22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (08/30/26)

 Something is happening in our parish—and it’s beautiful. We’re growing: more young families, more baptisms, more people becoming Catholic, and more people coming home to the faith after years away. That doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the Holy Spirit moving through this community, through the prayers, service, hospitality, and witness of so many people. Like Jeremiah’s image of God’s word as a fire in his bones, when we encounter something real in Jesus, we can’t help but share it—and that faith spreads. We see it especially in ministries like Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, where children aren’t simply learning facts about God; they’re being given space to encounter Christ. And as our parish grows, we’re asking an important question: how can everything we do point more clearly to Jesus and make it easier for people to encounter Him? That’s at the heart of conversations about our sanctuary and parish spaces. Nothing has been decided, but the vision is simple: put Jesus at the center—literally and spiritually. God is doing great things here, and He’s not finished with this parish. So let’s keep saying yes to Him and stay open to where He leads us next.

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time (8/23/2026)

Fr. David often reminds us that the Sunday readings are connected, and today that connection is especially powerful. Isaiah tells us about the “key of the House of David” being given to Eliakim, while in today’s Gospel, Jesus—the Son of David—gives the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven to Peter, appointing him to proclaim the faith with authority. And what does Peter proclaim? The kerygma, the Greek word for “proclamation”: the heart of the Good News. The kerygma isn’t primarily about what we do for God—loving our neighbor or evangelizing others—but about what God has done for us. Jesus, the Son of God, suffered, died, and rose from the dead so that we could be forgiven, freed from sin, and have eternal life. That is the Good News. As St. John reminds us, “not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son.” So before we talk about how we should live as Christians, let’s remember what Christianity is really about: Jesus died and rose so we could have eternal life. That is the Gospel Peter proclaimed, the faith handed down to us, and the Good News we are called to learn, live, and share.

18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

God doesn’t just want to give us enough—He wants to fill us. Throughout Scripture, food is a sign of something much deeper: God satisfying the hunger of our hearts and souls. Even as Jesus grieved the death of John the Baptist and sought time alone in prayer, His heart was moved with compassion for the crowds. He took five loaves and two fish, blessed them, broke them, and gave them, showing that when we offer our small gifts to God, He multiplies them beyond what we can imagine. That same pattern reaches its fulfillment in the Eucharist, where Christ feeds us with His very Body and Blood. This week, notice what you turn to when you feel empty. Does it truly satisfy, or does it only distract? Jesus still says, “Bring it to me.” He longs to fill you—not with temporary comforts, but with His abundant life, His love, and His presence, so that you, in turn, can help satisfy the hunger of others.

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today’s Gospel reminds us that God’s kingdom is not a life free from suffering, but the certainty that God can bring good out of every hardship. Like the merchant who joyfully sold everything for the pearl of great price, we are invited to rediscover the incomparable treasure of Jesus Christ and His Church. Even though the Church is made up of saints and sinners in a broken world, its true worth never diminishes because Christ remains present in the Eucharist, His Word, and the sacraments. This week, reflect on two simple questions: Do I truly recognize Jesus as my greatest treasure? And have I grown so familiar with that gift that I’ve forgotten its wonder? Ask God for the grace to see the pearl of great price with fresh eyes once again.

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

In this homily on the Parable of the Sower, we’re invited to stop asking, “What kind of soil am I?” and instead ask, “What kind of soil am I becoming?” God never stops sowing His grace into our lives, but the fruit we bear depends on the condition of our hearts. Discover how you’re probably bearing more spiritual fruit than you realize, why greater fruitfulness often comes from bringing more intention—not more activity—to your daily relationships, and how to identify and remove the “rocks” and “thorns” that keep God’s Word from taking deeper root. A practical and hopeful reflection on becoming the rich soil where God’s grace can flourish.