Walking With The Father: November 2018

November 25, 2018

Whose voice do you listen to (Christ the King)


  • Whose voice do you listen to? Whose guidance or advice do you follow? Is it the voice of the world, or is it the voice of God? We are bombarded with marketing advertisements...think of  Black Friday, where people camp outside just to get the sales. Notice how people listen to the voice of consumerism, that pollutes society. If we listen to these voices for too long, we can become slaves to their wishes. However, when God speaks to us, it is not to manipulate us, but to invite us to a relationship with Him, which leads to true joy. If we can do this then we are overcome with a lasting peace, which we were made for. The one true Black Friday occured 2000 years ago when Jesus died on the cross. For us, every Friday is a special day. Every time we look upon Jesus on the cross, we can say that He is the one I listen to. Jesus is our King, and it is His voice we should want to listen to. Let's invite Jesus to be the King of our lives and our hearts. We are called to surrender ourselves to Him, which will bring us the peace we are searching for. Father Matthew concludes this homily with a beautiful prayer.

November 18, 2018

The most precious thing in life (Philippians 3 3-8)


  • (November 8th homily) St. Paul describes how valuable a relationship with Jesus Christ really is. We should not put our faith into our achievements, but rather in Jesus, because only He will truly satisfy us. A Jew at that time would have thought of themselves as blameless under the Law, as if they were members of the Royal Family, or something like that; and Paul lists all such things, only to say that are all rubbish and nothing compared to having faith in Jesus Christ. The immeasurable gift of faith is what gives St. Paul true joy, and it transformed his life. St. Thomas Aquinas also said that all else was like straw compared to the greatness of knowing God. St. Paul also explained that even if everything was taken away from him, it would be just fine because his faith in Jesus Christ was all that he needed. Fr. Matthew then describes his own experience, about how people he knew questioned and resisted his decision to let go of his worldly successes in order to become a priest.

November 11, 2018

How generous are you?


  • On a scale of 1 to 10, how generous are you? Today's readings are all about generosity. It can be uncomfortable to think about this sensitive subject, but we should try to navigate through it, especially as we approach the most expensive months of the year. Father Matthew reflects on how everything we have is from God's generosity to us. We are tested to see if we are willing to share our gifts with others. Are we fearful to preserve our comfortable life, or are we generous to others? Today's reading teaches us how faith is needed during acts of generosity. God rewards us when we are generous in our giving. Perhaps we can learn something from the protestants who tithe. We are not so concerned so much about the amount, but rather the sacrifice. Society has changed so much that God is no longer trusted. Father Matthew asks us to pray and discern about our generosity, and to ask God to increase our trust in Him. He can help us to guide our decisions on how we spend our time and money.

November 4, 2018

Prayer Partners Introduced


  • Father Matthew's unique homily is a challenge to everyone to find a prayer partner. He explains how a warm greeting can build a lasting friendship. We often pray in the generic sense; however, he questions how often we pray for each other by name? General intentions are impersonal. Prayer will have a stronger impact when we say the person's name. It's a sign of love for one another. Parents and grandparents pray for their children and grandchildren all the time. By our actions we can show each other that we care for one another. If we love God first above all and love our neighbour as our self, then we will not be far from the kingdom of heaven. When we love someone dearly, especially when a crisis strikes, the first act of love is to pray for the person affected by name. We plead to God that He will heal and protect the person. Let's begin to introduce ourselves to each other, and find a prayer partner. This will allow us to pray for each other by name. Some may find this uncomfortable at first, but it is good for us to help us grow. Prayer is powerful and can change lives.