Holiness for the Working Day

Feast of St. Luke

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B Gospel Mk 10:17-30 or 10:17-27 As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus answered him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; you shall not defraud; honor your father and your mother." He replied and said to him, "Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth." Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, "You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." At that statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!" The disciples were amazed at his words. So Jesus again said to them in reply, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves, "Then who can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "For human beings it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God." Peter began to say to him, "We have given up everything and followed you." Jesus said, "Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come."

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B Prayer of Forgiveness Ask the Holy Spirit to show you whom you need to forgive (family, friend, abuser, yourself) Picture the person in front of you and pay aBenCon to what you feel in your heart and body Make an account of the debt they owe you (what did they take from you, how did they hurt you? It is okay to feel angry or nothing at all) Imagine yourself telling them what they did to hurt you and how it has affected you Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you any identity lies you believe about yourself based on that incident Renounce the identity lie "In the name of Jesus Christ, I renounce the lie that I am not loved or cared for, that I have to perform well to be loved, etc." Announce the truth of your identity in Christ-"In the name of Jesus Christ, I announce the truth that I am seen, that I am valuable, that I am loved, etc." Bring the person with you to meet Jesus on the Cross at Calvary and look at His face of care and mercy Ask Jesus to forgive the person 10. Ask Jesus to give you the grace to forgive the person 11. Pray a prayer of blessing for that person-as God to bless them and heal them on their journey 12. Ask Jesus to seal this forgiveness and heal the wounds in your life 13. Thank God for His healing mercy and grace

Feast of St. Francis

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B 2024

Feast of Padre Pio

Feast of St. Matthew the Apostle

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2024

Feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary 2024

22nd Sunday in Ordinary time, Year B eading 2 Jas 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27 Dearest brothers and sisters: All good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no alteration or shadow caused by change. He willed to give us birth by the word of truth that we may be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you and is able to save your souls. Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

The Feast of St. Monica

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B This is a Homily about marriage & Ephesians 5 and I recommend it for all married couples or those discerning marriage.

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B 2024 You are Deified, Divinized

Feast of St. Theresa Benedicta of the Cross 2024

Feast of Pope St. Sixtus II and Companions

This is a talk that was given at Theology on Tap at Murphy's Grand Irish Pub in Old Town Alexandria, VA. If you would like a more comprehensive exploration of anxiety and a Catholic approach to mindfulness and healing please search my podcast for a multi-part series I did called "Mindfulness in an Anxious World" some years ago. I also recommend another course I taught on the Podcast called "the Little Way" about St. Therese and her little way. I hope this talk helps anyone who is struggling with anxiety. I am praying for you. Fr. Searby

18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B August 3rd, 2024 Bread of Life Discourse

Feast of St. Peter Chrysologus

Feast of St. Martha (Mary & Lazarus)

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B The Feeding of the 5000

Feast of St. Mary Magdalene

16th Sunday in Ordinary time, Year B Gospel Mk 6:30-34 The apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught. He said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while." People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat. So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place. People saw them leaving and many came to know about it. They hastened there on foot from all the towns and arrived at the place before them. When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

Monday of the 14th Week of Ordinary Time July 8th, 2014

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B First homily at the Basilica of St. Mary

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B Independence Day Weekend First posted Homily from the Basilica of St. Mary in Old Town Alexandria, VA

My Last Homily at St. Timothy. A farewell to such a loving family. 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B 2024

June 19, 2024

11th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year B 2024 Darkness yields to dawn's embrace, as courage lights the way ahead. Through shadows deep and trials fierce, where many tremble, who are led In the silence of the night, where doubt may spread its icy chill, A flame ignites within the soul, a beacon on a distant hill. And though the winds of fate may howl, and storms of fear may thrash the shore, The valiant stand with steadfast will, for hope is kindled in their core. The darkness whispers of defeat, yet in Christian hearts, a brighter song, For courage draws the dawn anew, and from despair, the brave march on. As courage leads and hope takes flight, shadows retreat, giving way to light, And in the heart of every soul, a fire burns, undying, whole. For in the end, the dawn will break, and courage will have won the day, The brave will shine and light the way, to see God's face at heaven's gate.

10th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B June 9, 2024

Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary 2024

Solemnity of the Sacred Heart 2024

Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Our Lord (Corpus Christi Sunday) 2024

This is a homily for the graduation of our 8th graders on the feast of the Visitation. It is a variation on a theme from the visitation homily earlier in the day. Congratulations to our 8th graders, the adventure begins!

A Feast of the Visitation Homily for Children May 31, 2024

Pentacost 2024

6th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B May 5th, 2024

5th Sunday of Easter, Year B 2024

The devil does not attack you because you are weak. He attacks you because you are a threat. Because there is something valuable inside of you

St. Paul: a homily for school kids

A homily for children

A meditation for high school students (and why college might not be a good idea)

3rd Sunday of Easter Year B