Explore every episode of the podcast Preach: The Catholic Homilies Podcast

Every year we take out the nativity. We arrange it carefully. Mary. Joseph. A baby in a manger. It feels sacred—one of the last spaces in our world left untouched. But contemporary retellings challenge that calm. This year in Dedham, the Holy Family was removed and kept in the sanctuary for protection from ICE. In Evanston, the baby Jesus wrapped in emergency thermal blankets, his hands bound with zip ties. A few years ago in Bethlehem, a Lutheran pastor placed the Christ child on bomb rubble. We demand these displays be removed. But what if the real danger isn’t the frame we construct—traditional crib or contemporary protest? What if it’s that we’re so busy fixing on one perfect pageant or one protest image that we miss the actual context of Jesus’ birth? We assume Mary and Joseph were turned away. Luke doesn’t say that. The Holy Family is welcomed into a warm home, pressed shoulder to shoulder with people doing all they can to make space. The house owner says: this is all we have. And it’s accepted. God is born there. Ricardo tells us in this surprise Christmas Eve homily: God does not wait for us to clear space. He enters even when lives are full, when schedules are packed. Still, room is found. That’s the nativity we are living and called to live. This is Ricardo’s final episode before moving to Rome in January to join the Jesuits’ international communications team. He’ll continue hosting Preach from there. We’re taking a brief break and will return just before Ash Wednesday with a new Lenten series. Please fill out our listener survey—your feedback helps shape what comes next. Merry Christmas! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“I really appreciate it when the truth is spoken very plainly,” says Tsh Oxenreider. Homilies that cut to the chase—and call us to conversion now. Host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., speaks with writer and podcaster Tsh Oxenreider about what active waiting means during Advent; sitting with discomfort, resisting the rush to Christmas. They explore the traditional meanings of the liturgical weeks—joy in week three, love in week four—what penance looks like in this season, and the O Antiphons. Tsh speaks directly about what she needs from preaching: homilies that tell the truth plainly and call us, here and now, to confess our sins and get right with God. Support Preach—subscribe at⁠⁠ ⁠americamagazine.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Preach, we’re offering an Advent treat. Host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., sits down with fellow producer Maggi Van Dorn for a rare on-mic conversation about the spiritual power of Christmas carols. Drawing on their work as producers of another America podcast, “Hark! The Stories Behind Our Favorite Christmas Carols,” they reflect on what these songs can teach preachers: that the liturgy is more than the homily. that beauty itself does theological work: it’s not just what is said, but how it’s delivered. The structure, rhythm, and form—whether in music or a homily—carry meaning and touch the heart. that good preaching must reach the heart before the mind. After their conversation, we bring you the second episode of “Hark!” Season 5: “Angels We Have Heard on High.” Support Preach—subscribe at⁠⁠ ⁠americamagazine.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“I’m thinking about the end of time in another way,” says Ann Garrido. “Because end can mean the conclusion, the finish, but it can also mean the purpose.” For 25 years, Ann has taught homiletics, pastoral theology and catechetics at Aquinas Institute of Theology, written 10 books and spoken at more than 350 gatherings. A longtime catechist in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd movement, Ann offers her reflection for a planned Advent reconciliation service at St. Thomas More Parish in Decatur, Ga. She begins with a conversation from the parish atrium about the end of time—children offering answers like “God will be all in all” and “there will be peace,” before one boy insists his paradise is “hamburgers.” From there, she moves into Isaiah’s peaceable kingdom and the real work of reconciliation: making peace with those closest to us—whoever our ‘X’ is, the sibling we fight with, the friend we’ve fallen out with, the neighbor who drives us crazy. Part of the “Preaching for the Sacraments” series, host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., speaks with Ann about what distinguishes Advent reconciliation from Lent. Ann looks to the ancient roots of confession, where the early “confessors” proclaimed faith rather than only naming sin: “What we’re really confessing is our belief in a God who can heal and work out things that we ourselves are not gonna be able to fix.” Ricardo echoes this reframing: “Perhaps it's helpful not to think of it only as a confession of sin, but really also a confession of faith that we go there to proclaim our faith in a God who heals the impossible.” Ann also reflects on a recent glioblastoma diagnosis and how it has sharpened her sense of call and taught her to preach from vulnerability—without making herself the hero of the story. Support Preach—subscribe at⁠⁠ americamagazine.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome—a feast about a building—can intimidate preachers. The temptation? Mention it briefly and move on to the readings. But Sylvester Tan, S.J. says this feast is worth the work of preaching well. In this episode of “Preach,” Sylvester, a Jesuit theologian and local superior in Dallas shares his homily for one of the few feasts that actually replaces the regular Sunday liturgy when it falls on a Sunday. Then he joins host Ricardo da Silva, S.J. to reflect on three challenges: How can preachers use history without boring people? “Our faith is a historical faith,” he says, “and history is always messy. God doesn’t reject history; he works through history.” They also discuss why we shouldn’t skip difficult feasts—“Where we get uncomfortable, there’s always an invitation to go deeper”—and how to preach about divine anger without losing sight of divine love.  Support Preach—subscribe at⁠ americamagazine.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Auxiliary Bishop Adam Parker of Baltimore has confirmed more than 10,000 young people—and he wants his brother bishops to know what a gift the sacrament can be. In this episode of “Preach,” he shares his confirmation homily built around Jesus’ question to Peter: “Who do you say that I am?” Then host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., asks him for a fervorino: If he were standing before his brother bishops, what brief, heartfelt exhortation would he offer about preaching for confirmation? His answer: Remember that confirmation is a unique opportunity. Many in the pews aren’t regularly connected to the church—so preach the invitation to relationship with Jesus Christ. Make the gifts of the Holy Spirit practical and real, drawing from your own life. And “make our own humanity as bishops visible to the candidates.” Let them see you’re not just presiding ceremonially, but walking with them as their shepherd. Support Preach—subscribe at americamagazine.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“You are loved, warts and all.” Bishop Emeritus Patrick J. McGrath of San Jose said it at every confirmation—and liturgist Diana Macalintal never tired of hearing it. In this episode of “Preach,” she recalls a bishop’s confirmation homily that “quickly devolved into an exploration of sin and evil,” complete with exorcisms and damnation. Like composing music, this preacher “did not emphasize the right notes—the right message,” she says. “Confirmation is all about strengthening the goodness that is in there, giving us the grace to do the hard things, to do the beautiful things in the world.” But don’t avoid reality either. “For those who are being confirmed, these are oftentimes teenagers where real life is life and death. Whether it is or not, it is drama all the time.” Name those struggles, she urges, “in the context of this gift of the Spirit and how they can do their part in the mission of Christ.” Diana also challenges a common assumption: there's no obligation to choose a saint's name at confirmation. Church teaching honors our given names as "icons of a person." At St. Columba in Oakland, Calif., her historically Black parish, "for so many, their ancestors' names were taken away" during enslavement. "Honor the names that are given," she says, "because somebody loved that child enough to give them that gift." ___ Support Preach—subscribe at ⁠⁠americamagazine.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The parable of the persistent widow. Again. Scholar, poet, and preacher Cameron Bellm has heard it a hundred times—so she turned to Russian literature for help. Drawing on Viktor Shklovsky’s ostranenie, the art of making the familiar strange, she reveals how to jolt ancient parables back to life. “It is the goal of art to make the stone stony again,” she says. She also urges preachers to learn from Russian Masters Tolstoy—”a master of the narration of human consciousness”—and Dostoevsky, who “takes us into the deepest, darkest, grittiest underbelly of humanity and lights a single match.” In her homily  for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, she layers voices across generations—her Presbyterian grandfather’s 1964 sermons, Oscar Romero, Etty Hillesum—creating “a double-exposed photograph.” Her provocation: “We identify as the persistent widow, but like it or not, we are also the judge.” ___ Support Preach—subscribe at ⁠americamagazine.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“What does it mean to receive Jesus in Holy Communion? It’s like Jesus is giving us a big hug, saying, ‘I love you so much. I want you to be close to me always,’” says Russell Pollitt, S.J., pastor of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Johannesburg and chaplain to Catholic elementary and middle schools, to the children preparing for their First Communion. Russell uses vivid, everyday examples—birthdays, friends, hugs and gifts—to help children grasp God’s particular love for them. His First Communion homily avoids the often abstract sacramental and Eucharistic theology, inviting all in the parish community—children, parents, guardians and catechists—to “imagine Jesus giving you a big hug today” and encounter God’s love in the Eucharist. Part of the Preaching for the Sacraments series, in this episode “Preach” host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., talks with Russell about how this accessible approach helps the entire community experience Jesus as a friend. By engaging the congregation as a whole in deepening their faith alongside the children, “we can together form future disciples whose hearts are on fire with the love of Jesus.” 00:00 Why First Communion is Really About God’s Love 01:30 Meet Father Russell Pollitt, Jesuit Priest in Johannesburg 03:39 Helping Kids Understand God’s Love for Them 07:12 Sacraments Are About Community, Not Checking Boxes 08:37 Preaching: Sacrament, Scripture, or Feast? 11:11 A First Communion Homily That Connects with Kids and Adults 19:53 Talking Directly to Kids: Why It Matters 25:21 Do We Celebrate Sacraments or Receive Them? Why It Matters 31:54 Preaching Sacraments in Schools vs. Parishes 35:00 A Message for Life: “You Are Special, God Loves You” Support Preach—subscribe at americamagazine.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“This isn’t just about the baby, this isn’t just about the parents and godparents. This is about all of us and it is about our faith.” This is the realization that came to Con O’Mahony, Vicar for Education in the Diocese of Hamilton, Ontario, and pastor at St. Margaret Mary Parish, while attending a Baptism at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles. Standing in a filled cathedral before John Nava’s magnificent tapestries depicting the communion of saints, he suddenly understood: “We are not doing this alone. We’re not doing this in isolation. We are doing this with the whole church—there’s something bigger than ourselves.” Con explains that preaching doesn’t start at the ambo—it begins in personal encounters, especially when preparing for sacraments as personal as baptism. He connects with families before any paperwork is done, even if only for a few minutes before the ceremony, asking about the child’s name and listening to their stories. Often, his best homily material comes from these everyday conversations—like a second grader’s humorous definition of Baptism: “When the priest gives you a bath in church so that God will like you better.” Con sees truth in this—baptism is God washing us—but with one crucial correction: not to like us better, but to prove God’s unconditional love was there for us all along. Con and host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., connect this love to not only the person being baptized but to the whole community and to the faith. The conversation moves from the practical—how Con prepares, what makes a good baptismal homily—to a deeper shift in how we approach these moments. As Ricardo reflects, too often “we tend to preach for people that we don’t think we’ll ever see again.” What if instead we “preach as though you want to see them again and you are going to see them again? This is not a once and for all—this is a once and then.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 That question, quietly planted at the start of the rite, can be the seed the homily helps take root and flourish in the hearts of the faithful. In this episode of "Preach," Christina Mines and Ricardo da Silva, S.J., explore how preaching at baptisms offers a unique opportunity—and challenge—to engage millennial parents, practice radical hospitality, and invite families into the full life of the parish and an experience of God's love that is inclusive and without judgment. 0:00 - “What Do You Ask?”: A Profound Baptismal Moment 2:30 - Embracing the Beloved Child: A Mother’s Perspective 8:01 - Connecting with Millennial Parents: A Search for Love 13:56 - New Approaches to Baptismal Formation and Encounter 19:37 - The Community’s Role in Radical Baptismal Hospitality 27:39 - Healing and Hope: Stories of Baptismal Welcome 35:28 - Practical Tips for a Welcoming Baptism Homily 41:48 - Proclaiming Hope and Humanity in Baptismal Preaching 48:19 - Fostering Ongoing Conversion After Baptism Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Preach, we launch a new series: Preaching for the Sacraments—how homilists can bring depth and imagination to their preaching during some of the Catholic Church’s most meaningful rites. To set the stage, host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., speaks with Anthony Ruff, O.S.B., Benedictine monk and professor of liturgy at Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary in Minnesota. Together they unpack what sacraments truly are—and how to preach them with both depth and imagination. “A sacrament is not a vending machine where we put the thing in our action and then the thing comes out automatically,” Anthony explains. “God acts through symbols such as water and oil and laying on hands and exchanging the peace with one another and singing together.” Grace is not dispensed mechanically, but unfolds through real human experience: “If I’m becoming more human and growing in community, I’m being divinized.” Preaching at sacramental celebrations must therefore begin with the lives of those gathered, not abstract theology. “I really try to say, what’s the word that will be Christ for them, that will resonate with their experience?” Anthony reflects. “We really have to think about the whole life of this community—and then our homily is a part of that.” In this episode: 00:00 – ‘A sacrament is not a vending machine’ 01:10 – Introduction 02:40 – Meet Anthony Ruff: monk and teacher 04:00 – About the Compelling Preaching Grant 08:10 – What is a sacrament? Encounter, not simply ritual 08:48 – What is the core purpose of the sacrament? 13:20 – A sacrament as a sign of peace 15:50 – Mystery, not magic 17:38 – Becoming aware of the God's presence in your life 19:48 – Sacraments vs. sacramentals: what’s the difference? 21:40 – Sacraments for community and the individual 24:05 – A final word on sacraments 27:05 – What preaching is for? 28:45 – Homilies at sacramental Masses: rite or readings? 33:10 – Symbols as stage directions 36:40 – Challenges and pitfalls of preaching the sacraments 38:50 – How long does it take to prepare for a sacrament 40:50 – Keeping the mystery of the sacraments alive Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The third season of “Preach” begins with a fundamental reminder: What is preaching, and what is it for? To explore that question, host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., invites the Rev. Lynn Barger Elliott—a preacher who has inspired him to think about this question in recent months. As a fourth-generation Presbyterian pastor and consultant for the Compelling Preaching Initiative—the Lilly Endowment project that supports this podcast—Lynn brings the wisdom of that legacy to remind us that preaching takes root in lived experience. “I personally needed a story to help interpret [Scripture] so that I could make [it] meaningful in my own life,” Lynn says, explaining her approach to good preaching. In this episode Lynn recalls how witnessing her mom undergo back surgery gave her new insight into a passage from Hebrews, where the word of God is likened to a two-edged sword, “piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow” (Hebrews 4:12).  “It gave me a new way to interpret words of Scripture,” Lynn says,  “that are double-edged and sharp in every direction.” “Preach” is made possible through the generous support of the Compelling Preaching Initiative, a project of Lilly Endowment Inc. Get daily Scripture reflections and ⁠⁠⁠support⁠⁠⁠ “Preach” by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Season two of “Preach” has wrapped. Before we pause until fall, please share what moved you this season, what you’d like more or less of, and any ideas for future episodes to shape next season's lineup. In this bonus episode, Ricardo and Maggi Van Dorn – his co-producer on “Preach” and producer of America Media’s newest podcast – introduce “The Spiritual Life with Father James Martin, S.J.” They discuss what preachers can gain from the show and share the first episode featuring Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe. Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe is a Dominican friar, former Master of the Dominican Order, and a widely respected author. Pope Francis chose him as retreat leader for the Synod on Synodality. In this episode, he shares insights on Dominican spirituality, friendship with God, and living with cancer. “The Spiritual Life” is hosted by Father James Martin, S.J., a Jesuit priest, bestselling author, editor-at-large at America Media, and founder of Outreach. The show explores how people pray and find God in daily life. Each episode features listener questions answered by Father Martin and his guests in a relatable “Dear Abby of the soul” style. Guests include Stephen Colbert, Whoopi Goldberg, Pete Buttigieg, and Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe. 🎧 Take the “Preach” listener survey and follow “The Spiritual Life with Father James Martin, S.J.” every Tuesday wherever you get your podcasts. “Preach” is made possible through the generous support of the Compelling Preaching Initiative, a project of Lilly Endowment Inc. Get daily Scripture reflections and ⁠⁠⁠⁠support⁠⁠⁠ “Preach” by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“We become like the things we contemplate,” the Rev. Hank Hilton says. In this homily for Corpus Christi, Year C, Hank draws on ancient philosophy, childhood boat rides on the Jersey Shore, and his mother’s wisdom to reflect on the transforming power of Christ’s kindness—to friends, enemies and strangers. In this episode of “Preach,” Hank shares the three-step preaching method he’s used for decades: concept, exegesis, application. He explains why he usually starts with a story instead of a quote, and how conversations at the church door shape his message. He also introduces Holy Chow, his parish’s food-truck ministry serving not only meals but the peace of Christ. Guest: Hank Hilton is pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Hillsborough, N.J. A former Jesuit, he holds advanced degrees in theology, philosophy, psychology and economics, including a Ph.D. in land resources. “Preach” is made possible through the generous support of the Compelling Preaching Initiative, a project of Lilly Endowment Inc. Get daily Scripture reflections and ⁠⁠⁠support⁠⁠⁠ “Preach” by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most people hear “Holy Trinity” and think “mystery”—something abstract and hard to explain. But for Dianne Bergant, C.S.A., the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, Year C, is a chance to root the doctrine in daily life. She invites us to see it instead as “the relationship that human beings have to the Creator.” God, she says, “literally serves us”—through creation, Christ, and the Spirit, who “does not go alone” but “works through us.” In this episode of Preach, Dianne reflects on preaching as an introvert, why she never writes her homilies, and her memories of teaching exegesis at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago—including to a quiet, thoughtful student now known as Pope Leo XIV. “He was a very good student,” she recalls. “I have kept every grade, a record of every grade. So when I say he was a good student, I have evidence.” Guest: Dianne Bergant, a Sister of St. Agnes and distinguished scholar of the Hebrew Scriptures, taught for over 40 years at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago and served on the Pontifical Biblical Commission. ⁠⁠⁠⁠ “Preach” is made possible through the generous support of the Compelling Preaching Initiative, a project of Lilly Endowment Inc. Get daily Scripture reflections and ⁠⁠support⁠⁠ “Preach” by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Say “Holy Spirit” and most picture a dove or gentle fire. But Anthony SooHoo, S.J., turns to a wilder Celtic image: a honking goose in flight—untamed and impossible to ignore. It’s how he preaches Pentecost: the Spirit who startles us into new life and calls the church to fly together—rather than just waddle along. For the Solemnity of Pentecost, Year C, Anthony draws on the physics of flight and a Kierkegaardian parable about ducks. In conversation with host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., he explores imagination in preaching and the art of going off-script—especially when the Spirit honks. Guest: Anthony SooHoo, S.J., professor of ancient Near Eastern studies at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome and pastoral staff member at Caravita, an international English-language Catholic community. Get daily Scripture reflections and support “Preach” by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine⁠⁠⁠⁠ “Preach” is made possible through the generous support of the Compelling Preaching Initiative, a project of Lilly Endowment Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Seventeen years ago, Ricardo da Silva, the host of this podcast, heard a homily that has stayed with him ever since. It was preached by his novice master, British Jesuit priest Paul Nicholson, and began with a simple but unforgettable image drawn from medieval art: Jesus’ feet dangling in the air, his body swallowed by clouds. Preaching for the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, Year A, Paul returns to that homily, reflecting on how visual art and imagination can lead those who receive a homily beyond scriptural explanation or catechesis and into prayer. Together, he and Ricardo explore how this feast—so often understood as a moment of departure—can also reveal God’s nearness and how that insight might shape preaching at funerals and help preachers speak to grief, absence and hope. Guest: Paul Nicholson, S.J., director of the Jesuit Institute in the United Kingdom. Get daily Scripture reflections and support “Preach” by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine⁠⁠⁠ “Preach” is made possible through the generous support of the Compelling Preaching Initiative, a project of Lilly Endowment Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shortly after Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected Pope Leo XIV, Bill Gabriel, O.S.A., received an unexpected email from a student at Malvern Prep in Pennsylvania. The student asked, “Is this your boy?” alongside a photo of the new pope. Bill replied, “I wouldn’t say he’s my boy, but he is our brother,” referencing their shared Augustinian bond. The student responded, “Well, I guess that makes him my brother too.”  Preaching for the Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year C, Bill finds resonance in his homily between the risen Christ’s parting words—“Peace be with you”—and Pope Leo XIV’s call for “an unarmed and disarming peace.” Guest: Bill Gabriel, O.S.A., Head of Mission and Ministry at Malvern Prep. Get daily Scripture reflections and support “Preach” by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine⁠⁠⁠ “Preach” is made possible through the generous support of the Compelling Preaching Initiative, a project of Lilly Endowment Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Every time I proclaim one of Francis’ homilies, my heart is filled with joy,” says Greg Heille, O.P. “It’s heart speaking to heart.” Recorded just hours before Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected Pope Leo XIV—while the cardinals were still in conclave—Greg joins “Preach” host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., to reflect on the homiletic legacy of Pope Francis: always on message, spoken from the heart, simple without losing depth. He proclaims a homily by Francis for the Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year C, in 2022, where those qualities shine through. Grounded in a single verse from John’s Gospel—As I have loved you, so you also should love one another—the homily weaves together themes of holiness, simplicity and love in action. Guest: Greg Heille, Dominican friar, preaching professor at Aquinas Institute of Theology and author of The Preaching of Pope Francis. Get daily Scripture reflections and support “Preach” by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine⁠⁠ “Preach” is made possible through the generous support of the Compelling Preaching Initiative, a project of Lilly Endowment Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At 3 a.m. in the lambing shed on his farm in the Irish midlands, John Connell speaks gently to a ewe in labor. “The wave of willful force doesn’t work,” he says. “It’s about calm and serene and speaking gently, and that’s generally how the thing gets accomplished, certainly on our farm.” An award-winning author, investigative journalist, and organic farmer, John has spent over a decade working with sheep. “They’re very caring, look after each other, and are more intelligent than we think,” he says. “But they can be vulnerable. If they get sick, they don’t have as big of a fight in them as, say, a cow would.” And yet, John has come to admire their quiet bravery. “I think if people would spend a little time getting to know sheep, they'd realize there’s more to them than they might first comprehend.”   For the Fourth Sunday of Easter in Year C, John reflects on the Gospel’s message of Jesus as a shepherd, who knows his sheep intimately and cares for them with great love. We invited him to Preach as part of our Culture of Encounter series, inspired by Pope Francis’ call to engage with people today—the real people we hear about in the Scriptures—rather than simply engaging with ideas. “He was the pope that spoke to me most directly,” John says. “And I feel lucky that I got to become aware of his work while learning about farming.” Ricardo asks John what he hears Jesus saying to him when he reads, “My sheep hear my voice.” For John, Jesus is saying: “I totally understand who you are, and I want you in this flock.” That intimacy shapes his writing—and how he invites preachers to write: with heart, clarity, and “one true sentence” at a time. Get daily Scripture reflections and support “Preach” by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine⁠ “Preach” is made possible through the generous support of the Compelling Preaching Initiative, a project of Lilly Endowment Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When fishermen set sail, Deacon Marlowe Sabater says, they place one foot on the deck—and the other, unknowingly, “in the watery grave, because you just won’t know what’s gonna happen out there.” Born and raised in Metro Manila, Marlowe now ministers to seafarers and port workers—many of them migrant workers from his native Philippines—through the Diocese of Honolulu’s Apostleship of the Sea ministry. Facing unpredictable storms and countless dangers at sea, every safe return to shore, he says, is “an everyday miracle.” Marlowe is our guest on “Preach” for the Third Sunday of Easter. In his homily, he reflects on the Gospel story of the risen Christ meeting his disciples on the shore and connects it to the faith of those who work and live at sea today. In conversation with host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., Marlowe draws even further from his ministry—meeting workers at the docks to pray with them, to minister to them and to share the trust that sustains us all amid life’s storms: “When Jesus is in our boat, he has the capability of calming the storm of our lives.” When he’s not at the ambo, on the docks or behind a desk, Marlowe finds his anchor in family life with his wife, Maggie, and their two sons. He credits Maggie as his “editor in chief,” offering the honest feedback every preacher needs. “Sometimes she’ll read my homily and say, ‘I don’t feel it,’” he says. “And it’s back to the drawing board—and she’s always right.” Get daily Scripture reflections and support “Preach” by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine “Preach” is made possible through the generous support of the Compelling Preaching Initiative, a project of Lilly Endowment Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The emboldened disciples in Acts 5:12-16 perform signs and wonders of the risen Christ to a crowd gathered at Solomon’s portico in Jerusalem. Witnessing the good news of the Resurrection for the first time, astonished onlookers bring the sick and wounded for the apostles to heal through the power of God. “I just hope people feel some desire to get together with other people in their community and do a little Bible study on the Acts of the Apostles,” says Casey Stanton, co-director of Discerning Deacons, a project helping the Church listen more deeply as it discerns the role of women in the diaconate. “The church has given us this gift of a text that offers us a way to recover something that feels lost right now: a common life together.” Joining host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., on this episode of “Preach” ahead of the Second Sunday of Easter, Casey connects the first reading to the current situation facing many immigrant and migrant Christians in the U.S., who live in fear of deportation and detention. “What will our testimony be in this generation in our time?” she asks. “We are called to be in community, especially with and as those who are called criminals. Those who are deemed unworthy, those who think they do not have a right to speak, those whose land is being stolen, whose waters are polluted, whose lives are under siege, who struggle for life and dignity.” Casey Stanton has spent over a decade in ministry working on social concerns in parish settings, as well as engaging with broader faith-based networks focused on justice and inclusion. She lives in Durham with her husband Felipe and their three children—Micaela, Teddy and Oscar. Her work is rooted in Pope Francis’ call to a synodal Church—a Church that listens, walks together, and follows the lead of the Holy Spirit.  Get daily Scripture reflections and support “Preach” by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine “Preach” is made possible through the generous support of the Compelling Preaching Initiative, a project of Lilly Endowment Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In John’s account of the Resurrection, “the other disciple” enters the empty tomb, sees, and believes. Why is this detail included? “I think the hope here is that we not focus on some historical moment that happened, but rather an understanding of what the risen life is here and now,” says Greg, founder and president of Homeboy Industries, the largest gang intervention, rehabilitation and reentry program in the world.“ The risen life is meaningful now, or it’s not meaningful at all.” In this Easter Sunday episode of Preach, Greg shares with host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., how we might recognize and receive God’s “tender glance” not only at Easter but every day. “How do we notice the notice of God?” he asks. “And then become that notice of God in the world?” For Greg, the Resurrection isn’t only about what happened to Jesus more than 2,000 years ago. “We’re all going to die, and none of us will live forever, but we really can live in the forever,” he says. “The risen Lord is here and now—in the struggle, in the loss, in the grieving, in the delighting, in people sharing their lives with each other. You want to be able to say, ‘I’m right here, and I’m right now, and I’m breathing in the spirit that delights in my being, and now I’m breathing that out into the world. ‘Cause the world could use it.’” Greg is also the bestselling author Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion and Barking to the Choir: The Power of Radical Kinship and his newest book, Cherished Belonging, the Healing Power of Love in Divided Times. In 2024, he received the nation’s highest civilian honor: the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Get daily Scripture reflections and support “Preach” by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine “Preach” is made possible through the generous support of the Compelling Preaching Initiative, a project of Lilly Endowment Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Luke’s account of Jesus’ Passion offers a distinctive perspective: “The ordinary people are not only not complicit in the death of Jesus, but they repent of what has been done to him,” says Luke Timothy Johnson, a leading scholar of Luke-Acts and Woodruff Professor Emeritus of New Testament and Christian Origins at Emory University. Unlike the other Gospels, Luke paints a vivid image of repentance in Jesus’ final moments: a great crowd of people turning their backs on the city after his death, beating their breasts—an action that Professor Johnson says is significant because it is the “classic body language of repentance” used throughout the Scriptures. “Luke thereby sets up the conversion of the people in the story of Acts, where thousands of faithful Jews hear the word of the resurrection and join the Jesus movement in Acts,” Professor Johnson argues. Recognizing this, he suggests, offers us “a much more positive view of the people of Israel.” Returning to “Preach” for the second time this Lent, Professor Johnson joins host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., to discuss the Passion narratives in both Luke and John—accounts that we will hear during the principal liturgies of Holy Week, on Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion, Year C, and on Good Friday. With liturgies requiring long stretches of attention and involvement from the congregation, the preacher’s role is, as Johnson observes, “fundamentally, to get out of the way.” He adds that, on these days, “preaching should be very succinct, if practiced at all.” Get daily Scripture reflections and support “Preach” by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine “Preach” is made possible through the generous support of the Compelling Preaching Initiative, a project of Lilly Endowment Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“This passage is about sin, but I want to ask about whose sin, right?” asks Amirah Orozco, a doctoral student in systematic theology at the University of Notre Dame. Raised on the U.S.-Mexico border between El Paso, Texas, and Juarez, Chihuahua, Amirah reflects on the woman caught in adultery(Jn 8:1-11), whom Jesus stops from being stoned to death by a group of men who want to punish her, and test Jesus. “The woman is concerned about her sin,” Amirah reflects. “What if we made it also about the sin of the men who want to kill her?” On this episode of “Preach” for the Fifth Sunday of Lent, Year C, Amirah joins host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., to offer a woman’s perspective on the adulterous woman that draws insight from liberation theologies. “Although personal sin is real, it is clear to us now that structures are set up in such a way that social sin becomes possible for us to talk about.” Amirah says. “The God of great mercy reminds us that if social sin is possible, so too is social mercy and forgiveness.”  Get daily Scripture reflections and support “Preach” by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine “Preach” is made possible through the generous support of the Compelling Preaching Initiative, a project of Lilly Endowment Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The older brother in the parable of the prodigal son voices a common frustration: “The unfairness of somebody else getting what we think they don’t deserve,” says Stephen Tully, pastor of All Saints Catholic Church in Ballito, an affluent coastal town just north of Durban, South Africa, and chairman of the Napier Centre 4 Healing. Loyal and hardworking, the older brother feels overlooked when his father celebrates the younger son’s return with a lavish feast—a welcome he’s never received. “I think his pain and shame is that he’s done everything right. So why don’t I get more?” Stephen reflects. “Maybe the father never thought of doing a fatted calf for him because he was just so everyday happy with him.” On this week’s “Preach,” for the Fourth Sunday of Lent, Year C (Laetare Sunday), host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., is joined by Stephen, whose years of ministry among marginalized communities have shaped his reading of the parable—and even led him to question the younger brother’s motivations for leaving home. Could family dynamics and trauma have played a role in his departure? “For all we know, the prodigal son may have run away because the older brother was so arrogant, a horrible person to be with,” says Stephen. “You can go back to the older brother, but if he’s the toxic person that made you run away, stuff’s got to be done.” Get daily Scripture reflections and support "Preach" by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine “Preach” is made possible through the generous support of the Compelling Preaching Initiative, a project of Lilly Endowment Inc.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“I learn a lot about the character of my men by how they pick fruit,” says Bishop Joseph Tyson of the Diocese of Yakima, explaining that his “Calluses to Chalices” formation program requires seminarians to live and work alongside migrant farmworkers picking fruit in the summer. He recalls a moment when he discovered that some seminarians had taken a break apart from the workers. Noticing this, the migrant workers invited them to join in the shade and share their food. “When you're ordained a priest, you'll prepare the table for them,” Bishop Tyson told his seminarians. “But you start by being at their table.” In his homily for the Third Sunday of Lent, Year C, recorded for  “Preach,” Bishop Tyson draws a parallel between the seminarians' work in the fields and spiritual fruitfulness. Speaking candidly with host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., around the time of Pope Francis’ letter to U.S. bishops, he stresses the need to address policies that harm marginalized communities.  “I become better—a better bishop and a better priest, and better to my men—precisely because I want to generate love for the migrant who’s passing through this diocese” he says. “We’ve got to find a way of preaching and teaching that better.” Get daily Scripture reflections and support "Preach" by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine “Preach” is made possible through the generous support of the Compelling Preaching Initiative, a project of Lilly Endowment Inc.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“This may not be my best day, but I know One who makes tomorrows better,” says the Rev. Daniel Kingsley, explaining how he hopes parishioners should leave the pews after hearing the homily on Sunday. “Sometimes, it's hope that gives people the motivation to see tomorrow.” Daniel, the pastor of Saint Clare Church and the administrator of Saint Pius X Church in Rosedale, Queens, NY, is our featured guest on “Preach” for the Second Sunday in Lent, Year C. After preaching on the Transfiguration of Christ on Mount Tabor in Luke's Gospel, Daniel shares with host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., his belief that preachers are called to inspire their communities to see faith as something active—something that transforms and moves people to action. He emphasizes how important it is for us to live out our faith beyond the pews. “May our witness to the Good News help bring healing and wholeness in everyone we encounter and every place we travel,” he says. “It would be tragic if our Sunday ritual were just a Sunday ritual.” Get daily Scripture reflections and support "Preach" by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine “Preach” is made possible through the generous support of the Compelling Preaching Initiative, a project of Lilly Endowment Inc.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“What does it mean to be a prophet?” This is the challenge preachers must wrestle with and present to their congregations over and over, says Luke Timothy Johnson, a renowned Scripture scholar, particularly in Luke-Acts, and Woodruff Professor Emeritus of New Testament and Christian Origins at the Candler School of Theology, Emory University. Christian prophetic witness lies at the heart of Luke’s Gospel. “The prophet is led by the Spirit of God; speaks God’s word; embodies God’s word; enacts God’s word; and bears witness even through persecution for God’s word,” Professor Johnson says. “And so in each of those categories, the church has room to examine itself.” In this episode, released ahead of the First Sunday of Lent, Year C, “Preach” host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., first invites Professor Johnson to explore key themes in Luke’s Gospel. Then, they discuss the Gospel readings for the first four weeks of Lent—The Temptation of Jesus, The Transfiguration, and the parables of the barren fig tree and the prodigal son—and reflect on how these passages illuminate Jesus’s prophetic journey to Jerusalem and the church’s call to embody this same prophetic mission today. Support Preach with a digital subscription to America Media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ash Wednesday is one of the most universally accessible days in the Church’s liturgical year, offering a simple yet profound reminder: God’s grace is available to all—without exception. This is the firm conviction of our first guest for the Lenten season, James Hanvey, S.J., a Jesuit priest and theologian who currently serves as Secretary for the Service of Faith at the Jesuit General Curia in Rome. In his conversation with Ricardo da Silva, S.J., James reflects on the universal appeal of Ash Wednesday. “Everyone is drawn to the ashes—for whatever reason,” he says. “They may not feel that they can receive Communion, but they're drawn to the ashes. And I think it's about helping people understand, first of all, that they have a place here in this community, that they are welcomed and that the grace of this moment is for them.” He goes on to highlight the inclusivity of the ritual, emphasizing, “We’re all in need. How can I judge that your need is greater than my need? This quantifying doesn’t make sense. I mean, we all come in our need to the One that we need.” Get daily Scripture reflections and support "Preach" by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine “Preach” is made possible through the generous support of the Compelling Preaching Initiative, a project of Lilly Endowment Inc.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last Monday, the 47th presidential term began in the United States. A day after the inauguration, on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, the spiritual leader of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, delivered a powerful sermon at a national prayer service held at Washington National Cathedral. Her sermon highlighted the ethical challenges facing the nation and called for a deeper commitment to mercy, justice and compassion. Addressing pressing issues such as the treatment of immigrants and the rights of LG.B.T.Q. individuals, she made a direct appeal to President Donald Trump, who was present in the congregation.  The reaction—for good and ill—to Bishop Budde’s sermon got us thinking here on the Preach team. Since launching the podcast, we’ve asked many of our guests how as Catholic leaders they can best balance preaching with politics. Where’s the line between speaking truth to power and staying true to the faith, the Scriptures— the Word of God? In this episode, we’re revisiting  a few of those conversations to explore how some faith leaders navigate the challenge of speaking out without compromising their spiritual mission when addressing political issues from the ambo. Listen to the full conversation with guests featured on this episode Get daily Scripture reflections and support "Preach" by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine “Preach” is made possible through the generous support of the Compelling Preaching Initiative, a project of Lilly Endowment Inc.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Roger Schutz, a Protestant minister from Switzerland, founded the Taizé community in 1940 in a small village in Southern Burgundy, France, amid the turmoil of World War II, he envisioned it as “a parable of communion.” Brother Matthew, the first Anglican and Englishman to lead this unique Christian community as its prior, reflects on Brother Roger’s vision: “It was a way of saying that what we lived as a community together should be like a sign that didn’t need too much explanation.” On “Preach” this week, released during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity—a celebration observed by Christian churches worldwide—Brother Matthew, preaching for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, emphasizes the importance of moving beyond theological debates to focus on fostering reconciliation and communion among Christians. “I think that’s one of the challenges that we face—how to dare to go towards the other, even when you know that you’re not going to agree,” he says. “Because if we can’t do that, then this parable doesn’t work.” Read the Scripture readings and full text of this week’s homily Get daily Scripture reflections and support "Preach" by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine “Preach” is made possible through the generous support of the Compelling Preaching Initiative, a project of Lilly Endowment Inc.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Race has become something that, in many homes, in many places, is encountered when you see it on the news,” says the Rev. Kareem Smith. “But to look at it as a gift, to see other people as a gift and what they have to offer as something that is beautiful—that is to see the creation of God.” On “Preach” this week, the Rev. Kareem Smith, pastor of St. Michael the Archangel Church in Co-op City, the Bronx, reflects with host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., on the Gospel reading for the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time—the wedding at Cana. Connecting the scarcity of wine and the tension between Jesus and his mother to modern challenges like racial justice and political divides, Kareem points to the tension many feel as Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Donald Trump’s second inauguration fall on the same day, Jan. 20, 2025. “There’s this breakdown in conversation,” he says of the state of the nation. “We desire to be heard, but are we failing to listen?” Kareem, who is also president of the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus, emphasizes Mary’s words—“Do whatever He tells you”—as a call to trust God to transform scarcity into abundance and view divisions as opportunities for renewal through humility and faith. Read the Scripture readings and full text of this week’s homily Get daily Scripture reflections and support "Preach" by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine “Preach” is made possible through the generous support of the Compelling Preaching Initiative, a project of Lilly Endowment Inc.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Christmas Eve, Ukrainian families create a living Nativity scene by spreading straw across the floor and placing hay beneath the dinner tablecloth. “This gesture connects the birth of Jesus to the natural world, with the presence of the field permeating the home,” Metropolitan Borys Gudziak says. Portuguese families observe Noite da Consoada (Night of Comfort and Consolation) with a humble meal of salt cod, cabbage and potatoes. “The idea is to echo the simplicity of the day,” Ricardo da Silva, S.J., shares with Metropolitan Gudziak. “Jesus was born in this very simple setting.” These practices, Ricardo suggests in this year’s final episode of “Preach,” remind us not only of Christ’s simplicity but also offer a nudge for preachers: “The best thing to do is to preach simply.” [Please complete a brief survey and tell us what you love (or not) about “Preach”] Metropolitan Borys Gudziak of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia leads the Ukrainian Catholic community in the United States. Born in Syracuse, N.Y., he holds a doctorate in Slavic and Byzantine cultural history from Harvard University. He was the founding president and rector of the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv, Ukraine, from 2002 until 2012, and served Ukrainian Greek Catholics in Western Europe until 2018. His preaching is deeply influenced by his dear friend and mentor, Henri Nouwen, who was known for his emphasis on simplicity and authenticity. “People today know Henri from his writings,” he says, “but I would say his preaching was an order above because it was personal.” The metropolitan recalls what he learned from hearing hundreds of Nouwen’s homilies when he was a student at Harvard. “Henri just said: ‘Keep it very simple. Use keywords many times.’” And it is this ability to communicate simply that the metropolitan shows in his Christmas Eve homily, when he uses vivid expressions like  “the clear odor of the manure” and “the bells of the cows.” By drawing on Nouwen’s wisdom, the metropolitan invites us to approach the Christmas mystery with renewed awe, wonder and openness. Read the Scripture readings and full text of this week’s homily Get daily Scripture reflections and support "Preach" by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine “Preach” is made possible through the generous support of the Compelling Preaching Initiative, a project of Lilly Endowment Inc.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Gaudete Sunday—a day in Advent dedicated to rejoicing—the Rev. Justin Lopina will surprise his congregation by focusing his homily on sin. As the newly assigned pastoral administrator at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Wauwatosa, Wis., he believes that our fear of sin—what he calls “our fear of letting God down”—often robs us of joy. Justin joins host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., to discuss how John the Baptist’s call to repentance in the Gospel for Gaudete Sunday leads to joy more than simply moral obligations. They also explore the essentials of great preaching, emphasizing the importance of using one’s body and physical presence and keeping homilies short (around 8 minutes) to maintain the congregation’s attention. Read the full text of this week’s homily and Scripture readings. Get daily Scripture reflections and support "Preach" by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine. “Preach” is made possible through the generous support of the Compelling Preaching Initiative, a project of Lilly Endowment Inc.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How can a preacher deliver a homily that captures the hopes of younger audiences—from toddlers to teens—while keeping parents and the entire congregation engaged? It’s a tall order, but in this special “Preach” episode, host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., tackles this challenge in another panel discussion, this time with three America Media colleagues and parents: Tim Reidy, deputy editor-in-chief; Kerry Weber, executive editor; and Heather Trotta, vice president of advancement. Together, they share their experiences of nurturing their children’s faith and reflect on what makes for a homily that connects with everyone. Get daily Scripture reflections and support "Preach" by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine. “Preach” is made possible through the generous support of the Compelling Preaching Initiative, a project of Lilly Endowment Inc.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sam Sawyer, S.J., editor-in-chief of America Media, returns to “Preach” to discuss his Advent homily series, designed to be more cohesive than the usual week-to-week, stand-alone Sunday homilies that preachers typically prepare. Sam shares with host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., how Pope Francis’ latest encyclical, Dilexit Nos, inspired him to create these homilies for the season, specially commissioned for Homiletic & Pastoral Review. Over the four weeks, Sam leads the congregation through a four-part reflection on the heart: awakening the heart, trusting its activity and passion, recognizing our heart’s capacity to desire something greater, and embracing God’s grace in our heart as it overflows from within us Read the full text of this week’s homily and Scripture readings. Get daily Scripture reflections and support "Preach" by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine. “Preach” is made possible through the generous support of the Compelling Preaching Initiative, a project of Lilly Endowment Inc.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is a re-airing of our 2023 episode for the feast of Christ the King. The Scripture readings for the Solemnity of our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, invite us to interpret the Scriptures through a lens that is perhaps less common for this celebration. Agbonkhianmeghe Orobator, S.J, tries to imagine ways in which the readings for the last Sunday of the liturgical calendar, “can be perceived less as a hierarchical, patriarchal or monarchical depiction of who God is in Christ through the Spirit, and more about how God relates to us; in humility, in care, in tenderness.”  Father Orobator, a Jesuit of the North-West Africa Province, is an internationally acclaimed theologian and a convert to Catholicism from traditional African religion. He is the dean at the Jesuit School of Theology at Santa Clara University. On this week’s “Preach,” Orobator shares with host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., how thinking of the Gospels as stories can subvert hierarchical, monarchical, and even patriarchal readings of the Scriptures.  Read the full text of this week’s homily and Scripture readings. Get daily Scripture reflections and support "Preach" by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine. “Preach” is made possible through the generous support of the Compelling Preaching Initiative, a project of Lilly Endowment Inc.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Thomas Massaro, S.J., hears underdog stories, he recognizes the various ways they parallel biblical narratives. “I’m a moral theologian, so I pretty much have to do this,” he says. “It’s part of my task to reach for some moral implications.” Those implications? If you’re a preacher, don’t moralize at the pulpit—especially when you are preaching on the first Sunday after the 46th United States presidential election. Instead, adopt the perspective of the underdog, and humbly strive to build bridges between people who come to Church with opposing viewpoints.  In this episode of “Preach” for the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B, Tom joins Ricardo da Silva, S.J. to discuss how preachers can avoid polarizing issues while keeping an eye toward social justice. Tom is a scholar of Catholic social thought. He holds the Laurence J. McGinley Endowed Chair in Religion and Society at Fordham University in New York. His most recent books include Pope Francis as Moral Leader (Paulist Press, 2023), and Mercy in Action: The Social Teachings of Pope Francis (Rowman & Littlefield, 2018). Receive daily Scripture reflections and support “Preach” by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“If scripture is the living word of God, then it has something to say about anything,” the Rev. John Kartje reflects on this episode of “Preach” just ahead of the United States presidential election. His advice to his congregation: live out your Christian faith every day, regardless of the election outcome. “When you wake up next Wednesday, the political world will have changed,” he says, “But the world transformed by the life, death, resurrection, and sending of the Holy Spirit changed 2000 years ago. And your world changed on the day of your baptism.” John joins Ricardo da Silva, S.J. on “Preach” to explore how to preach about civic responsibility before the election. John cautions against the tendency to “live like the ancient Israelites” who trusted in temporary, precarious human leaders rather than the eternal high priest, Jesus Christ. A native of northwest Indiana and now a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago, John currently serves as the rector and president of the University of Saint Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary. He holds a Ph.D. in astrophysics from the University of Chicago, which has enabled him to embrace mystery in both his scientific research and his religious vocation. He has also served as campus chaplain at Northwestern University and as a parish priest. Readings and transcript of John's homily Receive daily Scripture reflections and support “Preach” by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Moira Egan does not relate to Bartimaeus, a blind man who encounters Jesus in Mk 10:46-52 and begs for sight. Moira was born blind, but she has never begged for sight. Why should blindness exempt her from the Kingdom of God? “There’s an assumption that, if any blind person were asked the open-ended question, ‘What do you want?’, ... they would say they want to see,” Moira says. “I think it’s hard for people to believe that isn’t true.” In a conversation inspired by Pope Francis and his invitation to building a “culture of encounter,” Ricardo da Silva, S.J., welcomes Moira to “Preach” to reflect upon the difficulty of certain scripture passages, how to avoid ableist language, and consider the experiences of people with disabilities. Moira serves as the director of prestigious awards and graduate fellowships at Pace University in New York City. She also is an active parishioner at The Church of St. Francis Xavier, where she is involved with Ability Xavier. This program not only advocates for justice and understanding for persons with disabilities, but bridges the accessibility gap by providing tangible worship accommodations such as Braille worship aids, auditory assistive headsets for persons with hearing loss, and American Sign Language interpreters. [Learn more about disability theology—email Gregory Woods to join a private Facebook discussion group.] Receive daily Scripture reflections and support “Preach” by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This special episode of “Preach” features a live recording at the Outreach 2024 conference at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C, where Ricardo da Silva, S.J., is joined by panelists Carly Reidy, Jim Scholl, and Ish Ruiz to discuss how preaching can be a source of spiritual nourishment for LGBTQ+ Catholics and allies.  A music minister of 20 years and the proud parent of a bisexual daughter, Carly works in administration at a diocesan parish in Burlington, Mass. Jim is a proud gay Catholic who works in non-profit Catholic fundraising and attends mass at St. Ignatius Parish in Chestnut Hill, Mass. Ish, a queer person from Puerto Rico with 11 years of teaching experience in Catholic education, often hears stories of exclusion from his queer students who reference preaching that draws exclusively on “conventional” relationships. Guests shared times they heard a homily that was affirming, along with experiences that hurt more than they helped. For Carly, a shining moment occurred in her diocesan parish when a priest reflected on the words of John 13:34-35—“As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” Extending the homily to include every race, class, and sexual orientation represented among the congregation, the preacher distinguished tolerance from acceptance, and acceptance from love. “It was the first time in a diocesan parish that I had experienced someone speaking about the LGBTQ community in a positive light,” Carly says.  On the Outreach website, You can find news, essays, resources and community for LGBTQ Catholics and those who minister for them in the church worldwide today. Receive daily Scripture reflections and support “Preach” by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“What keeps you and me knowingly, unknowingly, consciously, or unconsciously sad, because we’re possessed by what we possess—our possessions?” Father John Unni posed this question in a homily three years ago standing before his congregation at St. Cecilia Parish in Boston’s affluent Back Bay. “There’s no U-Haul after a hearse.”  It is this introspection serves as a catalyst for this week’s conversation on “Preach” with Ricardo da Silva, S.J., where John reflects on his 2021 homily for the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B. “I like what that guy is saying, but I find it even more challenging three years later,” he admits. “I’m wrestling with these readings in a different way, a deeper way.” After 21 years at St. Cecilia, John—once a high school English teacher and a part-time landscaper—is known for his thought-provoking preaching but also for being something of a “long-form” preacher. Although this approach defies prevailing wisdom, people flock to hear him in the parish and online. The secret to capturing his congregation’s attention? “This message isn’t coming from Johnny—it’s coming from Jesus.”  Get this week's Scripture readings and a transcript of John’s homily Receive daily Scripture reflections and support “Preach” by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

St. Joseph Church in Beirut offers a sanctuary for migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers fleeing South Sudan, Syria, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and many other conflict-torn nations. Daniel Corrou, S.J., pastor of the community, vividly recalls entering the 19th-century church immediately after the devastating 2020 blast in Lebanon’s capital. “It was still filled with dust, broken wood everywhere; the pews were all shattered, and all the glass was torn down. It was in the middle of the night; so, it was pitch dark,” Dan tells “Preach” host Ricardo da Silva, S.J. Still, there was one light that shone on and cut through the darkness, Dan says. “The little red candle next to the tabernacle. The whole damn city had been devastated, thousands of people in the hospital and hundreds had died, but Jesus was still there, right in the middle of it,” he recalls. “If Jesus isn’t running away from this, I don’t know what the incarnation is other than that.” In his homily for the 110th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, Dan, who also oversees the Jesuit Refugee Service in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria, calls us to see the humanity in seemingly intimidating strangers. We must embrace a “story of love” rather than a “story of fear,” he says. “A story of love is always a better story—lean into the story of love!” Get this week's Scripture readings and a transcript of Dan’s homily Get daily Scripture reflections and support “Preach” by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Ellie Hidalgo served as a pastoral associate at Dolores Mission Church in East Los Angeles, the priest asked her to lead Liturgy of the Word and Communion services on Thursdays to give him a day off. “I would often use stories of people acting with courage, loving their neighbor, serving as good Samaritans and living out Gospel values,” she says, reflecting on the homiletic approach she developed over 12 years. “Storytelling builds community. It builds identity.” Inspired by St. Phoebe—a pioneering woman deacon esteemed and commended by St. Paul to serve the early Christian community in Greece and Rome, and whose feast day is Sept. 3—Ellie joins “Preach” host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., to discuss St. Phoebe’s ministry and its impact on contemporary debates within the Catholic Church regarding women’s ordination to the diaconate, a live topic in the ongoing Synod on Synodality. As co-director of Discerning Deacons, Ellie offers practical strategies for expanding lay preaching opportunities. She encourages clergy to invite women to preside at Liturgy of the Word and Communion services, share testimonies during homilies and participate in parish faith-sharing groups to bring diverse perspectives from the pews—especially those of women—into their homilies. Get this week's Scripture readings and a transcript of Ellie’s homily Get daily Scripture reflections and support “Preach” by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why does Jesus rebuke Peter, admonishing him to “Get behind me, Satan”? What is behind Jesus’ stern warning to his disciples to “tell no one” about his miraculous deeds, the so-called “messianic secret”? As the church's Sunday lectionary cycle takes us deeper into the Gospel of Mark, this week on “Preach” we confront some of this Gospel's most perplexing questions. Joining us to explore these and other perplexing aspects of Mark, including its literary genius, and how it was crafted to help the early Church understand the life and ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the Rev. Charles Bobertz. Charles enjoyed a distinguished 35-year teaching career in New Testament and Patristics at St. John’s School of Theology and Seminary this spring. Although he retired this spring, he continues to preach and teach seminars on Scripture and homiletics in parish and clergy continuing education programs throughout Minnesota and the United States. He is also the author of The Gospel of Mark: A Liturgical Reading. Get this week's Scripture readings and a transcript of Charles’ homily Get daily Scripture reflections and support “Preach” by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Preach” is back! We're thrilled to launch our second season with Timothy Radcliffe, O.P., a renowned Dominican from the English Province, as our guest for the premiere episode. Timothy brings extensive experience as the former worldwide leader of his order, as well as a distinguished preacher, spiritual author, guide and sought-after retreat leader. Though his leadership and wisdom have long been recognized in the church, his international profile was significantly elevated when Pope Francis invited him to co-lead the retreat ahead of the synod, where he preached alongside Mother Maria Ignazia Angelini, O.S.B., winning great acclaim and respect from Catholics in the pew and cardinals alike. In this episode of “Preach,” Timothy shares how he went about preparing for that retreat and offers valuable insights and wisdom drawn from his extensive experience in retreat ministry, spiritual writing and leadership. He also sheds light on the distinctive characteristics of Dominican preaching, particularly its emphasis on doctrine, and shares practical guidance for preachers and retreat leaders seeking to deepen their own ministry. When asked about synodal preaching, Timothy emphasizes the importance of vulnerability and authenticity. “I think that it’s crucial in all preaching,” he says, “but perhaps most especially in synodal preaching, that you come across not as somebody who knows it all, but as a searcher, a doubter, a questioner.” He echoes Pope Francis’ words, “Where there are no questions, our faith is dead. If there are no questions, God’s not there.” “We need to be prepared to admit as preachers, ‘this is what I struggle with. This is what I don’t understand,’” he says. “‘Will you help me?’” Get daily Scripture reflections and support “Preach” by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At the start of every “Preach” episode, we state the mission of the show: “We take you into the minds and hearts of some of the finest preachers in the Catholic Church; we listen to their homilies, learn what makes them great and draw inspiration to keep preaching the Good News.” This mission informed our decision to send host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., to the National Eucharistic Congress, a historic event—the first of its kind in 83 years—that took place in Indianapolis, Ind., from July 17-21. On this episode of “Preach,” Ricardo reflects on his experience attending the congress and the rich tapestry of preaching styles he experienced while there. From homilies by bishops like Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, the pope’s envoy to the congress; Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York and Bishop Andrew Cozzens of Crookston, Minn., to keynote addresses and breakout sessions led by notable speakers such as Gloria Purvis, the Rev. Mike Schmitz and Mother Olga of the Sacred Heart, he gained a deeper understanding of the art of preaching and its power to inspire and transform. Joining him is Paul Shelton, S.J., a fellow Jesuit priest who was one of three Jesuits chosen as Eucharistic preachers for the National Eucharistic Revival and was also at the congress. Paul also serves as the provincial’s assistant for vocations in the Midwest Province. Together, they discuss their takeaways from this momentous occasion in the life of the U.S. church. Get daily Scripture reflections and support “Preach” by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“There were people who came up to me and said, ‘thank you for saying what you said about the rhetoric. I hope that the Biden people get this message.’ And then other people would stop and say, ‘thank you for what you said. This is [what] Trump people really need to hear.’” Greg Kandra shared, “so I think somehow by the grace of God, I walked to that middle line and I gave a message that everybody connected to and related to, and was able to take something positive from.” On this episode of “Preach,” host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., talks with Deacon Greg Kandra about the homily he wrote in two hours after hearing the news of the attempted assassination of Donald Trump at a rally in Butler, Pa., this past weekend. The homily was first delivered for the congregation at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Apopka, Fla., where Greg serves as a deacon. Greg’s career spans three decades in television, collaborating with industry giants such as Dan Rather, Ed Bradley and Katie Couric, and earning two Emmys and two Peabody Awards. As an ordained deacon in the Catholic Church, he skillfully integrates his passion for storytelling, honed in the newsroom, with his unwavering commitment to his Catholic faith, which he professes from the ambo. Read Greg’s homily on America Media's website Get daily Scripture reflections and support “Preach” by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices