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 webministry@umdcatholic.org (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 webministry@umdcatholic.org (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 ...…

Homily from the Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time. Spend your time on what matters most. “Life is long if you know how to use it." And yet, most of us do not know how to use our lives…we do not know how to spend our time because we do not have a clear vision of our calling in Christ Jesus. Because of this, we end up wasting time…and wasting ...…

Homily from the Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time. Many people allow life to happen “to” them. Instead of embracing life and living a life of significance, people choose to live as if life does not have any meaning. But you were made to be significant…your life was created on purpose and for a purpose. It is time to live on purpose. Reject p ...…

Homily from the Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time. So many people feel like they can never do enough. In life, in relationships, in their faith. Because of this, people try to do everything and then beat themselves up over the fact that they are not able to do everything. But doing everything was never the goal. The goal, given by Jesus, is to ...…

Homily from the Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time. What is beneath a feeling of helplessness? There are times in life when a person is so overwhelmed that they feel like they cannot move. They need more information or they need more strength. But often, what we need is more courage. Facing fear and surviving, regardless of success or failur ...…

Homily from the Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time. You can never have enough of what you don’t need. A culture of excess is an unhappy culture. A person of excess is a person driven by fear. But with Christ, a person can find joy even when they do not have what they need. Because with Christ, they know that they have enough. Mass Readings f ...…

Homily from the Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time. To look like Jesus is to see things as they are. A disciple is a person who lives like Jesus and who sees the world like Jesus. A disciple shares the worldview of Christ and sees all things: others, death, self, purpose, and Good and Evil...as they are. Mass Readings from October 8, 2017: ...…

Homily from the Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time. For the Glory of the Father. Each one of our lives is made up of any number of "what's". But a truly great life is driven by one great "why". This "why" is the motivation and the vision for a life lived on purpose. The life of Jesus can be summed up in one single great "why". Mass Readings f ...…

Homily from the Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time. If my relationship with the Father is actual, then my identity is unshakeable, and my activities and mission are completely changeable. What defines you? Too often, our activities give us our identity. Because of this, our sense of self and our sense of joy is constantly in danger of being c ...…

Homily from the Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time. How does Jesus look at death? There is no need to fear death, because Jesus has conquered death. And yet, do we approach death the way Jesus approached death? Many of us see death as “natural” or something to be avoided. But Jesus saw death as an enemy to be stared down and battled. And yet ...…

Homily from the Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time. How does Jesus look at the people around me? The way we look at the world directs the way we live in the world. Our vision of life, God, ourselves, and other people is called to be shaped and guided by the way Jesus sees them. How would my life be different if I looked at the people near me ...…

Homily from the Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time. Faith is more than "agreement." Mass Readings from September 03, 2017: Jeremiah 20:7-9 Psalm 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9 Romans 12:1-2 Matthew 16:21-27By webministry@umdcatholic.org (Father Mike Schmitz).

Homily from the Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time. So many people have been "raised Catholic, but..." They have never embraced the inheritance of the Faith they have been given. They may even have the answers to all of the questions, but those who can say "I've been raised Catholic, and..." are those who have actually met the living God. We ...…

Homily from the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Living as a Catholic in this world takes courage. But it also takes the power that only comes from Jesus. Mass Readings from August 13, 2017: 1 Kings 19:9, 11-13 Psalm 85:9, 10, 11-12, 13-14 Romans 9:1-5 Matthew 14:22-33By webministry@umdcatholic.org (Father Mike Schmitz).

Homily from the Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Homily given at the Steubenville Youth Conference in Spokane, WA. What we love determines the course of our lives more than anything else. Mass Readings from July 30, 2017: 1 Kings 3:5,7-12 Psalm 119:57, 72, 76-77, 127-128, 129-130 Romans 8:28-30 Matthew 13:44-52…

Homily from the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Programs can do some good, but only disciples can make disciples. A disciple has allowed Jesus to be the Lord of their learning, their love, and their life. Mass Readings from July 09, 2017: Zechariah 9:9-10 Psalm 145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13-14 Romans 8:9, 11-13 Matthew 11:25-30…