Sunday Sermon, April 22 -- The Life and Gospel of St Mark (Father Ryan Erlenbush, Corpus Christi Parish)

This week, we celebrate the feast of St Mark the Evangelist (April 25). In the past few years, we have preached about the other three Evangelists, and now we turn to st Mark.

St Mark was a Jewish priest, converted by St Peter. He wrote his Gospel in Rome, and includes more details than any of the other Gospels (even though it is the shortest). St Mark also includes many Aramaic words and phrases which Jesus spoke, even giving us the particular inflection of our Lord's speech. Through St Mark, we are able to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd.

Divine Mercy Sunday Sermon, April 8 -- St Faustina, Apostle of Divine Mercy (Father Ryan Erlenbush, Corpus Christi Parish)

Overview of the vocation story of St Faustina, and close look at certain moments of her life. How Jesus called her to promote the devotion to Divine Mercy, specifically through the Divine Mercy Image and Divine Mercy Sunday.

Easter Sermon, April 1 -- God's Sabbath Rest: Eve, Mary, the Church (Father Ryan Erlenbush, Corpus Christi Parish)

We consider the sorrow of Holy Saturday, when God himself lay dead in the tomb. This day is Mary's day, for she alone had faith in the Resurrection and, in the midst of sorrow, she is our true Mother.

The Lord rested on the seventh day of creation, Jesus rested in death on the Sabbath, Adam rested in a deep sleep when God fashioned the woman from his side. We see that as Eve came from the side of Adam as his bride, so too the Church was fashioned from the opened side of Christ on the Cross.

Holy Thursday Sermon, March 29 -- The Mystery of the Triduum (Father Ryan Erlenbush, Corpus Christi Parish)

At every Mass, we enter into the mysteries of salvation after the manner of a sacrament. However, during the Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil) we enter into these mysteries after the manner in which they were historically accomplished. That is to say, we re-live these mysteries in a more "dramatic" fashion than at any other time in the liturgical year - following the Lord's footsteps through his Passion and Resurrection.

Sunday Sermon, March 18 -- The Seven Last Words of Jesus (Father Ryan Erlenbush, Sunday Sermon)

The "Seven Last Words" are the seven last phrases spoken by our Savior as he hung for three hours dying upon the Cross.


The First Word - Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. (Luke 23:34)

The Second Word - Amen I say to thee, this day thou shalt be with me in paradise. (Luke 23:43)

The Third Word - When Jesus therefore had seen his mother and the disciple standing whom he love, he said to his mother: Woman, behold thy son. After that, he said to the disciple: Behold thy mother.  (John 19:26-27)

The Fourth Word - Eli, Eli, lamma sabacthani? That is, My God, my God, why hast thouh forsaken me?  (Matthew 27:24)

The Fifth Word - I thirst.  (John 19:28)

The Sixth Word - It is finished.  (John 19:30)

The Seventh Word - Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.  (Luke 23:46)

Sunday Sermon, March 11 -- Veneration of the Crucifix (Sunday Sermon, Father Ryan Erlenbush)

"As Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of man be lifted up."

Jesus refers to the Book of Numbers, chapter 21. We consider the history of the Old Testament event and the importance of devotion to the Crucifix in the life of the Church. Also, answering varied objections that Protestants make to the image of Christ Crucified, as well as objections made against religious statues.

Sunday Sermon, March 4 -- The History of the Sacrament of Confession (Father Ryan Erlenbush, Corpus Christi Parish)

An overview of the History of the Sacrament of Confession, and what each age of the Church can teach us. First, a reminder of the three acts of the penitent: Contrition (sorrow for sin and resolve to never sin again), Confession (naming our sins, and all mortal sins according to name and number), and Satisfaction (performing our penance, and living a penitential life).

The early Church teaches us that true contrition and a firm resolve never to sin again are the most important aspect of confession.
The early Church also teaches us of the joy of reconciliation of the sinner with God and with the Church.
The monastic period teaches us that penance is important.
The scholastic period and early modern period teach us of the importance avoiding occasions of sin.
The current age of the Church seems to focus primarily on the "nuts and bolts" of the method of confession, the naming of sins and the memorization of the formulae. While this is important, we must remember that the most important part of confession is to be truly sorry for our sins and to be firmly resolved never to sin again.