Sermon Central
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Extraordinary Form
Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jul 15, 2013 (message contributor)
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1. We're All Slaves Of Something
Contributed on Jul 15, 2017
Once we give ourselves over to Our Lord, we compose new melodies with our members.
Seventh Sunday After Pentecost 2017 Extraordinary Form A few weeks ago I was driving in the Bandera Road area and I passed a little building that advertised itself as an “Acts 2:38 church.” I have a good friend who grew up in a church like that so I understood pretty much what they ...read more
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2. The Good Shepherd And How To Get More
Contributed on Apr 22, 2017
Pray especially for holy priests, brothers and sisters. Pray for those who are preparing for or struggling in marriage. And pray for those who have chosen to remain unmarried in a celibate state, and for those who are trying to run from the divine call.
For many decades this day has rightly been called “Good Shepherd Sunday,” because both of our New Testament readings speak of Jesus as Shepherd of our souls, Shepherd of the One Flock, the Church. Both of these precious proclamations have Old Testament roots. Let’s start with the story of Abraham ...read more
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3. Let Any One Who Thinks That He Stands Take Heed Lest He Fall
Contributed on Jul 15, 2013
Training and exercise in the spiritual life, and self-mastery, are a requirement for sanctity and effectiveness.
“let any one who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.” In nomine Patris. . . Over the last several months, my wife and I have learned a great deal about standing and falling. One seldom thinks about knees until one stops working perfectly. A knee really gets attention ...read more
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4. Educating Our Children To Live In Christ
Contributed on Jan 13, 2016
It is necessary for us to teach our children to run the race, and to run to win
Septuagesima Sunday 2016 Year of Mercy Run to win. We stand here together some seventy days before Easter to let St. Paul and St. Matthew and yes the Blessed Trinity all tell us the unvarnished truth: we are all works in progress, sinners becoming saints. We cannot stop running, or run with ...read more
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5. Don't Just Empty The House And Sweep It
Contributed on Feb 14, 2016
Don't just empty your life of vices; fill it up with prayer, fasting, almsgiving and good work.
3rd Sunday in Lent 2016 Extraordinary Form “As the eyes of servants are on the hands of their masters, so are our eyes on the Lord our God, until He has mercy on us.” The words of the psalmist could and should integrate our meditation on God’s word today, because all the ills ...read more
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6. Not From A Distance
Contributed on Dec 14, 2014
God is not distant from us; in Christ, He is us, and He gives us the grace to forgive and be healed.
4th Sunday of Advent 2014 Extraordinary Form About a quarter century ago Bette Midler recorded a song by Julie Gold called “from a distance.” The idea behind the lengthy lyrics is that if you get far enough away from planet earth, it all looks green and blue and serene. You ...read more
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7. Jesus And The Mourning Widow
Contributed on Aug 9, 2016
We can learn a lot about feeling compassion and acting on it from the actions of Jesus at Nain.
Fifteenth Sunday After Pentecost 2016 Extraordinary Form In the letter to the Ephesians, St. Paul famously tells his Catholic listeners that the task assigned to us by our baptismal consecration is to “watch carefully how [we] live, not as fools but as wise persons, redeeming the times ...read more
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8. Being Clever In The Kingdom Of God
Contributed on Jul 9, 2015
If we are led by the Spirit of God, then we will find clever ways to advance His mission on earth.
“A humble people you will save, O Lord, and the eyes of the proud you will humiliate, because who is god other than You, O Lord?” The words of the Offertory antiphon we will hear in a few moments. What is the difference between pride and humility? Let’s consider the last ...read more
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9. Recognizing Our Neighbor And The Wrath Of God
Contributed on Aug 2, 2015
In an age when people refuse to recognize our neighbor and treat him/her with dignity, we need a holy intercessor to help us.
It is our misfortune, or, better, the design of Divine Providence, that we live in an age and society that does not recognize the neighbor whom we should love as we love ourselves. An inconveniently conceived child, as I was nearly seven decades ago, is not recognized as a human being, let alone ...read more
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10. Give Peace O Lord To Those Who Trust In Thee
Contributed on Sep 19, 2015
The true path to peace lies through repentance and forgiveness of sins.
18th Sunday After Pentecost 2015 Extraordinary Form Saint Matthew would have had a vivid recollection of the stories of that day in Galilee, because just down the street at the tax office, Matthew the sinner, the tax collector, was sitting. And as Jesus passed by, Matthew heard the most ...read more
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11. Jesus Christ Is King
Contributed on Oct 24, 2015
The world has changed, and the culture is anti-Christian, but there are reasons for optimism in Christ.
Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King Last Sunday in October Extraordinary Form 2015 Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat! On this Feast of Jesus Christ, Our Lord and King, let’s take some time to reflect on the reign of Our King and our celebration of the Holy Mass ...read more
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12. Thoughts For The Third Sunday Of Advent
Contributed on Dec 3, 2016
I and you need to ask who Our Lord is in relationship to ourselves, and who we are in relationship to Him.
Third Sunday of Advent 2016 In nomine Patris, . . . “Who are you?” “Just who do you think you are?” “Who in the world???” All of these questions strike at the fundamental awareness of our personal existence. All of these questions merit an answer, because ...read more
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13. The Great Catholic Et
Contributed on Jul 17, 2016
whenever Catholic theology gives an answer, it usually has the word “et” in it. There is always an add-on, an essential “and.”
Tenth Sunday After Pentecost 2016 The parable usually called “the Pharisee and the Publican” could just as easily be called “Self-delusion and self-understanding.” But let’s understand that Jesus told this parable to Pharisees, who trusted in themselves that they ...read more
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14. Saints, Blessed In Spirit
Contributed on Oct 31, 2015
Here are some practical suggestions for becoming a saint.
What does it mean to be a saint? And why are we celebrating each year the Solemnity of All Saints? One simple reason–God wants us to be happy. God wants us, therefore, to be saints ourselves. Holy on earth; holy in heaven. To be saints, to be holy, we need to live and die in charity, ...read more
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15. Let Your Righteousness Exceed
Contributed on Jun 11, 2016
Our righteousness is measured against that of Jesus–who loved us all the way to the cross and challenged us to follow His love.
5th Sunday after Pentecost 2016 A Reading from the first Epistle of St. Peter Beloved: All of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love of the brethren, a tender heart and a humble mind. 9 Do not return evil for evil or reviling for reviling; but on the contrary bless, for to this you have been ...read more
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16. The Forbearance Of Our Lord
Contributed on Nov 14, 2015
Why does God not put an end to all the terror and sin? Because of His loving forbearance, which we are called to participate in.
24th and Last Sunday After Pentecost Extraordinary Form Today’s Introit antiphon speaks for God: "I think thoughts of peace, not affliction. You shall call upon me and I will hear, and bring you back from your captivity all over the world." The Gradual speaks of our affirmation that ...read more
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17. Returning To The Original Divine Intention
Contributed on Sep 17, 2016
To be at the wedding banquet, properly attired, is our destiny and joy.
19th Sunday After Pentecost 2016 Extraordinary Form Years ago, when I first read this parable, it sounded rather fabulous, an invention of the Lord’s fertile imagination. But a dispassionate reading of history, and even the local news, tells us that St. Matthew’s story is ...read more
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18. The Butterfly Effect Of Prayer
Contributed on Oct 1, 2016
A simple prayer can have amazing impact
The European union was fracturing along national lines. Political and religious rivalries had caused chasms of separation to grow, so that a threat to one part was even seen as a good thing to other parts of the continent. A resurgent Islamic state had taken territory and executed hundreds, even ...read more
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19. Children Of Promise
Contributed on Mar 5, 2016
We must understand that in every age, whatever the climate, God has intervened to raise up His people.
Third Sunday of Lent 2016 Our extraordinary form of the Mass is truly extraordinary in the more popular sense on this fourth Sunday of Lent. The songs of the Church, both in words and chant, leap off the page with joy and exultation. The vocabulary is a Latin thesaurus of excitement: ...read more
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20. The End And The Reward
Contributed on Nov 12, 2016
Paul is not focusing on sinful behavior we should avoid, but on exemplary behavior we should practice.
24th or Last Sunday of the Year 2016 Extraordinary Form The five hundred year period since the end of the Renaissance has been marked by two events we Catholics can realistically call religious catastrophes. The first, of course, was the Protestant revolution most agree was begun by Martin ...read more
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21. How Do You Clean A Heart
Contributed on Mar 15, 2017
If the house, once cleaned of this demon, is not filled with goodness, the evil spirit will return with seven more vices and perversions and make our souls even worse, our souls and families even sicker.
Third Sunday of Lent 2017 Extraordinary Form Today we find Christ, speaking through the Church’s liturgical texts, teaching us about the birds and the bees. I say the birds because the Communion verse tells us that the sparrow has found a home and the turtle dove a nest to lay her young ...read more
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22. When Should We Praise And Give Thanks?
Contributed on May 21, 2017
How about the business of giving thanks and praise in all circumstances?
Sunday after Ascension 2017 Extraordinary FormFrom the First Epistle of St. Peter: Beloved: The end of all things is at hand; therefore keep sane and sober for your prayers. 8 Above all hold unfailing your charity for one another, since charity covers a multitude of sins. 9 Practice hospitality ...read more
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23. That Pesky Catholic "Et"
Contributed on Jun 5, 2017
Christ taught us the basic belief of Christianity, that God is One and God is three. The God we believe in, the God who loves us so much, is Trinity–Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Ghost)
Trinity Sunday 2017 That Pesky Catholic “Et” A wise theologian once taught me that the distinctive character of Catholic teaching is what he called the “pesky Catholic ‘et’.” That’s the word “and” in English, “y” en Español, “und” auf deutsch. Catholic teaching uses a lot of phrases containing ...read more
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24. Growing The Family Of God
Contributed on Sep 16, 2017
There is a widespread effort within our culture to destroy the human family, and ultimately to dehumanize all of us, to turn us into commodities. But there is also hope for change.
Sixteenth Sunday After Pentecost 2017 From the epistle of Blessed Paul the Apostle to the Ephesians: Brethren: I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory. 14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on ...read more
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25. Yes, Christ Is Our King
Contributed on Oct 21, 2017
We pray today that the families of nations separated by the wound of sin would be brought together under the dominion of Christ the King.
Christ the King 2017 Restoring All Things Extraordinary Form From the Epistle of Blessed Paul to the Colossians: Beloved, May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to ...read more
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26. To Be Holy
Contributed on Oct 28, 2017
We must be changed, changed into images of Our Lord and Our Lady by the grace of God given to us in the sacraments.
All Saints Day 2017 “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no man could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud ...read more
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27. Communing With Christ In Silence
Contributed on Dec 16, 2017
As we approach the creche tonight or tomorrow, as we contemplate the silence or angelic music surrounding the manger, let’s all ask Our Lord for a real hunger for silent communion with the Holy Trinity.
Vigil of Christmas 2017 extraordinary form We are called to belong to Jesus Christ. We are called to be saints. We are called to be like our mother, Mary, the just man, Joseph, and especially our Savior, our Messiah, our Lord. In the short time I have today, I’d like to share some thoughts on ...read more
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28. What We Learn At Cana
Contributed on Jan 1, 2018
When the wedding planner–maybe you’ve dealt with one sometime–tasted it, he pronounced it καλὸν, beautiful.
2nd Sunday after Epiphany 2018 Extraordinary Form It’s been almost thirteen years since Carolyn and I spent nearly two weeks in the Holy Land on pilgrimage, but many of the memories continue to enrich my study, prayer and preaching. The visit to Cana figures large in those recollections, and ...read more
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29. When A Leader Of The Church Creates A Scandal
Contributed on Aug 25, 2018
The Holy Ghost has the power to sweep up the shards and make from this mess a magnificent mosaic of Christ.
Fourteenth Sunday in Course: Extraordinary Lectionary The Church is in a “time that tries men's souls,” and it is not God who has put us in this trial by fire. A good friend of mine is a convert to the Catholic faith, and recently told me that if she were in the decision phase of that conversion ...read more
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30. The Spiritual Gift Of Fear Of The Lord
Contributed on Sep 15, 2018
We are in danger in the U.S. Church today because we have in many ways lost that attitude of reverence, humble fear, toward God.
Eighteenth Sunday After Pentecost 2018 Extraordinary Form Every morning all Catholic clergy, and thousands of lay Catholics, pray the Benedictus prayer of Zechariah. It’s the prayer John the Baptist’s father vocalized when his voice was restored after John’s birth. There is a line in this ...read more