Homilies

This Sunday, we celebrate with Mother Church the Solemnity of the Apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul, who were martyred for believing in Jesus. Peter, who was the first to confess faith in Christ, founded the early Church on the heritage of Israel; and Paul, who was a teacher and doctor of the faith, illuminated the depths of the mystery and proclaimed the Gospel to all nations. By different means, both gathered together the one family of Christ and, united by the crown of martyrdom, today receive the same veneration throughout the world (cf. Preface for today's solemnity). Today the Evangelist Matthew tells us about Jesus' choice of Simon Peter as the rock upon which He would build His Church. Simon Peter responded, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God" when Jesus asked His disciples, "Who do you say that I am?" It was not a human being who revealed this to Simon Peter, but God the Father who was in Heaven. Then Jesus gave Simon Peter the keys o...

Today is the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, celebrated on the Friday after Corpus Christi Sunday. Out of devotion, people pray to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on the first Friday of each month. The heart is a symbol of love, of the sentimental bonds that unite people. This solemnity celebrates Jesus' love for humanity, which translates into mercy and compassion. Jesus said that His disciples should learn from Him, who was meek and humble of heart (cf. Matthew 11:29). At the crucifixion, to confirm Jesus' death, a Roman soldier pierced His side with a spear, from which flowed blood and water (cf. John 19:34), symbols of the sacraments of the Eucharist and Baptism. Therefore, there is a connection between the solemnities of Corpus Christi and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The Eucharist flows from the Heart of Jesus as proof of His love for the Church. Today the evangelist Luke tells us about the parable of the sheep that was lost and found, highlighting the joy in Heaven over ...

After Pentecost Sunday, we return to Ordinary Time, although last week we celebrated Most Holy Trinity Sunday. Today we begin with Mother Church the twelfth week of Ordinary Time, which is a liturgical time to deepen our faith in Jesus Christ through His teachings accompanied by His works. In some countries, today is the celebration of the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, transferred from Thursday to this Sunday in order to facilitate the participation of the faithful. Today the evangelist Luke tells us about the perception of the people and the disciples regarding the identity of Jesus, with Peter responding that He was the Christ of God. In addition, Jesus announces His violent death and resurrection, inviting His disciples to take up their daily cross and follow Him to save their lives. The revelation of Jesus' identity is a significant moment in the Gospel narrative. Despite associating Jesus with important figures, such as John the Baptist and the prophet Elijah, the people's ...

On the Thursday after Most Holy Trinity Sunday, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, the Most Holy Eucharist, the sacrament of the consecrated Bread and Wine. It is celebrated on Thursday because it was on this day of the week that Jesus celebrated the Last Supper with His apostles, when He instituted the Eucharist. In some countries, the solemnity is transferred to the following Sunday. It is the only day of the year when the Blessed Sacrament is allowed to be taken from the temple to the nearby streets and avenues for the adoration of the faithful and the public demonstration of faith in the presence of Jesus in the Consecrated Host. Only Catholics believe in the mystery of transubstantiation, that is, that the Bread and Wine become the Body and Blood of Christ through the action of the Holy Spirit and the imposition of the consecrated hands of priests, repeating the words and gestures of Jesus in the Holy Mass. For Catholics,...

On the Sunday after Pentecost, the Church celebrates the solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, which is a central mystery of the Christian faith: the one true God is formed by three distinct divine persons in perfect communion of love. The Christian God is the Creator Father, who sent the Savior Jesus, His only-begotten Son, into the world, and together they sent the Sanctifying Spirit to those who believe. It is a mystery that has been revealed throughout the history of salvation and that surpasses human understanding and, therefore, must be welcomed with faith, with bended knees. Today the Evangelist John speaks to us about the exchange of gifts between the three persons of the Most Holy Trinity. Given the disciples' inability to understand Jesus' teachings at that moment, He told them that He possesses everything that is the Father's and that He has given everything to the Spirit of Truth, who would come soon, so that He could announce the full truth to His disciples. In f...

On June 12th, the Church celebrates the liturgical memory of Saint Gaspar Bertoni, the founder of the Congregation of the Sacred Stigmata of Our Lord Jesus Christ. He was an Italian priest of the Diocese of Verona, who lived between the 18th and 19th centuries. After a long period of illness, Fr. Gaspar died a holy death at the age of about 76 and was canonized on November 1st, 1989, by Pope Saint John Paul II. The founder of the Stigmatine Missionaries was a great apostle and educator of youth, an important preacher of retreats and popular missionary, with a strong love for the Eucharist, the Word of God, the Holy Cross, the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph, and the Church. Saint Gaspar Bertoni continues to inspire the lives of many people in many countries who identify with his charisma and spirituality. Today the evangelist John tells us about Jesus' love for the disciples, His friends, to whom He chose, presented the Father's teachings and sent them to produce lasting fruits. I...

Today is the Solemnity of Pentecost! We celebrate the giving of the Holy Spirit to the Church by the Father and the Son. He is God the Sanctifier together with the Creator and the Savior. Seven weeks have passed since Easter, fifty days after the resurrection of Jesus. The disciples were gathered in the upper room in Jerusalem, in the company of Mary, the Mother of Jesus and the Church. This is the third glorious mystery of the Holy Rosary. For the Jews, Pentecost was also an important solemnity, in which they celebrated the giving of the Ten Commandments to the Hebrews by God through Moses, on Mount Sinai, seven weeks after the Jewish Passover, that is, the liberation from slavery in Egypt. Today the evangelist John tells us about the sending of the Holy Spirit by the risen Jesus to the disciples three days after His crucifixion and burial. That’s right: in the Johannine chronology, the Holy Spirit is breathed upon the Church on the very Sunday of Jesus’ resurrection. The Holy Spirit ...

On this first day of the month of June, we celebrate with Mother Church the solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord. This is the second glorious mystery of the Holy Rosary. We begin the last week of Easter Season, which will end with the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, next Sunday. Today the evangelist Luke speaks to us about the mission of the Church in the world, the promise of the sending of the Holy Spirit, the ascension of Jesus to Heaven and the presence of the disciples in the Temple. After demonstrating that He was alive and shortly before He was taken to Heaven, the risen Jesus said that the disciples should proclaim in His Name the conversion and forgiveness of sins to all nations, beginning with Jerusalem. This is the mission of the Church, received directly from the risen Jesus. The Church exists to call humanity to conversion so that it may receive the forgiveness of sins in the Name of Jesus. It is a mission that began among the Jews and extended to non-Jews. Jesus...