Someone else’s sin is not a good reason to leave the Church — but it is a powerful reason. And so those who have left the Church over the pain that a fellow member of the Body of Christ has caused them ought to be treated with love and reverence.
Why do Christians hurt one another? Why do we who profess belief in a God who is love, whose central teaching is to love one another, and who preach the necessity of forgiveness and mercy, cause each other so much pain?
I have no answer to that question, other than we are all sinners, and even those of us who are sincerely trying to cooperate with God’s grace in our lives still manage to hurt each other from time to time. I wish it wasn’t so, but it is. And Jesus knows this. He knows that this is an issue that will arise in the Church. He talks about it in the gospels.
2 Aug 2026
Our Response to Grace
Grace is a free gift, but a gift demands a response. We lose sight of this sometimes in our conversations about grace, because we want to emphasize the sheer gratuity of God’s gift, meaning it is not something that can be earned — which is true. But a gift, especially a valuable gift, also demands a response.
The readings today are all about graciously receiving gifts from God, and learning to trust God to supply our needs.
Homily for the 18th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year A).
5 Jul 2026
Donkeys & Warhorses: Homily for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Homily for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A).
"This is what was hidden from the wise and the learned, but revealed to the little ones. This is why the crowds that waved palms and shouted “Hosannah!” to welcome their king on Palm Sunday abandoned him when he was arrested and crucified. They forgot the reason why Israel’s kings rode on donkeys. They were never meant to be like other kings, because the kingdom of God is not like other kingdoms."
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