Sermons from St. Francis
Listen to sermons and homilies from Sunday Mass at St. Francis.
Sermon for March 1, 2026
A reflection on a single verse from Colossians 3:15: “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.” The Greek word for peace here means to join or bind together, like a broken vase made whole again. The peace of Christ is wholeness and unity, the love that repairs what is broken and binds us together as one body. You do not have to be afraid, confused, or alone; open your heart, let the Holy Spirit bring healing, and let Christ’s peace rule within you.
Sermon for February 22, 2026
A reflection on St. Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians describing the Christian life: in afflictions, hardships, and sleepless nights, “as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.” Being a Christian is not a one time event but a lifelong way of living, and God never promised a life free of suffering. Like the saints who understood redemptive suffering, we can grow stronger and more faithful through adversity because we never face it alone. Christ came to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable, and all we have is a gift of His grace.
Sermon for February 15, 2026
A reflection on Luke 18, where Jesus plainly tells the twelve what will happen in Jerusalem and they understand none of it, while a blind beggar by the road calls out in faith and receives his sight. We often hear only what we want to hear, and even after accepting God’s salvation we can remain blind to the power He has placed all around us. Holy Communion, confession and pardon, prayer, and anointing of the sick are real gifts of grace, not ideas we made up to comfort ourselves. God is real and accessible, and the old hymn becomes our prayer: “Open my eyes, that I may see glimpses of truth Thou hast for me.”
Sermon for February 1, 2026
A reflection on the parable of the laborers in the vineyard from Matthew 20, where workers hired at the eleventh hour receive the same wage as those who worked all day. Our sense of fairness tells us that people should get what they earn, but God does not see things the way we do. None of us can earn God’s grace, and He offers the same forgiveness and the same place as His children to everyone who turns to Him in humility, whether early or late. Christianity is not a competition; as St. John writes, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God.”
Sermon for January 25, 2026
A reflection for the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, recalling Saul’s encounter with the risen Christ on the road to Damascus in Acts 9. Saul did not simply stop persecuting the Church; God’s grace transformed him into one of its greatest builders, and that change touched the whole world. In the same way, salvation makes each of us a new creation with possibilities far beyond what we imagine. Careers, homes, and possessions matter, but they will pass away, so we are called to live first for God’s glory, a life that is not always easy or safe but is always joyful.
Sermon for January 18, 2026
A reflection on John 3:17, the verse that follows the beloved John 3:16: God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. Christianity can seem hard to understand because Jesus calls us to love, forgive, and show mercy even to those we think do not deserve it, a way of thinking that runs against our natural sense of justice. Salvation begins at the cross, and it frees us to live the life of love we were created for. Love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself; it is not always easy, but it is always possible.