Our Lady Of Lourdes Podcast

The Image Bearer | 29th Sunday of Ordinary Time | 10.23.2022 | Fr. Brian Larkin by Lourdes Denver

"When God points at you in the depths of your soul, you know it’s you. That is the moment of faith. Deep inside of you, there is a ‘yes’ or there is a ‘no.’"

“Your relationship with money has everything to do with your relationship with Jesus.”

Homily Notes 28th Sunday of Ordinary Time Fr. Witold Kaczmarzyk "The Power of 'Thank You'" "You say thank you every Sunday. It's not for me...it's for Him—for what He has done on the cross."—Fr. Witold Kaczmarzyk Prayers by Children: "Dear God, Please send a new baby for Mommy. The new baby you sent last week cries too much." ....... "Dear God, Thanks for the nice day today. You even fooled the T.V. weatherman." ....... "Dear God, Do you have any helpers in heaven? I would like to be one of the helpers in heaven when I have summer vacation." ....... "Dear God, Tomorrow is my birthday. Could you put a rainbow in the sky." ....... "There is this great wisdom in kids. Kids are always themselves. They never pretend. They tell you what they think. We need to become like children on a spiritual level when we talk to God." —Fr. Witold Kaczmarzyk "We have to be like the leper...the 10% who said thank you."—Fr. Witold Kaczmarzyk "You may think there is no hope. Jesus is my last hope, so the smart move would b

What it Means to Have Christian Faith | 27th Sunday of Ordinary Time | 10.02.2022 | Fr. Brian Larkin by Lourdes Denver

Active Vs. Passive Faith | 26th Sunday of Ordinary Time | 09.25.2002 | Fr. Witold Kaczmarzyk by Lourdes Denver

Fr. Sean's Homily | 25th Sunday of Ordinary Time | 09.18.2022 by Lourdes Denver

Homily Notes The Heart of God | 24th Sunday of Ordinary Time | 09.11.2022 | Fr. Brian Larkin 
“You and I need to be rooted & grounded in Scripture. The Bible is a Catholic Book.”—Fr. Brian Larkin Luke 15: The Prodigal Son—This is the only place in the New Testament where this story is mentioned. https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/15 Luke 15 tells three parables that are actually three forms of the same story: -The parable of the shepherd who searches for his lost sheep (Luke 15: 1) -The woman who searches for her lost coin (Luke 15: 8) -The parable of the Father in search of his lost son (Luke 15: 11) “Open your heart; this story is the heart of the Gospel.”—Fr. Brian Larkin “If you let this story enter not just your ears, but your heart and your soul, it’ll make you a son or a daughter. This story is about the heart of God.”—Fr. Brian Larkin “Satan loves to give us a false image of the Father. And the world needs the truth so desperately—we need to know the heart of God. It has to start with us.”—Fr.

23rd Sunday of OT Fr. Witold Kaczmarzyk “I love today’s Gospel, because Jesus gets straight to the point… in a way, what you shouldn’t do.” Point #1: "Jesus wants us to have no illusions about following him. It’s difficult. This path is a hard path. Our nature is fallen, of course, and to get back up again, even with his grace helping us is going to be hard.” —Fr. Witold Kaczmarzyk Point #2: “Following [Jesus] is more than feelings. You have to be smart. You have to sometimes really sit down and think. Faith is not just about emotions and feelings, because they change. Think about really loving God, not on the level of emotions, but really decisions.”—Fr. Witold Kaczmarzyk "If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there

“The first reading and the Gospel are almost always mutually interpretive. Both talk about humility, today.”—Fr. Brian Larkin Hebrews 12 https://bible.usccb.org/bible/hebrews/12 Mt. Sinai & Mt. Zion as an image of the two covenants: The Old & New “You have come to Mount Zion, the city of the Living God, the heavenly Jerusalem” … “You have come to a judge who is God of all, and the spirits of just men made perfect.” “That right there is New Testament proof of the Catholic dogma of Purgatory.”—Fr. Brian Larkin “All those who go to heaven are not merely those who have been forgiven by Christ, but those who have been made perfect.”—Fr. Brian Larkin “If we make it to Purgatory, we’ll be on our way. God will make us not just saved, but He will make us perfect.”—Fr. Brian Larkin G.K. Chesterton Orthodoxy: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/87665.Orthodoxy What led Chesterton to Catholicism was when he started to see proportionality in accusations against Christianity, and how they contradicted each other. “Wh

Striving to Enter through the Narrow Way https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/082122.cfm “If we preach a gospel that is cheap and easy, it is not The Gospel.”—Fr. Brian Larkin “The Gospel is a state of pure joy that will cost you your entire life. It will cost you everything.”—Fr. Brian Larkin Psalm 16:11: “Lord, you show me the path of life. In your presence, there is fullness of joy. In your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” “Following God leads to eternal joy, but it starts, Brothers & Sisters, on a hard path.”—Fr. Brian Larkin Luke 13 https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/13?22 Matthew 7: “Enter by the narrow gate, for the gate is wide, and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow, and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” The Holy Land is an incredible place. St. Jerome called it “The Fifth Gospel.”—Fr. Brian Larkin The Church of the Nativity’s main door is tiny—4 feet tall. To enter the church, you ha

Christ Comes for Division, Not Peace? | 20th Sunday of Ordinary Time | 08.14.2022 | Fr. Sean Conroy Today’s readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/080722.cfm Polish man named Raymond: had a vision of Mary holding a red crown (martyrdom) and a white crown (purity/celibacy) Years later, he became a Franciscan. Started a radio station, and talked about Mary and the saints to bring people hope. This all arose at the same time of the world wars. September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland from the west, and a few weeks later, Russia invaded Poland from the East, which made Poland the center of the war in many ways. During the invasions, many priests were arrested, including Raymond—twice. The second time, one man was arrested for escaping, and they lined up the male prisoners for execution. The escapee begged for his life, because he had a wife and children. Raymond immediately stepped forward and offered his life in his place. The SS soldier was so touched by Ramond’s compassion, he spared him at the beg

The Obedience of Faith | 19th Sunday of Ordinary Time | 08.07.2022 | Fr. Brian Larkin Fr. Brian Larkin Today’s readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/080722.cfm Heb 11:1-2, 8-19: Fr. Brian’s Bible verse that inspired him to live a life dedicated to God Hebrews 11: All about the faith of the men and women of the New Testament What does Faith even mean? C.S. Lewis & Tolkien (who was a big influence on Lewis at Oxford)—“How can you grow in faith? Faith means you think this is true. Either you do or you don’t.” C.S. Lewis didn’t understand that word. “Tonight’s story about Abraham in Hebrews 11 is a challenge from God to you in your life. What way will you live?”—Fr. Brian Larkin “Abraham here in Hebrews 11 illustrates how to be a person of great faith. If you are going to be a man or a woman of great faith, you must leave your life behind.”—Fr. Brian Larkin “Come follow me to a place that I will show you.”—God to Abraham in Hebrews 11 “We always want a destination. Alright, God, if I’m going t

Readings for the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time Steadfast & Immovable | 18th Sunday of OT Fr. Brian Larkin Today’s readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/073122.cfm Almsgiving—Store up grain, which is wealth in the ancient world Charity—Book about almsgiving (can be found in the church library) Ecc 1:2; 2:21-23 “I want the house to be clean when they tear it down.”—Goonies “Why clean your house if it’s just going to get torn down?”—Fr. Brian Larkin “Why have I labored so hard? I’m just going to die. Jesus, thank you, that you have answered that riddle, and you brought it to fulfillment.”—Fr. Brian Larkin “Today’s readings can give the impression that as Christians, we are men and women who abandon this world. This is a mischaracterization of Christianity, but some of us as Christians do this.” “Throughout Christianity, one of the main accusations of us is that we abandon this world for the next.”—Fr. Brian Larkin Year 248 Origen argues with Celsus: Book: Contra Celsus 1.24 https://www.goodre

17th Sunday of OT Fr. Witold Kaczmarzyk—July 24, 2022 https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/072422.cfm “Teach us how to pray.”——Disciple 
“Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples." 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 not subject us to the final test." “We think, ‘If you ask for this, you will get that,’ but it doesn’t work this way.”—Fr. Witold Kaczmarzyk “With prayer, it usually doesn’t work that way to ask for a specific thing and receive it.”—Fr. Witold Kaczmarzyk “The young one usually asks for something, and the parent knows whether or not it’s good for them. The kids usually want to eat cookies before dinner, but the parents always say no, because they know what is best for them.”—Fr. Witold Kaczmarzyk “No matter if you

Readings for the 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/071722.cfm Lk 10:38-42 "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her." “Anxiety is a poison for your soul.”—Fr. Brian Larkin “You and I live in a world that is anxious, and it speaks to us all the time."—Fr. Brian Larkin Greek Word: merimnaō = anxiety Luke 10: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/10 Luke 12: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/12 Greek Word for “Troubled”: therompátsoma “Martha has allowed her soul to be in a state of uproar.”—Fr. Brian Larkin “Do not be anxious about your life.”—Fr. Brian Larkin “Jesus, I’m scared about the future. I’m scared about the state of the Church. Jesus, there is a storm of anxiety in my soul. But, brothers and sisters, do you know what Jesus does with a storm? He silences the storm.”—Fr. Brian Larkin Psalm 65: 7 “God you still the roaring of the seas, the roari

Deuteronomy 30: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/deuteronomy/30 The Gospel says: “You will love the Lord your God with all your heart, your mind, your soul, and your strength…You will love your neighbor as yourself.” How do you get people to love you? Luke 10: The Parable of the Good Samaritan is actually a parable about Christ: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/10 “Who is my neighbor?” Revelation 11: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/revelation/11 “Jericho is a city that represents humanity—it’s low, it’s earthly.”—Fr. Brian Larkin “In the story of Joshua in Jericho, when the city falls, they march around it for seven days, and they blow a trumpet seven times on the seventh day, and the walls of the city fall. In Revelation chapter 11, we’re told the City of Man (the earthly city) at the end of time, there will be seven trumpet blasts, and the city of man falls, and the city of God triumphs. Jericho in Scripture is an image of humanity that needs God.”—Fr. Brian Larkin “A man was on his way from Jerusalem to Jer

“Why does this [relics] matter? Why is it important? How does God want to speak to us through one of his saints?” St. Ignatius of Antioch—one of the first martyrs, eaten by lions in the Colosseum in Rome. https://catholicexchange.com/st-ignatius-of-antioch/ “We having taken up his bones, which were more costly than precious stones, and refined more than gold deposited them where it was fitting. And in that place when we meet together as we can, the Lord will grant us to celebrate with joy and gladness the birthday of his martyrdom.”—St. John Henry Cardinal Newmanhttps://www.newmanreader.org/works/development/chapter10.html A.D. 155, St. Polycarp was burned at the stake: https://www.catholic.org/prayers/prayer.php?p=107 A 4th Century Writer wrote: “Corpses were an abomination in Judaism. But when death is for Christ, the relics of saints are precious. It was anciently said to the priests and Nazarites, if anyone shall touch a corpse, he shall be unclean until evening, and he shall wash his garments. Now, o

Readings for Corpus Christi Sunday https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/061922.cfm Dads: What Is Your Word? | Fr. Brian's Homily | Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ | 06.19.2022 "Today, the Eucharist calls us as men to something incredibly profound."—Fr. Brian Larkin "In the history of religions and philosophy, the general movement of religious people and deep thinkers is to move away from the flesh."—Fr. Brian Larkin "According to Plato, the body was a prison for the soul, so death was never a sad thing."—Fr. Brian Larkin "Either death is a state of nothingness and utter consciousness, or, as men say, there is a change and migration of the soul from this world to another. Now if death be of such a nature, I say that to die is to gain; for eternity is then only a single night."—Plato https://www.azquotes.com/quote/671403 "For spiritual people, death is also freedom, because it allows us to ascend to the heavenly realms."—Fr. Brian Larkin "Today’s culture is hedonistic. Our culture re

Readings for Trinity Sunday https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/061222.cfm Idols & Immorality | Fr. Brian's Homily | Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity | 06.12.2022 The Reason You Were Created Balthasar: Trinity Image https://zoboko.com/text/lmm3j22r/the-holy-trinity-hans-urs-von-balthasar-and-his-sources/5 A Ray of Light/Prism=all the feasts of the year The Ray of Light equates to every mystery of our faith. Romans 1: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/romans/1 Idolatry: The greatest sin of humanity Paul’s Critique of the world is this: The central problem with the world is idols. “Immoral behavior is the twin sister of idolatry. The one that is always born first is idolatry. The ray of God’s trinity heals us of that sin.” Your central problem with God is not a sin of weakness. It’s not a sin where you’re prideful or love money too much. The root of our sin is that we worship false gods. Matthew 22: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/22 “To be a Christian means to love God with all your heart, soul,