My dad grew up six blocks from Notre Dame University. I remember being unable to get enough of the movie “Rudy.” It was a true story about a young man with a small body but a big heart.
Entering Notre Dame University was Rudy’s lifelong dream. He wanted to play Irish football so badly, but he could never make the squad. He had a huge heart; he would do anything for the team. He mowed the field, did the laundry, and did anything to help the team.
He finally got his chance in the last game of his senior year. All the fans, players, and coaches knew his big heart and cheered for him when he came onto the field and scored a winning touchdown.
Unlike Rudy, we don’t have to wait until the last play of our senior year to draw close to Jesus. We don’t have to do anything heroic to prove ourselves to him. Every day, we can draw close to him through a simple prayer like:
“Lord Jesus, I love you so much, more than anything, or “Thank you, Lord; you are so good to me, or “Jesus, I know this will be difficult, but with you, I can do this.”
All it takes to have a big heart for the Lord Jesus is to acknowledge He is with us.
How different is this inward turning to our Lord Jesus from outward acts lacking love for God? A simple, honest prayer from the heart does more good than long, mouthed prayers or arduous penances that only aim to prove our worthiness.
However, they are beneficial if they come from a heart enraptured with Jesus’ Divine Presence. The Lord points out to the scribes, Pharisees, and us that we have a wonderful treasure within—our hearts are so big they can love so much that God’s infinite fullness resides there.
Gospel Challenge: We don’t need to be a star quarterback to please God and receive the abundant grace of His friendship. We have to acknowledge throughout our busy day that He is with us and ready to serve us when we call out to Him.
October 15, 2026Luke 11:47-54https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101526.cfm The most humbling thing we can discover is … Can you imagine how often the scribes, Pharisees, and lawyers heard Jesus
October 14, 2026Luke 11:42-46https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101426.cfm One little decision can determine our destiny. “Woe to you, Pharisees!” Intoxicated drivers can cause significant harm to themselves and others.
October 13, 2026Luke 11:37-41https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101326.cfm Some Things We Can’t See Living in a parish with a school allows me to visit the children anytime. However, we
October 11, 2026 Matthew 22:1-14https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101126.cfm Silence – An Unrepentant Heart Our culture is consumed with appearance. Look at the commercials. If we focus only onthe
Fr. Rick’s Homily: Tuesday, 21st Week in Ordinary Time
August 25, 2026
Matthew 23:23-26
https://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 get
enough of the movie “Rudy.” It was a true story about a young man with a small body
but a big heart.
Entering Notre Dame University was Rudy’s lifelong dream. He wanted to play Irish
football so badly, but he could never make the squad. He had a huge heart; he would do
anything for the team. He mowed the field, did the laundry, and did anything to help the
team.
He finally got his chance in the last game of his senior year. All the fans, players, and
coaches knew his big heart and cheered for him when he came onto the field and
scored a winning touchdown.
Unlike Rudy, we don’t have to wait until the last play of our senior year to draw close to
Jesus. We don’t have to do anything heroic to prove ourselves to him. Every day, we
can draw close to him through a simple prayer like:
“Lord Jesus, I love you so much, more than anything, or
“Thank you, Lord; you are so good to me, or
“Jesus, I know this will be difficult, but with you, I can do this.”
All it takes to have a big heart for the Lord Jesus is to acknowledge He is with us.
How different is this inward turning to our Lord Jesus from outward acts lacking love for
God? A simple, honest prayer from the heart does more good than long, mouthed
prayers or arduous penances that only aim to prove our worthiness.
However, they are beneficial if they come from a heart enraptured with Jesus’ Divine
Presence. The Lord points out to the scribes, Pharisees, and us that we have a
wonderful treasure within—our hearts are so big they can love so much that God’s
infinite fullness resides there.
Gospel Challenge:
We don’t need to be a star quarterback to please God and receive the abundant grace
of His friendship. We have to acknowledge throughout our busy day that He is with us
and ready to serve us when we call out to Him.
Love One Another!
Fr. Rick Pilger, IC
www.bscchurch.com
www.rosminians.com
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