Homilies and Other Writings

 One of the most dangerous forms of pride is holding on to our own judgment against the truth, a truth which we could understand but which at the same time we do not want to see. This pride is preferring my own way of seeing things to the way things really are. It is affirming myself against reality, as if my judgment could change the way things really are. This pride is like a disagreement with the order of creation and a desire to establish our own order in this creation, as if we were God and we could create our own reality. This pride sets man against God and against creation itself: man, in a way, remains prisoner of his own world and, in a deep way, remains alone. Of course, despite the proud person’s way of thinking, reality keeps being what it is and this bothers the proud person, who feels attacked by the facts and by people who affirm the facts. This kind of proud person has only enemies or slaves: his enemies are all those who do not agree with him, and everybody else ...

They woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet!  Be still!” The wind ceased and there was great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?” (Cf. Mark 4:35-41) Dear Lord Jesus, the world around me is like a storm and the waters outside are already entering in and filling the boat of my soul with fears, anxieties and despair. Lord Jesus, I’m not afraid: You are with me in the boat. Lord Jesus, I’m not asleep: I’ll keep getting the water out of the boat, doing my own job, so that You can sleep. Lord Jesus, I’m not a fool: when I am in over my head, I’ll wake You up, and ask for help. Lord Jesus, I do have faith: when I see Your wonders in my life, when I see that the greatest storm is nothing for You and in an instant You can calm my soul, I will try not be terrified at You. Your power is great, but is there to help me, not to destroy me: I am Your ...

  (Fr. Andrew’s Homily for Sunday June 16 th 2024) The parable of the mustard seed is meant to convey the excellence of Jesus’ Gospel. Jesus employs this comparison to show the power and beauty of the Good News of salvation for all human beings. The seed of the Gospel is planted by preaching. The mustard seed, once planted, grows so large and extends its branches so far and wide, that the birds of the sky can find rest in its shade. Who are these birds? St. Thomas Aquinas composed a book entitled “The Golden Chain.” It is a very particular commentary on the four Gospels. The Golden Chain goes through each and every line and section of the four Gospels, reporting at each place the best commentaries that Aquinas could find. So, for example, for this parable, Aquinas quotes ten short phrases from five different authors explaining this particular text. The authors he quotes are always saintly Fathers of the Church or famous commentaries of the Bible that were available at his time...

 (Fr. Andrew’s Homily for Corpus Christi 2024, including Eucharistic Hymn. For music scores and sample recordings check https://domenicozipoli.org/ayala-hymns The hymns have not yet been recorded in English but only in Spanish.) The central mystery of the Eucharist is the miracle of the transubstantiation. Let me reflect today on this mystery with a song I composed a few years ago. What is this “transubstantiation”? 1.  By the Transubstantiation and after the consecration, only body of Christ is there the bread no longer exists. There is now not wine but blood in the chalice on the altar. “Friends, eat, drink, be drunk with love” [1] though is heavenly this Banquet!   How come, we can get drunk but it is not wine? How is this transubstantiation? 2.  This is not a transformation: this is Transubstantiation! Form and matter are converted -- but the accidents are not. What was substance of our bread becomes substance of His body while the appearances of bread remain t...

 (Fr. Andrew’s Homily for Trinity Sunday, May 26 th 2024)   Today is the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. Witnessing to the mystery of the Trinity cost so much to our fathers. People like us, lay and priests, gave their lives for the correct interpretation of this mystery. This is why it would be a mistake to set aside this mystery, to ignore it or to consider it something just for theologians to be busy with. If this mystery was so important for our fathers, why should it be less important for us? Is it not the mystery of our God? You may know St. Augustine from his “Confessions,” the turbulent and beautiful story of his own life and late conversion. He became a Bishop, so loving of his sheep, and, busy as he was, wrote a large, thick book called: “On the Trinity.” It was written in the years after 400 AD , without computers. St. Athanasius, in the century before St. Augustine, suffered many hardships and was exiled several times because of his defense of the Holy Tri...