Shows
Sunday HomilyMary The Mother of God: Holy Moments Week 1You can change you life for the better, and draw closer to God, by living Holy Moments. This is the introduction to our four week message series Holy Moments.2023-01-0109 minSunday Homily20th Sunday Ordinary Time: War & Peace - Sinner & Saint20th Sunday Ordinary Time: War & Peace - Sinner & Saint
August 14, 2022
www.saintmary.life2022-08-1411 min
Sunday HomilyThe Holy FamilyFeast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
December 26, 20212022-01-0510 minSunday HomilyDoes This Shock you?! In-Motion Week 4This is the fourth and final week of our message series we call Does this Shock you?
The first week of our series Jesus asked us point blank whether or not we are shocked by his revelation that Holy Communion is his Body and Blood and we are to consume it if we are to have eternal life with him. Holy Communion is communion with him. That’s what makes it holy.
Then two weeks ago we discussed how loving Jesus creates this interior disposition within us to want to serve and that there are al...2021-09-1217 minSunday HomilyUnwrapping Christmas: The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and JosephHoly families don’t have to be perfect, but by caring for one another with heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with and forgiving one another, through prayer, sacrificial love and putting God first in all that we do, our families can become Holy families, and by our example, change the world for Christ.2020-12-2608 minSunday HomilyUnwrapping Christmas: Invite and InviteLuke introduces his readers to a young girl named Mary. She was probably no more than 14 to 15 years old. She is engaged to marry a man named Joseph. The Archangel Gabriel invited Mary to participate in the Nativity of our Lord. Jesus invites us to participate in Christmas by inviting others into the joy of the season.2020-12-1705 minSunday HomilyCornerstone, Week 4: Heart for the LostJesus came for the lost and this greatly upset the religious leaders. Jesus further upsets them as he stated that tax collectors and sinners were entering the kingdom of God before them. The lost were coming into a relationship with God before the religious leaders because they were repenting and doing what God wanted them to do. Often people who turn back to God are the most zealous for him. At Saint Mary, we want to keep focused not on religious people, but on the lost so that they can become fully devoted followers of Jesus2020-09-2408 minSunday HomilyCornerstone, Week 2: GraceIn this week message we will look at the parable of the unforgiving servant. A foundation of our church is that we are all in need of God’s mercy. We gain heaven because of God’s mercy and love and can do nothing to earn it. We are to extend that to others. A cornerstone of our faith is that we can all have access to God through the person of Jesus Christ and that no one is too far from him. We want to be a grace filled church.2020-09-1010 minSunday HomilyCornerstone: ShareJesus is our cornerstone, and he tells us to share him with the world. That is his vision for us. Over the centuries the church has lost this vision. The Coronavirus presents us with the perfect opportunity to reclaim it.2020-09-0211 minSunday Homily3 Conversations, Disciples Making Disciples: Your Life As MinistryWhen you live out your life by making disciples as you are called to do, your life becomes a ministry. And by doing so you lose your life for Christ and gain everything in the process. Not just in eternal life but in the quality and joy of your life now here on earth.2020-08-2410 minSunday Homily3 Conversations, Disciples Making Disciples; Intentional PrayerThe beauty of intentional prayer and how it causes the one praying to search his/her heart and pour the heart out to God. When practicing intentional prayer in a group, also helps us understand other’s trials and joys.2020-08-2110 minSunday Homily3 Conversations: Disciples Making Disciples, Your Faith StoryWe are all on a journey. It is important to reflect on where you have been on your journey and see how you are moving toward a relationship with Jesus.2020-08-2111 minSunday HomilyBroken: All Inclusive GraceWe have been given the grace to get into heaven. God chose us; God chose you. Grace is the free and undeserved gift we are given of God’s favor and life. We are given grace at our baptism, and it is a lot like a seed. At our baptism we were given grace, God’s very life, and it was placed inside each of us.2020-08-0607 minSunday HomilyBroken: God's PowerGod’s power is God’s Love. Nothing can separate you from God’s love. No matter how difficult things may get, how broken life may feel, or how broken you may feel at times, nothing, nothing can separate you from the love of Jesus Christ. This is a perfect example of God’s love, his generosity.2020-07-2907 minSunday HomilyBroken: Good News in Tough Times, InvincibleEven though we experience brokenness in our lives, there is good news for those who love God. “We know that all things work for good for those who love God…..2020-07-2215 minSunday HomilyBroken: HopeThe Holy Spirit Groaning” The Holy Spirit wants to come to the aid of our weakness. Our weakness could refer to the general sense of vulnerability in the conditions of our present age. It also refers to the fact that we can not even imagine the goal to which God is leading us. Hence we do not know what to pray for and we do not know what is the appropriate prayer to make.2020-07-1609 minSunday HomilyBroken: Labor PainsGod will bring restoration, in spite of our pain and brokenness. Christ has won the victory over death; our suffering has an end. This should not only give us comfort, but a great hope in a God who loves us so much he would share in our suffering so we could live eternally with Him.2020-07-0811 minSunday HomilyJESUS Saves: SeekJesus calls us to rest. The ability to step away from the busy world, and to enter into a divine rest, is a blessing that can be yours. Stepping away from the world and trying to figure everything out never works. “For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” Give your worries to Jesus and trust in Him.2020-07-0211 minSunday HomilyJESUS Saves, UnitedIn Baptism, we are united to Christ and His Church as an accepted and redeemed member of the family of God.2020-06-2509 minSunday HomilyJESUS Saves, SaviorJesus becomes like us, so we can become like him. We read in the bible that we are created in God’s image. Throughout our life we should be growing, maturing, from God’s image into God’s likeness, and the Son of God, Jesus, makes that possible because he remakes us, recreates us, and leads the way, showing us how to mature through life from God’s image to his likeness.2020-06-2009 min
Sunday HomilyMessage Matters Monday: Jesus, EucharistMessage Matters Monday -
Corpus Christi means the Body of Christ, but why do we celebrate one day specifically called Corpus Christi? It is basically a celebration of the fact that the body and blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is present in the bread and wine during the Eucharist, a reenactment of the Last Supper, the final meal that Jesus Christ shared with his disciples. “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever”
Episode 6 - June 15, 20202020-06-1513 minSunday HomilyJESUS Saves, EucharistCorpus Christi means the Body of Christ, but why do we celebrate one day specifically called Corpus Christi? It is basically a celebration of the fact that the body and blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is present in what appears to be bread and wine during the Eucharist, a re-enactment of the Last Supper, the final meal that Jesus Christ shared with his disciples.
“I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever”2020-06-1012 min
Sunday HomilyMessage Matters Monday: JESUS Saves, Jesus Son of GodMessage Matters Monday
Monday, June 8, 2020 - Episode 5
With Fr. Doug Martin and Scott Gulig
www.saintmary.life/messagematters/
Saint Mary Catholic Church - Fort Walton Beach, Florida2020-06-0814 minSunday HomilyJESUS Saves: Jesus Son of GodWe begin this new series on Trinity Sunday, as we honor God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. For this message series, we are taking a very close look for five weeks at Jesus, the Son of God. We will take each letter of Jesus’ name and apply it to a message for five weeks. This first week we are looking at the letter J, and our theme is Jesus, the Son of God.2020-06-0411 min
Sunday HomilyMessage Matters Monday - PentecostThis is week 4 of our homily series More than Words. Go to our website, https://saintmary.life/messagematters/ to follow along as we break open the word and answer some questions about how what we say reveals our hearts.
With Fr. Doug and Amanda Martin
Saint Mary Catholic Church - Fort Walton Beach, Florida2020-06-0213 minSunday HomilyMore than Words: Pentecost, Fr. Doug MartinFire is a symbol of the Holy Spirit because fire purifies. Fire purifies metals. It kills germs and impurities. The Holy Spirit purifies our hearts. He purifies our souls. When the Holy Spirit came to the first disciples, they were then able to speak in different languages. God was giving the disciples an ability speak in different languages and bring unity of speech because they were filled with God’s spirit and unified with the desire to bring the Gospel to the world. No one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.2020-05-2810 min
Sunday HomilyMessage Matters Monday: Last WordsThis is week 3 of our homily series More than Words. Go to our website, https://saintmary.life/messagematters/ to follow along as we break open the word and answer some questions about how what we say reveals our hearts.
With Fr. Doug and Amanda Martin
Saint Mary Catholic Church - Fort Walton Beach, Florida2020-05-2621 minSunday HomilyMore than Words: Last Words, Fr. Doug HalsemaThe Gospel of Matthew depicts the scene of Jesus’ ascension into Heaven. Before Jesus ascends he gathers the 11 remaining loyal apostles and gives them his final instructions. He gives them their mission and their focus. When the Church stays focused on these words, it succeeds but when it forgets them, it goes wrong. The same is true of our lives when we have a few words that clearly define our purpose and our mission.
In this week, we will encourage members of the parish to find words or verses from Scripture that are their key verse for th...2020-05-2108 min
Sunday HomilyMessage Matters Monday: Source of our WordsThis is week 2 of our homily series More than Words. Go to our website, https://saintmary.life/messagematters/ to follow along as we break open the word and answer some questions about how what we say reveals our hearts.
With Fr. Doug and Amanda Martin
Saint Mary Catholic Church - Fort Walton Beach, Florida2020-05-1818 minSunday HomilyMore than Words: The Source of Our Words, Fr. Doug MartinJesus said that the words from our mouths come out of our hearts. If we watch our language and the words of our mouth we will see the impurities that need to be purified from our lives. Words help us evaluate the condition of our hearts. We will see the things in our heart that are negative and lead to death. We can also spot the positives that lead to life. 2020-05-1410 min
Sunday HomilyMessage Matter Monday, More than Words 1This is the first of our Message Matters Monday, a discussion the weekly message. This week we premiere our new homily series, More than Words. Words have power and God’s words have God’s power. To access the power of God in our lives and use our words for good, we should connect with God’s word.
With Fr. Doug and Amanda Martin
Saint Mary Catholic Church - Fort Walton Beach, Florida2020-05-1118 minSunday HomilyMore Than Words: Mother's Day, Fr. Doug HalsemaToday we begin a new homily series but also celebrate Mother’s Day! We will introduce the power of words deriving from God’s Word. The early Church grew as the disciples devoted themselves to the Word of God and did not neglect it. To grow in life and use our words well we must not neglect our service to the Word. Words have power and God’s Words have God’s power. To access the power of God in our lives and use our words for good, we should connect with God’s Word.2020-05-0809 minSunday HomilyPossible: The Abundant Life, Fr. Doug HalsemaThe abundant life comes from listening to the voice of Jesus, becoming more and more familiar with his voice so we follow him and not the voice of strangers who do not have our good in mind.2020-05-0110 minSunday Homily(im)Possible: Road to Emmaus, Fr. Doug HalsemaThe death of the Lord on the Cross brought a crisis of faith for his friends and followers. It was the end of the world as they had known it, as well as the death of all their hopes and dreams. Then something even more unbelievable happened. Something that seemed impossible. Easter celebrates the impossible things that God can do in the midst of a crisis.2020-04-2311 minSunday HomilyPossible: Divine Mercy Sunday, Fr. Doug HalsemaFaith and hope go together. The deeper our faith in Jesus’ resurrection, the more hope we will have for the future. Faith is the foundation of hope. So over the course of this series we are looking at the early disciples and their accounts of how they came to believe in Jesus’ resurrection and the hope it gave them. We all need hope right now and the firm foundation for that is our faith in Jesus’ resurrection.2020-04-1713 minSunday HomilyEaster Sunday: Possible, Fr. Doug HalsemaOver the next four weeks we are going to look at the evidence and experiences of the early Christians and the hope which that brought into their lives. Faith and hope are two things we desperately need right now. They are available. So I want you to make a few commitments to get the most out of this series. One, commit to join us here online, each Sunday. This is a series that you want to be a part of. It will help deepen your faith and give you hope for the future.2020-04-0815 minSunday HomilyPalm Sunday: Coronavirus? All Will be Well, Fr. Doug HalsemaThis Passion Sunday is, in one way, a very sad day: Walking with Jesus on this day can break your heart. But it's also the brightest of days, because it tells how very much we are loved, and because it reminds us, who view it from the vantage point of the resurrection, that despite all appearances, ALL WILL BE WELL! So let us rejoice, because, thanks be to our good God, ALL WILL BE WELL!2020-04-0305 minSunday HomilyWhen God Doesn't Make Sense : Roll Away the StoneOver and over again, Jesus’ friends and followers were pressed into service. Consistently, Jesus would do what he could do only after his followers did what they could do. That’s why he tells them: “Roll away the stone.”2020-03-2704 minSunday HomilyWhen God Doesn't Make Sense: Corruption and JusticeThe Gospel readings this week point out the corruption and injustice of the pharisees. It also shows us that even in the midst of injustice and misuse of authority, God can do great works. Right now we are dealing with this virus and like injustice and misuse of authority, this virus is a bad thing! But if we are like the blind man and draw close to Jesus, even when things are tough, he will help us to see. He will transform our vision to see beyond injustice, or a health threat like the coronavirus, and grow in relationship...2020-03-2008 minSunday HomilyWhen God Doesn't Make Sense: Corruption and ObstaclesThere are times when it looks like God is just making our life difficult. It seems obvious that if God would just remove the immediate obstacles then life would be much easier, and much better.2020-03-1409 minSunday HomilyWhen God Doesn't Make Sense: SufferingGod’s original design for the world was good and operated without suffering an injustice. When sin entered, so did suffering. This was not part of God’s original plan. The transfiguration occurred shortly after Peter fi rst confessed that Jesus was indeed the Messiah and that he would suffer and die. The close connection between the transfiguration and Peter’s confession is significant – the Messiah must suffer but glorification, not suffering, is his ultimate fate. This was reassurance for the disciples to see Jesus “changed” and “glorified” as they contemplated what was about to happen to Jesus and to them (a futur...2020-03-0510 minSunday HomilyWhen God Doesn't Make SenseIn this week, we are looking at times when God says “no” to things that seem good to us. During these times, it even seems God wills or wants the bad thing for us, or is not powerful enough to make what we want happen.
We will be looking at this mystery through the second creation story of Adam and Eve and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil to see how even when God says “no,” there is a much richer “yes” yet to be revealed.2020-02-2811 minSunday HomilyHome Alone: ConclusionAs a result of sin, we are not comfortable in our own skin and are alienated from ourselves. We lead busy lives so that we can avoid solitude and times of quiet. In this scripture from Leviticus we are told to love our neighbor as ourselves. Our ability to love and connect with others rises and falls on our ability to love and care for ourselves. In this message we will look at ways to love ourselves so that we can overcome the feeling of loneliness and love others. And, we will look at how trusting God strengthens and...2020-02-2212 minSunday HomilyHome Alone: Alienation from OthersWhen God created human beings he called everything good, but then he said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.” God has created us for community, but we experience loneliness because sin alienates us from other people. In this message we look at the importance of reconciliation in relationships and how groups support relationships. We form relationships in small groups; family, friends or co-workers, that support all our other relationships in life.2020-02-1311 minSunday HomilyHome Alone - Three-fold AlienationGod created us to be in harmony with others, with ourselves and with him. However, when human beings chose to sin, it led to a threefold alienation that has destroyed that harmony. It is this alienation that leads to a sense of loneliness. We are disconnected from God, from others and even from ourselves. In this introductory message we talk about our loneliness, where it comes from and how we can combat it. Only in dealing with this alienation can we fulfill the purpose Jesus gave us to be “the salt of the earth and the light of the wo...2020-02-0610 minSunday HomilyBaggage: Extending ForgivenessPaul writes to the Corinthians saddened by their rivalries and disunity. He wants them to be united by Christ. In this message we will look at how we are to forgive others because Christ was crucified for us. Forgiveness is setting a prisoner free and discovering the prisoner was you. Forgiveness is for our benefit. The other person’s behavior may never change. It is up to God, not us, to change that person. It is our responsibility to be set free from the pressure and weight of an unforgiving attitude. Forgiveness is cheaper than resentment. It saves the ex...2020-01-2514 minSunday HomilyBaggage: Receiving ForgivenessJesus is the Lamb who takes away our sins. The process of forgiveness begins with understanding that we have been forgiven by God. To become people who forgive others, we accept God’s forgiveness and then allow the truth of God’s forgiveness to permeate our minds and penetrate our hearts, and direct our attitude toward others, especially those who owe us. There are a lot of people, who would certainly call themselves Christian, who are practicing Catholics, who have never accepted Christ’s work on the Cross in a personal way, they don’t even know what that means. M...2020-01-1711 minSunday HomilyBaggage: Seeking ApprovalGod is pleased with you because he loves you. Scripture tells us today you are my beloved in whom I am pleased. To stop seeking constant approval from others calls for a certain type of self forgiveness. When appropriate, we need to forgive ourselves in the ways we do not meet the approval of others. That will reduce anxiety and worry. Our inability to forgive ourselves comes from our misunderstanding that God only approves of us if we are perfect. This can cause worry, anxiety, self loathing, self directed anger and serious depression.2020-01-1010 minSunday HomilyBaggage: EpiphanyThe reading from Isaiah, Isaiah 60:1-6, tells us that God wants the whole earth to know him and his forgiveness. In this fi rst week, we will look at what forgiveness is and connect it to God’s desire that it be extended to the ends of the earth.2020-01-0209 minSunday HomilyChristmas!Most of the Christmas stories we know and love: the scenes pictured on Christmas cards, and sung in carols, the shepherds, the kings, the angels, the star: they’re all found in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. John tells the Christmas story as well, but it is from a different perspective. John describes the arrival of The Word.2019-12-1810 minSunday HomilyGrace and Truth: God is with UsFrom day one, Jesus was a burden to almost everyone he came in contact with. In some form or another along the way, Jesus burdened Joseph, Mary, the Roman Empire, even the innkeepers. Preparation for Christmas is often a burden- there are the practical difficulties of shopping, cooking, etc., but for others, it brings a bigger burden or fear for the bad memories or experiences it creates.
But Mary and Joseph, prompted by the angel Gabriel’s greeting to Joseph, “do not be afraid”, cooperated with God’s plan to receive Jesus as grace, despite the challenge and burd...2019-12-1710 minSunday HomilyGrace and Truth: Instruments of GraceWe long for meaning. We long for our lives to matter. Wondering whether our lives have an impact or make any difference is the worst place to be. How depressing is it to feel like our lives don’t matter, that life is but a walking shadow, full of sound and fury signifying nothing.
The truth of Christmas, the truth Jesus shared with John the Baptist is that all our energy and efforts fi nd their fulfi llment in the person of Jesus Christ. Our lives can have a great impact and make a tremendous difference by pr...2019-12-1109 minSunday HomilyGrace and Truth: Faith in Times of CrisisGrace is a free gift; we are free to accept it or reject it. God does not force us to love him. That means we need to cooperate with Grace. John the Baptist combines grace and truth into one word: “Repent”. As a result of his message: many “were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins”. John the Baptist shows that grace and truth is not an “either/or”; it’s a “both/and.” In other words, grace and truth cooperate with each other, and so we need to cooperate with grace and truth. We need to...2019-12-0610 minSunday HomilyGrace and TruthAdvent is a time when grace and truth enters the world in a special way: the arrival of Jesus. Many people struggle balancing grace with truth. We tend to be good at emphasizing one but not the other. Truth without grace isn’t actually truth… it’s about being right. Grace without truth isn’t really grace… it’s enabling or lawless.
In this series, we hope to move from thinking about grace and truth as an “either/or” to a “both/and” attitude. In the persons of John the Baptist, Mary, Joseph, and most perfectly, Jesus, we witness examples...2019-11-2710 minSunday HomilyDo Not FearJesus is the King. He is the King of Grace. He is the King of Grace and the message of the cross is not that you have to try and be good enough on you’re your own power or merits to get into heaven or to enter Paradise, but that Christ has done that for you. Everyone of us is like the thief, Dismas, on the cross. At times we have failed. We all fall short of our standards, much less God’s standards. And yet God accepts you. This is the Good News!2019-11-2109 minSunday HomilyInsomnia: Fear of Losing StabilityJesus predicted the destruction of the Temple which was the center of their society. It was a symbol of Judaism and everything they knew and believed. Yet, it was going to come down. Jesus told the disciples not to fear, but to persevere and they would secure their lives. Our faith is not in the current systems or structures but in the God who loves us and provides for us. Often we fear change around us because it signifies a loss of control or loss of what is comfortable.2019-11-1408 minSunday HomilyInsomnia, Fear of DeathOne of our greatest fears is a fear of death. While this world has its own trials and tribulations and is often a valley of tears, Jesus assures us that there is a resurrection from the dead and that death is not the end but the beginning of something more. In this message, we will explore our fear of death and how the promise of resurrection can help us overcome our fears.2019-11-0711 minSunday HomilyInsomnia: Fear of MoneyIn this message, we look at the life of Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus lived alone and as an outcast because of his love for money. Our attachment to “stuff” can come out of a fear that we won’t have enough, and so like Zacchaeus our fear of not having enough money can separate us from God and others. In this message we will look at some of our fears about money and how to overcome them by trusting in God and his provision.2019-10-3010 minSunday HomilyInsomnia: Fear of RejectionEveryone experiences fears. Fears often hold us back from what we desire to achieve or the people we want to become. But what is behind our fears? Very often our fears are based on lies or half-truths we have come to believe. Overcoming fear requires getting to the root of those lies and finding out the truth about God and ourselves. In this series, we look at some common fears and how to overcome them.
This week, we introduce the topic of fear and then dive into the fear of abandonment and rejection. Today we want to look specifically at...2019-10-2508 minSunday Homily8th Grade Faith: CommitmentWhen we are young we tend to think of the minimum: how can I push the line without getting caught? How bad can I be and still get in to heaven? A more mature faith no longer looks for the minimum, but is willing to sacrifi ce and trust in God. Paul counsels Timothy about his work in ministry, encouraging him to be persistent in faith “whether it is convenient or inconvenient.” As we mature in faith, we see Jesus not as someone who deserves our minimum effort but who deserves all of our life.2019-10-1609 minSunday Homily8th Grade Faith: Personal FaithGrowing up our faith is naturally based on the experience of others. It is given to us or taught to us by parents, grandparents, or other adults. We take their words for granted. Ultimately, for faith to mature it must become very personal to us, since faith grows through a personal encounter with God. In this message we will look at the story of Naaman and how he came to faith in the one true God of Israel. We will look at Naaman’s story to see how we can make faith personal.2019-10-1112 minSunday Homily8th Grade Faith: PrayerAs kids, we are told to say our prayers. We memorize prayers before meals, the “Our Father,” the “Hail Mary,” and prayers for bedtime. Rote prayers are good, but to mature in faith we eventually need to move beyond saying our prayers to entering into prayer and conversation with God based on the events and details of our life. In this message we will look at the prophet Habakkuk as a model for prayer.2019-10-0510 minSunday Homily8th Grade Faith: MinistryAs kids, we can easily see faith as something we “do” on Sundays, a subject in school, or an hour to get through. It is something we are made to do. A more mature person comes to see faith as a way of life, and a way to grab hold of the eternal life offered by God. In this message, we look at Paul’s instruction to “lay hold of eternal life.” To grow in faith, we need to change our view of Christianity from something we do for an hour to a way of life that we live.2019-09-2812 minSunday Homily8th Grade Faith, The Dishonest StewardWhen we are young, we are taught to take responsibility for our things. A more mature faith comes to see that everything belongs to God and that it makes sense to view our lives not as owners, but as stewards of what God has entrusted to us. In this message we will look at the parable of the dishonest steward and what it teaches about using our possessions wisely.2019-09-2111 minSunday Homily8th Grade FaithWhen we are in eighth grade, we are often taught the rules and commandments, because at this time in our life, the “rules of life,” basic boundaries, and morality are what our minds can grasp. On the flipside, a more mature faith sees God not as a “cosmic cop in the sky,” but a heavenly Father who loves us. In this message, we look at the older brother from the parable of the Prodigal Son. His emphasis on rules and loss of a relationship keeps him from celebrating life with his Father.2019-09-1310 minSunday HomilyEntering the Mission Field: VisionIn the Gospel reading this Sunday Jesus is at a Sabbath dinner at the home of a leading Pharisee. Jesus tells a parable. He tells a story about a wedding feast. He uses this parable to remind us to invite all people to the “feast”, not just important people or people that we may like. Also, not to take the best seats for ourselves. We are to call all people to come and eat at the Lord’s Table, and to become disciples of Jesus We are so blessed here at Saint Mary to have welcomed Deacon Doug Martin and hi...2019-09-0509 minSunday HomilyEntering the Mission Field: Deacon Doug Martin Tells His Story.In the Gospel reading this Sunday Jesus is at a Sabbath dinner at the home of a leading Pharisee. Jesus tells a parable. He tells a story about a wedding feast. He uses this parable to remind us to invite all people to the “feast”, not just important people or people that we may like. Also, not to take the best seats for ourselves. We are to call all people to come and eat at the Lord’s Table, and to become disciples of Jesus We are so blessed here at Saint Mary to have welcomed Deacon Doug Martin and hi...2019-08-3109 minSunday HomilyDavid for King: The KingdomGod is faithful to His promises. The promises that God made to Abraham, that through him he
would bring blessing to all the peoples of the earth, is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. The promises that
he made to David, that he will establish a kingdom that will reign forever through his lineage is
fulfilled in Jesus Christ. God is faithful to his promises. When John the Baptist announces the
coming of Jesus, he says, “The kingdom of God is at hand.” Announcing to everyone that the
Kingdom of God is h...2019-08-2206 minSunday HomilyDavid for King, Refining StewardsWhen you possess money, possess wealth in this life, it is entrusted to you for a period of time. You are it’s steward or manager, but someone else’s turn is going to come soon because this isn’t our home. We’re going to live somewhere in eternity. When we understand this principle, that we are stewards, not owners, we start to see life differently. This isn’t our home. Heaven is our home.2019-08-1711 minSunday HomilyDavid for King: Relationship RiftThis week we learn that relationship rifts can become a chasm when left unaddressed. If you have a relationship
that needs work, you can start the healing by saying you’re sorry, “I’m sorry, this relationship is not where I want
it to be. I’m sorry for my miscommunication. I’m sorry for my part of the problem.” Healthy relationships are
made up of people who are willing to lean into the relationship and repair the rifts.2019-08-0910 minSunday HomilyDavid for King, ConfessionToday we learn that instead of covering up our sins and failures we admit them. We admit them first to ourselves,
then to God, and then to the appropriate people in our lives. If we are willing to admit mistakes upfront we
can save ourselves from the pain that comes with the cover-up, that comes from lying about it or taking other
measures to hide it from others. We can see that when we admit our failures, it brings peace to our hearts.
Another lesson is to receive those admissions of...2019-08-0310 minSunday HomilyDavid for King, A Leader After God's Own HeartThis week we hear about David’s eventual rise to the throne. Although there are hurdles, David succeeds and
takes his rightful place as the anointed king of Israel. David balanced great strength with great worship. Worship
and prayer require vulnerability, humility and effort. The success of David’s kingdom will not be determined by
David’s power nor by his ingenuity or wisdom or eloquence or even his good looks. The kingdom will be built
on David’s trust in the power of God!2019-07-2721 minSunday HomilyDavid for King, Moral MarginLast week we talked about inquiring of the Lord, asking God for His wisdom and counsel. There are some things you don’t need to ask God what his counsel is, because he’s already given it to you. It’s already in his Word, it’s already in the scriptures. So we don’t need to ask God about things that he’s already told us are wrong. See, David knew what was right in this weeks story because he loved God’s law. He loved God’s teaching.
2019-07-2009 minSunday HomilyDavid for King, Asking GodDavid escapes from the court of King Saul, and his life takes a few twists and turns. I encourage you to read 1 Samuel so you can read it for yourself, but eventually, we are told in 1 Samuel, "David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam (Ad-dual-am), and when his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down to him."2019-07-1211 minSunday HomilyDavid for King, GoliathWelcome to the second week of our summer series, David for King. The story of David is one of the most important, detailed, sprawling, cinematic stories in the whole Bible.2019-07-0611 minSunday HomilyDavid for King, Anointed“I will bless the Lord who counsels me; even in the night my heart exhorts me. I set the Lord ever before me; with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.” (Ps 16:7-8)2019-07-0113 minSunday HomilyThe Eucharist: Corpus ChristiThe half-truth we want to discuss today is one that exists between Christians, and is an important element of our Catholic faith. This half-truth is that Holy Communion is only a symbol. A symbol represents something. Holy Communion represents God’s love for us, but it is much more than that. So if anyone says communion is a symbol, that is true, but it is only half true.2019-06-2213 minSunday HomilyHalf Truth - The FaithToday we want to confront this half-truth that all religions are the same, deep down. Now, that is true if you mean that all religions struggle with, and attempt to answer, the same questions. They struggle with questions such as what is the very foundation of reality. Does God exist? If God exists, what is God’s nature? Is there one God or many gods? If God exists, what does he expect of us? Does he expect anything of us? What happens to us after we die? These and many other questions are questions that various religions attempt to answer. R...2019-06-1512 minSunday HomilyHalf-Truth: The Church - PentecostWelcome to the second week of our message series Half-Truth. Our culture often has half-truths. Half-truths are beliefs that are kind of right, but not completely. Just as if you get it half right when you put the right street address in your GPS, but the wrong town, you arrive at the wrong destination, if we buy into these half-truths of culture, then we wind up at a place we do not want to be.2019-06-0813 minSunday HomilyHalf-Truth: The Way to GodA half-truth is a statement that includes some element of truth; the statement might be partly true, but in leaving out the rest of the truth, it brings about a deception. The half-truth often leads us to embrace a whole lie. In this series, we will confront popular misconceptions and errors in thinking that our culture believes. This series deals with basics of our faith: the Ascension, Pentecost, the Trinity and Corpus Christi. We will explore each of these truths of our faith and show the popular misconceptions they refute, including: there are many ways to God, all religions a...2019-06-0211 minSunday HomilyGroundbreaking: MinistryAt the Council of Jerusalem, it was decided with the Holy Spirit not to make it difficult for the Gentiles to come to God. They were going to put rungs on the ladder so that Gentiles could easily come to Christ. Basically, what they said is: We ought not make it difficult for the Gentiles to turn to God. We ought not make it difficult for people to come to church. There’s a groundbreaking idea: we ought not make it difficult for people to come to church! Let’s make it easy—as easy as possible for people who ar...2019-05-2511 minSunday HomilyVisionA place where it becomes impossible not to share Jesus with the world!2019-05-1912 minSunday HomilyGroundbreaking! EvangelizationThe early Church broke new ground because they were able to bring the Gospel into places that had never heard it. They didn’t fear failure but persevered and kept sharing the Gospel. As followers of Christ, it is our job to share the good news with people who don’t know the good news. We have an opportunity to break ground with people who don’t know Jesus. Like Paul and Barnabas we must persevere and not fear that not all our efforts will be successful.2019-05-1211 minSunday HomilyGroundbreaking: ObeyOne of the most appealing things about the early church was the clear and direct communication of what was
required of a follower of Jesus. One of Jesus’ new requirements for us after the new covenant is that we should
not be afraid. In Acts 5, the Sanhedrin arrested the apostles and ordered them to stop speaking in the name of
Jesus. They replied that they “must obey God rather than men.” The apostles left that meeting “rejoicing that
they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.” I...2019-05-0408 minSunday HomilyGroundbreaking: Acts
The Church was a place where people could come to be healed. They were able to have success solely because they had the power of Holy Spirit upon them. The same power is available to us too. In this message, we will look at how the Church broke new ground by bringing healing to the people of the first century and how we can still accomplish this mission today. As more and more people’s hearts are healed through the Church, more people will be drawn to it.2019-04-2914 minSunday HomilyGroundbreaking! Easter celebrates the most groundbreaking event in history. And it’s impact is still being felt. Over a billion people all around the world this morning are gathering to celebrate a Jewish carpenter from an obscure village who lived 2,000 years ago.2019-04-2411 minSunday HomilyPalm Sunday of the Lord's Passion 2019What we want you to know: 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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.
What do we want you to do: Ponder this passage above about God’s love for you, in the depths of your heart, and with this in mind, come to our Holy Week services Thursday and Friday.2019-04-1301 minSunday HomilyAttitude Adjustment: SinAs we wrap up our series today, we want to look at how helpful the attitude of humility can be when it comes to recognizing and eliminating sin in our life. 2019-04-0511 minSunday HomilyAttitude Adjustment: Mistakes, Faults & FailuresToday, we focus on the message of humility that comes in the form of repentance. Admitting our sins and our failures is the key to growing in humility. We are all prodigals who need to admit to God our need for his mercy and forgiveness. We need to practice the humility of saying we are sorry and that we have done wrong.
What we want you to know: Humility has the incredible ability to change and transform us into the person thatwe want to be, the person that is more attractive to the people around us and t...2019-03-3013 minSunday HomilyAttitude Adjustment: ComparisonsSome of Jesus’ listeners ask him about the death of some people, asking Him for an interpretation. At that time, the thinking was that if something bad happened to you, you deserved it. Jesus warns them not to compare themselves, but instead to focus on their own repentance. Comparison kills our humility because we often compare ourselves to people we will measure up positively against based on our standards not God’s. In this
message we will look at avoiding the comparison trap2019-03-2311 minSunday HomilyFollowers Fish Week 2We introduce people to Jesus because he is the only one in the history of the world who conquered the grave. If someone can predict their own suffering and death and then rise from the grave, that is someone worth following. 2019-03-2110 minSunday HomilyAttitude Adjustment: ListeningIn this week’s message, we will look at prayer and worship as a way in which we humble ourselves before a God who is greater than us
What we want you to know: Humility is not a low opinion of yourself, it’s a clear opinion of yourself. Humility is knowledge of yourself as you really are.
What we want you to do:. Humble yourself in prayer & acknowledge that God is great!
2019-03-1512 minSunday HomilyAttitude Adjustment: IntroductionThe reading from Deuteronomy reminds the Israelites that God formed them as a people and delivered them from Egypt. They called themselves “The Chosen People” not as a badge of honor, but as a reminder that they were only a nation because of God’s initiative. Other nations had power or wisdom, the Israelites only had God’s help. In this week’s homily we will look at humility as understanding all we have comes from God.2019-03-0810 minSunday HomilyVision You are church! And the only time we are church is when we exist for others, especially those who are not here, following Jesus’ call to share him with the world. That’s what we want you to know.2019-03-0212 minSunday HomilyHooked: Followers Fish 3Today is the last of a brief series called Hooked: Followers Fish. Two weeks ago, we heard that Jesus called the first Apostles and promised that they would learn to bring people into a relationship with him. He used the metaphor of fishing for that activity: they would become fishers of men. When it comes to bringing people to Christ, we have to put aside our own fears, discomfort, and laziness. One of the ways we can do so is by having a very simple strategy: invest and invite.2019-02-2409 min
Sunday HomilyThe Resurrection and the LifeJesus’ resurrection to new life proved the power of his death. His resurrection proved that his work on the cross was not just the death of a good man, but the God Man. His cross and resurrection redeemed the whole world.2019-02-1610 min
Sunday HomilyFishers of MenWhen Jesus called the first disciples he didn’t promise to make them better or smarter or stronger. He said follow me and I will make you fishers of men. In this message we will make the point that followers fish. We will look at the call of Peter and how we can get over the fear of bringing people to Jesus so that we become a place where it becomes impossible not to share Jesus with the world. Throughout these three weeks, we will discuss the importance of sharing our faith, both for the benefit of others and fo...2019-02-0912 min
Sunday HomilyThe Secrets of Every Happy Family: GraceLatest episode of Sunday Homily2019-02-0211 min
Sunday HomilyThe Secrets of Every Happy Family: MothersHappy families, successful ones are characterized by mothers who understand their role is like Mary’s role, a role of preparation. They're preparing their children for release into their own lives, under their own authority, in the larger world, in the same way that Mary released Jesus into his public ministry. This is the selfless role of all mothers, to bring their children up to live independent faith-filled lives.2019-01-1913 min
Sunday HomilyThe Secrets of Every Happy Family: FatherWell, today, we're going to look at a unique role in the family. It is the role of a father or a father figure. And in order to do it, we're going to take a look at Jesus’ relationship with his father, based upon a key moment in Jesus’ life.2019-01-1212 min