Homily from the Second Sunday of Lent. You have to know yourself to say no to yourself. We are in a battle, but our primary enemy is closer than we might like to imagine. In order to gain true freedom and victory, we have to know this enemy and know when to say no to them. Mass Readings from March 17, 2019: Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18 Psalm 27:1, 7- ...…

Homily from Ash Wednesday. You are in a fight; what comes next? For many of us, our default assumption about life is: it’s fine. Even when things are obviously broken, we can pretend that they will “fix themselves.” But Lent reminds us that we are in a battle that won’t be won unless we are ready to engage the enemy who will attack us like our ...…

Homily from the Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time. What reveals the heart. We often are a mystery...even to ourselves. But Christians must come to a place of self-knowledge so we can present our true self to the true God. Mass Readings from March 3, 2019: Sirach 27:4-7 Psalm 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-16 1 Corinthians 15:54-58 Luke 6:39-45…

Homily from the Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time. You are loved most when you deserve it the least. Jesus calls us to love our enemies. But how can we do that when we don’t even love the people we like? When we often don’t effectively love ourselves? Mass Readings from February 24, 2019: 1 Samuel 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23 Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 8, 10 ...…

Homily from the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Willing to engage and embrace the realities of life. Hope is not a “soft” virtue. It is a fighting virtue. Hope is what enables us to live in the present with strength and conviction. It takes hope to take action. Mass Readings from February 17, 2019: Jeremiah 17:5-8 Psalm 1:1-4, 6 1 Corinthians 15 ...…

Homily from the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time. God is able to make you holy even if He never makes you whole. There are some things in our lives (our decisions, our wounds, our weaknesses) that we wish and pray were gone. God calls you and I in our weakness; He doesn’t necessarily call us out of our weakness. Mass Readings from February 10, 201 ...…

Homily from the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Being unqualified does not disqualify when God calls. There are many people who would look remarkably average on paper. Our stats would reveal that we are unqualified for being a part of God’s great work. But the Lord calls us to the greatest of these: love. Mass Readings from February 3, 2019: Je ...…

Homily from the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time. What great work may God be preparing you for right now? In Christ, your past might not be the thing that prevent you from being a part of God’s great work… It might be the thing that has prepared you. Mass Readings from January 27, 2019: Nehemiah 8:2-4A, 5-6, 8-10 Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 15 1 Corinthian ...…

Homily from the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time. God uses what we have and gives us what we need. It is often very tempting to forget the heart of God. To forget that He notices us, delights in us, and rejoices in us. When the focus shifts from His love to our insufficiency and feelings of insignificance, He reminds us of the truth. Mass Reading ...…

Homily from the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas). The Why is a Who. Jesus is not merely the “reason for the season”… He is the reason for everything. Mass Readings from December 25, 2018: Isaiah 62:11-12 Psalm 97:1, 6, 11-12 Titus 3:4-7 Luke 2:15-20By maryhazuka@gmail.com (Father Mike Schmitz).

Homily from the Second Sunday of Advent. This might be the end of the dream, but it is not the end of the story. God has begun a good work in you. In fact, he has begun many “good works.“ Many of them will come to an end, but the truly great work that God has begun is a work that he intends to continue to finish. Mass Readings from December 09, ...…

Homily from the First Sunday of Advent. You will never be ready unless you get ready. Advent is a season of preparation. We get ready to celebrate the first coming of Christ into this world. We also get ready for His Second Coming at the end of the world…or at the end of our individual lives. During Advent, we get ready to die. Mass Readings fr ...…

Homily from the Thirty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Don't waste your priesthood. Jesus is the one eternal High Priest. He has called certain men to participate in His priesthood in a unique way. But He has also extended a share in His priesthood to all believers so that the Father may be glorified and the world redeemed when the sacrifice is ...…

Homily from the Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time. Not merely witnessing the miracle, but offering the sacrifice. We have to learn the worship of God in a similar way that we need to learn the Word of God. The more we know What we are doing, Who we are offering, Why it is crucial, and When to focus, the more we will be able to do more than w ...…

Homily from the Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time. Offering first-fruits reveals and increases the depth of trust. The temptation to experience worship as hollow or empty is universal. God’s solution for our hearts is the invitation to offer Him our first-fruits. Sacrifices that are intentional, consequential, and representational have the ...…

Homily from the Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time. Not to watch, but to worship. The heart of religion is the worship of God. And the heart of worship is always sacrifice; a gift that is poured out on the altar. Where is your gift being poured out? Where is your altar? Mass Readings from November 04, 2018: Deuteronomy 6:2-6 Psalm 18:2-3, 3-4 ...…

Homily from the Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time. We do not conquer our rivals, we are called out from beneath their power. The voices around us shape us. Some voices shape us more powerfully and more negatively than others. These rival voices fashion a lens through which we see the world. They can rob us of peace, joy, and Christ place in our ...…

Homily from the Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time. What do I have to do to get what I want? So much of our lives can be marked by the desire to control...or the fear of losing control. The rival of control can dominate. And the trust of praise and surrender can liberate. Mass Readings from October 21, 2018: Isaiah 53:10-11 Psalm 33:4-5, 18-1 ...…

Homily from the Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time. God has an absolute claim on your heart. What is the reason you won’t give it to him? There is a clear difference between a reason and an excuse. Excuses are not acceptable answers, but there are times when even “good reasons” fail to be “good enough.“ Mass Readings from October 14, 2018: W ...…

Homily from the Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time. There are some relationships that do not tolerate rivals. There are only two kinds of relationships that get to a point where it is “all…or nothing“: Romantic relationships and our relationship with Jesus. If we say “all“, that carries with it some consequences. Namely, all of our heart mu ...…

Homily from the Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time. True greatness lies in being able to let go of whatever you don’t need. The temptation to fall back into measuring greatness according to the standards of the world is powerful. And when we see the good that others have and have accomplished, it can be easy to fall into comparison, jealousy, ...…

Homily from the Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Ambition involves the willingness to risk. Selfless ambition is the willingness to risk the loss of status for the good of someone else. Great leaders are not those who make their authority over others felt. Great leaders (and great people) are those who, like Christ, place themselves and th ...…

Homily from the Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Could you be great even if no one knew? The desire to be seen and to be known is written deep in the human heart. But is a person great simply because a large number of people acknowledge them? Jesus reveals that true greatness is when a person gives themselves away to something or someone ...…

Homily from the Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time. You don't have to do all the things. You just have to do the thing. We can put off doing the one thing we need to do in order to do other, less important, tasks. Or we can do the will of God as He lays it out for us and simply do the thing. Mass Readings from September 09, 2018: Isaiah 35:4- ...…

Homily from the Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time. You don't have to do all the things. You just have to do the thing. We can put off doing the one thing we need to do in order to do other, less important, tasks. Or we can do the will of God as He lays it out for us and simply do the thing. Mass Readings from September 02, 2018: Deuteronomy ...…

Homily from the Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time. God is not indifferent to you. Mass Readings from August 26, 2018: Joshua 24:1-2, 15-17, 18 Psalm 34:2-3, 16-17, 18-19, 20-21 Ephesians 5:21-32 John 6:60-69 To view Father Mike's response to the sex abuse scandal in the Church, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdR8eyaDCHg…

Homily from the Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. At the heart of the unforgivable sin are two words. The two words “I’m fine” might be a simple way of saying “no thanks.” But it is also a way of saying “I do not desire to change my current status.” Even if a person is thirsty or hungry, they might say “I’m fine" in response to an offer of water o ...…

Homily from the Sixth Sunday of Easter. You do not need permission to be an example. Not all of us can have influence, but we can all be an example. Mass Readings from May 6, 2018: Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48 Psalm 98:1, 2-3, 3-4 1 John 4:7-10 John 15:9-17By maryhazuka@gmail.com (Father Mike Schmitz).

Homily from the Fifth Sunday of Easter. Confidence is critical to moving forward. Surrender is the key to confidence. It is one thing to have confidence when a person has power and knowledge. There is another kind of confidence that is necessary when a person is powerless and answerless. This is the kind of confidence in another – – God – – tha ...…

Homily from the Fourth Sunday of Easter. In calling us to what’s next, God doesn’t necessarily take anything away, but He gives us something. He doesn’t necessarily take away the danger or the fear, but He gives us what we need for the next thing. Courage is using what you’ve been given the moment what you’ve been given is needed the most. Mass ...…

Homily from the Third Sunday of Easter. Looking ahead only gets you so far. Being convinced by Christ is one thing, being convicted to take action is another. The call is to be converted…to be changed…to be like Christ. This can happen when we follow the commandments with God’s grace and allow ourselves to be transformed. But this means that we ...…

Homily from the Second Sunday of Easter. To move forward with joy, one needs something more powerful than control. The early Church was filled with men and women who lived in uncertainty. The current Church is filled with men and women who live in uncertainty. The key difference between them and us is that they had something more sure than cert ...…

Homily from Good Friday of the Lord's Passion. It is better to give and receive than to take and reject. Mass Readings from March 30, 2018: Isaiah 52:13—53:12 Psalm 31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-16, 17, 25 Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9 John 18:1—19:42By maryhazuka@gmail.com (Father Mike Schmitz).

Homily from Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion. Make the Passion personal. The Passion and death of Christ is so...big. Sometimes it can seem so big that it becomes impersonal. But this event was not anonymous and the sufferings of Jesus were not generic. Each moment has a name attached to it, and each blow was specific. Until what I did to him ...…

Homily from the Fifth Sunday of Lent. Is the change cosmetic? Or substantial? Transformation is a part of life. And Lent is all about allowing God to make us into the kind of people He has created and called us to be. And yet, many of us spend time focusing on the “fruits” of change rather than being attentive to the root. We can change cosmeti ...…

Homily from the Fourth Sunday of Lent. God responds to our radical need with His radical love. Many people find it incredibly difficult to be honest...even with themselves. But unless we get past the surface to the root of what is truly in our hearts, not only will we not know ourselves, no one else will know us either. In our relationship with ...…

Homily from the Second Sunday of Lent. Can I be honest? Many people find it incredibly difficult to be honest...even with themselves. But unless we get past the surface to the root of what is truly in our hearts, not only will we not know ourselves, no one else will know us either. In our relationship with God, we need to be honest with what is ...…

Homily from the First Sunday of Lent. Are these ashes no more than skin deep? We live in a unique time. It is, in many ways, an age marked by a disposition towards compromise. One where convictions and beliefs are quickly and easily discarded whenever they become inconvenient. But the Christian must be able to stand. Therefore, the follower of ...…

Homily from Ash Wednesday. Are these ashes no more than skin deep? Many people spend their time living as an imposter in their own lives. Even Christians will often be tempted to allow the power and grace of God to only go skin deep. But this Lent, you can choose a Lenten practice that will reach your heart…all the way down to the root. Mass Re ...…

Homily from the Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time. What happens when the disciple knows better than the rabbi? A person can be touched and made new by Jesus and still not be a disciple. One common aspect of discipleship is actually doing what the rabbi tells one to do. But what happens when the disciple knows better than the rabbi? The answer is: t ...…

Homily from the Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time. Having a duty is a privilege. Doing your duty is a freedom. Duties and obligations are often seen as burdens. They restrict us from doing what we want and being able to enjoy life. But is this accurate? It turns out that being entrusted with a duty is a gift…and being able to do that duty is a powe ...…

Homily from the Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time. Following Jesus is not merely a matter of behaving or “being good". It ultimately rests on whether or not we will allow the Father to get close enough to carry us. But too many people find themselves divided, afraid, and bound by their sins, their fears, and their weakness. With a word, Christ can ...…

Homily from the Third Sunday of Ordinary Time. Look back. Let go. Live now. Nothing that has happened from the moment of your conception up until this moment is wasted. Jesus called those first disciples to follow Him and allow Him to make them into something new. In order to know how God will transform us in the future, we can look back on our ...…

Homily from the Second Sunday of Ordinary Time. Be steadfast in silence. Be strong in service. We can have our whole lives be about God: being in His presence, serving His people, learning His Word. But what happens when God’s response to that is silence? Sometimes silence is just silence. In the silence, Samuel shows us that we can become the ...…

Homily from the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas). Do you know what you want? Some people know exactly what they want and exactly what they need. Most of us do not, however. Because of that, until I experience the true need for a Savior, I will be unable to experience the joy of being given one. But when I know what I want...and need...Christmas ...…

Homily from the Third Sunday in Advent. Have we lost the ability to enjoy things? When we live life constantly distracted and incessantly amused, we will not find ourselves in a place of endless amusement; we will find ourselves unable to enjoy anything. But the Word calls us to rejoice, to pray, and to give thanks. How can I do that if I can’t ...…

Homily from the Second Sunday in Advent. Is it possible to have peace in the midst of battle? Peace is not the absence of war, but the presence of something more powerful that war and trial. Peace is found when one is ready for the current challenge because they have done what they needed to do. This principally involves being in right relation ...…

Homily from the First Sunday in Advent. At the beginning of Advent, the Church reminds us of Christ’s words: Be Alert! To be alert is to know your identity and situation…but it is also to remember how you got to that place. It is to remember your story and what God has done. We remember what God has done in history and what God has done in our ...…

Homily from the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. The consequence of indifference could have eternal significance. Hell is not only real, it is a real possibility. Those whom the Lord describes as being condemned were not condemned due to any sin they committed, but as a result of passivity. Sins of omission can have a c ...…

Homily from the Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time. Gifts are given for a purpose. Who you are is God’s gift to you. Who you become is your gift to God. God gives each of us any number of gifts/opportunities/talents in the course of our lives. Each one of these comes with a responsibility. The burden of the gift is that we must all do what we ...…