Category: Uncategorized
New Homily: The Fruit of Good Works
Find the full text of the homily here.
Questions for Reflection
- In what areas of my life do I feel the need for God’s love to be more deeply grafted into my heart, and how can I invite that love in through prayer?
- How can I create a nurturing space within my heart and mind to allow the Holy Spirit to cultivate the fruits of good works?
- What specific actions can I take this week to embody the principles of kindness, patience, and love that St. Paul describes in Romans 12?
- How can I incorporate prayer into my daily routine to strengthen my connection with God and foster the growth of positive qualities in my life?
- Reflect on a recent situation where I struggled to show love or kindness. What steps can I take in the future to respond differently, drawing on my spiritual resources?
New Homily: The Gift of Sacrifice
Find the full text of the homily here.
Questions for Reflection
- What does it mean for me to present my body as a living sacrifice to God in the context of my relationships, work, and community involvement?
- In my experience of the Eucharist, how do I engage with the idea of mutuality between myself and God during communion?
- What specific gifts or talents do I have that I can offer to God and my community as a way of expressing my faith and gratitude?
New Homily: The Stories We Listen To
Find the full text of the homily here.
Questions for Reflection
- What are the stories from my past that have shaped my perceptions of others, and how might I need to re-examine them to align more closely with values of love and compassion?
- In moments of discomfort or tension regarding others, how can I remind myself to listen for God’s story rather than my own preconceived narratives?
- What specific groups or individuals do I find myself holding biases against, and how can I intentionally seek out their stories to foster understanding and empathy?
- How do the stories I tell myself about my own identity and worth influence my actions and interactions with others?
- In what ways can I actively choose new stories that promote healing, connection, and love in my daily life?
New Homily: In Way Over Your Head
Find the full text of the homily here.
Questions for Reflection
- What areas in my life do I feel unprepared for or overwhelmed, and how might I bring those feelings to God?
- Can I identify a specific situation where I believe my contributions are insufficient? How can I embrace the notion that my “not-enough” can still be used by God?
- Reflect on a time when I experienced God taking something small or inadequate and using it for a greater purpose in my life. What was that experience like?
- In what ways can I offer my gifts, even if they seem inadequate, to the community or church around me?
- How can I practice coming to God in humility, acknowledging my limitations, and trusting in His ability to make my efforts sufficient?
New Homilies: When Words Fail Us and 50,000 Days of Ministry
Find the full text of the homily here.
Questions for Reflection
- When have I felt at a loss for words in prayer, and how did I cope with that feeling?
- How do I respond to the beautiful prayers found in the Book of Common Prayer? Do they inspire me, or do they sometimes intimidate me?
- Can I recall a time when I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit during my prayers, particularly when my words felt inadequate?
- What does “showing up” in prayer mean for me, and how can I cultivate a more consistent practice of presence in my relationship with God?
Find the full text of the homily here.
Questions for Reflection
- How do I see my role as a lay minister in the church, and what specific gifts do I bring to our community’s ministry?
- In what ways can I deepen my prayer life to support the ongoing work and mission of St. Peter’s?
- Who are the individuals in my life that inspire me to serve others, and how can I embody their spirit of ministry in my own actions?
- What obstacles do I face in answering God’s call to ministry, and how can I overcome them to participate more fully in the church’s mission?
- How can I more actively engage with my fellow parishioners to foster a spirit of collaboration and shared ministry in our community?
New Homily: Good Soil
Find the full text of the homily here.
Questions for Reflection
- What roles do I play in my local parish community in helping to cultivate good soil?
- What rocks, thorns, or birds show up in my parish community that I can help remove?
- Which of the four ways of cultivating a good parish culture in this homily most resonates with God’s call on my life?
New Homily: Work and Rest
Find the full text of the homily here.
Questions for Reflection
- How do my daily work and rest have purpose and meaning?
- In what ways does my regular work offer opportunities to love God and love others?
- In what ways does my regular rest offer opportunities to love God and love others?
- What is the quality of my rest? Is it real rest as God intends, or is it simply please and distraction?
- What is the attitude I have in my work? Is it just to get by for a paycheck, or do I participate in it with reverence and holiness as an opportunity to love God and love others?
New Homily: The Return
Find the full text of the homily here.
Questions for Reflection
- What keeps me from returning again to prayer and to Christian community?
- How might Christ be inviting me to return again?
- How does the story of Peter speak to my own life?
New Homily: Martyrdom
Find the full text of the homily here.
Questions for Reflection
- How is my faith transforming me and what does that cost?
- In what ways is Christ inviting me to go deeper in my faith?
- How might the lives of the Desert Fathers and Mothers inspire everyday Christians today?