Homily #121214b ( 11min) Play – Fr. Elias on the life of St. John of the Cross and how appropriate he is for the penitential season of Advent. St. John stresses that you can’t combine a spiritual life with a life of indulgence. Father relates this to how the season of Advent is being turned into the season of Christmas and indulgence which traditionally is reserved for Christmas and the weeks that follow. Instead of the fast before the feast we have the feast before the fast. St John teaches that through the thicket of the Cross we will get to the place of peace. For this reason he is called St. John of the Cross and you will never see a St. John (or any other saint) of the Jacuzzi.
Ave Maria!
Mass: St. John of the Cross – Mem – Form: OF
Readings: Friday in the 2nd Week in Advent
1st: isa 48:17-19
Resp: psa 1:1-2, 3, 4, 6
Gsp: mat 11:16-19

Audio (MP3)

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Homily #131214b ( 09min) Play – Fr. Joachim on the life of St. John of the Cross, Doctor of the Church, how he had early mystical and miraculous experiences, entered religious life, started a reform of the Carmelites which resulted in many persecutions and wrote many classic spiritual books.
Ave Maria!
Mass: St. John of the Cross – Mem – Form: OF
Readings: Saturday in the 2nd Week in Advent
1st: sir 48:1-4, 9-11
Resp: psa 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19
Gsp: mat 17:10-13

Audio (MP3)

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Homily #131214 ( 13min) Play – St. John of the Cross teaches us to find delight in spiritual things and to wean ourselves from the delights of the world. The depths of his insights on mystical prayer have earned him the title of Doctor of the Church.
Ave Maria!
Mass: St. John of the Cross – Mem – Form: OF
Readings: Saturday in the 2nd Week in Advent
1st: sir 48:1-4, 9-11
Resp: psa 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19
Gsp: mat 17:10-13

Audio (MP3)

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Homily #131214n ( 05min) Play – Today’s gospel shows that Elijah was supposed to return before the Messiah, and Our Lord tells us that this prophesy was fulfilled by John the Baptist. This reference to Elijah is providential because today is the memorial of St. John of the Cross, a Carmelite, and the Carmelites claim Elijah as their founder. Elijah, St. John the Baptist, St. John of the Cross, and Our Lord Himself all tell us the same thing—authentic Love of God is always accompanied by much prayer, much sacrifice, and much mortification, but once we have come into the presence of God, we will never desire anything else.

Ave Maria!
Mass: St. John of the Cross – Mem – Form: OF
Readings: Saturday in the 2nd Week in Advent
1st: sir 48:1-4, 9-11
Resp: psa 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19
Gsp: mat 17:10-13

Audio (MP3)

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The post Dec 14 – Homily – Fr Maximilian: Union with God-Much Prayer, Much Sacrifice, Much Mortification first appeared on AirMaria.com.

‘If you want, the Virgin will come walking down the road pregnant with the Holy, and say, “I need shelter for the night, please take me inside your heart, my time is so close.” Then, under the roof of your soul, you will witness the sublime intimacy, the divine, the Christ, taking birth forever, as she grasps your hand for help, for each of us is the midwife of God, each of us. Yes there, under the dome of your being does creation come into existence eternally, through your womb, dear pilgrim – the sacred womb of your soul, as God grasps our arms for help: for each of us is His beloved servant, never far. If you want, the Virgin will come walking down the street pregnant with Light and sing.’

The post From St. John of the Cross first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Fr. Ignatius on the various graces and charisms that the various saints have been given by Our Lord and how St. John of the Cross was given the gift to embrace the Cross of Christ which involves self-sacrifice and how this relates to love of God and neighbor.

Ave Maria!

Mass: St. John of the Cross – Mem

Audio (MP3)

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Fr. Ignatius on the life of St. John of the Cross and how he emphasized mortification and suffering for growing in the spiritual life, coming closer to God in prayer, passing from the illuminative way to the unitive.

Ave Maria!

Mass: St. John of the Cross – Mem

The post Dec 14 – Homily – Fr Ignatius: St. John of the Cross, Mortification and Prayer first appeared on AirMaria.com.

On the anniversary of the dies natalis of St. “Mother” Teresa of Calcutta (Virgin, Foundress of the Missionaries of Charity (MC), Sept. 5), Fr. Alan comments in the homily on her call from Christ to “be my light,” to which she faithfully responded and persevered through half a lifetime of interior darkness. In a world immersed in spiritual darkness, Mother Teresa’s life of service to the Gospel is a shining example for us of trust and fidelity in Christ, and the principle that all members of the Church militant are called to be “missionaries of charity” in order to be “the light of the world” (Mt 5:14).

Ave Maria!

Mass: Memorial of St. Teresa of Calcutta (Kolkata)

Readings: 
1st: 1 Cor 3:1-9
Resp: Ps 33:12-13, 14-15, 20-21
Gsp: Lk 4:38-44

More on the Readings: http://dev.airmaria.com/r?m=932

On the Marian dimension of Mother Teresa’s spirituality, see: Mother Teresa: In the Shadow of Our Lady, by Joseph Langford, MC (https://www.osv.com/Shop/Product?ProductCode=T1810)

Image credit, Mother Teresa: https://holymassimages.blogspot.com/2014/09/blessed-teresa-of-calcutta-mother-teresa.html

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The post Be Christ’s Light in Darkness, Mother Teresa’s Example – Sep 05 – Homily – Fr Alan first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Fr Terrance gives the homily at Bloomington, IN on Dec 14, 2019, on the life teachings of St. John of the cross, Doctor of the Church, the spiritual Knight who provided guidance through the Dark Night of the Soul, an important and difficult stage in the spiritual life. He describes the stages of prayer, the signs that we are in the dark night, how to persevere through this difficulty, and the many spiritual fruits of doing so.

Ave Maria!

Mass: St. John of the Cross – Mem
Readings: Saturday in the 2nd Week in Advent
1st: sir 48:1-4, 9-11
Resp: psa 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19 0
Gsp: mat 17:10-13

More on the Readings: http://dev.airmaria.com/r?m=1215&r=1284

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The post [Fixed] – Knight for the Dark Night – Dec 14 – Homily – Fr Terrance first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Fr Terrance gives the homily at Bloomington, IN, on Mar 03, 2026, exploring the role of fear in our spiritual lives, distinguishing between harmful fear like Adam’s and holy fear like Abraham’s, urging us to grow from punishment-based servile fear to love-based filial fear, ultimately reaching a union with God where perfect love casts out fear.

In this reflection, Father delves into the concept of fear within Catholic spirituality, beginning with its scriptural origins in Genesis 3:10, where Adam’s fear arises from sin, contrasting it with the faithful fear praised in Genesis 22:12 and Proverbs 1:7. He explains that fearing God depends on one’s life of sin or obedience, introducing three types: servile fear, driven by avoidance of punishment; filial fear, motivated by love to avoid offending God; and the dangerous unafraid disregard seen in Luke 18. Father highlights the Holy Spirit’s gift of fear of the Lord, which perfects hope through reverent love, akin to a child’s dread of separation from parents. He outlines spiritual growth as progressing from fear (a hill) to faith (a plateau) to love (a mountain), drawing on St. John of the Cross’s Ascent of Mount Carmel and 1 John 4:18, where perfect love expels fear. Numerous biblical exhortations, from Genesis 15:1 to Matthew 28:20, emphasize God’s reassuring presence that dispels fear. Father warns against spiritualities that trap us in servile fear, like Adam’s hiding, and calls for advancement toward Abraham’s closeness, previewing St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus next.

For Further Reading
Genesis 3:10 – Adam’s fear after sin – https://bible.usccb.org/bible/genesis/3?10
Genesis 22:12 – Abraham’s faithful fear – https://bible.usccb.org/bible/genesis/22?12
Proverbs 1:7 – Fear begins wisdom – https://bible.usccb.org/bible/proverbs/1?7
Luke 18 – Unjust judge’s disregard – https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/18
1 John 4:18 – Love casts out fear – https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1john/4?18
Genesis 15:1 – Do not fear Abraham – https://bible.usccb.org/bible/genesis/15?1
Matthew 1:20 – Angel to Joseph fear not – https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/1?20
Luke 1:13 – Do not fear Zechariah – https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/1?13
Luke 1:30 – Do not fear Mary – https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/1?30
Matthew 28:20 – I am with you always – https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/28?20
Catechism of the Catholic Church – Fear of the Lord gift – http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p3s1c1a7.htm#1831
Catechism of the Catholic Church – Filial fear in love – http://scborromeo.org/ccc/p3s2c1a1.htm#2090

Ave Maria!

Mass: Tuesday 2nd Week of Lent – Wkdy
Readings:  – http://usccb.org/bible/readings/030326.cfm
1st: Isaiah 1:10, 16-20
Resp: Psalms 50:8-9, 16-17, 21, 23
Gsp: Matthew 23:1-12

More on the Readings: http://dev.airmaria.com/r?m=1747

Also on YouTube: https://youtu.be/cbmyTqXfe10

The post From Servile Fear to Perfect Love – Mar 03 – Homily – Fr Terrance first appeared on AirMaria.com.