On this Thanksgiving Day, as our country and our world continue to climb out of this pandemic, which has gone on far too long, what does “giving thanks” look like? St. Paul gave us all a model called the paradox of gratitude. Why a paradox? And how can a true and personal story of the actions of a small Mennonite Community, post Hurricane Agnes, shed some light on how we are called to actively live a life of gratitude? Check it out…
Homily for the 6th Sunday in Ordinary TimeJames Knipper
This weekend we heard how blessed are those who are poor and hungry and woe to those who are rich and well-fed. Once again Jesus is turning our thinking upside down. The Beatitudes always seem to perplex many as to what kind of lives are we being called to.
Using some insight from the soon-to-be-released book by world renowned liturgical music composer David Haas, along with wisdom from Lutheran minister Nadia Bolz-Weber who provides current context for a sermon we have heard so many times may just open all of our eyes to seeing how we can all bring forth the reign of God. Check it out and see what I mean…
This weekend we heard from Mark’s Gospel two parables of what the Kingdom of God is like. The challenge many Christians have is that we mistakenly think that the Kingdom of God is “eternal life”, or it is where we go when we die. But actually, the Kingdom of God is here and at hand…and it must continue through us, with us, in us and frankly despite us. How? By planting Gospel-based seeds. What does that mean? Check it out…
This weekend’s Gospel brings to a close a 3-part story that we have been listening to these past weeks focused on discipleship, evangelization...and rest. But when Jesus takes his disciples off to a deserted place, he finds that many of the followers have taken a short cut on land and have arrived at his destination before him. So, what to do? How to respond? And what does this Gospel show us about the importance of downtime? Maybe some wisdom from Ron Rolheiser, John of the Cross and my dad may bring some light to all of this! Check it out…
The Gospel this weekend has the 12 disciples being sent out to spread the Good News. So, imagine how these disciples were feeling – for they just witnessed Christ being rejected by those who knew him best. So, other than witnessing the words and actions of Christ, they had no real ministerial religious training – and it was certainly long before any dogma and doctrines were ever thought of. For the most part they were simple fishermen – but all called by Christ to be his chosen ones to spread the Good News – and do this by having encounters with others. For true encounters allow us to go directly to the heart of humanity. But the question remains, “How can we better reach this “heart” today?” Check it out…
The Feast of the Ascension brings to mind all the historic art that shows Jesus ascending upward on a cloud, with the disciples looking towards heaven. It makes for great art and reflects the cosmology of those times, but if we stop there, we totally miss the whole concept of what the Ascension means to you and me today. So what is that? Check it all out…
As a father and grandfather I really enjoy the celebration of the Feast of the Holy Family which allows us to look at how this God incarnate…this Christ Child…this God among us has a direct connection to our daily life and our family. Which raises questions like: How do we as a community of believers share the blessings from this table onto others? How can we help others see God in themselves? How do we bring the gift and graces from the altar table onto the table of our homes? Perhaps a story about a father, his daughter and Mr. Rodgers will shed some light... Check it out…
We all have some degree of fear – what does yours look like? A recent poll shows that our top current fears are rooted in COVID, gun violence, health and politics. This weekend’s Gospel of Jesus calming the waters is all about Jesus confronting his disciples about their fear. Why? Because fear has a way of controlling our emotions and leading us to actions that are unloving. For the opposite of fear is not bravery. The opposite of fear is love. Check it out and see what I mean…
This Sunday we brought to a close Ordinary Time of our Liturgical season and through the year we have walked through the Gospel of Mark, using the Sunday gospels learning how to see as God sees. But the question remains whether we have allowed the words to help us see any better? In his latest book release, Fr. Greg Boyle, SJ reminds us that we need to see as a Mystic sees. Jesuit theologian Karl Rahner said, “The Christian of the future will either be a mystic – or (s)he will cease to be anything at all.” We are all called to be mystics? What does that even mean or look like today? Check it out…
Homily for the 6th Sunday in Ordinary TimeJames Knipper
This weekend we heard how blessed are those who are poor and hungry and woe to those who are rich and well-fed. Once again Jesus is turning our thinking upside down. The Beatitudes always seem to perplex many as to what kind of lives are we being called to.
Using some insight from the soon-to-be-released book by world renowned liturgical music composer David Haas, along with wisdom from Lutheran minister Nadia Bolz-Weber who provides current context for a sermon we have heard so many times may just open all of our eyes to seeing how we can all bring forth the reign of God. Check it out and see what I mean…
This weekend we heard from Mark’s Gospel two parables of what the Kingdom of God is like. The challenge many Christians have is that we mistakenly think that the Kingdom of God is “eternal life”, or it is where we go when we die. But actually, the Kingdom of God is here and at hand…and it must continue through us, with us, in us and frankly despite us. How? By planting Gospel-based seeds. What does that mean? Check it out…
This weekend’s Gospel brings to a close a 3-part story that we have been listening to these past weeks focused on discipleship, evangelization...and rest. But when Jesus takes his disciples off to a deserted place, he finds that many of the followers have taken a short cut on land and have arrived at his destination before him. So, what to do? How to respond? And what does this Gospel show us about the importance of downtime? Maybe some wisdom from Ron Rolheiser, John of the Cross and my dad may bring some light to all of this! Check it out…
The Gospel this weekend has the 12 disciples being sent out to spread the Good News. So, imagine how these disciples were feeling – for they just witnessed Christ being rejected by those who knew him best. So, other than witnessing the words and actions of Christ, they had no real ministerial religious training – and it was certainly long before any dogma and doctrines were ever thought of. For the most part they were simple fishermen – but all called by Christ to be his chosen ones to spread the Good News – and do this by having encounters with others. For true encounters allow us to go directly to the heart of humanity. But the question remains, “How can we better reach this “heart” today?” Check it out…
The Feast of the Ascension brings to mind all the historic art that shows Jesus ascending upward on a cloud, with the disciples looking towards heaven. It makes for great art and reflects the cosmology of those times, but if we stop there, we totally miss the whole concept of what the Ascension means to you and me today. So what is that? Check it all out…
As a father and grandfather I really enjoy the celebration of the Feast of the Holy Family which allows us to look at how this God incarnate…this Christ Child…this God among us has a direct connection to our daily life and our family. Which raises questions like: How do we as a community of believers share the blessings from this table onto others? How can we help others see God in themselves? How do we bring the gift and graces from the altar table onto the table of our homes? Perhaps a story about a father, his daughter and Mr. Rodgers will shed some light... Check it out…
We all have some degree of fear – what does yours look like? A recent poll shows that our top current fears are rooted in COVID, gun violence, health and politics. This weekend’s Gospel of Jesus calming the waters is all about Jesus confronting his disciples about their fear. Why? Because fear has a way of controlling our emotions and leading us to actions that are unloving. For the opposite of fear is not bravery. The opposite of fear is love. Check it out and see what I mean…
This Sunday we brought to a close Ordinary Time of our Liturgical season and through the year we have walked through the Gospel of Mark, using the Sunday gospels learning how to see as God sees. But the question remains whether we have allowed the words to help us see any better? In his latest book release, Fr. Greg Boyle, SJ reminds us that we need to see as a Mystic sees. Jesuit theologian Karl Rahner said, “The Christian of the future will either be a mystic – or (s)he will cease to be anything at all.” We are all called to be mystics? What does that even mean or look like today? Check it out…
The Gospel tells us that the disciples had no idea what ‘risen from the dead’ even meant. Do we? Wisdom from Pope Francis…and from children in an African tribe may just open our eyes in a new way so that we can better see how we are connected in our call to make all things new. And that Easter tells us that through the life, death and resurrection of Christ, love wins out over death every time and therefore nothing dies forever and that all that has died in love will be reborn into an even larger love – into the Body of Christ. Check it out…
Today we celebrate the Feast of All Saints and for some reason we get it stuck in our heads that saints are a completely different kind of human being - when instead, they are very ordinary people like you and I. So, while we may all take a moment to remember our favorite saints – what about all those who may have gone before us and are unrecognized as a saint? So, take a few minutes and see how people like Jessica Robles, Jimmy Willmert, Joe Shuba, and my friend Steve DiGregorio have helped open many eyes to what this Feast Day means. See what I mean…
We hear this Sunday the story of Jesus healing the blind man Bartimaeus. On the surface this seems to be just an extraordinary story that attests to the divinity of Christ. But the Bible gives us so many stories of Jesus opening the eyes of those who are blind, there must be more – and there is. To see the deeper meaning of this Gospel will require us to have our eyes opened in a whole new way. What does that look like? Check it out…
If I go back some twenty or so years, I remember our family and friends gathering back in my wife’s hometown for many weddings, baptisms, and other sacraments. But as time has moved on and age begins to creep up on our generation, it seems that recently we have gathered all too often to mourn the death of one of our loved ones.
And so, this afternoon we remember the life and the love of Vincent. And while Vincent was physically and emotionally dis-abled – when it came to love he had the capacity to be very ‘able’ indeed. Being in the season of Lent while writing this homily gave me reason to pause and to believe that in some respect I think Vincent had an advantage over most, if not all of us.
What was that advantage…and how did he impact the lives around him? Check it out…
I was blessed to have just returned from spending three weeks with my nineteen-month-old granddaughter, Bloom. During our time together she retaught me one of the core lessons we need to be reminded of this Palm Sunday as we move into Holy Week. What did she do and what did she teach me? Check it out…
On December 23, 2019, just after turning 93 years old, my father-in-law Peter Poloney died…joining with the Communion of Saints, with his beloved wife, Patricia, who died just months ago. It is not uncommon for a couple who spent so many years together to die within months of one another…as it was with Peter. So yesterday we laid Peter to rest – back at “home” with Patricia…together again to spend an eternity fishing, laughing and loving.
Their favorite past time of fishing reminded me of the passage from John, where Peter and his friends spend a day and evening fishing and catching nothing. With that, they received ‘fishing advice’ from the risen Jesus, who was on shore - advice which is actually key to all of us who continue to mourn the death of this beloved couple. See what I mean…
This weekend we hear the Gospel passage recounting Jesus’ journey with his disciples on a 25-mile hike to the region of Caesarea Philippi just so he could put forth one question to his disciples, “Who do you say I am?” And Peter gets it so right…and then gets it so wrong as Jesus calls him Satan. So why the hike to that area? And what is so telling about the dialogue between Jesus and Peter that it just may change the inner voice we currently listen to and therefore greatly alter how we act in the everyday situations of our lives. Check it out…
This Sunday we hear the Gospel of the rich young man, who has followed all of the rules and regulations of his faith, asking Jesus what more does he need to do in order to gain Eternal Life. After all isn’t that what we are all seeking? But it is the wrong question any of us should be asking! What is the right question? And what is the one key word in the response that Jesus gives, that provides us guidance for our own lives? Check it out!
As we light our fourth Advent candle, this season of waiting and hoping and preparation comes quickly to close with Christmas just a few days away. All Advent we have sung Maranatha – which is Aramaic for – Our Lord has come. So how does living a life woven in the fabric of this season allow us to be aware of the Christ who in our lives right now? Perhaps John the Baptist, Joseph of Nazareth and Greta Thunberg can shed light on that answer. See what I mean…
Homily: 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time 2018James Knipper
This weekend we celebrated the 33rd and final Sunday in Ordinary Time and over the past year Mark’s Gospel has given us the necessary waypoints for our spiritual journey. And it is these signposts which tell us how we need to see differently and thus leading us to change the way we live.
But what does that new sight look like for us? What changes are being asked of us? And where do we begin? Perhaps another look at the story of Bartimaeus together with the wisdom from Fr. Greg Boyle may lift the blinders that we wear and open our eyes to seeing in a whole new way!
Check it out!
Homily: 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B 2015James Knipper
Today is the 33rd and final Sunday in Ordinary Time. We call these Sunday’s “ordinary,” because they are simply numbered – or, ordinal. But by calling them ordinary, I think we may have tendency to sweep them aside in deference to the other liturgical seasons and thus forget that each of these numbered Sunday’s provide us a critical piece of the road map for our spiritual journey. So how does one sum up the entire year of Ordinary Time and extract exactly what is the Good News that Christ has to share? Check it out…
During this time of the pandemic, instead of focusing just on the cross that Christ died on – a death that was for us…what if we spent some time on the deaths that happen to us…to focus on our crosses and on our dying that needs to occur each day? In other words of the need to die to our egos, our strategies, our politics, and our prejudices. If not, then are we missing the point Christ was making when he called for us to carry our crosses? Check it out…
Homily for the Feast of Christ the King 2014James Knipper
Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. That is some title for the Feast Day which we celebrate on this last Sunday of the Liturgical Year. But was Christ all about kingship and ruling and thrones and laws?
Or was it really something else?
Is this really what the Franciscans had in mind, in the early 20th century, when they asked Rome for a Feast day to honor the Cosmic Christ?
So what is this Feast Day all about? And what does the Gospel tell us about how we will be judged?
More importantly what direction does it give us to live a better life?
Click and check it out
Homily: 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A 2017James Knipper
“Many are invited, but few are chosen” may be one of the most misinterpreted and misused scripture passages ever written. Used by many to divide and exclude, actually when you understand the context of this parable you will see that it is all about how to include and be open to an invitation that is always present for all people.
Sounds confusing? It’s not. See what I mean…
This is a study of kindness which is one of the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit, and one that we all need, for the world is always in need of kindness. We all love it when we are treated kindly.
The Gospel tells us that the disciples had no idea what ‘risen from the dead’ even meant. Do we? Wisdom from Pope Francis…and from children in an African tribe may just open our eyes in a new way so that we can better see how we are connected in our call to make all things new. And that Easter tells us that through the life, death and resurrection of Christ, love wins out over death every time and therefore nothing dies forever and that all that has died in love will be reborn into an even larger love – into the Body of Christ. Check it out…
Today we celebrate the Feast of All Saints and for some reason we get it stuck in our heads that saints are a completely different kind of human being - when instead, they are very ordinary people like you and I. So, while we may all take a moment to remember our favorite saints – what about all those who may have gone before us and are unrecognized as a saint? So, take a few minutes and see how people like Jessica Robles, Jimmy Willmert, Joe Shuba, and my friend Steve DiGregorio have helped open many eyes to what this Feast Day means. See what I mean…
We hear this Sunday the story of Jesus healing the blind man Bartimaeus. On the surface this seems to be just an extraordinary story that attests to the divinity of Christ. But the Bible gives us so many stories of Jesus opening the eyes of those who are blind, there must be more – and there is. To see the deeper meaning of this Gospel will require us to have our eyes opened in a whole new way. What does that look like? Check it out…
If I go back some twenty or so years, I remember our family and friends gathering back in my wife’s hometown for many weddings, baptisms, and other sacraments. But as time has moved on and age begins to creep up on our generation, it seems that recently we have gathered all too often to mourn the death of one of our loved ones.
And so, this afternoon we remember the life and the love of Vincent. And while Vincent was physically and emotionally dis-abled – when it came to love he had the capacity to be very ‘able’ indeed. Being in the season of Lent while writing this homily gave me reason to pause and to believe that in some respect I think Vincent had an advantage over most, if not all of us.
What was that advantage…and how did he impact the lives around him? Check it out…
I was blessed to have just returned from spending three weeks with my nineteen-month-old granddaughter, Bloom. During our time together she retaught me one of the core lessons we need to be reminded of this Palm Sunday as we move into Holy Week. What did she do and what did she teach me? Check it out…
On December 23, 2019, just after turning 93 years old, my father-in-law Peter Poloney died…joining with the Communion of Saints, with his beloved wife, Patricia, who died just months ago. It is not uncommon for a couple who spent so many years together to die within months of one another…as it was with Peter. So yesterday we laid Peter to rest – back at “home” with Patricia…together again to spend an eternity fishing, laughing and loving.
Their favorite past time of fishing reminded me of the passage from John, where Peter and his friends spend a day and evening fishing and catching nothing. With that, they received ‘fishing advice’ from the risen Jesus, who was on shore - advice which is actually key to all of us who continue to mourn the death of this beloved couple. See what I mean…
This weekend we hear the Gospel passage recounting Jesus’ journey with his disciples on a 25-mile hike to the region of Caesarea Philippi just so he could put forth one question to his disciples, “Who do you say I am?” And Peter gets it so right…and then gets it so wrong as Jesus calls him Satan. So why the hike to that area? And what is so telling about the dialogue between Jesus and Peter that it just may change the inner voice we currently listen to and therefore greatly alter how we act in the everyday situations of our lives. Check it out…
This Sunday we hear the Gospel of the rich young man, who has followed all of the rules and regulations of his faith, asking Jesus what more does he need to do in order to gain Eternal Life. After all isn’t that what we are all seeking? But it is the wrong question any of us should be asking! What is the right question? And what is the one key word in the response that Jesus gives, that provides us guidance for our own lives? Check it out!
As we light our fourth Advent candle, this season of waiting and hoping and preparation comes quickly to close with Christmas just a few days away. All Advent we have sung Maranatha – which is Aramaic for – Our Lord has come. So how does living a life woven in the fabric of this season allow us to be aware of the Christ who in our lives right now? Perhaps John the Baptist, Joseph of Nazareth and Greta Thunberg can shed light on that answer. See what I mean…
Homily: 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time 2018James Knipper
This weekend we celebrated the 33rd and final Sunday in Ordinary Time and over the past year Mark’s Gospel has given us the necessary waypoints for our spiritual journey. And it is these signposts which tell us how we need to see differently and thus leading us to change the way we live.
But what does that new sight look like for us? What changes are being asked of us? And where do we begin? Perhaps another look at the story of Bartimaeus together with the wisdom from Fr. Greg Boyle may lift the blinders that we wear and open our eyes to seeing in a whole new way!
Check it out!
Homily: 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B 2015James Knipper
Today is the 33rd and final Sunday in Ordinary Time. We call these Sunday’s “ordinary,” because they are simply numbered – or, ordinal. But by calling them ordinary, I think we may have tendency to sweep them aside in deference to the other liturgical seasons and thus forget that each of these numbered Sunday’s provide us a critical piece of the road map for our spiritual journey. So how does one sum up the entire year of Ordinary Time and extract exactly what is the Good News that Christ has to share? Check it out…
During this time of the pandemic, instead of focusing just on the cross that Christ died on – a death that was for us…what if we spent some time on the deaths that happen to us…to focus on our crosses and on our dying that needs to occur each day? In other words of the need to die to our egos, our strategies, our politics, and our prejudices. If not, then are we missing the point Christ was making when he called for us to carry our crosses? Check it out…
Homily for the Feast of Christ the King 2014James Knipper
Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. That is some title for the Feast Day which we celebrate on this last Sunday of the Liturgical Year. But was Christ all about kingship and ruling and thrones and laws?
Or was it really something else?
Is this really what the Franciscans had in mind, in the early 20th century, when they asked Rome for a Feast day to honor the Cosmic Christ?
So what is this Feast Day all about? And what does the Gospel tell us about how we will be judged?
More importantly what direction does it give us to live a better life?
Click and check it out
Homily: 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A 2017James Knipper
“Many are invited, but few are chosen” may be one of the most misinterpreted and misused scripture passages ever written. Used by many to divide and exclude, actually when you understand the context of this parable you will see that it is all about how to include and be open to an invitation that is always present for all people.
Sounds confusing? It’s not. See what I mean…
This is a study of kindness which is one of the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit, and one that we all need, for the world is always in need of kindness. We all love it when we are treated kindly.
This weekend we celebrate the Feast of Corpus Christi and the Gospel provides us one of the six accounts of the multiplication of loaves and fishes – the only miracle recorded by all four Gospel writers. Maybe you have noticed the one line in the Gospel, which I have missed all these years. What is that line and why is it so important in yielding the key to unlock the meaning of this well told story – and thus of this Feast Day?
Check it out!
This weekend we celebrate the First Sunday of Advent and the beginning of a new liturgical year. Once again, we hear from Mark’s Gospel and the need to be awake, alert and always watching? But what are we watching for…and whatever it is, could it be where we least expect to find it? And how can the story of two boys who run Cross Country Track – one of who is blind, help us to see in a new way?
Check it out…
Homily: 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2018James Knipper
This Sunday we celebrated the gift of love and marriage during the World Day of Marriage. So how does the gift of love and marriage tie into the Gospel of Jesus healing the Leper? Leave it to the wisdom of a group of 4 – 8 year olds to shed light on all of this! How do they do it? And what does that mean to you? Check it out….
Homily for the Funeral for the Hon. Paul A. Kapalko James Knipper
Yesterday I had the privilege of preaching at the funeral mass of a man I have known for 31 years, the Hon. Paul A. Kapalko.
Paul stayed in NJ throughout his life, earning his BA from Rutgers in '76 and his JD from Seton Hall School of Law in '79. After graduation he became a proud member of the Bar Assoc., joining the law firms of Lawson & Kapalko and Lawrence & Kapalko.
He entered local politics as an Asbury Park City Councilman in '85, serving until he was appointed to the NJ State Assembly in '89. He also served as the Manasquan Municipal Prosecutor; the Planning Board attorney for Neptune, Bradley Beach and Keyport; and the Commissioner of the Monmouth Co. Improvement Authority.
In '90 he became father to his eldest daughter, my niece, Casey, and in that same year ran for Congress. He lost the race, but two years later was appointed a Judge of the NJ Division of Worker's Compensation. He welcomed his second daughter, Christina, in '94, the same year he was promoted to Director and Chief Judge of Workers' Compensation.
In '02 he was appointed by Gov. Donald DeFrancesco to the Family Division of the Superior Court of Monmouth County. He became the Presiding Judge in '04 and then transferred to the Civil Division in '07. He worked with a clear sense of justice and understanding, and was known for his ability to settle cases before ever needing to go to trial. Admired by his peers throughout his life, he dutifully served as a Superior Court Judge for 16 years.
He was a loving father, brother, and uncle. He was predeceased by his father and mother, Edward and Rose Kapalko of Asbury Park. He is survived by his daughter Casey and her wife Stephanie Vazquez, his daughter Christina, and their mother Mary Jo (nee Knipper) McKinley all of West Long Branch. Paul is also survived by his brother Gregory and his wife Cindy, as well as their children Jamie (Jeremy Glapion) and Eddie, all of Belmar. He will be missed dearly by not only his family, but also by all whose lives he touched. He will always be remembered as a fighter and as an inspiration to all.
Homily: The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity Sunday 2024.docxJames Knipper
Countless volumes have been written trying to explain the mystery of three persons in one true God, leaving us to resort to metaphors such as the three-leaf clover to try to comprehend the Divinity. Many of us grew up with the quintessential pyramidal Trinity structure of God at the top and Son and Spirit in opposite corners. But what if we looked at this ‘mystery’ from a different perspective? What if we shifted our language of God as a being towards the concept of God as love? What if we focused more on the relationship within the Trinity versus the persons of the Trinity? What if stopped looking at God as a noun…and instead considered God as a verb? Check it out…
Homily: Second Sunday in Lent, Cycle B, 2024James Knipper
This weekend we heard the famous biblical story of Abraham and his son Isaac, and the angel who stopped Abraham at the last minute from sacrificing his son as God had ordered. While this passage demonstrates Abraham’s unbelievable faith in God – it is a story whose ending is often missed. An ending which turns this story upside down and changes how that culture – and we – need to see God so differently. What is this surprise twist? And how does it impact our spiritual journey? Check it out…
Homily: The Feast of the Epiphany for 2024James Knipper
For the past 12 days we have heard the stories of the birth of Jesus Christ as God incarnate indeed good news of great joy all people. So, on this Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord we celebrate Jesus revealed as the Christ Child to the magi, who arrive by the light of the star. Every year we listen to this well-known Gospel story of the journey of the magi who pay homage to the Christ Child. But today I invite you to just focus on two lines that appear in the Gospel. What are they? Check it out because…as you will you see, any interaction with this Jesus the Christ, no matter where or how it happens, will change your own journey.
Homily: Feast of the Holy Family 2023 - Cycle BJames Knipper
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family…and tomorrow the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. And I like the fact that this Feast comes hours before the Solemnity for it allows us to really look at how this God incarnate, born of the Blessed Virgin Mary…this Christ Child…this God who came into the world in a family that had its heart and its doors open to love – connects to our daily life and our families. It was Pope Francis who reminded us that, “The family is important, as it is necessary for the survival of humanity. Without the family, the cultural survival of the human race would be at risk. The family. Whether we like it or not, is the foundation.”
In a society where all too often we can easily fall prey to the notion of separating the secular and the sacred, and we close our eyes to what is sacramental, what does it take to build that foundation?
Check it out…
With the calendar only providing us 3 full weeks of Advent, how have you been spending your time? What, perhaps have you been seeing…or feeling or doing differently? For Advent calls us to be conscious, awake, alert. Advent calls us to be open to how Christ comes to us every day. Advent calls for our participation by opening our eyes to our own brokenness and that of humanity. For Christ is there…just waiting and wanting our active participation. This week’s Gospel provides us three points which may lead us to a better understanding of what we are called to do moving from this briefest 4th week of Advent into Christmas and the New Year. What are they? Check it out….
Homily: 2nd Sunday of Advent, Cycle B, 2023James Knipper
As we each walk through this season of Advent, we may just find ourselves in some form of wilderness, thirsting for peace, reconciliation and healing – and thus it’s a time we need to be alert, awake, watchful and vigilant to God’s presence. So, perhaps we take the lead from Isaiah where we spend time seeking how we can better “Prepare the way of the Lord”…of how we can look at the valleys, at the crookedness, and the rough places not just in the outside world, but also in our own hearts. What does that look like? Check it out…
Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe: to some degree I think the title of today’s feast day could miss the mark of its original purpose and design. For did you ever notice, nowhere in the Gospels does Jesus say to worship him, much less as a king – he simply said to follow him and to do as he does. The best description of all of this, across all the Gospels, appears in today’s reading of Matthew’s recording of Jesus’ last discourse which indicates kinship seems to be more important that kingship. What does that look like? Check it out…
Homily: 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time A 2023.docxJames Knipper
Biblical scholars tell us that this Parable of the Ten Virgins was likely cobbled together from a few sources meant to drive home the message of always being prepared – a Gospel theme we will hear often between now and Christmas. But was does that mean to you and me? What does being prepared look like? And tapping into one of today’s Gospel metaphors, what is the oil that we need to be placing in our lamps? Check it out…
Homily: 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time A 2023.docxJames Knipper
For the past few weeks, we have been listening to Jesus telling parables to the Chief Priests and Pharisees. For Jesus is attempting to get their attention to think differently, choose differently and to open their eyes to his teachings of the Kingdom of God. But they show no interest in listening to his teachings about love and compassion, much less inclusion. Thus, they look to corner Jesus into committing a crime of sedition and thus be crucified, by putting the question to Jesus if taxes should be paid to Caesar or not.
Perhaps a way to phrase this question in the present time would be: is our allegiance with the spiritual or the worldly? Where is our focus today? Since this story appears in all three Synoptic Gospels, this story carries a deeper and more significant message than a Gospel about just paying taxes. What is that hidden meaning? Check it out…
This Sunday we heard the conclusion of the Gospel story that began last week when Jesus said he would build his Church upon the rock of Peter. But a few lines later Jesus calls Peter, ‘Satan’ and he is told to get behind Christ and follow him. So how did Peter get it so right to the point where Jesus will use Peter as the foundation of his Church and then in the next moment Peter gets it so wrong as to be called Satan? The answer and, indeed our lesson, is rooted in the two types of thinking that we face every day. What are they? How do we distinguish them? Check it out…
The Surgeon General of the US, Dr. Vivek Murthy, just announced the ending of COVID-19 as a global emergency. But at the same time declared a new number one epidemic in our country today – one that affects 50 % of our population, and even higher for our kids. What is it? And how does that tie into the Gospel reading from John this Sunday? Check it out…
During these past weeks of Lent, our Gospels have focused on the quintessential theme of life, death and rebirth – or what some call order, disorder, and reorder. However you look at this universal pattern, one thing is for sure – there is no skipping the process. So, on this Good Friday, instead of just focusing on the cross that Christ died on – a death that was for us…what if we spent some time on the deaths that happen to us…to focus on our crosses and on our dying that needs to occur each day? What does that look like? Check it out…
Homily: Third Sunday of Lent A 2023 .docxJames Knipper
This Sunday we heard the gospel that provides the longest dialogue recorded between Jesus and a woman. By breaking with social ‘norms’ Jesus reaches out with acceptance, self-worth and compassion to one who was socially outcast. For this is a Gospel story that teaches us, reminds us, encourages us that in the Kingdom of God there are no outcasts, there are no strangers, there are no us versus them, rather it is a kingdom of only repentant and welcomed sinners – people like you and me. But the core message of this gospel is hidden – and one that opens our eyes to what we already have. What is that? Check it out….
This weekend we hear in Matthew’s Gospel of John the Baptist sitting in a jail cell and wondering if he placed his bets on the wrong guy…questioning if the Lord is anywhere near to him. Then again, when we are faced with adversity, doubt, and loss how often have we questioned “Where is God?” and “Is the Lord anywhere near?” See how a street corner in Louisville and the wisdom of Thomas Merton may just open our eyes to see in a new way so that we can join in the chorus of Gaudete! Rejoice! on this 3rd Sunday of Advent.
Homily: 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time C 2022.docxJames Knipper
This weekend we hear the parable of the widow and the judge. The Gospel writer begins with a summation that the parable talks “about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary.” But if we just left it there, we would miss the secondary and deeper meaning behind the story. What is it? Check it out…
Homily for 21st Sunday in Ordinary TimeT .docxJames Knipper
The Gospel this weekend begins with the question that is asked a number of times across the gospels – and one that each of us may have asked in our own spiritual journey: “Lord, will only a few be saved? Or better said – who is going to heaven and who is going to hell?! To which Jesus answers: “Strive to enter through the narrow gate.” In those days the narrow gates were the side doors of the walled city where you could enter. They were less exposed and less visible allowing occupants to come and go inconspicuously.
So, what does the ‘narrow gate’ look like for you and me today? Once we figure that out, how does that begin to tell us who wins the ticket to heaven and who doesn’t? This complicated Gospel sounds more like a message of exclusion rather than inclusion. So, which is it and what does it mean for each of us? Check it out…
Luke speaks about prayer more than any of the other Evangelists…and in this weekend’s gospel we hear the disciples, asking Jesus to teach them how to pray and he responds with a simple version of the Lord’s Prayer. With prayer being so foundation to who we are, how do you pray? But the bigger question may have to do with how we view prayer. In other words, do we come to prayer as a transactional or a relational activity? Do we spend our time in prayer looking for something from God…or are we desiring a connection with God?
Leave it to my grandson Oliver to open my eyes to what prayer is really all about. Check it out and see what I mean…
Hindered by our language many have resorted to using metaphors to describe the Trinity such as a 3-leaf clover or a harmonic cord. But what if we stopped looking at God as a noun and considered God as a verb? Early Christians described the Trinity as a dance, where God is not the dancer – rather God is the dance itself. See what I mean…
As we gather on this Feast of Pentecost our Scripture focuses on the “what’s next” in our call to discipleship. What does “being sent” & discipleship look like for each of us? What are we called to do and not to do? So how can an African parable, a saintly doorkeeper, a foot massager, and college basketball player help point us to the way, the truth and the light? See what I mean…
If we look at the scripture that addresses the Ascension, it is no surprise that we find several conflicts across the Synoptic writers. But I believe it is John who gives us the line that opens up for us the best way to get to the deeper meaning of the Ascension, when Christ says, “it is good for you that I am going away. For unless I go away the Spirit cannot come to you.” In essence, Jesus seems to be making a connection between absence and presence - that it is necessary for absence to take place before we can be opened to presence. For this Feast Day really teaches us so much more about our life and about our loving God. What is it really all about? Check it out…
The Book of Joshua is the sixth book in the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament, and is the first book of the Deuteronomistic history, the story of Israel from the conquest of Canaan to the Babylonian exile.
The PBHP DYC ~ Reflections on The Dhamma (English).pptxOH TEIK BIN
A PowerPoint Presentation based on the Dhamma Reflections for the PBHP DYC for the years 1993 – 2012. To motivate and inspire DYC members to keep on practicing the Dhamma and to do the meritorious deed of Dhammaduta work.
The texts are in English.
For the Video with audio narration, comments and texts in English, please check out the Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zF2g_43NEa0
The Good News, newsletter for June 2024 is hereNoHo FUMC
Our monthly newsletter is available to read online. We hope you will join us each Sunday in person for our worship service. Make sure to subscribe and follow us on YouTube and social media.
Lesson 9 - Resisting Temptation Along the Way.pptxCelso Napoleon
Lesson 9 - Resisting Temptation Along the Way
SBs – Sunday Bible School
Adult Bible Lessons 2nd quarter 2024 CPAD
MAGAZINE: THE CAREER THAT IS PROPOSED TO US: The Path of Salvation, Holiness and Perseverance to Reach Heaven
Commentator: Pastor Osiel Gomes
Presentation: Missionary Celso Napoleon
Renewed in Grace
The Chakra System in our body - A Portal to Interdimensional Consciousness.pptxBharat Technology
each chakra is studied in greater detail, several steps have been included to
strengthen your personal intention to open each chakra more fully. These are designed
to draw forth the highest benefit for your spiritual growth.
In Jude 17-23 Jude shifts from piling up examples of false teachers from the Old Testament to a series of practical exhortations that flow from apostolic instruction. He preserves for us what may well have been part of the apostolic catechism for the first generation of Christ-followers. In these instructions Jude exhorts the believer to deal with 3 different groups of people: scoffers who are "devoid of the Spirit", believers who have come under the influence of scoffers and believers who are so entrenched in false teaching that they need rescue and pose some real spiritual risk for the rescuer. In all of this Jude emphasizes Jesus' call to rescue straying sheep, leaving the 99 safely behind and pursuing the 1.
What Should be the Christian View of Anime?Joe Muraguri
We will learn what Anime is and see what a Christian should consider before watching anime movies? We will also learn a little bit of Shintoism religion and hentai (the craze of internet pornography today).
1. 1 Deacon Jim Knipper
25 November 2021 Thanksgiving Day Princeton, NJ
Good morning to everyone physically present here as well as all of you who are joining us in prayer over our live
stream feed…it is good to have you all with us. On behalf of Fr. Miguel, Fr. Carlo, Deacon Frank, and the entire
Staff at St. Paul’s – know how thankful we are for you and your family…holding you all in our prayers – as we
continue to restore our lives and our church, as we slowly come out of the COVID pandemic. So, we gather today,
with grateful hearts, as many of us will finally be able to, once again, expand our dining tables and gather around
our extended families… giving thanks for all the blessings that we have.
But what does “giving thanks” look like for each of us? For some it is associated with some form of quid-pro-quo.
That our gratitude is often seen as the response for getting something tangible, something physical – something
that we want. And if we get what we want, most often we give thanks. The problem with that form of ‘gratitude’ is
that it is mostly ego centered. I wanted. I got. I gave thanks. And while, there is nothing necessarily wrong with
that model, I think it does little to promote long-term wholeness and holiness.
And I think this is what Paul was getting at when he was writing to the congregation that he established in Philippi.
But when Paul first arrived in this city, things did not start out well for him - for his teachings threatened the status
quo of those rooted in power, prestige and possessions: people focused on getting what they wanted. In turn, Paul
was beaten, flogged and shackled in prison.
But how did he respond to this adversity and persecution? Paul sang joyful praise and gave thanks to God. His
message to his jailers and those around him was not to be afraid of your faith and of what others think - but to give
thanks for God’s presence wherever you may be – even sitting in a jail cell.
Actually, it was Paul’s actions, that attitude of joy, and gratitude for life that led to his release. Paul’s message was
soon accepted by the Philippians and led to many conversions. And after 18 months he continued his missionary
journey but years later found himself back in prison – this time in Rome awaiting his execution. Nearing the end of
his life, chained, battered and broken, Paul writes to the community he loves so much back at Phillipi, with the
words we heard in this morning’s second reading, encouraging them to do - what else, but “Rejoice!” and
instructing them on what clearly seems to be a “paradox of gratitude.”
Why a paradox? Because versus this sense of gratitude for giving thanks for what “I” have or what I wanted –
Paul’s constant instruction is for a model of gratitude that is ‘other’ centered. He says, “Your kindness should be
known to all.” His reason? Because God dwells within each and every one of us – without exception…even those
family members who may now safely be coming over for dinner later today but can drive you a bit nuts!
You see, Paul’s model of gratitude is not ego centered – rather it is all about participation. It is not about me, but
about you. It is not about what I want, but about what others need. It is not about how much I have, but what others
don’t. We need to understand that our life is not about us – but we are about life. And once we get that – we allow
ourselves to be a conduit of God’s love – filled with deep gratitude.
An example being…on Thursday, June 22, 1972, Hurricane Agnes brought destruction through the entire east
coast. In Pennsylvania and New Jersey over 43,000 homes were destroyed or damaged as heavy rains forced the
major rivers to overflow their banks as never before. One of the homes damaged belonged to a catholic family in
the small town of Annville, PA, just outside of Hershey. A local dam gave way that brought water gushing around
and into their home, flash flooding the basement and most of the first floor.
2. 2 Deacon Jim Knipper
The six children, ages 5 to 18 and their parents got out of the house just in time to save their lives. By next morning
the waters had receded leaving inches of mud and destruction of much of what they had. Since it would be another
seven years before FEMA was established, families like this, in need, had little support. For over a month the family
relied on neighbors for housing and food assistance, during which time they tackled the daunting task of cleaning
up the mud, the mold and the mess.
But on that first Sunday after the storm, a half hour away from their home, the Mennonite Community, safe from all
the destruction, was gathering for their services. As they prayed for all those suffering from the hurricane, they
decided that action was needed more than their prayers. So halfway through the service a group of men piled into a
few trucks and soon one of them just happened to arrive at this Annville home. The Mennonites did not know this
family, they did not say much, they came with all that they needed, and they went to work until late in the night –
and then left, never to be seen again.
My wife and her family have never forgotten the generosity they received that summer, but certainly have never
forgotten the men who arrived that one day because they understood the paradox of gratitude and thus were a
conduit of God’s love. Their actions that day would have a lasting impact on how my wife’s family would go on to
help others in the years ahead.
You see, each of us are invited to live Paul’s participatory message of gratitude, when he says: “Keep doing what
you have learned and received and heard and seen in me.” For when we let go of our egos (or what Paul refers to
as flesh) we lose our focus on our wants, our needs and our desires...which allows us to let go of our cracks, our
blemishes, and our faults. We then no longer spend our lives on waiting to receive all that we want or feel that is
owed to us.
For all we are called to do is to be part of this One Life…this Eternal Flow of God, where we do not have to have
the right answer, we don’t have to straighten everything out, we don’t have to fix those around us. We just have to
participate! And it is in living a life of participation that allows us to be aware and grateful for the mutual indwelling
that Paul refers to.
Then things like rejoicing, gratitude and compassion become as natural as the breaths that we take. By Paul writing
at least five letters from prison, he makes the point that there are no bars, no circumstances, no addictions, and no
hurdles that we face that are so immense which prevent the Spirit from bringing gracious light and life into our lives.
Thus, even with all kinds of adversity that we are witnessing today in our lives and in this world, Paul teaches us
this: that the joy and energy and life behind each of our journeys toward wholeness and holiness needs to be filled
with immense gratitude for the unconditional love of the inner presence of God that each of us already have. And
that, my sisters and brothers, is something we can all rejoice and give thanks for this day and always.
May you and your family be filled with many blessings for a safe, happy and grateful Thanksgiving.