Great homilies to improve the faith and understanding of Christians
Where do you place the allegiance of your heart? Do our hearts belong to anything in this world? Not that anything in the world is bad. But everything in this world will not last.
Failures will come. Loved ones will die. We will become sick. Our practical enterprises will end.
Just like a healthy tree, we will be alright only if our roots extend to the source of life.
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How many of us believe that God wants each of us to be a saint and also believe that it is possible? God wants you to be a saint by doing the same thing that every previous saint did. Doing seemingly mundane actions becomes extraordinary when we have the right perspective.
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We all seek to be strong in our lives. Weaknesses are shunned at work and in our personal lives. But these weaknesses can make us humble to God. So, if we are attentive, we can draw closer to Him. The example of a powerful army general is used to demonstrate how good things can come from humility.
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So much of our dignity comes from work. And yet, we vilify work. Our society romanticizes 4-hour work weeks and early retirement. However, our being is deeply impacted by what we spend our time doing. In work, God allows us to collaborate with Him. We should therefore give careful thought to how we approach our work.
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How did you choose your career? For most people it’s a product of luck and circumstance. We have an opportunity early in our working lives and that becomes something we build into a career. This presentation by Bishop Barron is something I wish I had seen earlier in life. Instead I was guided in career choices by things like the Myers-Briggs assessment. We need to change our perspective on career discussions. The egotism in career advice should be alarming. Instead of what can I accomplish? Instead of what will make me most happy? We should be asking in what way can I be most loving! In what way can I be most generous! The fruit of the Holy Spirit described in Galatians 5 is the most compelling career advice I have ever heard. And I say this after spending several decades in Human Resources.
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While Moses had gone to meet with God and he received the 10 Commandments, some Israelites started to worship a bull made of gold. I always found that kind of foolish because what really could they expect of this idol?
However, Fr Mike outlines that the idols that trap us are rarely bad things. Your family, your job, your reputation … all have the opportunity to become idols. Today, we learn how worship is the remedy when we put other things before God
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From ancient times, Christians have been called to reflect on their impending death. First to bring an appreciation of the gift of life. But also to put our actions in proper perspective. When we die, we need to be able to answer for our lives.
Do we strive every day to achieve happiness based on worldly items. Whether it be education, wealth, pleasures – they are all unsatisfying. Actor Jim Carrey once said, “I wish everyone could get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so that they can realize it will not make them happy.”
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