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People often ask about the style of our parish ministry and about the homilies. Why are they like they are?. How do we decide what to focus on? Why the length? One Sunday at the 9:15 mass, I decided to answer those questions. This talk explains the general style of ministry at St. Cyril's, and specifically how we approach our responsibility to preach the Gospel to the people entrusted to us. If any of you ever have any follow up questions, please, do not hesitate to speak to me.
Fr. Mario |
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We do not have a recording for the weekend of June 14 & 15, because our pastor did not preach at any of the masses. We had a guest homilist at all of our masses, who spoke about the Passionist Fathers missions in India. |
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This is the homily, given by Deacon Reggie Samuels, a parishioner who will be ordained to the priesthood in May of next year. |
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This is Fr. Mario's homily, given at the 11:30 mass on Sunday morning. |
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Fr. Mario's homily, given at the 5:15 mass on Saturday evening. |
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Fr. Mario's homily, given on Trinity Sunday (May 18) at the 11:30 mass. |
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In this homily, given by Fr. Mario at the 9:30 Sunday mass, he discusses the Communion Rite and the Closing Rites of the mass. |
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In this homily, given by Fr. Mario at the 11:30 mass on May 4, he discusses the preparation of the Altar and Gifts, and the Eucharistic Prayer. |
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In this homily, given at the 9:30 mass on Sunday morning, Fr. Mario explains the general focus of our celebration of the mass, then explains the Introductory Rites and the Liturgy of the Word. |
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Holy Oil, Healing Hands: God's Presence In Times Of Illness |
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All of us will face, sooner or later, our own and the suffering of those we love. How can we experience God's presence in these times when life itself makes no sense. God's presence through the sacraments, especially the Sacrament of the Sick, gently guides our attention to Him walking next to us as we carry the cross. |
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We have taken to heart Jesus' injunction to not judge lest we be judged. We have, however, taken to heart a misunderstanding of the command that has led us to a dangerous "judgment paralysis." We now find a culture unable to make reasonable judgments about the nature of the good. Without the capacity to make rational judgments we can not survive. So what did Jesus mean when he told us not to judge? Sunday, April 13th, 2008. |
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Does It All Make Sense? Thinking About Meaning And Purpose In The Search For God |
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The one thing no one can live with is "nonsense." So does God want us to make sese of life. In this homily we explore the link between who God is and the need to make sense of our live. Sunday, April 6th, 2008. |
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"God made us in His image and likeness and we never cease returning the favor." We are constantly limiting God and His mercy because of our own limitations. We think of God as an enhanced version of ourselves. What a sad little trap this turns into. Sunday, Marhc 30th, 2008. |
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The great psychologist Victor Frankl, who spent much of World War II in a concentration camp one said "The ultimate human freedom is the ability to choose the attitude you will have towards you suffering." On this Easter Sunday the suffering of Good Friday is transformed into purpose and future. Easter Sunday, March 30th, 2008. |
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The crucifixion of Jesus is the final stage of God's rescue plan which started at the very moment of Adam and Eve's fall from Grace. The Ten Commandments, the Law and the prophets are fulfilled in this dramatic expression of God's love. Good Friday 2008. |
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Passion Sunday And The Dying God: The Origin Of What Seems Obvious |
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Ask any child who God is. The answer will include words like "father," "love," & "friend." It seems so obvious to us who God is. But if the same question would have been asked of a child in the pagan ancient world, those concepts would never have been included in the description. So how did things change? Passion Sunday March 14, 2008. |
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God's "Top Ten": The Ten Commandments, part 5 - The Greatest Commandment |
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The conclusion of our "God's Top Ten" series, in which Fr. Mario discusses the Greatest Commandment.
Given at the 9:30 mass on March 9. |
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God's Top Ten: The Ten Commandments, part 4 - Genuine Generosity |
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Fr. Mario's homily from Sunday, March 2, 11:30 a.m., in which he discusses commandments number 7, 8 & 10. |
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God's "Top Ten" - The Ten Commandments, part three: Real Relationship |
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This is Fr. Mario's homily, given at the 11:30 mass on Sunday, in which he reflects on commandments 5, 6 and 9. |
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God's "Top Ten": The Ten Commandments - Part 2: Authentic Authority |
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This is the second of our Lenten homily series, in which Fr. Mario reflects on the first 4 of the Ten Commandments.
Given at the 9:30 mass on Sunday morning. |
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God's "Top Ten": The Ten Commandments - Part 1, Intrduction |
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This is Fr. Mario's homily for the first Sunday of Lent, during which he begins our Lenten homily series about God's Law, and especially the Ten Commandments.
Given at the 11:30 Sunday mass on February 10. |
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Diocesan Services Fund: Because you do what you need to do for family. |
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This is Fr. Mario's homily given at the 9:30 mass during which he spoke of the Diocesan Services Fund, and some of the many things that are done with this fund. |
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This is Fr. Mario's homily, given on the 27th of January at the 11:30 mass. |
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This is Fr. Mario's Homily, given at the 11:30 mass on the 20th of January. |
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This is Fr. Mario's homily, given at the 9:30 mass on Sunday morning, for the last Sunday in the Christmas season. |
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The Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord - Christ is Revealed to the Nations |
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This is Fr. Mario's homily given at the 11:30 mass on Sunday, Jan. 6. |
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This is Fr. Mario's homily given at the 11:30 mass on the Sunday between Christmas and New Year's Day. |
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This is Fr. Mario's homily given on Christmas Eve at the Vigil Mass. |
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Homily for the 4th Sunday of Advent, given by Fr. Mario at the 11:30 mass on Sunday morning. |
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Part 3 of our Advent series, given by Fr. Mario at the 11:30 mass on Sunday, Dec. 16 |
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The second homily in the Advent series.
Given by Fr. Mario at the 11:30 mass on Dec. 9. |
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The beginning of our Advent homily series.
Given at the 11:30 mass on Sunday, Dec. 2 |
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If you look very carefully at the gospels, you will notice that Jesus NEVER asked for volunteers for anything. He always called people to follow him, or sent them by name to do a particular task.
In this spirit, at St. Cyril's, we do not ask people to volunteer for ministries. We invite them to listen to see if God is calling them to serve in a particular area. In this past Sunday's homily, Fr. Mario points out this reality, then invites Fred Clay, who serves as the coordinator of liturgical ministries, to speak about the different ways that God calls us to serve in the Sunday celelbration of the Eucharist.
Given at the 11:30 mass on Sunday, Nov. 18. |
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How many of us are destined to be celibate? It is an unsettleing question the answer to which we would not include ourselves. Think throught it and you might find some surprising answers. |
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Who are you anyway? Am I my feelings? I cannot figure myself out. Am I supposed to express how I feel? We can't really find ourselves, and the more we focus on only our feelings, the more lost we will become.
Given at the 9:30 mass on Sunday. |
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In the Gospel reading, Jesus invites us to "Humble ourselves and we will be exalted." Fr. Mario's homily reminds us that bearing our illnesses is one of the ways that we humble ourselves before God.
Given at the 8 a.m. mass on Sunday the 28th of October. |
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Fr. Mario was out of town for the weekend. Because of this, we have no homily recording to upload for this past weekend.
Next weekend we will have Fr. Mario's homily recorded, as usual. |
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This is the conclusion of the series on the Theology of the Body.
Given Sunday, October 14 at the 11:30 mass. |
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Body Wisdom, Part 7: Free, Total, Faithful and Fruitful |
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This is part 7 of the Body Wisdom homily series, in which Fr. Mario describes what a healthy love should look like.
Given for the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, at the 11:30 mass on Sunday, October 7, 2007 |
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Be afraid! Be very afraid!! (But do it in a healthy way) |
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The readings this Sunday serve as a warning of the need to be aware of those around us, and to respond in love to them. Fr. Mario spoke on the fear that these readings should spark in us, and how some fall prey to an unhealty fear of God, which can lead to scrupulosity.
Given Sunday, September 30, at the 9:30 a.m. mass on the 26th Sunday of Ordinary Time. |
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Fr. Mario speaks about the reality that we live our lives for an audience of one: God. This should affect how we prioritize our time, our abilities and our resources. It is sinful to give to God the "leftovers" of what God has given to us.
25th Sunday of Ordinary Time, September 23, 9:30 a.m. mass. |
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In this past Sunday's gospel, Jesus tells three parables; the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost (prodigal) son. Each of these parables speaks of how much God loves each of His children. Fr. Mario expands on this understanding in his homily, recorded at the Life Teen mass at 5 p.m. on Sunday evening.
Given for the 24th Sunday of Ordinary Time. |
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The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is probably one of the most misunderstood of the Church's seven sacraments. In this homily, Fr. Mario clarifies some misconceptions about the sacrament, and gives a clear understanding of its use.
Given Sunday, September 9 at the 11:30 a.m. mass. |
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How Heaven is not an exclusive club.
Given at the 9:30 a.m. mass, 21st Sunday of Ordinary Time.
8/26/07 |
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Reframing Your Worldview: What Do I Do Now? (Part 3 of 3) |
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Fr. Mario shares the "ten mega-truths" that can help us fight "truth decay" in our lives. Given at the 11:30 mass on Sunday morning. |
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Reframing Your Worldview: How Do I Know What's True? (Part 2 of 3) |
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What is the cause of our “decline in moral values”? I can say it in two words – truth decay. Jesus said “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” Freedom comes from truth. The more you know the truth the freer you are in your spirit, in your life, in your family. The opposite is true. The more you give up on truth the more you forfeit your freedom. The symptoms of "Truth Decay" show the preference for tolerance over truth. So is there truth, or is there just "whatever?" Jesus reveals the truth of us to ourselves.
This is part two in the series on Worldviews. We look first at the damaging effect of truth decay in our society, in our families and actually in our personal lives. What it does to our personal lives when we let go of truth. Then we’re going to look at the five ways that you can know the truth.
8/12/07
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Reframing Your Worldview: Why Does It Matter What I Believe? (Part 1 of 3). |
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Ideas have consequences. You don’t realize it but every day you are affected and influenced by the ideas and worldviews of other people, the people all around you.
The worldviews of your friends. The worldviews of people you work with. The worldviews of your parents, co-workers, of the media, celebrities, the people you listen to in school, teachers. They have influenced your life in ways that you’re not even aware of. Not only that everyday you’re influenced by your own worldview. The fact is it determines your happiness, it determines your success in life. It determines what you feel about life. It determines your peace of mind, your stress level, your confidence level all come from your worldview.
Today we begin a new series that we're calling “Reframing Your Worldview.” We’re going to look at God’s perspective on life. What life is really like. Seeing life from God’s point of view.
8/5/07 |
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If Only God Would Answer: What to do When You Ask, Seek, and Knock--and Nothing Happens |
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What does a relationship with God look like and how do we develop it? Ask God for things and watch His response teach you about who He really is.
7/29/07 |
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Martha questions Jesus, "Lord, do you not care that my sister (Mary) has left me by myself to do the serving?" Is it every God's will that we not care. The surprising answer is that not caring is as important as caring. Caring about the wrong things can wreck your life and actually be part of sin. So how do you know what you should and what you should not care about? Some simple guidelines to help make these distictions.
7/22/07 |
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Who is my neighbor? In the gospel, Jesus answers this question by telling the parable of the Good Samaritan. Here at St. Cyril's, our neighbor is also the child or adult who wants to learn more about their faith and comes for religious instruction. But if there is no one to teach, their knowledge cannot be deepened. This weekend we invited all the parishioners to ask themselves if God was calling them to participate in the handing on of the faith through Catechetical Ministry to adults or children.
7/15/07 |
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We hear a lot about the devil. Our images are of a little red guy with an arrow tail. But what is the reality of what the Church teaches about the Satan. It is important to look at the reality of the existence of evil and be realistic about Satan effects our daily lives.
7/8/07 |
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St. John the Baptist: He must increase, I must decrease. |
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John the Baptist had a special task. He was called to take center stage and then bow out. He is an example of Christian ministry. We must learn to ask God to use us when He wants, and to help us to know when to get out of His way. We are not called to be center stage, only Jesus has that spot. We may be called to introduce the main act, but then we must get off the stage.
6/24/07 |
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Today's culture has a specific message about sex: it is a totally neutral bodily function that can be manipulated by any person and means nothing more than scratching where it itches. No matter how many times we tell ourselves that, it is not true. God made sex and its ultimate expression in intercourse to be a powerful language. The body speaks the language of love. In sexual intercourse the body speaks even though the person may not want it to say what it is saying. The body essentially communicates a gift of total self. When intercourse occurs outside of God's design for marriage, the act is essentially a lie. Only in a loving marital relationship is the truth of sexual self gift spoken. The "Body Wisdom" homily series will be continued in the fall.
03/17/07 |
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We often think of freedom as the ability to do what we want when we want to. But this kind of freedom leaves one major factor out, Truth. If you choose freedom without reference to truth, you are, in effect, choosing destruction. You are, for example, free to put whatever you want into your car's gas tank, but if you do not take into account the truth of the design of the engine, you will in effect be destroying the engine as you exercise your freedom. Human choice, independent of God's design of our lives is ultimately a prescription for slow physical and spiritual suicide.
03/10/07 |
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Our own relationship with our bodies and that of others is infected by the result of the disconnect between ourselves and our creator. We have lost contact with the specifications of our own design. We wander through life out of touch with ourselves and with others. Because of this, our relationships break down and even our own self concept is intensely confused. We are a race of Humpty Dumpties who need to be rescued from our own brokeness. Until we realize that, at best, we can only put ourselves back together with spiritual chicken wire, we cannot understand the constant sense that something is missing in life. What is missing is you configured to you original design. Is there any way to get back to this?
06/03/07 |
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This is Fr. Mario's homily, given at the 7:30 mass on Sunday, Feb. 4. It is the last homily in Part A of the Body Wisdom series. Part B will begin on the June 3 weekend.
02/04/07 |
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Jan. 28:This is the second in our 12-part series on the chruch's teaching on love and sexuality. Homily was given by Fr. Mario at the Saturday 5 p.m. mass. 01/28/07 |
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This is the first of a 12-part series on the church's teaching on sexuality and love. The series will be given in three sections through the end of October. The first section, Part A, is 3 weeks long. This homily was given at the 9:15 mass on Sunday.
01/14/07 |
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The Resilient Spirit: Transforming Suffering into Insight and Character |
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All of us face harship ino our lives, but few knoww how to learn from it. We forget that suffering is an unavoidable and essental part of the human condition - and also one of the engines through which the Holy Spirit transforms and develops our character. The power of God's Spirit allows us to explroe our own experiences to find their meaning, and to be guided through the fundamental transition of suffering to compassion, and ultimately, from pain to transformation and holiness.
05/27/07 |
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On the feast of the Ascesion, Paul asks us to pray that the "eyes of our hearts be enlightened." Using the example of going to Holy Communion, we explore a more enlightened understanding of the relationship between "going to communion" and "living in communion." Going to Holy Communion means receiving the Christ that transforms and deepens all of our communions.
05/20/07 |
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We often imagine that the peace we pray for is the absence of conflict. Jesus reminds us that He does not give peace the world gives peace. His is the peace that comes as a fruit of Justice, not the outward sign of imposed control.
03/06/07 |
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The Virtue Driven Life - Part 8: The Virtue of Charity |
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This is Fr. Mario's homily, given at the 11:15 Sunday mass, in which he discusses the final of the virtues covered in Fr. Groeshel's book, the virtue of Charity or Love.
04/29/07 |
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This is Fr. Mario's homily, given at the 9:15 mass on Sunday morning.
04/22/07 |
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The Virtue Driven Life - Part 6: The Virtue of Faith |
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This is Fr. Mario's homily, given at the 11:15 mass on Sunday morning.
4/15/07 |
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The Virtue Driven Life - Part 5: The Virtue of Temperance |
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This is Fr. Mario's homily from the 9:15 mass on Sunday, during which he discusses the cardinal virtue of Temperance.
03/25/07 |
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The Virtue Driven Life - Part 4: The Virtue of Fortitude |
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This is Fr. Mario's homily, given at the 9:15 mass last Sunday, in which he discusses the virtue of Fortitude or Courage.
03/18/07 |
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The Virtue Driven Life - Part 3: The Virtue of Justice |
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This is Fr. Mario's homily, given at the 11:15 mass. It is the third in the Lenten homily series.
03/11/07 |
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The Virtue Driven Life - Part 2: The Virtue of Prudence |
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Prudence is one of the Cardinal Virtues. It is often associated with Wisdom, Insight, and Knowledge. In this case, the virtue is the ability to judge between virtuous and vicious actions, not only in a general sense, but with regard to appropriate actions at a given time and place. Although prudence itself does not perform any actions, and is concerned solely with knowledge, all virtues have to be regulated by it. Distinguishing when acts are courageous, as opposed to reckless or cowardly, for instance, is an act of prudence. This is why it is classified as a "cardinal" which is to say "pivotal" virtue.
3/4/07 |
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Every one is driven by something! So what is driving you? Today we introduce "The Virtue Driven Life" a 7-week series we will use during Lent and for part of the Easter season. We will be talking about how to live focused on growing in Virtue. Virtue is the Gospel, applied to different aspects of our character. In today's homily we introduce you to the Virtue Driven Life.
2/25/07 |
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We often picture the Holy Family using images taken from artists. The consequence is that we never see our own families as being holy. Holiness seems something far removed from daily life. We must lear to recognize the holiness of our everday "messy" families, for it is there that God dwells and is teaching to live and love.
12/31/06 |
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