"One Step: Begin Again" + The Second Sunday of Advent (Fr. Mike's Homily)

[@davidcindric]

This reminds me of a story about Desmond Doss from a Hacksaw Ridge movie where he was on that ridge saving soldiers from both sides and always prayed that line: "Lord, please give me strength for just one more! Just one more!" And he saved them over 300. Take one step at the time!

[@lezliewhite6053]

I loved that movie .... his faith was so strong and he never gave up!

[@debhoffman267]

Thank you for sharing this Fr Mike. I feel hope again

[@MariamSauceda]

I’ve started my 29 minutes with Jesus last week. Today is Day 9. My only fear is that Jesus doesn’t reveal himself to me. I’m yearning to know Him and grow closer to Him.

[@edwardgeorge6758]

Thank you Father Mike! This sermon is exactly what I needed. I am going through a divorce and the only thing that has kept me going is my beautiful four year old daughter. She was recently taken away from me and now I feel as though there’s nothing left to live for. But this sermon has inspired me to keep going and not to give up no matter how hard life is. Thank you so much and god bless anyone going through difficult situations. God will never leave your side.

[@treezmathew]

Little by little, closer to Jesus. Thank you and bless you Fr.Mike for yet another beautiful sermon.

[@s.c.sanabriadrywallinc.9519]

I started to stay with our Lord after daily mass as long as I could before I go to work. Peace is what he gives me and I come out stronger my problems are still there but see these life situations differently through his merciful eyes. I allow the Holy Spirit remind me that God’s providence has never abandoned us even in the most difficult moments. Thank for challenging each one of us. To go sit with our Lord and just allow him to hold us in that silence, Amen 🙏

[@patrick.7326]

Please pray for a young mother who took her own life yesterday in Dublin married to my cuzin, Teresa Corcoran is her name, Ireland as such a problem with drugs its madness are far people have gone from Jesus christ, so a violent country.

[@madams.5976]

I’ve had a cold for several days otherwise I would be at mass, but I’m so happy that I can still attend the virtual front pew with you Fr. Mike. Truly a blessing.

[@anneturner2759]

Powerful .. thank you Fr. Mike , it is easier to die than live . Living is hard since my husband died. It is God’s grace that has kept me going. No doubt , hands down . One step at a time . Sometimes it’s a morning at a time , or 10 minutes at a time . I never know. I know I love you and I’m very grateful for your heart and soul. Praying for you always. Please let God be closer than I think!

[@susy9731]

💗

[@anneturner2759]

@Chacha Truth my deepest sympathy over the death of your son . My heart goes to you fully. Thanks for your words , they mean a great deal to me. God Bless you .

[@blairpham9429]

God loves you so much, thank you for fighting, I’m praying for your husbands soul now.

[@carolhannah4635]

🤗❣️

[@bethjoyce4666]

Wasn’t expecting to start sobbing listening to Fr. Mike’s sermon today, but it really struck a nerve. Struggling so much after my moms passing in June from metastatic breast cancer. She was my person and my body and soul have felt broken ever since. Taking that step each day, each moment, is very difficult. Even though I’m praying more than I ever have before (also got the Black Friday bundles to ready myself for BIAY and the upcoming Catechism in a Year) the pain and loss is sometimes too much. For anyone wondering, the poem is called The Quitter by Robert Service.

[@TAGMZs63]

Sincere condolences for the loss of your mother. I struggle with that as well. I miss her so much sometimes it's overwhelming. I will say a prayer for you 🙏

[@bethjoyce4666]

@@TAGMZs63 thank you so much. I’ll do the same for you. The loss is indeed overwhelming.

[@MissPopuri]

How beautiful are the feet that bring good news…the Prophet said of our Lord. It goes double for a man who walked for miles with the soles of his feet needing bandages to stay on due to frostbite and other causes.

[@Paul-at-Plym]

Thank you. I struggle to go to church but Ascension Presents guides me, teaches me and helps me feel connected. 🙏👍🙂

[@notoriousosc1669]

God always speaks to me through Fr.Mike. At 25, my ways have not worked out, it is time to begin fresh and let God lead my steps.

[@helenmaghinay7304]

While waiting in line for confession last week, I sat down before the tabernacle. And I prayed those very words Fr. Mike said last week, "Lord, reveal yourself to me." I sat quietly for a few more minutes, until this thought entered my head, like somebody whispering, "I am Love. I am the source of all strength." I was both a little spooked and very awestruck at the same time. Like, "Whoa, God, that was fast!" I thought I had to wait days for "something" to happen, but it only took a few minutes for me. As I sat waiting for my turn at confession, I was trying too hard not to cry, but the tears spilled anyway. There was an outpouring of God's love and mercy that evening, that my chest started to ache. It was a bearable kind of pain physically, but I've had this thought that God was pouring out His Love into the cup that is my heart, and my heart just can't contain it--it's too much, and it just overflows. Just like it says in the Psalms. I've only been back 1 other time, so, I've only done this challenge twice. But the 1 other time, I prayed for the grace to stay away from my habitual sins, especially mortal ones, and I felt the grace of God at work to keep me in a state of grace. I hope that others can take this challenge on and also receive the Sacrament of Penance this advent. I hope you too can receive God's love, mercy, and forgiveness as we wait for his coming. :)

[@joshuaclauson2148]

🙏

[@_ready__]

Jesus died for all of our sins

[@madams.5976]

Fr. Mike, Easter of 2021 I started listening to BIAY. I’m now on my second tour of BIAY. I also started going back to confession and church after a very long absence. Up to that point, I only went to mass for weddings and funerals. It’s shameful to say, but probably 24 years since confession. Needless to say, at 63, I’ve been to more of the latter. But soon after I started praying the rosary in the evening. Fast forward to today, I’ve continued to go to mass and to confession. I still pray the rosary, but I also added the the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy, and several other prayers. So, I understand about the challenge of prayer, but sometimes you just have to take that very first step. Do I miss sometimes to say a prayer, of course, but I just start over the following day. I think the challenge for all of us in whatever endeavor we take on, it’s always starting that’s the hardest part.

[@burstey696]

I needed to hear this! Thank You Lord for allowing me to accidentally come across this. I love You God!

[@jamesrutherford311]

Started the 29 day challenge last Monday and now it has become priority number one. It gets fit in no matter what else is going on that day and 30 minutes goes so fast.

[@dianeguinan2114]

I only made one day extra last week Amazingly though it happened to be an adoration of the

[@dianeguinan2114]

Holy Eucharist, I believe you have to plan to do it The day gets away from you, I am also trying to do the Bible in a year, I am not discouraged because I have devoted more time to Jesus, even if it was only 29 mins or listening to the Bible in a day, I will plan to do better this week, I am attending Mass and making the time for Father Mike, I look forward to Celebrating mass with him, Thank you Fr, Mike

[@joshuaclauson2148]

🙏

[@Ladyoffidelity14]

I love night adoration. I've had a lot of really good experiences with the lord at night. My church does perpetual adoration. My hour is 2 to 3am. I was the first female night adorer. I was told no when I originally asked. My Spiritual Director had to vouge for me. And I am really grateful for that. I also found out later about a devotion called the Gethsemane hours. These are typically done from midnight to 3am every Thursday. And you spend the entire time meditating on the passion of our lord. I started to learn about the stations of the cross. which ironically, is a Franciscan devotion. It was started by a Franciscan. Saint Francis is my Confirmation Saint and the Franciscan spirituality is my favorite. I didn't know that there were 14 stations of the cross. This gonna sound dumb. But that's my favorite number. I've just always liked it for no reason. I was also born on June 14th which is Flag Day (Ironic cause of my devotion to ST Micheal and the fact I'm a military wife. You know cause he's the great Standard - bearer, which is what they call the person who carries the army flag, and represents their cause. They are littearly the Standard. The Standard to live up too. I think that's why so many Saints had such a strong devotion and love for St Michael. Because he was the first to defend and love God. And therefore was the standard. I think that's why God gave him the flag. But anyway I am getting off topic. ) And June I just recently found out is the month for the Sacrade heart. Which is another one of my devotions. One of my favorites. I am very big on first Friday's and offering reparations as often as possible. I have a ring I bought that has his heart on it. I wear it daily to have a physical reminder of who I belong too and who I represent to others. And it's just so weird to me how all of it lined up. Like even my holy hour. I got it right when I reverted back to the church and everything in my life was confusing and on fire and I realized I knew nothing about the faith I had given up on. God was laughing when he picked the day. I'm sure. Waiting for me to pick up on the cosmic joke. It's Tuesday. The day is devoted to the holy Angels as well as the Holy Face of Jesus. Reparation to the Holy Face is about making right for the sins of the whole world. But especially ones against the first three commandments. I am an ex-witch. I did that. When I gave Jesus my heart in contemplative meditation (I promise this is related) he kissed me. His eyes were red and teary when he pulled away. He looked me over for a second. I didnt know how to read him and he smiled slightly before becoming serious. Like he wanted to make sure I remembered the next thing he said. He said "Dont be like Judas" And it snapped me out of the trance I was in. Well sorta trance. I don't know how to describe it. I was freaked out. But I did a lot of research after and... Well it was Good and Bad. I guess back in the early church the sign of peace was called the kiss of peace. It was a sign of forgiveness, peace, and fraternity. I think the kiss was Jesus letting me know I was forgiven for my past. But the Judas part tore me up. I didn't understand it. Till I read about the Holy Face devotions. In one of the visions, Christ told Maria "No one kisses my face to make reparation For the kiss of Judas" And when I read that Christ was still receiving these false kisses every day it broke me. I couldn't wrap my mind around a being that kept offering his heart to everyone even though they kept abusing it. I couldn't imagine the strength needed for that. And it seems like he drew strength from those who eventually came to love him. Because all of us have done violence to him at one time or another. He even says in the old testament in Jeremiah "It's I who they are hurting" when God is talking about the Israelites betrayal. And what a long time to hurt. How awful that must be to have the very beings that you loved so much, and carved their names into your own flesh, utterly reject and wound you like that. I wish I knew all of this sooner. Because having God share a small understanding of his pain with me helped me understand him better. And it absolutely ripped me up on the inside when I realized how much I had caused him. And that's why he told me "Dont be like Judas". It wasn't just because my sins had wounded him like Judas's kiss had. It was because he was worried realizing that grief would push me over the edge like Judas. He wanted me to be like Peter, who also betrayed him by denying him. But later apologize by showing our lord how much he truly loved him. And God reassured Peter that he was still loved too. And that moment is life changing. I remember sobbing uncontrollably when I realized. I'll never be able to take back the pain I caused but I can help him bear the pain he is still in by getting more people to understand him and reassure him with my own love. And one of the first and easiest ways to do that is adoration. And I thank God for that every day. Because I'm neurodivergent and it is so comforting to know that God is kinda like me in the sense he likes parallel play. Sometimes he wants my full attention, and to talk through prayer. But often times I think he just likes to have us there with him. Like I like to read (only religious books) with him a lot. And if something strikes me ill talk to him about it in prayer. But he honestly just wants you there. Because I think it means something to him when you set aside time to just be there. You don't have to force anything. Just be there. Everything else will come on it's own when God has had his fill of rest with you. “Parallel play is one of the hallmarks of secure relationships, but it has to be done right,” Dr. Levine said. “It’s all about availability. If you know that the other person is available and that, if you need them, they will pay attention to you, then you feel secure.” And that's what God wants with you. A secure relationship based on trust and love.

[@joannhacker9120]

Perfection is the enemy of good. I’ve been trying to discern on my vocation but I have struggled with my evening Liturgy of the hours. I spoke with a Priest yesterday and told him I felt I can’t make the Promise because I can’t do it perfect. Listening to this words is what I needed. ❤❤

[@jovitaesteves6137]

Hello Fr Mike. You are so full of Holy Spirit. May God bless you. I am from ireland. I would love to hear the word of God from you everyday. God's glory and grace flows from you.

[@cathgreen8622]

Thank you Father. I actually live in Hobart and close to a little museum called Mawson's Hut showing information of his experiences etc. Maybe you can come visit Tasmania..one day..🙏😊

[@theresaskrabanek512]

Thank you Father. May God Bless you & Keep you Safe.

[@angelaspielbusch1237]

Thank you so much for this beautiful homily! Praise be to God for our struggles that begin us closer to him! ❤

[@mauriciosolano9342]

One day becoming never is tragic Beautiful quote

[@noznip2008]

I laughed so much, when you said " ok Jesus, go!" But seriously, you make these homilies so personal. They are just wow

[@travisstreeter5092]

What a great talk...

[@peppy619]

I saw your challenge on monday and I started right away, I haven't always been for the 29 minutes, but I have been in fron of the Blessed Sacrament every day

[@patrick.7326]

Amen Father.

[@RubyPoppins]

Thank you for this video. Its sound advice. Reliability with God personally is where it all begins with me. But I haven't thought about challenging myself to know Him more. Its so easy to let myself get distracted. But I need God so much right now. If it wasn't for God I would not be here. God has given me so many chances to rebuild through ill health and I am grateful for the compassion and mercy he has taught me. Thank you again. May God continue to bless your words for this channel 🙏

[@shenazwahid2863]

Wow one of the best sermons I’ve heard. Father Mike is such a blessing. ❤️

[@kirknielsen532]

"Perfection is the enemy of the good." Wow! I need to hear that as I am stalled by the fear of imperfection. Thanks Fr. Mike!!

[@travisstreeter5092]

Great book....extreme

[@143scituate]

Wonderful thank you. FYI, if you can't get to the church to sit in adoration, KZbin has live streaming of adoration.

[@abrahamrobles8047]

Like the poem, ty Father.

[@metildajoseph5265]

Greetings Father Mike, Thanks for the Thoughtful Sunday Homily which helps to Stay Determined in Prayers and Actions amidst All adversities before Lord Jesus Christ in every aspects of Life. Key Thoughts : Forgiving Our Own Self for Past Deeds before Lord Jesus Christ helps to move on and Forward in every aspects.. With regards with Prayers for Everyone, RanjithJoseph (R.J)

[@dianeguinan2114]

Forgiving ourselves is a difficult task, I agree , Do we then doubt that God forgives us.? I do struggle with the Catholic guilt too,

[@metildajoseph5265]

@@dianeguinan2114 Lord Jesus Christ Teachings of Love Thy Neighbors like Love Yourself helps to Forgive Our Own Self before Lord Jesus Christ to Love Others. Take Care.. RanjithJoseph (R.J)

[@twopeoplepointingtogod824]

Not sure who this is for....29 mins a day I get closer to God. That's what happens....HALLELUJAH HALLELUJAH HALLELUJAH

[@_ready__]

How do you get to heaven?

[@kathymccaseski7677]

Our parish only has Eucharistic Adoration a few times per year. At least 30 miles to the next parish.

[@wreloise1]

Approaching a lifestyle of intimacy with our LORD ❤️🙏🏾 One step to fasting and prayer Second step to fasting and prayer Continue to do it again ….again

[@Emily-so6ib]

Someone send father mike and a bunch of priests on a field trip to Antarctica! 🥺

[@richardboeckner9509]

Thanks!

[@sheilasmyth5874]

Begin Again. “Nunc Coepi “ motto of Venerable Bruno Lanteri/Founder of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary

[@carleenlayne4420]

I’m doing it. And finishing up BIAY. It’s. The. Best. Thanx, Fr. Mike. ❤

[@barbararatcliffe1505]

I live in the uk where can I buy the catechism ascension

[@cediebogard5252]

I’ve seen Perpetual Adoration on KZbin, is that acceptable to do the adoration?

[@bravingthehallways8169]

Am too slow to listen to Fr mike on normal speed..am i the only one? Or is it because am a non native English speaker?

[@17CW68fNv]

???Will there be a Front Pew mass on Dec 8??? God Bless. Claire.

[@gill426]

Could anybody maybe tell me what name Father Mike mentions at around 0:49 after Earnest Shackleton? I somehow didn't understand that. Thanks in advance! 🙂

[@paulapasma8004]

Is this the 8 BELOW movie? Haven't seen it in a while, but I swear they made a movie out of that tragic story

[@patrick.7326]

I wonder who worth that poem?.

[@lezliewhite6053]

Father Mike ...how do I do 29 minutes if I'm homebound????

[@catholicshiksa]

There are many live youtube streams available for Adoration of the Eucharist. I am doing the 29minutes this way.

[@loridieli8550]

29 min. at the tabernacle in church? Or 29 min. in prayer?

[@domi4396]

at the tabernacle

[@AnnaLouZam]

If you missed it, go back to last weeks homily and you'll understand better. It was another powerful homily and explains the 29 day/29 minute invitation 🙏

[@dianeguinan2114]

I’d like to think it is which ever you can manage Naturally the church and tabernacle would be ideal but prayer is prayer, Better to pray than not to b/c you can’t get to the perfect place,

[@doreenluis6423]

Perfection is the enemy of good is what hit me too,needed to hear that . Fr.Mike thanks for allowing the Holy Spirit to use your mouth.

[@debscali9479]

Thanks!