Be Fearless Witnesses to Christ’s Gospel Truth – Aug 01 – Homily – Fr Joseph Michael

 

Fr. Joseph Michael McShane gives the homily, on how God calls us to conversion through courageous truth-telling rooted in love, emphasizing the powerful intercession of the Blessed Mother and the graces available through the Portiuncula Indulgence for the salvation of souls.

Fr. Joseph Michael McShane's homily explores the theme of conversion, contrasting openness to God's grace with the choice to turn away, often rooted in self-worship. He illustrates this with historical examples: John the Baptist, beheaded for denouncing Herod's unlawful marriage, and Saints John Fisher and Thomas More, martyred for opposing King Henry VIII's divorce. The homilist stresses that speaking truth, even when it leads to persecution, must be rooted in love for Jesus Christ and a desire for souls to be saved from eternal damnation. He identifies idolatry and self-love as the ultimate root of societal evils, where personal desires are prioritized over God's will. The Church, he asserts, has a responsibility to preach the truth fearlessly on issues like the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death, and marriage between one man and one woman, as silence prevents God's grace from working.

The homily then highlights the powerful intercession of the Blessed Mother, referencing St. Alphonsus Liguori. A story recounts how three daily Hail Marys, said without deep conviction, saved a young man from hell. St. Alphonsus's quote, "no one who is a child of Mary will go to hell," underscores her omnipotent prayers, as Jesus never refuses His Mother. Devotion to Mary, particularly through the Rosary, confession, Holy Eucharist, and reparation to her Immaculate Heart, promises graces for salvation at the hour of death.

Finally, Fr. McShane discusses the Portiuncula Indulgence, a plenary indulgence granted through St. Francis of Assisi. This indulgence, originally for visiting the Portiuncula church, is now extended to any Catholic church worldwide from noon on August 1st to midnight on August 2nd. Gaining it requires confession (within a week or two), receiving the Eucharist, and praying for the Holy Father's intentions. The homily concludes by urging Catholics to be courageous and fearless witnesses to Christ's truth, motivated by love, for the salvation of souls.

Matthew 10:28 – Fear not those who kill the body – https://airmaria.com/go/mYFM5N
CCC 1853 – Sin rooted in self-love, disobedience to God – https://airmaria.com/go/ayfTNL
CCC 969 – Mary's intercession brings us gifts of salvation – https://airmaria.com/go/Sg5kUT
Luke 3:8 – Bear fruits worthy of true repentance – https://airmaria.com/go/mT7yQf
1 Timothy 2:4 – God desires all people to be saved – https://airmaria.com/go/Y9GQg2

00:00 - Introduction: Openness to God's Grace and Conversion
00:46 - Speaking Truth with Courage: Lessons from History
02:34 - The Root of Sin: Idolatry and Self-Worship
03:41 - Responding to Sin: Prayer, Penance, and Our Lady's Call
04:26 - The Church's Mandate to Proclaim Moral Truth
06:07 - St. Alphonsus Liguori and the Glories of Mary
06:44 - A Miraculous Story: The Power of Three Hail Marys
08:40 - Mary's Omnipotent Intercession and the Immaculate Heart
10:00 - The Portiuncula Indulgence: A Great Gift
11:40 - Conclusion: Be Fearless Witnesses to Christ's Truth

Ave Maria!

Mass: St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori - Mem - http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=1284
Readings: Saturday in the 17th Week in Ordinary Time (Alt Reading) - http://usccb.org/bible/readings/080126.cfm
1st: 1 Corinthians 31, 11:1 - Do All for God's Glory
Resp: Psalms 69:15-16, 30-31, 33-34 - Plea for Rescue from Persecution
Gsp: Matthew 35, 10:1 - The Sending of the Twelve

More on the Readings: https://airmaria.com/r?m=1120&r=903

Also on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHXYkNtNcxs