kids party being held after the Divine Liturgy to teach on the 7 capital sins and their corresponding vices. This was a great teaching moment for young & old alike.

    Homily – 22nd Sunday after Pentecost – 10/28/12

  20. xsosdid says:

    We had a transitional deacon, who will be ordained in the spring, give the homily. It was fabulous! He talked about Bartimeuos leaving his cloke behind to ask the Lord the restore his sight. Then Dn Colin pointed out that this was pretty much leaving everything a blind beggar would own to follow Christ. He tied it to spiritual nakedness before the Lord and the futility of trying to hide our weakness from Him.
    It was excellent and if our seminaries are producing more men like this then the future is looking up!

  21. lizaanne says:

    Our parish is having a series of homilies over the next several weeks that focus on the documents of Vatican II. Father will read and give an over view of entire chapters of the documents, and them speak about them. It’s been a wonderful educational opportunity so far, I’m really enjoying it!

    I think that the highlight of Mass today (besides the obvious, of course) was that our presiding priest was a newly ordained priest from our Archdiocese, and he said the TLM!!! I think this was his first time, because he had another priest with him at the altar guiding him through the whole Mass. It was so sweet to see this, and such a wonderful blessing. And SO encouraging to know that a brand new priest is saying the TLM!!! YAY!

  22. Suburbanbanshee says:

    Went to Mass for the dedication of a new chapel today, so we had different readings than all of you. :)

    Archbishop Schnurr preached about the symbolisms involved in dedicating a church; how the reading from Peter’s epistle about “living stones” related to the students at the university chapel’s obligation to support the Church and to go out and evangelize; about the eagerness of Zacchaeus to repent and make reparations and to see Jesus; and about how it’s great to have talents, but that what you really need is to dedicate your talents to God’s use and work hard at them; and about salvation and the Church and Jesus; and….

    There was a lot in a small space.

  23. truthfinder says:

    EF Mass. Although not the entire point of Father’s homily, what I got from it was this: The world likes to separate Christ’s spiritual authority from His authority over all (temporal). Then he said that some would also like to negate Christ’s spiritual authority (ie Christ teaches X but we’ll do Y). Fr. also dropped words like Church militant and Hypostatic union – such wonderful sounds to my ears. We also did a Consecration to Christ the King – which specifically mentioned a conversion of Muslims. Overall, a very lovely feast.

  24. FranklinPN says:

    I attended the Tridentine Rite and, being The Feast of Christ the King, the priest focused on why this feast was instituted by Pope Pius XI through the encyclical Quas Primas : to fight the ongoing trend of laicism that, apparently, was developing as the greatest obstacle to the Catholic faith. That we must understand that He reigns over us not just when attending mass, but in every aspect of our lives.

  25. Suburbanbanshee says:

    Oh, and Nehemiah. Talked about how the reading about Nehemiah instructing the people related to the New Evangelization, and how that took so much longer even than rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls or building a church like the new chapel. And how you should never call students or kids “the Church of tomorrow,” because of course they’re part of the Church now, duh.

    Got the feeling that our archbishop takes his obligation to evangelize very seriously. This is why we’ve got 45 guys in seminary formation, probably!

  26. Lynn Diane says:

    Our pastor reminded us not to vote for candidates who oppose God. He told us about the recent funeral of a veteran in our parish. The military chaplain, at the gravesite, talked about anything but God. Finally our pastor told him, “Even pagans pray better than you did!” The military chaplain told our pastor that he had twice been reprimanded for mentioning God in the cemetery. He said that according to the new regulations, the word “God” may only be mentioned inside a church or chapel, never at the burial site.

  27. a catechist says:

    Father preached on our spiritual blindness: failure to see Christ, failure to see our own sins, and failure to see the needs of others. The cure is to come to Christ in Mass, Confession, and do the works of evangelization.

    Best of all, during the announcements he put in a big plug for our upcoming Solemn High Requiem in the EF, with cathedral’s professional choir singing Tomas Luis de la Victoria’s Requiem. All Soul’s Day, 7 pm, at Sioux City’s Epiphany cathedral. (sorry, Fr. Z, for the billboard, but this is big happy news)

  28. deliberatejoy says:

    Father Richard discussed how the city of Jericho was the polar opposite to Jerusalem in the historical context: it was an extremely pagan and secular settlement on the perimeter of the same desert that the Jewish people wandered for 40 years, and the first sign of ‘civilization’ (and the site of the first battle they fought after reaching the Promised Land). He pointed out that the residents of Jericho, much like the people of modern society, were not into the true Faith, and, like society does today, actively discouraged anyone who sought something – anything – deeper. When Bartimaeus, a resident of that secular city, cried out to Jesus for physical/spiritual healing, the crowds of his hometown urged him to be quiet and to demand nothing beyond what he had, and nothing beyond what he could see (nothing!) just as secular society does to the would-be faithful today. Jesus, however, called him forth, and Bartimaeus cast aside his cloak and ran to him, naked as Adam and Eve were in the Garden before they sinned and fell. Jesus rewarded his passion and need to surrender himself to truth, and healed him. That allowed B. to see Him, as we shall see Him if we are brave enough to defy those who seek to crush us. Christ then proceeded onto Jerusalem, the promised eternal city, and Bartimaeus followed him, away from the edge of the desert and those who would hold him to their killing, deathly standards.

    It was excellent.

  29. PhilipNeri says:

    My take on the gospel: Christ is present in the Blessed Sacrament. . .he asks Bartimaeus, ““What do you want me to do for you?” He asks us the same question. Do we have the faith to ask for what we truly need and the strength to receive it?

    http://hancaquam.blogspot.com/2012/10/take-courage-jesus-is-calling-you.html

    Fr. Philip Neri, OP

  30. Denis Crnkovic says:

    The Monsignor (who, by the way, always sings the Gospel so well, and beautifully met the challenge of todays’ Gospel for the Feast of Christ the King with its numeorus chant intonations for questions) – what was I saying? – The Monsignor who celebrated the Extraordinary Form of the Mass today gave a masteful sermon on Constantine, the battle of the Milvian Bridge and In hoc signo vinces, ending with an emphatic “Only in this sign will you conquer!” (pointing to the crucifix).

  31. Homily was on chant in the liturgy as a vehicle for active participation and the role of the priest celebrant.

    http://www.shawnthebaptist.org/2012/10/homily-226-why-all-the-chanting/

  32. Warren says:

    At times I visit to rail against the problème du jour. No railing today, but there will be one in a few months. The Bishop has given our pastor permission to restore the altar rail!

    No sitting on the fence. We will be kneeling at one!

  33. Gratias says:

    Father explained how Chist is King both of Heven and Earth. The rulers of our state are under him. We must elect only candidates that follow the reason of Christ, e. g., marriage.

  34. Charivari Rob says:

    To our surprise, ended up at Mass celebrated by the Cardinal, got a two-fer. Nice homily starting with Bartimaeus, then thoroughly hammered the assisted-suicide law coming up in a ballot question next week.

  35. Ben Yanke says:

    “Sometimes, I think to myself, it would make sense that someone would not worry about the effects colossal debt on future generations, if their policy discourages future generations.”
    -Bishop Morlino

    http://www.isthmuscatholic.org/resources/media/438/ (somewhere around 8:00)

  36. Elizium23 says:

    Three points in the homily stayed with me. One, Bartimaeus throwing off his cloak. As already mentioned, this was a valuable possession of Jews then, and he would not readily abandon such a prized item. It is also an echo of the ancient baptismal rite, where people removed all their clothes and, baptized naked, took on a new garment as they die to sin and are reborn in Christ. Two was Bartimaeus’ status as a beggar. I personally identified with this in a literal sense because I had to ask for help from charity this week. But Father also reminded us that we are all beggars for Christ. God provides all that we need. Three, Father made a point about something (I forgot what) and said that may sound wacky, but we should be “wacky for Christ” and drew a laugh from me. I love being wacky for the Lord.

  37. David Collins says:

    Sorry to say I don’t recall the sermon, but the highlight was Fr. Beach, wearing a golden cope and holding a monstrance with Christ the king, underneath a canopy, with two acolytes in front, one ringing a bell and the other turning around every so often to swing the censer before our Lord, with the chanting choir following the priest, processing around the block. Though it was noon at a downtown parish, with light traffic, two cars stopped in the road to watch stare at us passing by.

    Now that’s evangelization!

  38. iPadre says:

    Talked about identity crisis in priesthood since 60’s. Venerable Bishop Sheen blamed it on the “I gotta be me” attitude. True attitude of the priest must be “I gotta be Christ” and Alter Christus in all things!

  39. nola catholic says:

    One part of the homily I enjoyed today was the focus on the “callings” in today’s readings. God’s calling Israel home from exile in Jeremiah, God’s vocational call to priests described St. Paul in Hebrews, and the Lord’s call to Bartimaeus in Mark’s Gospel.

  40. St. Epaphras says:

    to the iPadre:
    Can you please put that sermon on your podcast?

  41. j says:

    Fr Thomas Buckley preached on Christ’s Kingship, and the fundamental change that Christ brings. In the Gospel, we find two men who have a completely different idea of what Kingship is, resulting in and proceeding from a different idea of what “truth” and power and riches are. He brought this around to the fundamental differences in what kings and The King desire of us.

  42. Gregorius says:

    Transitional Deacon used the OF Gospel to push the importance of and need for confession! The story is presented as an allegory of God’s call to repentance; the movement from earthly Jericho to heavenly Jerusalem, Bartimaeus as the everyman who recognizes his sin and acknowledges his dependence on Christ and thus calls out to Him, the crowd as the world who refuses to believe anything is wrong and rebukes him, and Christ who in hearing the penitent stops, turns His gaze and calls the sinner to Him, Bartimaeus throwing off his cloak signifying his old life, his calling Christ as “Son of David” is a recognition of who He is thus allowing Christ to heal him, and most importantly that we today must seek the confessional while Christ is passing by, for we will not always have the time.

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