Fr. Rick’s Homily: Tuesday, 21st Week in Ordinary Time
August 25, 2026Matthew 23:23-26https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/082526.cfm All it takes is a big heart. My dad grew up six blocks from Notre Dame University. I remember being unable to getenough of the movie “Rudy.” It was a true story about a young man with a small bodybut a big heart. Entering Notre Dame University was Rudy’s lifelong dream. […]
Fr. Rick’s Homily: Feast of St. Bartholomew
August 24, 2026,John 1:45 – 50|https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/feast-saint-bartholomew-apostle Prejudice Gets Us Off on the Wrong Foot St. Bartholomew, also known as Nathaniel, was introduced to Jesus by St. Philip. Hepreached the gospel in the most barbarous countries in the east, going as far as India.He was martyred for his faith in Jesus. Like all of us, Bartholomew […]
Fr. Rick’s Homily: 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time A
August 23, 2026Matthew 16:13-20https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/082326.cfm We Are A Lot Like St. Peter. Marathon bike races are popular in Florida. Officials use cones to guidebikers to the finish line, and departing from the route means they won’treach it. So, what’s the point of racing if bikers ignore directions? We are blessed in the Church to have a […]
Fr. Rick’s Homily: Saturday, 20th Week in Ordinary Time
August 22, 2026 Matthew 23:1-12https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/082226.cfm A Humble Authority? We all want to be accepted and loved. We can probably remember times when thatdidn’t happen and know how much it hurt. The world’s values can influence us, so wemake our importance felt with some people. It might surprise us how many times we think, “I am […]
Fr. Rick’s Homily: Friday, 20th Week in Ordinary Time
August 21, 2026 Matthew 22:34-40https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/082126.cfm Why Do We Have So Many Neighbors? Think about the people we encounter daily. We greet some warmly and take more timewith others. Jesus intentionally merged the two commandments from the Old Testamentso we can demonstrate our love for God each day by loving those around us. Can youenvision God’s […]
Fr. Rick’s Homily: Wednesday, 20th Week in Ordinary Time
August 19, 2026 Matthew 20:1-16https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/081926.cfm A Walking Billboard Fish are amusing. If I were a fish and saw a juicy worm or small fish, I’d eat it. But theybite only when hungry, mostly at dawn and dusk. So if you don’t get a bite, keep trying. The landowner in the gospel kept seeking laborers for […]
Fr. Rick’s Homily: Tuesday 20th Week in Ordinary Time
August 18, 2026 Matthew 19:23-30https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/081826.cfm God’s Lottery One of the greatest joys of my priesthood is the daily opportunity to make a positivedifference in people’s lives. The joy of serving others through the Lord’s gifts faroutweighs any sorrows or sadness that may come my way. In these moments, I feelmost alive, and the presence of […]
Fr. Rick’s Homily: Monday, 20th Week in Ordinary Time
August 17, 2026 Matthew 19:16-22https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/081726.cfm Less or More? Can you picture how the young man might have felt when Jesus looked at him withlove? It was a love so profound, comparable only to a mother’s love for her child,especially when a nurse gently places her newborn in her arms for the first time. Theyoung man’s […]
Fr. Rick’s Homily: 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 16, 2026,Matthew 15:21-28https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/081626.cfm Jesus Refuses No One. Why do some prayers go unanswered? Once again, we are meeting someone in thegospel who can do nothing to help herself. A demon possessed the daughter of awoman in a foreign land. Our Lord knew He would heal this woman’s daughter. Why wait? Why this longdiscussion? His […]
Fr. Rick’s Homily: the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
August 15, 2026 Luke 1:39-56https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/081526.cfm Assumption Is A Big Welcome. Mother Mary assumed Jesus completely, sharing in His suffering and glory. Thisconnection can inspire us to trust her presence during our own hardships, fosteringempathy and hope. Fr. Richard Leonard, SJ, recalls the story of a village outside Santiago, Chile, that wasterrorized on August 15, 1975. […]