Fr. John Ehrich Catholic Homilies

"Rend Your Hearts" - Ash Wednesday 2020

Fr. John Ehrich

St. Thomas More, Glendale, AZ.

"I Am Not Better Than You" - 7th Sunday In Ordinary Time

We all know friends or people in our own lives who truly struggle. No matter their upbringing, circumstances, issues such as addiction or abuse and their repercussions can be a damaging and lifelong battle for many people we might know intimately. Seeing the humanity of a person and the desperate reality they live in can be a very humbling sight. Have you ever wondered what it’s like to hear confession?

It is a theme among a large number of people that we all are striving to be better despite ourselves. Seeing a priest as a conduit for God's Grace is a way to present themselves honestly and to make real moves to improve and make changes. Though we may struggle with the same sins constantly, it is a comfort to know how universal our human suffering can be. This idea also emphasizes a greater need for consistent compassion and nonjudgement when we interact with one another. When we see each other on a human level, we can see how remarkable each of us are as we acknowledge the many demons that we all face daily. We all carry great burdens. Our Heavenly Father wants us to love our enemies, to be challenged to see one another’s true selves and be kind no matter what.

Love or Law or Something In Between? - 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time

It’s been said by many scholars of scripture that “Jesus is more about love than the law;” a statement that we can be attentive to. How easy it is for us, as members of nations, societies, religions, and clubs, to use language such this, which often can be dichotomous, dualistic or black/white thinking.

While the lasting and promised mercy of Christ is certainly apart of our salvation, could it not be said that Jesus is “about” both love and the law? The two terms can be intertwined especially in the ways that Jesus expounds upon the law in today’s gospel. For example, Jesus explains that not only is the action of adultery or hate sin, but the very thoughts and mentality that lead up to those actions can also be culpable. Our heart is the very thing Jesus is after, not our good deeds.

It’s important to remember that there is definitely an eternal value to our actions and that confession is an important element to how we treat our humanness. There can be two ways we deal with this internal reality. Sometimes we want to go to confession every day “just to be safe,” or contrastingly, rely too much on the mercy of God without truly accounting for ourselves.

We all struggle with various sins we’ve committed and we can feel guilty. Some may question how merciful God is. “Can His love really be that endless? That good?” As serious and vast as our need for mercy may be, so to is the mercy he gives us. Let us turn to the only person who can truly be the last Word in our eternal standing. To a God who incorporates both love and law to help us be our truest, inherently good and beautiful selves.

Can We Be Light? - 5th Sunday In Ordinary Time

Have you ever been stuck in a room of total darkness? It can be terrifying to be in that disorienting situation, trying to stumble through to find a light switch and not trip over anything. Once the lights are suddenly turned on, we are immediately comforted and can see the reality of our surroundings, feeling much better. The divine revelation of our faith says that the world was in darkness, searching as lost children. When Christ came, He illuminated that darkness and brought deep peace while pointing us in the right direction. We are called to be the hands of feet of God by bringing that light into the world as well. Today’s gospel asks us to consider whether we bring light/dark, positivity/negativity, kindness/resentment, harmony/discord to the our own reality. In being light to others, we allow ourselves to Also bring Christ into the room.

God's Laws Are For Our Good - Presentation of the Lord

Why, as people of authority, (parents, teachers, priests, leaders) do we try to enforce or expect others, such as our children, to learn the value of rule-following? Is it perhaps for the purpose of discipline, in hopes of the best interest of the other? Is it in hopes that children learn to take ownership of their lives as well set good boundaries for themselves? The very laws that are the hardest to follow, remain faithful to, or even accept into our lives at all, are always the laws that point to a greatest good.

 

The Jews were certainly aware of the root and purpose of laws; the definite value they present especially in relationship to God. The lawful act of praise and worship in a church and community is ultimately good for us- our very nature is affirmed in the act of letting God into the fabric of society. Going to mass weekly is not meant to be obligatory simply by the hand of authority or challenge, but to uphold and affirm our true selves, which is the very nature that is apart of His design. It is a simple gesture by us to be present to Him one hour a week, a simple commandment and a foundational pattern that grounds us in Christ, together.

The Power Of Invitation - 3rd Sunday In Ordinary Time

The way that scripture presents the four disciples in these readings is that, at one encounter, they drop everything in their lives and follow Jesus. At first glance, this act of leaving everything behind seems almost un-virtuous as if they abandoned their families and responsibilities. It seems like to radical of a move without further reflection. On a human level, we can probably glean what really happened - what’s more likely, is that they knew Jesus already, enough to trust him and make a conscious free decision to follow him. They were predisposed to make a commitment to someone who they most likely had grown in trust and relationship.

Invitation can be life-changing. When we ourselves don’t always stay committed to the things we want to, such as our faith life and even relationships, we can find ourselves invited in various ways to reconnect and even connect others to these areas of our lives. We cannot predict the ways that these invitations will manifest new and profound interior and exterior movements as we go forth in making decisions and self-identifying. At St Thomas More, everyone is invited and welcome. This church is not a place for the sinless, but the ones who need that constant invitation to ask for help and grow. It is a place we can also invite others and allow Jesus to take the reins. If He is a God who can do the impossible, then let us give Him a chance to do so in all of our lives.

Be Vulnerable - 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

“Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” We can recall the history behind these scriptural words - the sacrificial lamb at Passover, the suffering servant in Isaiah, and the sacrifice that becomes the Eucharist as Christ’s body and blood.

Today, we need to have a deep understanding of who Jesus is - not just academically or theologically, but personally. The modern culture around the church has declined in numbers and fervor mostly because of the rise of an apathetic and unbelieving attitude towards the person of Jesus. This means we are lacking in our personal prayer or effort in seeking time directly with God. How can we bring ourselves to not just do the actions of faith but bring our authentic hearts to prayer?

Asking the tough questions, sharing anxieties and all emotions, being open to the reality of who He is. Every time we carry out any ritual in the church, we are invited to connect our deepest, most vulnerable selves to a truly real God. It might take a conscious act of Will in our part, but it is more than worthwhile to enter more intimately into the spirituality of the church and community. Every song is an invitation, every recitation of a prayer or response is the open hand of Jesus wanting to share His heart.

How To and Why Forgive - Baptism Of The Lord

We hear about another manifestation of who Jesus is in today’s readings. We see Jesus being baptized with the entire Trinity being revealed in the voice of God and the appearance of the dove as the presence of the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist explains this baptism as an act of repentance. And yet, even though Jesus does not need to repent, He still exemplifies for us the gift and sacrament of baptism; and as salvation history unfolds, He takes responsibility for all acts of repentance. This is a huge bit of truth. God did not enter into our story to just teach, to heal or to model morality. His existed for the sake of forgiveness and reconciliation with God our Father.

How can we ourselves be brought back to God in reconciliation? As baptized, transformed and adopted children of God, we can become like Jesus in his mission by forgiving and understanding one another. Everyone has or has been challenged to forgive someone in their life. It is not always easy to do. However when we do not forgive, it can be toxic and self-damaging. We must be aware that forgiveness is not about admission of wrongs, but letting go of the things we cannot control - and there’s great benefit and blessing in acknowledging a greater truth and love amidst great pain and hurt. There is real freedom in forgiving each other. Once we seek to know one another’s stories, and why there might be hurt or wounded actions, we can better pray for them as we seek to forgive them. Let us constantly look to Jesus to receive an understanding and merciful heart.

The Only Savior; Everyone's Savior - Epiphany 2020

Fr. John Ehrich, STL

St. Thomas More

Glendale, AZ

God Is Calling Men To Be Leaders - Holy Family

In the readings, we hear words like ‘obedience, honor, and subordination.’ One thing we can remember when we hear these terms, especially in the context of family and relationship with God, is that the desire to be obedient comes from a place of respect and love and awe for the other person. Even in the structure of the Holy Trinity, the three persons of God are completely equal, mutually respected and loved among the three. This Trinitarian relationship is meant to be made manifest in our marriages and in our families.

Though we may. often forget this love and respect in our everyday lives, it is so important to continually be reminded of the honor that we can hold for each other. It is so important that children are taught obedience for the sake of learning these concepts of love and respect and honor. Subordination is not a synonym for being controlled. Rather, it is rooted in trust and intimate relationships. A husband cherishes his wife, and therefore a wife can trust in the love and respect she can also return.

Christ gave everything for His Bride. It is vital that we honor God just as He has honored us by giving us life. One problem that can be addressed among families is the call for men to be leaders. In their work, in their many pursuits, but most notably in their families. We look at the Holy family and we see a leader even in St Joseph, the foster-father of God. Men can sometimes be in a position to potentially believe they are inferior, but the true reality is they are needed as leaders in faith and honor for God. Putting others before ourselves is the most loving thing we can do for one another. This sacrificial leadership is what Joseph did, what Christ did for His bride, and what all men are called to do as well.