web02.fireside.fm Mon, 06 Apr 2026 11:25:14 -0500 Fireside (https://fireside.fm) Luke 10:41 - Episodes Tagged with “Catholic” https://frwill.fireside.fm/tags/catholic Sun, 28 Dec 2025 15:00:00 -0600 Fr. Will is a Priest of the Diocese of Austin, TX - He sometimes blogs at. https://luke1041.com/ en episodic Homilies and talks by Fr. Will Rooney and other guests. Fr. William Rooney Fr. Will is a Priest of the Diocese of Austin, TX - He sometimes blogs at. https://luke1041.com/ no Fr. William Rooney williamlrooney@gmail.com Your Holy Family | Fatherhood - To Protect and Provide | Feast of the Holy Family https://frwill.fireside.fm/2025-12-28 ac6a862e-73c2-4900-bba0-b6e2eba6bb8e Sun, 28 Dec 2025 15:00:00 -0600 Fr. William Rooney full 4 Fr. William Rooney This homily for the Feast of the Holy Family launches a new Christmas–Epiphany series on the family. In this first reflection, Fr. Will explores the mystery of the Incarnation—God choosing to enter the world not only as a child, but within a family. Drawing from Scripture and the witness of St. Joseph, the focus is on the role of the father as provider and protector, whose authority is rooted in charity and self-gift after the model of Christ. This episode invites all families—especially those marked by struggle or brokenness—to conversion, healing, and renewed hope in Christ. 20:28 no This homily marks the beginning of a three-part Christmas–Epiphany series on the family, rooted in the mystery of the Incarnation. God chose to enter the world not simply as a man, but as a child born into a family—and in doing so, He reveals both the dignity of family life and its essential mission. In this first reflection, Fr. Will focuses on the role of the father as provider and protector, drawing from Scripture, St. Paul’s teaching, and the example of St. Joseph. Christian fatherhood is presented as a vocation of authority ordered to charity—an authority that images Christ’s self-giving love for the Church and places the entire family in loving submission to Him. Recognizing that many families carry wounds or fall short of the ideal, this homily emphasizes that the Church holds up the Holy Family not as an unattainable standard, but as a call to ongoing conversion and healing. This reflection sets the foundation for the rest of the series, which will continue with reflections on motherhood and the mission of the family in the world. Series Outline (Optional to Include on Website or Podcast Page) Part 1: The Role of the Father – Provider and Protector Part 2: Motherhood (January 1) Part 3: The Mission of the Family (Feast of the Epiphany) Catholic, faith, mass, Family, fatherhood, masculinity, This homily marks the beginning of a three-part Christmas–Epiphany series on the family, rooted in the mystery of the Incarnation. God chose to enter the world not simply as a man, but as a child born into a family—and in doing so, He reveals both the dignity of family life and its essential mission.

In this first reflection, Fr. Will focuses on the role of the father as provider and protector, drawing from Scripture, St. Paul’s teaching, and the example of St. Joseph. Christian fatherhood is presented as a vocation of authority ordered to charity—an authority that images Christ’s self-giving love for the Church and places the entire family in loving submission to Him.

Recognizing that many families carry wounds or fall short of the ideal, this homily emphasizes that the Church holds up the Holy Family not as an unattainable standard, but as a call to ongoing conversion and healing. This reflection sets the foundation for the rest of the series, which will continue with reflections on motherhood and the mission of the family in the world.

Series Outline (Optional to Include on Website or Podcast Page)

Part 1: The Role of the Father – Provider and Protector

Part 2: Motherhood (January 1)

Part 3: The Mission of the Family (Feast of the Epiphany)

]]> This homily marks the beginning of a three-part Christmas–Epiphany series on the family, rooted in the mystery of the Incarnation. God chose to enter the world not simply as a man, but as a child born into a family—and in doing so, He reveals both the dignity of family life and its essential mission.

In this first reflection, Fr. Will focuses on the role of the father as provider and protector, drawing from Scripture, St. Paul’s teaching, and the example of St. Joseph. Christian fatherhood is presented as a vocation of authority ordered to charity—an authority that images Christ’s self-giving love for the Church and places the entire family in loving submission to Him.

Recognizing that many families carry wounds or fall short of the ideal, this homily emphasizes that the Church holds up the Holy Family not as an unattainable standard, but as a call to ongoing conversion and healing. This reflection sets the foundation for the rest of the series, which will continue with reflections on motherhood and the mission of the family in the world.

Series Outline (Optional to Include on Website or Podcast Page)

Part 1: The Role of the Father – Provider and Protector

Part 2: Motherhood (January 1)

Part 3: The Mission of the Family (Feast of the Epiphany)

]]> Share Jesus - Fourth Sunday of Advent 2022 (Fr. Will Rooney) https://frwill.fireside.fm/2022-12-18-fr-will e2515113-3ec8-4739-bf74-915a1bd99d56 Sun, 18 Dec 2022 18:00:00 -0600 Fr. William Rooney full 3 Fr. William Rooney Friends, Jesus Christ has come, and humanity in the person of Mary comes to know it first through the message of the messenger (angel) Gabriel. The question is for us – will we do the same for others? Will we share Jesus with others? 4. Sharing Jesus means inviting people to encounter Christ through authentic personal testimony involving actions and words. 17:27 no Through the entirety of history since his coming, people have shared this message of Good News. In every generation, in every age, this message has been proclaimed. In castles to Kings, and in the simplest of dwellings, in Churches and hospital rooms, among families and friends. In ease and in difficulty. In every age this good News has been repeated. In dramatic and non-dramatic circumstances. To rich and poor. To men and women, and to young and old this message has been proclaimed. And at some point, at some moment like Paul, you encountered this Good News. Whether you can remember the moment or not, someone shared this Good News with you. If this is your first time hearing it, I’m telling you this good news – Jesus, Emmanuel is come, he has conquered death. He is with us. My life is different – better – because I know Jesus. And if you know him, yours is also. But that only happened because someone shared Jesus with me, because someone, indeed many people, told me about Jesus and how much he loves me. The question is for us – will we do the same for others? Will we share Jesus with others? Catholic, faith, mass, homily, Advent, Jesus Through the entirety of history since his coming, people have shared this message of Good News. In every generation, in every age, this message has been proclaimed. In castles to Kings, and in the simplest of dwellings, in Churches and hospital rooms, among families and friends. In ease and in difficulty. In every age this good News has been repeated. In dramatic and non-dramatic circumstances. To rich and poor. To men and women, and to young and old this message has been proclaimed. And at some point, at some moment like Paul, you encountered this Good News. Whether you can remember the moment or not, someone shared this Good News with you. If this is your first time hearing it, I’m telling you this good news – Jesus, Emmanuel is come, he has conquered death. He is with us. My life is different – better – because I know Jesus. And if you know him, yours is also. But that only happened because someone shared Jesus with me, because someone, indeed many people, told me about Jesus and how much he loves me. The question is for us – will we do the same for others? Will we share Jesus with others?

]]> Through the entirety of history since his coming, people have shared this message of Good News. In every generation, in every age, this message has been proclaimed. In castles to Kings, and in the simplest of dwellings, in Churches and hospital rooms, among families and friends. In ease and in difficulty. In every age this good News has been repeated. In dramatic and non-dramatic circumstances. To rich and poor. To men and women, and to young and old this message has been proclaimed. And at some point, at some moment like Paul, you encountered this Good News. Whether you can remember the moment or not, someone shared this Good News with you. If this is your first time hearing it, I’m telling you this good news – Jesus, Emmanuel is come, he has conquered death. He is with us. My life is different – better – because I know Jesus. And if you know him, yours is also. But that only happened because someone shared Jesus with me, because someone, indeed many people, told me about Jesus and how much he loves me. The question is for us – will we do the same for others? Will we share Jesus with others?

]]> Share Jesus - Fourth Sunday of Advent 2022 (Fr. Brian Eilers) https://frwill.fireside.fm/2022-12-18-fr-brian c57b4301-109d-4fe6-a36e-49335c401fce Sun, 18 Dec 2022 18:00:00 -0600 Fr. William Rooney full 3 Fr. William Rooney What is the reason for your hope? To share Jesus means to share hope. How can you share your hope with others today and this Christmas? 15:07 no Catholic, faith, mass, homily, Advent, Jesus Live Jesus - Third Sunday of Advent 2022 (Fr. Will Rooney) https://frwill.fireside.fm/2022-12-11-fr-will 01609354-4126-42f3-93b7-354b8b74904e Sun, 11 Dec 2022 15:15:00 -0600 Fr. William Rooney full 3 Fr. William Rooney Will you live for Jesus? Will you let him live in you! Joy awaits, even in suffering. 13:10 no Catholic, faith, mass Live Jesus - Third Sunday of Advent 2022 (Fr. Brian Eilers) https://frwill.fireside.fm/2022-12-11-fr-brian df403243-6213-4ace-aa1a-ac76b109f4f6 Sun, 11 Dec 2022 15:00:00 -0600 Fr. William Rooney full 3 Fr. William Rooney 13:34 no Catholic, faith, mass Know Jesus - Second Sunday of Advent 2022 https://frwill.fireside.fm/2022-12-04 5e74c5ea-2bec-4571-afba-177ac55aa9e1 Sun, 04 Dec 2022 12:00:00 -0600 Fr. William Rooney full 3 Fr. William Rooney John helps us realize that we not only have to meet Jesus, but we need to know him. Its natural to ask questions about people when we meet them. The disciples and apostles do just this in the gospels – they ask questions. Where are you from? Who are you? What are you doing? To meet him and to know him are linked. As people who have meet this man Jesus we want to grow in knowledge of him. We want to know who he is (God), what he did (his life, death, and resurrection), how he continues to act today (the Church), and what our response (prayer, love, and following him). So here’s the challenge – set aside time this week to read one of the Gospels. And ask questions: in the silence ask Jesus to teach you to know who he is so you can love him more and see reality as it really is. 17:03 no The question used to be about getting information, but now it is much more a question of how to get the true information. Because we have so many sources of information being thrown at us, we are often overloaded and we cannot distinguish signal from noise, truth from fiction. Signal is information that matters, that helps you achieve the goals, and that allows you flourish because it allows the mind’s conformity with reality. It bears good fruit in your life. Noise is at best just trash, and at worst something that does the opposite. It leads you away from the goal. It does not bear good fruit. But though the noise is on an unprecedented scale; this is not a new problem. For as long as human history discerning which voices to listen to, which things to pay attention to has been a challenge. John like all the prophets before him helps those around him to see reality as it really is. To distinguish the noise from the signal. But he is the greatest of all the prophets because he himself will literally point out the light from light. The one who is truth himself. John helps us realize that we not only have to meet Jesus, but we need to know him. To meet him and to know him are linked. As people who have meet this man Jesus we want to grow in knowledge of him. We want to know who he is (God), what he did (his life, death, and resurrection), how he continues to act today (the Church), and what our response (prayer, love, and following him). John goes to the wilderness. He eats the same food over and over again, and wears simple clothing. Why? Because he knows that in order to encounter and learn about God he must cut the noise from his life. Friends do you have silence in your life? It is difficult to find it. But how can you find some silence? How can you develop a habit of silence? Study is the opposite of vain curiosity – it seeks to gain knowledge and wisdom not just information. It asks big questions and goes deep into topic or person at hand. It uses the best resources. So here’s the challenge – set aside time this week to read one of the Gospels. And ask questions: in the silence ask Jesus to teach you to know who he is so you can love him more and see reality as it really is. Catholic, faith, mass, homily, Advent, knowing Jesus The question used to be about getting information, but now it is much more a question of how to get the true information. Because we have so many sources of information being thrown at us, we are often overloaded and we cannot distinguish signal from noise, truth from fiction. Signal is information that matters, that helps you achieve the goals, and that allows you flourish because it allows the mind’s conformity with reality. It bears good fruit in your life. Noise is at best just trash, and at worst something that does the opposite. It leads you away from the goal. It does not bear good fruit.

But though the noise is on an unprecedented scale; this is not a new problem. For as long as human history discerning which voices to listen to, which things to pay attention to has been a challenge. John like all the prophets before him helps those around him to see reality as it really is. To distinguish the noise from the signal. But he is the greatest of all the prophets because he himself will literally point out the light from light. The one who is truth himself.

John helps us realize that we not only have to meet Jesus, but we need to know him. To meet him and to know him are linked. As people who have meet this man Jesus we want to grow in knowledge of him. We want to know who he is (God), what he did (his life, death, and resurrection), how he continues to act today (the Church), and what our response (prayer, love, and following him).

John goes to the wilderness. He eats the same food over and over again, and wears simple clothing. Why? Because he knows that in order to encounter and learn about God he must cut the noise from his life. Friends do you have silence in your life? It is difficult to find it. But how can you find some silence? How can you develop a habit of silence? Study is the opposite of vain curiosity – it seeks to gain knowledge and wisdom not just information. It asks big questions and goes deep into topic or person at hand. It uses the best resources. So here’s the challenge – set aside time this week to read one of the Gospels. And ask questions: in the silence ask Jesus to teach you to know who he is so you can love him more and see reality as it really is.

]]> The question used to be about getting information, but now it is much more a question of how to get the true information. Because we have so many sources of information being thrown at us, we are often overloaded and we cannot distinguish signal from noise, truth from fiction. Signal is information that matters, that helps you achieve the goals, and that allows you flourish because it allows the mind’s conformity with reality. It bears good fruit in your life. Noise is at best just trash, and at worst something that does the opposite. It leads you away from the goal. It does not bear good fruit.

But though the noise is on an unprecedented scale; this is not a new problem. For as long as human history discerning which voices to listen to, which things to pay attention to has been a challenge. John like all the prophets before him helps those around him to see reality as it really is. To distinguish the noise from the signal. But he is the greatest of all the prophets because he himself will literally point out the light from light. The one who is truth himself.

John helps us realize that we not only have to meet Jesus, but we need to know him. To meet him and to know him are linked. As people who have meet this man Jesus we want to grow in knowledge of him. We want to know who he is (God), what he did (his life, death, and resurrection), how he continues to act today (the Church), and what our response (prayer, love, and following him).

John goes to the wilderness. He eats the same food over and over again, and wears simple clothing. Why? Because he knows that in order to encounter and learn about God he must cut the noise from his life. Friends do you have silence in your life? It is difficult to find it. But how can you find some silence? How can you develop a habit of silence? Study is the opposite of vain curiosity – it seeks to gain knowledge and wisdom not just information. It asks big questions and goes deep into topic or person at hand. It uses the best resources. So here’s the challenge – set aside time this week to read one of the Gospels. And ask questions: in the silence ask Jesus to teach you to know who he is so you can love him more and see reality as it really is.

]]> Meet Jesus - First Sunday of Advent 2022 https://frwill.fireside.fm/2022-11-28 ac8ba125-f3f8-461d-843c-ab2424619cd6 Mon, 28 Nov 2022 09:00:00 -0600 Fr. William Rooney full 3 Fr. William Rooney How do we meet Jesus? The meeting we desire to have now with the Lord is one that leads us to discover (or rediscover) who Jesus is, why he matters, and which leads to a desire to follow him as a disciple. It is only that type of resolve that will make the meeting we experience at the end of time not be like that of strangers but rather that of friends. A disciple is one who has resolved to run to meet the Lord in every aspect of his life his life has been changed because he knows Jesus. He is a friend of the king who is coming. How can you resolve to run to meet the Lord? 11:54 no When you were a little kid someone had to teach you how to meet people. We don’t think about it a lot, but meeting people is a skill and like every skill we can be better or worse at it and we can improve or get worse. Two factors influence our practice for anything: the probability of the event occurring and the importance of that event. The greater the probability or the importance of an event the more preparation for action we are willing to undertake. The Lord tells us in the Gospel for the First Sunday of Advent of a meeting between him and us which will happen and which will be life altering. He will come again and his coming will change everything. Given the probability (100%) and the importance of this meeting (infinite), we each need to ask ourselves a question: Does my entire way of acting in the world reflect the fact that the King is coming and I will meet him? But how? How do you get ready to meet Jesus at the end of time or at the end of your life? The same way you get ready for any other thing: you practice, and you learn from others who have practiced. You learn how to meet Jesus by meeting him and learning from others who have met him. What kind of meeting do we need now to practice? The meeting we desire to have now with the Lord is one that leads us to discover (or rediscover) who Jesus is, why he matters, and which leads to a desire to follow him as a disciple. It is only that type of resolve that will make the meeting we experience at the end of time not be like that of strangers but rather that of friends. A disciple is one who has resolved to run to meet the Lord in every aspect of his life his life has been changed because he knows Jesus. He is a friend of the king who is coming. How can you set aside 5 minutes each day to meet Jesus? Catholic, faith, mass When you were a little kid someone had to teach you how to meet people. We don’t think about it a lot, but meeting people is a skill and like every skill we can be better or worse at it and we can improve or get worse. Two factors influence our practice for anything: the probability of the event occurring and the importance of that event. The greater the probability or the importance of an event the more preparation for action we are willing to undertake. The Lord tells us in the Gospel for the First Sunday of Advent of a meeting between him and us which will happen and which will be life altering. He will come again and his coming will change everything. Given the probability (100%) and the importance of this meeting (infinite), we each need to ask ourselves a question: Does my entire way of acting in the world reflect the fact that the King is coming and I will meet him?

But how? How do you get ready to meet Jesus at the end of time or at the end of your life? The same way you get ready for any other thing: you practice, and you learn from others who have practiced. You learn how to meet Jesus by meeting him and learning from others who have met him.

What kind of meeting do we need now to practice? The meeting we desire to have now with the Lord is one that leads us to discover (or rediscover) who Jesus is, why he matters, and which leads to a desire to follow him as a disciple. It is only that type of resolve that will make the meeting we experience at the end of time not be like that of strangers but rather that of friends. A disciple is one who has resolved to run to meet the Lord in every aspect of his life his life has been changed because he knows Jesus. He is a friend of the king who is coming.

How can you set aside 5 minutes each day to meet Jesus?

]]> When you were a little kid someone had to teach you how to meet people. We don’t think about it a lot, but meeting people is a skill and like every skill we can be better or worse at it and we can improve or get worse. Two factors influence our practice for anything: the probability of the event occurring and the importance of that event. The greater the probability or the importance of an event the more preparation for action we are willing to undertake. The Lord tells us in the Gospel for the First Sunday of Advent of a meeting between him and us which will happen and which will be life altering. He will come again and his coming will change everything. Given the probability (100%) and the importance of this meeting (infinite), we each need to ask ourselves a question: Does my entire way of acting in the world reflect the fact that the King is coming and I will meet him?

But how? How do you get ready to meet Jesus at the end of time or at the end of your life? The same way you get ready for any other thing: you practice, and you learn from others who have practiced. You learn how to meet Jesus by meeting him and learning from others who have met him.

What kind of meeting do we need now to practice? The meeting we desire to have now with the Lord is one that leads us to discover (or rediscover) who Jesus is, why he matters, and which leads to a desire to follow him as a disciple. It is only that type of resolve that will make the meeting we experience at the end of time not be like that of strangers but rather that of friends. A disciple is one who has resolved to run to meet the Lord in every aspect of his life his life has been changed because he knows Jesus. He is a friend of the king who is coming.

How can you set aside 5 minutes each day to meet Jesus?

]]> Repent and Believe: Metanoia not Fear https://frwill.fireside.fm/2021-01-24 a1d4cab2-805f-4742-8111-6feb4cc2d509 Tue, 26 Jan 2021 22:00:00 -0600 Fr. William Rooney full 2 Fr. William Rooney Trust not fear. 20:51 no Catholic, faith, mass, Trust, fear, sin, love, original sin Prudence (Cardinal Virtues Series) https://frwill.fireside.fm/2021-01-17-prudence 03768c42-c405-4a9f-b41b-f31d5cbbf498 Thu, 21 Jan 2021 15:00:00 -0600 Fr. William Rooney full 2 Fr. William Rooney What is Virtue? What is Prudence and Why Does it Matter? 1:00:28 no Catholic, faith, virtue, cardinal, prudence Seek, Find, Worship, Show https://frwill.fireside.fm/2021-01-06 55d518b7-229a-4f4a-ad33-f5330d9e0f9a Wed, 13 Jan 2021 19:00:00 -0600 Fr. William Rooney full 2 Fr. William Rooney Homily for the Epiphany of the Lord - Seeking you will find, finding you worship, worship transforms you to show others who are seeking. 13:11 no Catholic, faith, mass, Epiphany, seek, find, worship, adore, show Spoken to us (Christmas Day Homily) https://frwill.fireside.fm/2020-12-25 033c19a0-bd2b-4b64-ac42-1a1ffe3d2bd3 Tue, 12 Jan 2021 09:00:00 -0600 Fr. William Rooney full 2 Fr. William Rooney Learning is a new language is a tremendously difficult undertaking. A. Through his Word and out of his great goodness, all things came into being. This means that all creation speaks, so to speak, of the Creator. The invisible and visible creation all points to the goodness of the creator. God is speaking to us; creation, the prophets, the law and in a sense all things are the voice he uses to reveal himself. This is what the letter to the Hebrews speaks of today: “In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through the prophets” When the Word becomes flesh, when he Robes himself with human nature, there can be no greater self-revelation. 13:28 no Catholic, faith, mass, Christmas, Word, revelation How do we wait? We wait with faith. https://frwill.fireside.fm/2020-12-20 b87ea8d4-ec73-4896-a783-944ffe0e0e55 Mon, 21 Dec 2020 19:00:00 -0600 Fr. William Rooney full 2 Fr. William Rooney Are you ready? Are you prepared? Essentially, when we say we are prepared, we are saying that we are equal to the challenge which will come. But the thing is that we often do not know what the challenges will be before we face them. Mary teaches us that though we may not be able to be completely prepared, we can say yes. As a child trusts that his parents are there for him and will provide what he needs, so also, we must recognize that God is always working for the good of those who love him – even when we do not know how. This is called faith and it is an essential aspect, perhaps the most fundamental aspect of our waiting as Christians. Together moved by our faith we joyfully wait together with eyes fixed on heaven because we need a heavenly savior. Come quickly, Lord Jesus! 13:48 no Catholic, faith, mass, wait, OF, EF, B, Advent, 4 Prudent Generosity https://frwill.fireside.fm/2020-11-08 427df88d-991e-458e-8796-e0e86b78afb6 Mon, 09 Nov 2020 21:00:00 -0600 Fr. William Rooney full 2 Fr. William Rooney Everyone wants to be generous, but many times we fail to act generously. How do we decide how to be generous? We need prudence to be able to make decisions about the best way to be generous. Prudence is the virtue directed towards choosing the means towards happiness. But here’s the thing: for us as Christians, prudence must consider an eternal perspective. We are not made for merely natural flourishing, but eternity with heaven. In the end, all the material things will fall away. The material has a place, but it is not everything. In the end, the material things, even honor, prestige, and all the things we fear losing in this world will evaporate. The things will not matter in themselves but only how we used them or failed to use them in service to their more excellent end – charity towards God and our neighbor. In the twilight of our lives, says St. John of the Cross, we will be judged by our love 15:26 no Catholic, faith, mass, OF, A, 32, prudent, virtue Non-Anxious Rendering https://frwill.fireside.fm/2020-10-18 275d2aad-0f80-40b1-b3d4-d19e70dd9719 Mon, 19 Oct 2020 08:00:00 -0500 Fr. William Rooney full 2 Fr. William Rooney Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God (Mt 22:21) 16:00 no Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God (Mt 22:21) We Christians are not indifferent to the political realm – far from it we care deeply about working to protect human life, promote peace, and provide for the general welfare. We cannot accept Christ’s love while despising or being indifferent to our fellow human beings. Because of this, we also like many people of good will may have experienced a sense of anxiety or a lack of peace. Our Christianity informs our actions in everything we do and that includes our choices in the voting booth. In all of this, nevertheless, there is a danger of becoming too consumed with the things of the world. The Bible is replete with stories of God intervening in love for his people. Despite this evidence, we often we let ourselves become so afraid and anxious, and this leads to a whole host of personal sins which impact our salvation much more directly than the outcome of a political race. No matter who wins the election, we can be sure that God will provide everything we need to be with him forever. Questions for us to ponder: 1. Have I let politics become a God for me? How has this anxiety contributed to sins in my personal life? Do I trust that God is sovereign? 2. How can I inform myself politically? What are resources which can help me to form a Catholic conscience with regard to the important issues? 3. How do I react when people disagree with me politically? How can I reflect the love of God to them? Today’s readings can be found here: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/101820.cfm You can subscribe to future audio versions of homilies here: https://frwill.fireside.fm/ (29th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Mass in the Ordinary Form of the Latin Rite) Catholic, faith, mass, politics, prudence, disagreement, state, elections, justice Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God (Mt 22:21)

We Christians are not indifferent to the political realm – far from it we care deeply about working to protect human life, promote peace, and provide for the general welfare. We cannot accept Christ’s love while despising or being indifferent to our fellow human beings. Because of this, we also like many people of good will may have experienced a sense of anxiety or a lack of peace. Our Christianity informs our actions in everything we do and that includes our choices in the voting booth. In all of this, nevertheless, there is a danger of becoming too consumed with the things of the world. The Bible is replete with stories of God intervening in love for his people. Despite this evidence, we often we let ourselves become so afraid and anxious, and this leads to a whole host of personal sins which impact our salvation much more directly than the outcome of a political race. No matter who wins the election, we can be sure that God will provide everything we need to be with him forever.

Questions for us to ponder:

  1. Have I let politics become a God for me? How has this anxiety contributed to sins in my personal life? Do I trust that God is sovereign?
  2. How can I inform myself politically? What are resources which can help me to form a Catholic conscience with regard to the important issues?
  3. How do I react when people disagree with me politically? How can I reflect the love of God to them?

Today’s readings can be found here: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/101820.cfm

You can subscribe to future audio versions of homilies here: https://frwill.fireside.fm/

(29th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Mass in the Ordinary Form of the Latin Rite)

]]> Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God (Mt 22:21)

We Christians are not indifferent to the political realm – far from it we care deeply about working to protect human life, promote peace, and provide for the general welfare. We cannot accept Christ’s love while despising or being indifferent to our fellow human beings. Because of this, we also like many people of good will may have experienced a sense of anxiety or a lack of peace. Our Christianity informs our actions in everything we do and that includes our choices in the voting booth. In all of this, nevertheless, there is a danger of becoming too consumed with the things of the world. The Bible is replete with stories of God intervening in love for his people. Despite this evidence, we often we let ourselves become so afraid and anxious, and this leads to a whole host of personal sins which impact our salvation much more directly than the outcome of a political race. No matter who wins the election, we can be sure that God will provide everything we need to be with him forever.

Questions for us to ponder:

  1. Have I let politics become a God for me? How has this anxiety contributed to sins in my personal life? Do I trust that God is sovereign?
  2. How can I inform myself politically? What are resources which can help me to form a Catholic conscience with regard to the important issues?
  3. How do I react when people disagree with me politically? How can I reflect the love of God to them?

Today’s readings can be found here: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/101820.cfm

You can subscribe to future audio versions of homilies here: https://frwill.fireside.fm/

(29th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Mass in the Ordinary Form of the Latin Rite)

]]> Will you go to the feast? https://frwill.fireside.fm/2020-10-11 a33abe00-c048-4886-a667-2959513cadad Sun, 11 Oct 2020 22:00:00 -0500 Fr. William Rooney full 2 Fr. William Rooney To be disregarded or despised is a painful experience for us human beings. Have you considered that God, in creating free persons, opened himself to being despised and disregarded? From the beginning, he opened himself to the possibility of being despised and disregarded. The Cross is God’s answer to this. It comes down to this: will let him love us? Will we accept his gift or spurn it? He loves you. Will you disregard him, despise him, or will you receive him and be saved? 14:26 no Catholic, faith, mass, wedding, king, hell, heaven, love, parable, EF-PP-18, OF-A-OT-28, Hurting and Healing https://frwill.fireside.fm/2020-09-13 d4002aef-f775-47c7-a52a-b2d2509e15d2 Tue, 15 Sep 2020 17:00:00 -0500 Fr. William Rooney full 2 Fr. William Rooney Our false image of God can get in the way of completely receiving his mercy. When that happens often desperately grasp after other things in order to try and earn our way to heaven. This grasping, which is sin, harms us and harms others. It will cause us to lose the joy that we should have as Christians. 12:20 no Questions for us to ponder: 1. When am I most defensive? When defnsivness occurs what need am I seeking to fufill? How can I relate it to God? 2. How do I view God? In what areas of my life to forget that he is our Father and treat him more like a tyrant? What lies do I believe about myself and about him? What is the truth opposed to these lies? Have I allowed any false images to influence my behavior? 3. Do I go to God, Our Father, each day in prayer? How do I approach him in prayer? Do I ask him for holy indifference flowing from my trust in him? Today’s readings can be found here: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/091320.cfm You can subscribe to future audio versions of homilies here: https://frwill.fireside.fm/ (24th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Mass in the Ordinary Form of the Latin Rite) Catholic, faith, mass, OF, OT, A, 24, anger, forgiveness, christian, parables Questions for us to ponder:

  1. When am I most defensive? When defnsivness occurs what need am I seeking to fufill? How can I relate it to God?
  2. How do I view God? In what areas of my life to forget that he is our Father and treat him more like a tyrant? What lies do I believe about myself and about him? What is the truth opposed to these lies? Have I allowed any false images to influence my behavior?
  3. Do I go to God, Our Father, each day in prayer? How do I approach him in prayer? Do I ask him for holy indifference flowing from my trust in him?

Today’s readings can be found here: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/091320.cfm

You can subscribe to future audio versions of homilies here: https://frwill.fireside.fm/

(24th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Mass in the Ordinary Form of the Latin Rite)

]]> Questions for us to ponder:

  1. When am I most defensive? When defnsivness occurs what need am I seeking to fufill? How can I relate it to God?
  2. How do I view God? In what areas of my life to forget that he is our Father and treat him more like a tyrant? What lies do I believe about myself and about him? What is the truth opposed to these lies? Have I allowed any false images to influence my behavior?
  3. Do I go to God, Our Father, each day in prayer? How do I approach him in prayer? Do I ask him for holy indifference flowing from my trust in him?

Today’s readings can be found here: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/091320.cfm

You can subscribe to future audio versions of homilies here: https://frwill.fireside.fm/

(24th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Mass in the Ordinary Form of the Latin Rite)

]]> Amarás a tu prójimo como a ti mismo https://frwill.fireside.fm/2020-09-06-espanol c376d2ea-b5c1-4862-9d19-b247dfb75563 Thu, 10 Sep 2020 08:00:00 -0500 Fr. William Rooney full 2 Fr. William Rooney ¿Porque un discípulo tiene que amar a su prójimo? Esta homilía fue dada en la ocasión del Bautismo, Confirmación, y Primer Comunión de dos niños de nuestra comunidad. 9:55 no Lecturas son disponibles aqui (https://bible.usccb.org/es/bible/lecturas/090620.cfm) Catholic, faith, mass, espanol, amar, missa, domingo, homilia, 23, OT, OF Lecturas son disponibles aqui

]]> Lecturas son disponibles aqui

]]> Hobos for Heaven https://frwill.fireside.fm/2020-09-06-ef c519065b-d5f3-4bc4-a7c6-3294b531e665 Wed, 09 Sep 2020 18:00:00 -0500 Fr. William Rooney full 2 Fr. William Rooney But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. (Matt 6:33) 12:18 no Questions to Ponder: Do you long for heaven? How do you actively seek the kingdom of heaven? What are the sources of aniexty in your life? How do you these things take away your peace? What can you do to remind yourself each day that you are made for heaven? https://www.missalemeum.com/en/2020-09-06 Catholic, faith, mass, EF, Post-Pentecost, 14 Questions to Ponder:

  1. Do you long for heaven? How do you actively seek the kingdom of heaven?
  2. What are the sources of aniexty in your life? How do you these things take away your peace?
  3. What can you do to remind yourself each day that you are made for heaven?

https://www.missalemeum.com/en/2020-09-06

]]> Questions to Ponder:

  1. Do you long for heaven? How do you actively seek the kingdom of heaven?
  2. What are the sources of aniexty in your life? How do you these things take away your peace?
  3. What can you do to remind yourself each day that you are made for heaven?

https://www.missalemeum.com/en/2020-09-06

]]> Give them something yourself https://frwill.fireside.fm/2020-08-02-english-of 10d42e5a-9fa4-457f-bc73-c4aad8747617 Mon, 03 Aug 2020 16:30:00 -0500 Fr. William Rooney full 2 Fr. William Rooney Perhaps in encountering an impoverished person, we fear recognizing our own poverty and need: the truth that human beings exist fundamentally in relation. This fact is made perfectly clear in the incarnation, the enfleshment of Our Lord Jesus, who is God, needed his Mother. As we pass through our daily lives in the City of Austin, we encounter a vast multitude of people who do not know Jesus and who have never received the bread which will satisfy. The Lord’s words should resound in our ears: “there is no need for them to go away, give them some food yourselves.” 9:24 no “There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves.” (Matt 14:16) Perhaps in encountering an impoverished person, we fear recognizing our own poverty and need: the truth that human beings exist fundamentally in relation. This fact is made perfectly clear in the incarnation, the enfleshment of Our Lord Jesus, who is God, needed his Mother. As we pass through our daily lives in the City of Austin, we encounter a vast multitude of people who do not know Jesus and who have never received the bread which will satisfy. The Lord’s words should resound in our ears: “there is no need for them to go away, give them some food yourselves.” Questions for us to ponder: 1. How do I react when I encounter poverty and the impoverished? 2. Do I recognize my own poverty? Can I name and honestly acknowledge to God the areas where I need help? 3. How have I bought into the lie of the self-made man or woman? 4. How can I reflect Christ’s compassion to those I encounter? Do I take responsibility for my own actions towards the poor? Today’s readings can be found here: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/080220.cfm You can subscribe to future audio versions of homilies here: https://frwill.fireside.fm/ (18th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Mass in the Ordinary Form of the Latin Rite) A-OT-18, Ordinary Form, Homily, Catholic, Poverty, impoverished, “There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves.” (Matt 14:16)
Perhaps in encountering an impoverished person, we fear recognizing our own poverty and need: the truth that human beings exist fundamentally in relation. This fact is made perfectly clear in the incarnation, the enfleshment of Our Lord Jesus, who is God, needed his Mother. As we pass through our daily lives in the City of Austin, we encounter a vast multitude of people who do not know Jesus and who have never received the bread which will satisfy. The Lord’s words should resound in our ears: “there is no need for them to go away, give them some food yourselves.”

Questions for us to ponder:

  1. How do I react when I encounter poverty and the impoverished?
  2. Do I recognize my own poverty? Can I name and honestly acknowledge to God the areas where I need help?
  3. How have I bought into the lie of the self-made man or woman?
  4. How can I reflect Christ’s compassion to those I encounter? Do I take responsibility for my own actions towards the poor?

Today’s readings can be found here: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/080220.cfm

You can subscribe to future audio versions of homilies here: https://frwill.fireside.fm/

(18th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Mass in the Ordinary Form of the Latin Rite)

]]> “There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves.” (Matt 14:16)
Perhaps in encountering an impoverished person, we fear recognizing our own poverty and need: the truth that human beings exist fundamentally in relation. This fact is made perfectly clear in the incarnation, the enfleshment of Our Lord Jesus, who is God, needed his Mother. As we pass through our daily lives in the City of Austin, we encounter a vast multitude of people who do not know Jesus and who have never received the bread which will satisfy. The Lord’s words should resound in our ears: “there is no need for them to go away, give them some food yourselves.”

Questions for us to ponder:

  1. How do I react when I encounter poverty and the impoverished?
  2. Do I recognize my own poverty? Can I name and honestly acknowledge to God the areas where I need help?
  3. How have I bought into the lie of the self-made man or woman?
  4. How can I reflect Christ’s compassion to those I encounter? Do I take responsibility for my own actions towards the poor?

Today’s readings can be found here: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/080220.cfm

You can subscribe to future audio versions of homilies here: https://frwill.fireside.fm/

(18th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Mass in the Ordinary Form of the Latin Rite)

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