Lifeissues is mainly concerned with publishing thoughtful articles directly related to issues raised in Evangelium Vitae. However, from the very beginning, we have also published a few related homilies, notably by Fr. Al Cariño, O.M.I., Fr. Tony Pueyo, and others.
Please use the pulldowns below to select a homily by Liturgical Calendar date.
When we are hesitant to invite the Lord in, it is usually because we look at our own shortcomings, or lack of preparedness. We focus on ourselves. Let us rather focus on the Lord. What he wants to hear is. "Stay with us." Once we utter those words, miracles come into our life in ways we do not foresee; the water is turned into wine, the sinner is forgiven, the sick is healed, the dead is raised to life, and our eye s are opened.
When a woman is in labor, she has pain, because her hour has come. But when the child is born, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy of having brought a human being into the world. So you have pain now; but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you." (John 16: 16-22). Jesus was ready to give birth to his Church.
Study is important, but through study we come to know about God, in prayer we come to know God. Discussion and debate are one thing, and they have their place, but they don't take us into the heart of God. Only the heart can reach the heart of God, and it is in the heart of God that we discover who our neighbor is.
We may wonder about how other people in our lives and in society in general evaluate us. A more important question, though, especially because of our sinfulness, is what value we have for God. Our text tells us that we are so valued in God's sight that the Son of God gave his life to restore us to fellowship with God. This was, in fact, God's plan "before the foundation of the world."
Peter's first letter to the churches gives great teaching around his call to holiness. Our task is to let this teaching influence and shape how we live Christian lives among unbelievers.