Superior Priest

Vocation Talk in Amery (01/31/18)

This is a talk I gave to Amery’s 6-11^th graders at religious education class on Jan.31, 2018. It tells the story of my conversion and call to the priesthood

Only Jesus Fulfills (4OB-18)

Nothing in this world will fulfil us, not food, money, success, and not even marriage.

Jesus teaches with a new authority. No longer are we just called to live natural lives, but supernatural lives. St. Paul encourages the Corinthians to pursue celibacy to live out the Christian life pursuing to please God with an undivided heart. No matter what life you are called to or find yourself in you are called to be anxious for the Lord and seek to serve him.

Abiding with Jesus Brings others to Jesus (2OB-18)

You do not come to Mass to be a disciple of the priest or for the homily, but to be with Jesus. You come to Mass to abide with Jesus in the Eucharist. When we abide with Jesus we cannot help but desire to bring others to abide with Jesus as well.

 How did you get here today? We need people to guide us in all aspects of our life. We also need a guide to God. There are people who have brought you to God. Even imperfect guides can get us to God like Eli and Samuel. Andrew did not know everything about Jesus, but still brought Peter, the future first Pope, to Jesus. Who do we bring to Jesus?

What are you looking for? (Epiphany-18)

To seek we must believe that we can find what we are looking for. Do we seek out God as the Magi sought “the Christ” at his birth?

 We spend a lot of ourselves looking for fish and deer, but do we have the same seeking and perseverance to God? God is not some distant clock maker, but a God who is intimately involved and reveals himself in in all of creation. His greatest revelation is in Jesus Christ. The world seeks many things, may we seek not the world, but God in his revelation most fully revealed in the Catholic Church.

Schwab Wedding-1/6/18

The Homily at the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony for Adam and Kristie Schwab.

 Marriage is more than just nice feelings. Love is more than just taking a bullet, it is taking a thousand papercuts. The habit of sports that was built on perseverance is the same as the habit of love in marriage. May this sacrament of Holy Matrimony give you supernatural love of grace to persevere. May your house be built on the firm foundation of Jesus Christ so you can persevere amid the greatest storms that attack your marriage. Love is generous. The Trinity which is love is generous. May your marriage also be generous in its love.

Mary points to Jesus (Mary, Mother of God-18)

The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God teaches us more about Jesus then it does about Mary. May our lives also point to Jesus as Mary’s life always points to Jesus.

Family is Super Important! (Holy Family-17)

Family life is difficult, but so is charity. When the going gets tough, the tough get going.

 We learn lots in Family. We learn about how to persevere, love, and our faith. But family is really hard because “Familiarity breeds contempt” and it is in that difficulty that we learn the greatest charity. Family is so important for the Church because it is the Domestic Church. It is also important for our society because “Families are the building blocks of society” and also “The way of the family is the way of the world”

Is His Name Jesus or Emmanuel? (Christmas Eve-17)

How does that change our life knowing that God is not some clock maker who made us and is disinterested, but intimately concerned with us and even dwells with us in all things of our life?

 Today Matthew links the prophesy of Isaiah to Jesus that they will call him Emmanuel, but His name is Jesus not Emmanuel. So what gives? Jesus means “God redeems” and Emmanuel means “God is with us”. Jesus by being Fully Man and Fully God takes on the name of Emmanuel just in virtue of his existence because he is God and he became man. How does that change our life knowing that God is not some clock maker who made us and is disinterested, but intimately concerned with us and even dwells with us in all things of our life? 12/24/18

Did God Abandon Me? (4AB-17)

Does God forget us? Experiences of abandonment stick with us for a long time. We might feel abandoned by God in his seemingly delay of promises, but we learn through scripture that God is always faithful.

 Does God forget us? Experiences of abandonment stick with us for a long time. We might feel abandoned by God in his seemingly delay of promises, but we learn through scripture that God is always faithful. The Israelites wait for a long time to have God’s promises fulfilled. God’s time is not our time and His patience is ordered to our salvation, fulfilling at the proper time.

Joy verse Happiness (3AB-17)

Where is our Happiness and Joy anchored? Is it in ourselves and pleasure which is fickle and passing, or rooted in hope of Jesus Christ and his salvation?

 Rejoice always!!! Joy is not a faked happiness in difficult situations. Joy is rooted in hope whereas Happiness is rooted in present moment of pleasure. Happiness is passing and fickle. Joy is able to live out happiness every day no matter the circumstances, because there is eternal hope anchored in God’s salvation and continued faithfulness.