Ordinary Time, 23rd Sunday (C) We think we are free, but many of us are slaves. We are burdened by the needs and worries of the flesh. The book of Wisdom says, "For the corruptible body burdens the soul and the earthen shelter weighs down the mind that has many concerns."

In today's Gospel, Jesus seems to be adding more burdens: Hate your family, take up your cross, and renounce all your possessions. In reality, Jesus is not adding more burdens, but lifting burdens from us. He is setting captives free.

Think of the times we worry about our family and friends. If Jesus is the most important person in our lives, all our other relationships will find their proper order and place. We all face suffering. But if we carry our crosses with him and for him, our burdens will be lighter. We all worry about our material possessions. But if we follow Jesus, he will make sure we have what we need.

I find marriage to be a useful illustration of this "all-in" principle. Can a husband say to his wife, "I love you, but my mother is more important than you. My family, my friends, these are all more important."? I tell you, his marriage will not last long. A wife needs to be the first and most important woman in her husband's life. Then the other relationships will find their proper places.

How many would want to be married to a spouse who says, "I will be with you when things are easy, fun, and comfortable, but I will be leaving as soon as things get hard?" Even in marriage we must take up our crosses daily. Lastly, the possessions of one become the possessions of both when you are married. Some people are trying to be married as a kind of side job. Marriage only works when both spouses are willing to go "all-in".

In a similar way, many of us are trying to follow Jesus as if it were a side-job, something we do after we've done everything else. But it's only when we are willing to be "all-in" disciples of Jesus that everything else falls into place.

(7 Sep 2025)

Going Deeper: Join me for Oriens: A Pilgrimage Through Advent and Christmas this year. Learn more at pilgrimpriest.us/book

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Ordinary Time, 22nd Sunday (C) Jesus goes to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees, and the guests at the banquet are observing them carefully. Jesus is also watching them. He offers some sage advice, a radical suggestion: fight for the lower spot. Make yourself as humble as possible, and wait for the host to exult you.

Two news stories shocked me this week. The first was the shooting at Annunciation Catholic school in Minneapolis. The second was a priest of the Madison diocese who was arrested for pursuing an illegal relationship with a young girl. I don’t know a lot about these situations. And it’s always dangerous to judge things at a distance. But, with those caveats, I want to hazard a guess. I bet that deep down, both the perpetrators in these terrible situations had, at some point, refused to accept their own poverty. They looked for ways that they could grasp at that would make them feel powerful.

St Francis of Assisi grew up the son of a wealthy merchant. He liked expensive clothes and throwing lavish parties. He decided he wanted to be a knight. His father paid a pretty penny for a new suit of shiny armor and off he went to win glory in a local war. Instead he was captured and put in prison. He was held for ransom.

There in prison he began to have a change of heart. He realized that fighting for the best place at the table was not working for him. He realized that Jesus chose poverty. He decided to choose poverty. When he was released from prison, he started praying a lot and dressing like a beggar and begging for food. As you can imagine, the town thought he had gone crazy. But in reality, he was falling in love.

Francis chose poverty because it made him like Jesus.
Jesus chose poverty because it made him like us.

You see, deep down we are really poor. The richest, most powerful man on earth will die and lose everything. We are all poor little creatures. And we can respond to our poverty one of two ways:
Grasping at more so we don’t have to feel poor,
or childlike trust in the Father's love with a gratitude that feels no need to possess.

When we grasp at things, we can only hold so much in our own two hands. And it's all slipping through our fingers. As my empire expands, that reality doesn’t really change. I only control so much and it can easily be lost, stolen, or corrupted.

When I live in childlike trust of my Father, I own nothing of my own, but the wealth of his kingdom is also mine. Paradoxically, by choosing to accept my poverty and see myself as a grateful steward, I become unimaginably wealthy. I don’t own anything but Daddy owns the sun, the moon, the stars, and the whole planet. And he lets me use whatever I need whenever I need it.

When we choose the path of childlike trust, then we can turn and be generous to others. Today Jesus holds a banquet and invites the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame. He wants you to do the same for others.

(31 Aug 2025)

Going Deeper: Reflect on Psalm 131:

O Lord, my heart is not lifted up,
my eyes are not raised too high;
I do not occupy myself with things
too great and too marvelous for me.
But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
like a child quieted at its mother’s breast;
like a child that is quieted is my soul.
O Israel, hope in the Lord
from this time forth and for evermore.

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Ordinary Time, 21st Sunday (C) Tent-camping is the best kind of vacation, because when you come home, your ordinary life feels like a luxury vacation! Fr. Michael is a very disciplined camper. He taught me the importance of doing the important things first, then relaxing and enjoying yourself afterwards.

When we hear the word "discipline", we think of punishment. But the Latin word actually means, "instruction." Discipline is about teaching ourselves, and others, to put first things first. Whe first discern what is important. Then we train ourselves to say "Yes" to the good and important things and "No" to the bad and less-important things.

In this context, the other two readings make more sense. Jesus is telling us that we need to keep doing the important things regardless of how others are acting. Jesus himself is the narrow gate. The bar is high, but God is generous. Focus on the important things, and do your work well. That is how we strive to enter in.

(24 Aug 2025)

Going Deeper: Want to add more discipline to your life? Not eating meat on Fridays s a great place to start. If you already observe meatless Fridays, consider adding a fast day or two in your week.

Thank you Cathy who on August 6 celebrated 1 year as a Patron.

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Ordinary Time, 20th Sunday (C) Leadership isn't cool. People lead badly when they start trying to look good. Jesus wasn't worried about being cool. Jeremiah wasn't worried about being cool. When we are called to lead, we can't worry about trying to be cool.

Thank you, men, for coming to Mass today. The world tells you that you should be anywhere else but here: fishing, working, having fun, or sleeping off a hangover. But you are here because you know that you can only be a good leader for others if you let Jesus lead you.

August 17 is the feast day of St. Hyacinth. He teaches us that whatever Jesus calls us to, Jesus will also give us the resources to accomplish the call. If we are trying to lead with our own smarts, we will never be strong enough on our own. Let us heed the call to leadership by allowing Jesus to lead us.

(17 Aug 2025)

Going Deeper: How can being a follower of Jesus make you a better leader?

Listen to Patrick's podcast about not being cool and here's another one about the GOAT leader.

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Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Mass during the Day) • Mary was assumed into heaven at the end of her earthly life. There have been many incorruptibles through history that are awaiting the resurrection. Mary is the ark of the new covenant. As David welcomed the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem, so Jesus welcomes his Ark, Mary, into the Heavenly Jerusalem.

The Ark preserved a jar of manna, the tablets of the Law, and Aaron's rod. In a similar way, we need to preserve moments when we have seen God working in our life.

God is producing a great play, the "Theo-drama", starring Jesus with Mary as Best Supporting Actress. We each have a special and unique roll, which we discover and live when we let the Holy Spirit direct us. We need to allow Jesus to be the star of the play. This helps us escape our "ego-drama." Mary humbly fulfills her roll and God exalts her. Living our roll well lifts us up and everyone else along with us.

(15 Aug 2025)

Going Deeper: What would it mean to play your humble roll well?

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Ordinary Time, 19th Sunday (C) Today we hear a witness from one of our Diocesan seminarians. He helps us see that faith is not a made-up fairy-tale. When we see the world through the eyes of faith, WE SEE IT AS IT REALLY IS. The reason why faith is comforting is ultimately because it's actually true. Jesus is real. We can trust him. Jesus promised he would rise from the dead. And his promises came true.

"Walk with me," Jesus said. By faith, Logan walked away from his girlfriend and began attending daily Masses. By faith he joined the Kairos year. Logan has learned the incredible joy that comes from walking with Jesus every day.

Jesus is leading us somewhere. We are pilgrims; this is not our home. The things here and now are passing away and we need to use them in a way that prepares us for eternal life.

Some people think that faith isn't rational. That's not true; faith is above reason, but not contrary to it. IF you believe that God exists, AND that he offers a heavenly homeland, THAN the most rational thing would be to trade the pleasures and comforts of this life for the blessings and security of eternal life. It is supremely IRRATIONAL to believe that God exists and that heaven is our homeland and still live for the here and now. Jesus is trying to save us from living irrational lives.

Jesus is real. You can trust him. Walk with him today. You won't regret it!

(10 Aug 2025)

Going Deeper: How are fear, selfishness, and shame preventing you from walking more closely with Jesus?

Consider participating in the Diocese of Green Bay's Annual Raising Vocations collection.

Over 14 years of homily episodes available at PilgrimPriest.us/podcast | Like, subscribe, and share us with your enemies. | Find me on Facebook and Twitter | Powered by Patrons | give through PayPal or leave a nice review on your favorite podcast platform.

Ordinary Time, 18th Sunday (C) What's in God's wallet? Certainly not cash, credit cards, receipts, or insurance cards. The only thing in God's wallet is photos of his kids. Lots and lots of photos, because God has lots and lots of kids. And he knows each one's name and their story. God loves every child like an only child.

The Catholic Church believes that every person has a dignity and value that comes from God himself. There are so many temptations not to recognize the dignity and value of every human being. There are many obvious ways that human dignity is attacked: genocide and racism, abortion, suicide, and eugenics. Then there are less obvious ways, such as IVF and surrogate motherhood. Lying, gossip, the exploitation of workers, and the mistreatment of immigrants all attack human dignity. "There can be no true democracy without a recognition of every person's dignity and without respect for his or her rights." (Pope St. John Paul II)

"Holy Spirit, show me the true value of every person, starting with myself."

"Holy Spirit, how are you calling me to uphold the dignity of every person in my community, state, country and world?"

(3 Aug 2025)

Going Deeper: Thank you Fr. Paul Timmerman for helping with this homily. Reflect on the following quotes:

"The dignity of others is to be respected in all circumstances, not because that dignity is something we have invented or imagined, but because human beings possess an intrinsic worth superior to that of material objects and contingent situations. This requires that they be treated differently."

"Every human person possesses an infinite dignity, inalienably grounded in his or her very being, which prevails in and beyond every circumstance, state, or situation the person may ever encounter. This principle...underlies the primacy of the human person and the protection of human rights. ...the Church resolutely reiterates and confirms the ontological dignity of the human person, created in the image and likeness of God and redeemed in Jesus Christ. From this truth, the Church draws the reasons for her commitment to the weak and those less endowed with power, always insisting on "the primacy of the human person and the defense of his or her dignity beyond every circumstance."

"Furthermore, whatever is opposed to life itself, such as any type of murder, genocide, abortion, euthanasia or wilful self-destruction, whatever violates the integrity of the human person, such as mutilation, torments inflicted on body or mind, attempts to coerce the will itself; whatever insults human dignity, such as subhuman living conditions, arbitrary imprisonment, deportation, slavery, prostitution, the selling of women and children; as well as disgraceful working conditions, where men are treated as mere tools for profit, rather than as free and responsible persons; all these things and others of their like are infamies indeed. They poison human society, but they do more harm to those who practice them than those who suffer from the injury. Moreover, they are supreme dishonor to the Creator."

"There can be no true democracy without a recognition of every person's dignity and without respect for his or her rights."

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