JANUARY
January 1, 2025 | Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God
Questions to Ponder:
• I listened deeply to the Word today? How?
• Do I listen attentively to my parishioners?
• Have I discerned the labor of the Spirit in me for the New Year?
January 5, 2025 | The Epiphany of the Lord
Questions to Ponder:
• How do I proclaim the Good News to those in darkness?
• What does the stewardship of God’s grace mean to me?
• How will I preach the Epiphany in 2025?
January 12, 2025 | The Baptism of the Lord
Questions to Ponder:
• How often do I ponder that I am beloved?
• Does my preaching emphasize the call of the baptized?
• How does ordained ministry enliven my baptism in Christ?
January 19, 2025 | Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Questions to Ponder:
• Can I envision my relationship with God as spousal and mystical?
• Is my celebration of the Eucharist an invitation to those with a variety of gifts?
• Do you imagine the Lord rejoicing in your gifts?
January 26, 2025 | Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Questions to Ponder:
• Do I pray for the guidance of the Spirit before I preach?
• Does my preaching make a difference to me? To the congregation?
• Is the Body of Christ gathered by my proclamation of the Word?
FEBRUARY
February 2, 2025 | The Presentation of the Lord
Questions to Ponder:
• How can we better communicate a sense of “glory” in and through our church buildings?
• Are we comfortable with “waiting”? Can it be an opportunity for prayer?
• What role can elderly parishioners play in the lives of young couples?
February 9, 2025 | Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Questions to Ponder:
• How do we capitalize on the experiential power of “smells and bells” in liturgical practice?
• Does grace, not merely qualifications, play a role in personnel decisions?
• How can we bring the Church (teaching and preaching) to today’s open spaces and workplaces?
February 16, 2025 | Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Questions to Ponder:
• Do we find blessings (or curses) more in the choices we make or through circumstances we face?
• How central to our day-to-day faith is belief in the Resurrection?
• To what extent do we consider what we lack to be a blessing?
February 23, 2025 | Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Questions to Ponder:
• In a world of technological production, how can we champion the truth that life is a gift?
• In a world focused on rights, how can we champion the value of forgiving one’s enemies?
• In today’s world, how can we champion the Christian ethos as real and not merely an ideal?
MARCH
March 2, 2025 | Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Questions to Ponder:
• How much of my day is devoted to the work of the Lord?
• How can I stay “steadfast” in this ministry?
• When do I notice myself avoiding the difficult tasks of leadership?
March 9, 2025 | First Sunday of Lent
Questions to Ponder:
• Do I have a preaching plan for Lent?
• If so, how will my Sunday homilies prepare my people for Easter?
• How am I preparing for Easter?
March 16, 2025 | Second Sunday of Lent
Questions to Ponder:
• Do I feel God’s unconditional covenant at work in me? How?
• Do I consider the Lord “my life’s refuge?” At what times?
• What do I hear from the cloud at the Lord’s Transfiguration?
March 23, 2025 | Third Sunday of Lent (Scrutiny A)
Questions to Ponder:
• When do I allow myself to desire the Lord deeply?
• Do I harden my heart when the Lord gets too close?
• How does my baptism inform my ministry during Lent?
March 30, 2025 | Fourth Sunday of Lent (Scrutiny A)
Questions to Ponder:
• Have I had an illumination of grace recently? What was that like?
• Do I live part of my life in the dark? Why?
• How do I call others to live in the light?
Do you like what you are reading? Subscribe to get more Homily Helps from The Priest.