December 20, 2024 by frbillnicholas THE “PAGAN” FEAST OF CHRISTMAS? Fr. Bill addresses the assertion of some groups that Christmas was originally a pagan feast.
March 17, 2024 by frbillnicholas ST. PATRICK OF IRELAND AND THE CONFIDENCE OF CHRISTIANS Homily5th Sunday of Lent / St. Patrick’s DayJohn 12:20-33 The Second Half of the Gospel of John presents a Confident Jesus, determined to carry out His Father’s will. St. Patrick evangelized Ireland with the same zeal and surety in his message and mission. Fr. Bill ties the two together, including a prayer from among the earliest tradition of Christian evangelization as the Church begins the final days and weeks of the Season of Lent.
March 15, 2024 by frbillnicholas LENTEN RESURRECTION Lent inevitably ends with the 50-day celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus. Fr. Bill talks about how the Resurrection is presented in the Gospels, what patterns they follow, what themes they present, and how we can encounter the Risen Jesus continually as His Followers.
May 14, 2023 by frbillnicholas DANTE, MARY and a MOTHER’S LOVE Homily for Mother’s Day, 20236th Sunday of Easter – Year A—–John 14:15-21 Fr. Bill offers a Homily for Mother’s Day in which he discusses modern connotations of “love” with the Love Jesus speaks of in the Bible.
March 26, 2023 by frbillnicholas COVID: 3 YEARS LATER – The “Lazarus Bookends” Homily – 5th Sunday of Lent (A)John 11:1-45 – The Raising of Lazarus The last time the “Raising of Lazarus” was read at Sunday Mass the World was in the midst of Covid Lockdowns and a Spiritual Death-of-Sorts. Three years later, as we hear that Gospel story again, where are we now, how far have we come? Fr. Bill preaches on Jesus call “that they may have life and have it more abundantly”, and whether or not we have truly risen from this “death” from a disease that was “not to end in death” but that “the Glory of God may be revealed.”
January 15, 2023 by frbillnicholas IN SEARCH OF . . . . JOHN THE BAPTIST Homily – 2nd Sunday of the Year – A—————–John 1:29-34 Fr. Bill preaches on the different accounts of John the Baptist between the Four Gospels and what we can learn about the possible historical dynamic between Jesus, John and their respective followers, and the final resolution regarding both men’s role in the overall plan of God.
November 20, 2022 by frbillnicholas ARE YOU JEWISH OR PAGAN? — Looking Backwards to Jesus’ 2nd Coming Sunday HomilySolemnity of Christ the King————Luke 23:35-43 Pagans saw time and history as an endless cycle. Jewish (and Christian) people see time and history as linear. Fr. Bill preaches on the Solemnity of Christ the King, the end of the Year 2022, and how we prepare for Christ’s Second Coming by looking Backwards to the previous year, in preparation of the year ahead.
May 1, 2022 by frbillnicholas THE RESURRECTION & OUR 1ST FREEDOM The Apostles and the Great Catch of FishHomily – 3rd Sunday of Easter – C—–Acts of the Apostles 5:27-32, 40b-41John 21:1-19 Fr. Bill preaches on the Miracle of the Great Catch of Fish, and how the story, in its entirety, can be applied to the Mission of the Church today and the Constitutional Rights guaranteed to Americans in the United States Bill of Rights.
April 15, 2022 by frbillnicholas GOOD FRIDAY IS CORONATION DAY! Podcast for Good Friday Fr. Bill talks about Good Friday from the perspective of the Gospel of John, who sets up the Passion of Jesus very much as the Coronation of the King of Glory. Listen as Fr. Bill describes why this is so, prepares us to hear the Passion According to John in the Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion, and offers a final reflection on the importance of Jesus’ Crucifixion.
July 31, 2020 by frbillnicholas GOD’S “GREEN” LAWS – The Ten Commandments & Creation (Series Finale) The Ten Commandments – Video #22God’s Creation, Jesus’ Command to Love, and the Ten Commandments The Ten Commandments are “Green Laws” in that they complement the dynamic of God’s laws of God’s Creation. In the concluding video to this series, Fr. Bill discusses this dynamic, as well as how the Commandments are related to Jesus Commandment to “Love One Another”.