Homilies from 2022
No Room at the Inn
God chose to bring His Son into the world with humble beginnings. He was not greeted with a 21-gun salute or with public celebration; he was born in a cold, smelly stable. God could have chosen anyone to be His Son’s parents, but he chose to have two regular people bring Jesus into this world. Like the innkeeper, God is asking us if there is room for Him in our hearts. As Fr. Ken asks, will we make room for…
A Light in the Darkness
Many will agree that at Christmas time, humanity is at its best. People make an effort to see family, help the poor, go to church, and give each other gifts; all this while the days are getting shorter, colder, and darker. Yet in the midst of darkness, Christmas is a shining light. Fr. Mark invites us to remember that this light is the light of our newborn King, the light of Christ.
Follow Your GPS
The Lord has given each of us a spiritual GPS. God has given us clear directions to our destination – which is Heaven; just like a real GPS, God never grows impatient with us, even if we take a wrong turn. Fr. Ken explains that we need to be in-tune with God’s plan for our life and that we must always follow our GPS (God’s Positioning System).
Finding Deep Peace
When you find true joy in the Lord, it outlasts the ups and downs of life. Our life is meant to have an abiding, deep, and lasting peace. Fr. Mark explains that if we want peace, we need to fight for it – figuratively; we are in a spiritual battle and the Devil is attacking us personally and collectively.
Peace Be With You
After Jesus’ resurrection, the first words he speaks to his apostles are “Peace be with you”. In the Mass, we remember this moment and offer each other a sign of peace. Fr. Ken explains that this sign of peace is more than just a friendly greeting; it is Christ’s peace that we are giving to our neighbour. Christ’s peace is overwhelming – it can heal us, bring us new life, and help us overcome anxiety.
Calm Down this Advent
A core theme of the Advent Season is peace. Preparing for Christmas can often be a time of chaos and busyness, but God wants us to find calmness and stillness in this season. Not the peace that the world offers, but a deeper, spiritual peace that only God can provide. Fr. Mark shares five quotes that can help inspire us to calm down and find peace during this Advent Season.
Thy Kingdom Come
On the Feast of Christ the King, Jesus encourages us to bring forth His Kingdom here on earth. On the day of our baptism, we were baptized as priest, prophet, and king; however, the kingship of Jesus is not be confused with the kingship of this world. Christ came to serve, not to be served. Fr. Ken reminds us of the good news found in Matthew’s gospel: the Kingdom of Heaven is near, go and share the good news of…
Look Busy
In the Old Testament, God commands Moses to keep the fire burning at all times in the temple. We must also keep the fire of the Lord burning in us at all times; which means experiencing the love of God in every moment of our life. Fr. Mark explains that we can find God in even the simplest moments of our life by focusing on the duty of the moment. When Christ returns, will he find the fire of God’s…
Life After Death
Many people are uncomfortable thinking about their own mortality. As Christians, we know the truth, that there is life after death. Fr. Ken reminds us that we are in this world, but not of this world. Do not get distracted by this life because we have an eternal destiny that God has promised us.
God is Infinitely Infatuated with You
When we are upset with ourselves, we can often project that on God and think that He is upset with us as well. The truth is that God loves us at every stage, like a coach cheering us on, pushing us to get better each day – little by little. Fr. Mark explains how Wisdom chapters 11 and 12 have helped him to better comprehend the massive love of God.