Our New Adam & Eve – a short Christmas video by Fr. J. Michael Sparough, SJ
Click below to read the full text of the poem (in pdf format). Our New Adam & Eve (PDF) Listen to an audio only version of this video: Our New Adam & Eve (Audio)
The Joy of the Gospel a short Advent video by Fr. J. Michael Sparough, SJ
Click below to read the full text of the poem (in pdf format). The Joy of the Gospel Listen to an audio only version of this video: The Joy of the Gospel (Audio)
Embrace the Kingdom of God – Matthew 3:1-12
With humility and hope, let us repent and embrace the Kingdom of God this Advent season, as implored by John the Baptist. For a pdf version of this homily (including Fr. Michael’s poem, Our New Adam & Eve), please click here. If you prefer to listen to an audio only version of the homily, please…
The Annunciation a short Advent video by Fr. J Michael Sparough, SJ
Click below to read the full text of the poem (in pdf format). The Annunciation
Video Poem – Bethlehem Bound
Bethlehem Bound Friend, come with me to the manger. I want to grow young again, and I cannot go alone. Each year I grow old in my soul. I don’t mean wise. The eyes of my heart darken. The ears of my spirit harden. You know – the racing pace and the tension of time,…
Cash in on God’s Investment – Luke 19:11-26
How will you cash in on the investment God made in you? Today Fr. Michael highlights our mission from God to use the talents God has invested for us to make the world a place of God’s love and mercy. Here are three ways to interact with Fr. Michael’s homily: Watch: Scroll down, click play…
Grant Us the Gift of Hope – Luke 21:5-19
Where does our ultimate hope lie? Is it in the frail and ever changing realm of humanity, or is it with the ever loving, ever faithful God who gave us His only Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ? Here are three ways to interact with Fr. Michael’s homily: Watch: Scroll down, click play to watch in…
Healing the Wounds of Division – John 2:13-22
This week’s homily is special for a number of reasons. First, we captured Fr. Michael in video giving the homily. Second, the message is powerful. Third, we are providing the full text of the homily below the video, along with Fr. Michael’s prayer and a prayer from Sr. Pat Bergen, CSJ. Please share this message…
Aggiornamento! – Luke 11:37-41
What would happen if you threw open the windows to your own spiritual life? Would you be more open to the movement of the Holy Spirit? In today’s homily (given on the Feast of Pope Saint John XXIII) Fr. Michael recalls the beginning of Vatican II and Pope Saint John XXIII’s call of “Aggiornamento!” or…
Love, Courage & Fearlessness – Luke 12:39-48
10 days ago on October 19th, we celebrated the Feast of the North American Martyrs, 6 Jesuit priests and 2 of their lay companions who were killed spreading the faith of Jesus to Native Americans in the New World. Fr. Michael tells us the story of two of these men, Sts. Isaac Jogues and Jean…
Open the Eyes of Your Heart – Luke 12:8-12
Discover the joy and hope of the Resurrection. Do not despair. Do not fall into the trap of “rugged individualism” that leads away from God’s loving embrace. Open the eyes of your heart. These are a few of the lessons from today’s homily by Fr. Michael. The theme is again one of healing, but focused…
A Mass of Healing – Luke 11:1-4
Jesus gave the disciples, two simple sentences that still today profoundly direct our lives as Christians… “He said to them, ‘When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do…
Lazarus & The Rich Man – Luke 16:19-31
Lazarus waits to die, with dogs licking his wounds, while the rich man feasts and overlooks the plight unfolding right outside his gates. What was the rich man’s sin? What did he do wrong? His was a sin of omission, of forgetfulness, of blindness to the needs of others; to the needs of Lazarus. Fr.…
The Penitent Pope – Matthew 9:9-13
Three years ago the first interview with Pope Francis was published in America Magazine and in that article the author asks Pope Francis, “Who is Jorge Mario Bergoglio?” and Pope Francis responds: “I am a sinner.” Today’s homily on the call of Matthew the tax collector examines the reality of our human sinful nature and…
Exaltation of the Cross – John 3:13-17
Hidden in this week’s Gospel for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is the more familiar passage known simply as John 3:16: For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. You might be…
Saint Nathanael – John 1:43-51
How will your call be remembered? In today’s Gospel and Homily, we hear the call of Nathaniel by the Apostle Philip. Philip tells Nathanael that “the one whom Moses wrote about in the law” has been found and that he is from Nazareth. Nathanael ignobly replies: “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” But despite this…
Martha and Mary (summer bonus #2) – Luke 9:38-42
This week we get a second summer bonus homily from Fr. Michael! Martha and Mary. Two sisters representing two halves of the fulfilled spiritual person. Fr. Michael takes us on a journey into their home, and into their encounter with Christ. While Martha takes the brunt of Jesus’ initial rebuke, we learn that neither is…
Fr. Jim Willig’s 15th Anniversary Memorial Mass – Luke 9:51-62
This week we get a bonus homily from Fr. Michael. While in Cincinnati for a summer writing sabbatical, Fr. Michael celebrated a Memorial Mass on the 15th Anniversary of Fr. Jim Willig’s birth into eternal life. In this homily, Fr. Michael remembers his friend, Fr. Jim, and draws parallels between Fr. Jim’s life and the…
Pruning to Bear Much Fruit – John 15:1-8 & The Complexity of Conscience – Acts 16:1-5
As summer approaches, Fr. Michael’s weekly homilies also approach a hiatus. This two part posting has the last homilies until September. Instead of a weekly homily during the summer, you can hear longer recordings from Fr. Michael that will be sent out to the mailing list for Fr. Jim Willig’s Gospel Studies. Fr. Jim did…
The Outer Journey and The Inner Journey – John 14:23-29
This week’s homily again comes from Fr. Michael’s recent journey to walk the Way of St. James, or the Camino de Santiago. Our lives, like the Camino, are made up of multiple journeys. This week Fr. Michael highlights the importance of the outer journey and the inner journey. With some humorous examples of pilgrims’ follies…