October 22, 2023 by frbillnicholas “SEPARATION OF CHURCH & STATE” – Rendering Unto Caesar Homily – 29th Sunday of the Year – AMatthew 22:15-21 The United States has a particular approach to the “Separation of Church and State”. Fr. Bill explains how this country understands this doctrine, how it was incorporated into the nation’s Founding, how we get it wrong today, and how it perfectly expresses Jesus’ admonition to “render to Caesar…”
October 13, 2023 by frbillnicholas WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST – The Conflict Between Israel & Hamas With the recent outbreak of war between Israel and Palestine, Fr. Bill offers a Biblical and Historical context in which the current event is being played out.How can we understand the war in light of the Biblical as well as “secular” History of that region, in light of Jesus’ farewell promise of Peace, well as in light of the Promise God made that All Nations would find Blessing in the descendants of Abraham who make up the kingdom, and subsequent Nation of Israel?
October 1, 2023 by frbillnicholas A CHRISTIAN ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT PARABLE OF THE 2 SONS & THE 4 CHILDRENHomily – 26th Sunday of the Year – AMatthew 21:28-32 What is the disposition we have regarding living and worshipping as Christians? Fr. Bill preaches on Christ’s Parable of the Two Sons and the Jewish Passover Parable of the Four Children and speaks of how Christians in general and Catholics in Particular can examine and adjust the dispositions from which we all approach our calling to live and worship as followers of Christ.
September 24, 2023 by frbillnicholas DARTH VADER is CATHOLIC!! Famous Converts to CatholicismHomily – 25th Sunday of the Year—–Matthew 20:1-16aThe Workers in the Vineyard The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard tells how different “workers” joined up at different times of the “day”. Fr. Bill preaches how some are born Catholic, while many become Catholic as Converts at different times of their lives, from childhood to the death bed. Who are some of the more famous people who we may or may not know, have converted to Catholicism. Some of them might surprise you.
September 22, 2023 by frbillnicholas SLAVERY, CHRISTIANITY & THE UNITED STATES Anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation September 22 is the anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, declared by Abraham Lincoln in 1862.Fr. Bill discusses the history of Slavery, how the Bible addresses the issue, its history in Christian Europe and in the Founding of the United States. He threads the needle leading up to the Civil War and Lincoln’s Proclamation, and how the Constitution of the United States did not endorse Slavery, but brought forth everything from the History of Western Europe up to that point to direct the new Nation towards eventual Emancipation.
September 17, 2023 by frbillnicholas THE MANDATE TO FORGIVE It’s Not an Off Switch(Parable of the Unforgiving Servant)Homily24th Sunday of the Year – A—Matthew 18:21-35 The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant illustrates Jesus’ command to forgive “seventy-seven ” times. Fr. Bill preaches on the difficulty of this unclassified Mandate from Jesus, what it means, and how we go about the process of Forgiveness.
September 15, 2023 by frbillnicholas 9/11, FAITH & PATRIOTISM From Darkness to Light in Our National Remembrance For 22 Years we have been remembering the Terrorist Attack on the anniversary of 9/11. But it is not simply one day we should be remembering. Three days later, on September 14, President Bush called for a National Day of Mourning and Prayer in the aftermath of the attack.Listen as Fr. Bill talks about the importance of that Day of Prayer, September 14; what is celebrated in the Catholic Church, what should be remembered as a Nation, and how it all ties into what we remember in the Anniversary and Aftermath of the 9/11 Attack, and what we celebrate in our Identity and Resolve as both Christians and Americans.
September 10, 2023 by frbillnicholas FRATERNAL CORRECTION – Are We Called to “Judge” Homily23rd Sunday of the Year – A—-Ezekiel 33:7-9Matthew 18:15-20 No one wants to be labeled as “Judgmental”. However, Jesus may want his followers to be just that. Fr. Bill preaches about what Jesus presents in the Doctrine of Fraternal Correction, and what he expects of his Disciples in their task of “Admonishing the Sinner” (Spiritual Work of Mercy #3)