Sunday Sermon, September 13 -- Forgiveness in the Life of the Church

 We discuss the parable of the unforgiving servant, noting the extremes of debt and forgiveness. The unforgiving servant was forgiven 10,000 talents; which is 60 million denarii (164,000 years of daily work, or somewhere around $10 billion in modern terms).  The other servant owed him 100 denarii; not nothing (100 days of work, around $15,000) but much less.

And we then put this parable in the context of the five discourses of St Matthew's Gospel:  The Sermon on the Mount (chapters 5-7); the Apostolic or Missionary Sermon (chapter 10); the Parabolic Sermon (chapter 13); the Sermon on the Church or Ecclesiological Sermon (chapter 18); and the Sermon on the End Times or Eschatological Sermon (chapter 24-25).

This parable is within the discourse on the Church -- it is the life of the Church which teaches us how to forgive.

Listen online [here]!

Adult Faith Formation, September 8th -- Wisdom Literature, Session 5 -- Song of Songs and Prophecy

 In this fifth class on Wisdom literature of the Old Testament, we look to the third book of Solomon - Song of Songs.  This book is a series of hymns commemorating the love of a king and his bride, the days before, during, and after the wedding. From ancient times, this book is recognized as a mystical expression of the love of Christ and his Church.

Handout below.

Sunday Sermon, September 6 -- Fraternal Correction

 Inspired by the Gospel this Sunday, we preach on fraternal correction and also other forms of charitable correction (especially parents to children, or superiors to subjects).

Before being able to offer proper fraternal correction, one must first receive correction well and in the spirit of humility. We then discuss St Thomas Aquinas' treatment of fraternal correction as part of the virtue of charity.

Listen online [here]!

Adult Faith Formation, September 1st -- Wisdom Literature, Session 4 -- Ecclesiastes and Solomon's Comversion

In this session, we look to the second book of Solomon - Ecclesiastes. Qoheleth, the Preacher, tells us of the vanity of all earthly things. It is King Solomon, perhaps after a conversion late in life.

Sunday Sermon, August 30 - Both Simon and Peter, the Human Element in the Church

 Last week, Simon was named Peter, the Rock upon which Christ will build his Church. This week, Peter is caller Satan, for he continued to think as Simon, as men do rather than as God does.

Inspired by Archbishop Fulton Sheen, we reflect upon how the Church is both Simon and Peter, both human and divine. The human element in the Church can be painful, but the gates of hell will never prevail against her.

We discuss also the pain and confusion caused in our own city by the recent closure of two Catholic schools, emphasizing that the faithful have the right to ask questions of Diocesan leadership - but also emphasizing that it is gravely sinful to attack the Bishop and his staff  or to presume to assign motives or nefarious behind the scenes plans to the Bishop.

Listen online [here]!