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.
The prophets of the Old Testament announced the coming of the Messiah, even though they did not know exactly when or how this would come about. John the Baptist declared that the Messiah would free humanity from the oppression and sin through faith in God’s mercy and individual repentance. The preaching of John the Baptist was like a dividing line between the prophecies of the end of the Old Testament and the reality of the beginning of the New Testament.
When we say that we accept Jesus into our life and no change is happening, then perhaps we have not really allowed Him to come in yet. Perhaps He is just at the door.
The experience John had of his own unworthiness was a thoroughly delightful experience; it is a heavenly experience, not the hellish experience of being in the presence of the arrogant and self-important, who are not extraordinarily good, but who desire to be regarded as such, which is why they will employ very subtle tactics to make the other feel of less worth than they.
Mary and Joseph conformed their lives to the concerns of a child and consequentially were united in their concerns for each other.
Having lived through the 2020 pandemic, and as we continue through Advent, we are reminded through the ancient words of Isaiah that God is bigger and stronger than anything we may face in our lifetime. Add to that the knowledge of God's desire for us to be comforted, and we find hope in new and unexpected ways.