It amazes me that Almighty God has chosen to reveal Himself and the work of his salvation through ordinary people. Jesus is the fullness of that revelation and the One in whom we are called and gifted to follow. How humbling for the Lord to make himself known to others through all the different ways we love each other, care for each other, and sacrifice ourselves for the good of others.
It must be sad for Jesus when someone like the Pharisees offers prayers, worship, and do all the right things without heart and love for Him and others. Jesus uses examples to illustrate how much He wants to make our hearts like His Sacred Heart. The first one He uses is a doorway to bring home the point that God intends to live with his people.
A door is an entryway to someone’s home. It’s where they go to be themselves, let their hair down, or take off their shoes. Formalities are left outside.
Unfortunately, the leaders of Jesus’ time never welcomed anyone into God’s home because they closed the door of their hearts to God himself. They replaced beautiful affection and warmth of God’s love with hundreds of do’s and don’ts we call the Law. We do this with attitudes – laws we create in our mind that everyone must obey or watch out. But we can get past being superficial with God and with each other.
One of the quickest ways to welcome God into our hearts so he can make his home with us is through his mercy. When we are not afraid to be honest about our sinfulness and confess it humbly to the Lord, our hearts will be more compassionate when we encounter the sin of another.
Gospel Challenge:
Whoever we are with at any given moment, may they find it easier to be near God because we are not afraid to draw close to them? Who will that be today?
September 2, 2025, Luke 4:31-37 https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/090225.cfm Jesus Is So Strong – Unbelievable, But It’s True. A young couple asked me to bless their rental house.
September 1, 2025, Luke 4:16-30 https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/090423.cfm Jesus Was Anointed for You and Me! Hurricanes are incredibly destructive. Our hearts go out to those who have
Fr. Rick’s Two Minute 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time CAugust 31, 2025, Luke 14:1, 7-14, https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/083125.cfm The Banquet of the Lord – Poor, Crippled, Lame, and
August 30, 2025, Matthew 25:14-30 https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/083124.cfm What the Master Sees Sometimes, I visit people in the hospital who are in great pain. The morphine
Monday 21st Week in Ordinary Time August 28 2023
Fr. Rick’s Two Minute Homily for Monday 21st Week in Ordinary Time
August 28, 2023, Matthew 23:13-22
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/082823.cfm
Compassionate Hearts Full Of Mercy.
It amazes me that Almighty God has chosen to reveal Himself and the work of his salvation through ordinary people. Jesus is the fullness of that revelation and the One in whom we are called and gifted to follow. How humbling for the Lord to make himself known to others through all the different ways we love each other, care for each other, and sacrifice ourselves for the good of others.
It must be sad for Jesus when someone like the Pharisees offers prayers, worship, and do all the right things without heart and love for Him and others. Jesus uses examples to illustrate how much He wants to make our hearts like His Sacred Heart. The first one He uses is a doorway to bring home the point that God intends to live with his people.
A door is an entryway to someone’s home. It’s where they go to be themselves, let their hair down, or take off their shoes. Formalities are left outside.
Unfortunately, the leaders of Jesus’ time never welcomed anyone into God’s home because they closed the door of their hearts to God himself. They replaced beautiful affection and warmth of God’s love with hundreds of do’s and don’ts we call the Law. We do this with attitudes – laws we create in our mind that everyone must obey or watch out. But we can get past being superficial with God and with each other.
One of the quickest ways to welcome God into our hearts so he can make his home with us is through his mercy. When we are not afraid to be honest about our sinfulness and confess it humbly to the Lord, our hearts will be more compassionate when we encounter the sin of another.
Gospel Challenge:
Whoever we are with at any given moment, may they find it easier to be near God because we are not afraid to draw close to them? Who will that be today?
IGNITE THE FIRE
Fr. Rick Pilger, IC
www.bscchurch.com
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