Category: Sermons

A homily for All Saints Day, by Fr. Daniel Suelzle.

In a culture increasingly drawn to hyper-individualistic spirituality, the Christian faith anchors believers in something far greater: the universal household of God. Rather than an accessory we tack onto our lives or a club we visit when convenient, the Church is the foundational community where God shapes our true identity, proclaims the truth, and delivers the forgiveness of sins. Through baptism and the Word, we are born into a timeless family spanning all of time and space. Within this household, we are reminded that we are not isolated individuals left to blaze our own spiritual trails, but contingent beings utterly dependent on Christ, who endured the full weight of our sin to secure our salvation.

Belonging to this expansive household equips us to endure the fierce spiritual warfare and earthly suffering that so often characterize our present reality. While the world can feel as though it is tearing apart at the seams under the consequences of sin, John’s vision in Revelation 7 offers profound encouragement by revealing both the Church Militant and the Church Triumphant. On earth, every believer is marked and sealed by God, protected for the daily battles ahead; in eternity, an innumerable host of saints who have survived the great tribulation stand victorious, their robes washed white in the blood of the Lamb. Their unceasing worship reminds us that our present struggles are temporary, and that a day is coming when God will wipe every tear from our eyes.

Listen to the full homily below.

A homily for the Twenty-first Sunday after Trinity, by Fr. Joshua Leigeber.

St. Paul reminds us that the Christian life is a spiritual battle (Eph. 6:10-17). The devil and his demons are real, and their schemes are often subtle, concealed beneath the ordinary distractions, resentments, and temptations of daily life. They seek to draw us away from Christ by encouraging us to neglect His Word, despise His gifts, and grow complacent in the faith. We must not underestimate our enemy, for we cannot overcome him by our own strength. But St. Paul does not leave us to fight alone. He calls us to “be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might,” putting on the whole armor of God. Clothed with Christ in Holy Baptism, we stand in the victory He has already won through His death and resurrection. Through the preaching of the Gospel, Holy Absolution, and the Sacrament of the Altar, Christ strengthens and preserves us against the assaults of the evil one.

In the Gospel (John 4:46b-53), the royal official takes Jesus at His Word, trusting that his dying son will live even before he sees the promise fulfilled. So also, when the devil tempts us to doubt God’s promises or despair of our salvation, we cling to the sure and life-giving Word of Christ. The battle is real, but its outcome is not uncertain. Christ has conquered the ancient foe, and He will sustain us in His gifts until the day when we see His victory in all its glory.

Listen to the full homily below.

A homily for the Twentieth Sunday after Trinity, by Fr. Jerome Leckband.

In the parable of the wedding feast, Jesus teaches us that we cannot make ourselves ready to stand before God. From the beginning, after Adam and Eve sinned, God provided what they could not provide for themselves. So also, we cannot cover our sin and shame with our own good works or righteousness. Instead, God clothes us with the righteousness of His Son, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself on the cross for our forgiveness and eternal life. In Holy Baptism, Christ washes us clean, clothes us in His righteousness, and makes us His holy bride. Yet some reject His gracious invitation, while others seek to stand before Him trusting in their own works rather than His promise.

Our righteousness does not come from our efforts, but from Christ alone. Because He has united Himself to us and clothed us in His righteousness, we need not live in fear or be troubled by our sins or the sins others commit against us. Christ is our salvation, and in Him we have forgiveness, life, and peace for our consciences.

Listen to the full homily below.