Author: frsuelzle

A sermon for The Invention of the Holy Cross, by Fr. Dan Suelzle.

The apostle Paul declares that he would boast in nothing except the cross of Jesus Christ. At first glance, perhaps this focus seems narrow. Why not boast in Christ’s mercy, His resurrection, or the sacraments? The reality is that these gifts are inseparable from the cross of Jesus. As we reflect on the feast of the “Invention”, or discovery, of the Holy Cross, we are reminded that our salvation is not a vague, ethereal concept, but a historical reality rooted in time and space. God enlisted the creature, wood, to be the means upon which his only-begotten Son is crucified for the sin of the world. Thus, the cross becomes the Tree which gives life, undoing the effects of the tree which brought death in the garden.

While historical accounts like St. Helena’s discovery of the True Cross ground our faith in history, they also serve as a cautionary tale. Just as the Israelites eventually turned the bronze serpent into an idol, we are prone to chasing relics rather than the Redeemer. Our boast is not in the inherent power of a piece of wood, but in the promises God attached to Christ’s sacrifice. Today, we don’t need to hunt for ancient slivers of timber to find God’s favor. Instead, Christ continues to deliver the fruits of the cross by connecting them to other creatures: the water of Baptism, the Bread and Wine of the Eucharist. We honor the cross by putting ourselves in proximity to these gifts to receive them in faith, where the victory won at the cross is delivered directly to us today.

Listen to the homily below.

A sermon for Misericordias Domini, by Fr. Dan Suelzle

The image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd is not a sentimental metaphor. Sunday’s Gospel reading (John 10:11-16) reminds us that Christ’s work as our Good Shepherd is gritty, life-saving work in the face of actual spiritual peril. We are not merely wayward lambs but often obstinate ones, pursued by the wolves of sin, death, and false doctrine that seek to scatter the flock. To be the Good Shepherd, Christ did not simply offer worldly comfort; he stood in the breach, laying down his life to atone for our iniquities and rising again, slaying the wolves of sin and death. His Shepherding doesn’t stop there, however. He continues to shepherd his flock even now, through his Church. Today, the protection of our Good Shepherd isn’t found in vague spirituality but in the actual pastures of the Word and Sacraments, where the Shepherd’s voice sounds forth through his undershepherds, forgiving sins, granting wisdom, and nourishing us with his body and blood.

Listen to the homily below.