Anchored In The Lord

Weekly homilies of Father David Neuschwander

Upside Down, Right Side Up 09/23/2024

Upside Down, Right Side Up 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time The famous architect Antoni Gaudi designed the incredible basilica of Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain, which has been under construction for 128 years. A genius of architecture, he built a model of the church with strings...UPSIDE DOWN...to find and test balance and proportion, because each change in balance would immediately change all of the arches and balance throughout the entire upside down structure. He turned it UPSIDE DOWN to learn how to do it in the best possible way RIGHT SIDE UP. Jesus turns so many of our human perceptions, assumptions, and ways of thought UPSIDE DOWN in order to teach us how to live RIGHT SIDE UP...which is especially helpful (and a challenge to us all, I believe) in this time of the election cycle. Are you willing to see and live things seemingly UPSIDE DOWN from what the world and the media tells you in order to actually live RIGHT SIDE UP?! /episode/index/show/anchoredinthelord/id/33164577

Whose Side Are You On? 08/24/2024

Whose Side Are You On? 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time The people in our first reading today, the Israelites, are at a decision point — they need to decide whom they will follow. This ancient Biblical situation is wildly applicable for us today. November 5th is the upcoming presidential election. Everyone is getting so worked up over politics, and we are all guilty of becoming more and more demonizing to anybody who disagrees with what we think. I'd invite you to ask yourself: “Whose side am I on? Whom do I support?” I think you'll be surprised by what ought to be the real answer to that question, O Christian! /episode/index/show/anchoredinthelord/id/32726657

Prayerful Generosity-CSA 08/19/2024

Prayerful Generosity-CSA 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time This weekend is the kickoff for our annual diocesan Catholic Services Appeal (CSA). The CSA provides incredible opportunities to spread the faith of Jesus Christ in northwestern Wisconsin - for our seminarians, for our youth, for our schools, for our parishes - opportunities that I witness and see the fruits of firsthand! I'm challenging you this year to stretch yourself in prayerful generosity to all of your favorite organizations and non-profits. I challenge you particularly this week to think what you might be able to sacrifice monetarily to support the CSA for your parish this coming year. Jesus Christ is our model of prayer and generosity; let's act more like Christ in this life, so as to become more of who we are called to be in the next! /episode/index/show/anchoredinthelord/id/32639252

Remember & Give Thanks 08/09/2024

Remember & Give Thanks 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time God works so powerfully in and around us at different times in our lives...but like the Israelites in our first reading, it's so easy to forget the good things God has done in our lives. When we remember what God has done for us and consciously give Him thanks for those blessings, we begin to enter more fully into the celebration of the Eucharist, where we "give thanks" to God for what He has done for us, especially in giving us the greatest gift of all: the gift of His own Body and Blood, "the food that endures to eternal life!" /episode/index/show/anchoredinthelord/id/32516967

The Comfort Crisis 07/15/2024

The Comfort Crisis 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time We mistakenly think that comfort will lead to happiness…but the human experience proves that those who do NOT regularly push themselves outside their comfort zones experience a slow but sure atrophy of their spiritual, emotional, physical, and relational health, and thus a slow but sure atrophy of happiness and fulfillment. Those who consistently push themselves outside their comfort zones are healthier, happier, more fulfilled people: spiritually, emotionally, physically, relationally, etc. (Book: The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter) In today's readings we see Amos and the Twelve pushed way outside their comfort zones to proclaim God's message - they weren't "religious professionals", they were never schooled in this, most of them had blue collar jobs...and yet God chose and sent these individuals to witness to Him. God has chosen and sent you, too, O Christian, as Paul tells us in our second reading. You have been chosen, you have been sent, by the creator of the universe! Will you begin to step outside your comfort zones, push your perceived boundaries, and start experiencing, to a degree you didn't even know was possible, the life God actually has in store for you?! /episode/index/show/anchoredinthelord/id/32138347

Third Circle Catholicism 06/26/2024

Third Circle Catholicism 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time A question to ask ourselves today: "Am I living for myself, or am I living for God?" And the answer for most of us is probably, "A little bit of both...depending on when you catch me during the day." In our Bishop's Pastoral Letter on Evangelization he gives the image of three circles of what our life can look like and explains them: first, second or third circle. I want third circle Catholicism, and I hope you do, too! (Listen to find out what that means!) /episode/index/show/anchoredinthelord/id/31897257

Stop Complainin', Start Proclaimin'! 06/12/2024

Stop Complainin', Start Proclaimin'! 10th Sunday in Ordinary Time I head a lot of complaining and blaming in this day and age. Jesus had a lot that he could have complained about in his time...a lot...but we don't hear Him complain once in the Gospels about any of the things that we often complain about. Why? Because His mission wasn't first and foremost to fix the world. Rather, Jesus came to save individual people from their sins; Jesus' mission was to save souls, to proclaim that God's day was a t hand...and that's the mission He gave us! So stop complainin' and start proclaimin'! /episode/index/show/anchoredinthelord/id/31723982

Making Triangles 05/28/2024

Making Triangles Holy Trinity Each time we make the sign of the cross we are proclaiming that our God is a Trinity - God IS a relationship, so united that the Three are actually One, and yet the One remains Three. And we, caught up in this relationship of God through baptism, are called by Jesus today to, “Go and make disciples.” Luckily, it’s not as complicated or scary as it might sound - it's all about relationship! God is a relationship. We are connected to God through our relationship with Him. We are connected with others through our relationships with them, and the goal is that through us they would also come to experience God and a life of faith and hope and fulfillment and that they would be inspired to enter into relationship with God themselves! So making disciples is like MAKING TRIANGLES! /episode/index/show/anchoredinthelord/id/31498697

The Holy Spirit Prayer 05/20/2024

The Holy Spirit Prayer Pentecost The Holy Spirit comes on this Pentecost day to strengthen us in 3 ways: In our relationship with Jesus Christ In defending the faith In spreading the faith Every day this week, pray, "Come, Holy Spirit. Come, Holy Spirit. Come, Holy Spirit." When you feel your relationship with the Lord is not what it could be, when the Church is being looked down on, when someone needs to hear the encouragement of a life lived in faith, it is the Holy Spirit who will give you His strength and His words to speak into that situation! Come, Holy Spirit! /episode/index/show/anchoredinthelord/id/31386927

Remain in My Love 05/06/2024

Remain in My Love 6th Sunday of Easter “It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you.” “In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he has loved us.” “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love.” /episode/index/show/anchoredinthelord/id/31145553

Am I a Good Shepherd? 04/23/2024

Am I a Good Shepherd? 4th Sunday of Easter Two thoughts for you this Sunday... /episode/index/show/anchoredinthelord/id/30944638

"I Know Who Taylor Swift Is!" 03/31/2024

"I Know Who Taylor Swift Is!" Happy Easter! /episode/index/show/anchoredinthelord/id/30612188

Black and White 03/11/2024

Black and White 4th Sunday of Lent We were created in love by God (white), then we fell into and were captured by sin (black), but "even when we were dead in our transgressions" "God, who is rich in mercy...brought us to life with Christ...raised us up with him, and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus" (white). And now, all throughout each day, in so many ways, we are making choices — about what we say, what we do, what we think about, what we listen to, what we watch, what we read. We are either choosing black or choosing white; choosing to let a little more darkness into our life and world, or choosing to let a little more light into our life and world. Black and white. Black and white. There will be a final day, when we stand before the Lord, and for the final verdict “gray” is not an option, it will be black or white. /episode/index/show/anchoredinthelord/id/30331388

The Heavenly Birkie 02/26/2024

The Heavenly Birkie 2nd Sunday of Lent The Birkie is an incredible yearly event! So many people, come from all over the country (and the world) to make this experience possible — whether it’s the skiers, the many volunteers, the family members, the friends, the staff, all our business owners — everyone comes together, preps, and plays their part to make this week happen. Could the Birkie be a lens, a window, an analogy, into how God wants us to live the entirety of our lives?! /episode/index/show/anchoredinthelord/id/30113653

Wholeness/Holiness Heals 02/05/2024

Wholeness/Holiness Heals 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time In our Gospel today we see Jesus healing those who are sick or possessed by demons, restoring some people physically and some people spiritually. Jesus' wholeness heals others. While His apostles aren't yet healing others at this point in their lives, we know that one day they will. While the saints aren't yet healing others when this Gospel passage happened, we know that one day they will. And all of it comes from closeness with the Father, often exemplified through prayer-Jesus in our Gospel goes off early in the morning to pray to His Father. Their wholeness/holiness came from deep union with God, often in prayer, and it spilled over into those around them, bringing restoration and healing...and God will do the same through us when we spend time growing in deep union with the Father, too! /episode/index/show/anchoredinthelord/id/29814323

God Has Already Spoken To You 01/14/2024

God Has Already Spoken To You 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time The spiritual life, I believe, is actually very simple; it’s not easy, but it’s simple. It’s following the impulses that come from deep within, the calls that arise from the depths of our soul and heart, from the place within us where God already dwells. God is so much closer to us than we realize. God molded our inmost being, He created us, He placed a spark of eternity in each of us, He gave each of us the breath of His Spirit to give us life; God already dwells deep, deep within each of us. “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” /episode/index/show/anchoredinthelord/id/29479233

Hark the Herald Angels Sing 12/23/2023

Hark the Herald Angels Sing Merry Christmas! Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King! Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled.” /episode/index/show/anchoredinthelord/id/29214973

Full of Blessings 12/23/2023

Full of Blessings 4th Sunday of Advent Mary is hailed today as full of grace, full of God's blessings. Our lives, too, are filled with God's blessings...but it's so easy to forget and miss those blessings (and our sins lead us to forget God's blessings as well). As we enter into this Christmas season, let us, like Mary, recognize our blessings and remind ourselves and others of the good things God has done! /episode/index/show/anchoredinthelord/id/29214963

Spreading the Light 12/10/2023

Spreading the Light 2nd Sunday of Advent Christ comes to bring a peace that every heart and soul longs for but which nothing in the world is able to provide.What we need is more of God, more holiness, more of God's light shining in and through us. And as we experience God's light shining out through us, both we and others experience the peace that this world cannot give! /episode/index/show/anchoredinthelord/id/29007538

Hell? Is God Fair? 12/01/2023

Hell? Is God Fair? 34th Sunday in Ordinary Time At the end of this liturgical year our readings focus on the end of time, the final judgment, and the coming of God's kingdom in its fullness, the completion of God's great plan for all of creation. Jesus speaks of all people being assembled before the Son of Man, and that "he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left." And those on his left "will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." Is God fair? Is this treatment fair? Listen and find out why this is actually incredibly GOOD news for us! /episode/index/show/anchoredinthelord/id/28884248

Multiplying Faith 11/21/2023

Multiplying Faith 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time No matter how many talents we believe the Master has given us, no matter if we have used them wisely up until this point or not, we all still have at least one talent (and an important one) - faith! And our Master expects us to use whatever we have right now, engage with it, "trade" with it, and intentionally multiply that talent. Our Master hasn't yet come back to settle accounts with us, so we still have time to engage others and the world with that talent and make a good return on what He has given to us! /episode/index/show/anchoredinthelord/id/28740488

The Gospel of God & Your Very Selves 11/06/2023

The Gospel of God & Your Very Selves 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time This weekend I am thankful to preach back at my home parish of St. Patrick in Hudson. Thank you to all of you who inspired me in the faith and grew me into who I am today. I am a priest because of you. As Paul said in our second reading, "We were determined to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our very selves as well." Thank you for sharing with me and others not only the Gospel of God but your very selves as well...and keep doing that! /episode/index/show/anchoredinthelord/id/28536986

The Evil Temptation: Inaction 10/23/2023

The Evil Temptation: Inaction 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time I’ve been hearing a lot of discouragement at the state of our world, our country: the divisions, the politics, the games, the manipulation from all sides. I hear people sad that many of their own kids have fallen away from the active practice of the Catholic faith, that their own grandkids or great-grandkids aren’t baptized. I hear people lamenting that our younger generations are spending so much time on their phones and on social media. All legitimate feelings. But there is a very evil temptation/conclusion that can come about as a result of these feelings. It's a temptation that must be rejected, with a positive call to action from God that must be accepted and lived out by His followers here on earth if we wish to see souls saved and lives changed for the glory of God! /episode/index/show/anchoredinthelord/id/28390202

Atrocity? War in Israel? What is Our Response? 10/15/2023

Atrocity? War in Israel? What is Our Response? 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time As we realize the state of the world around us (perhaps recently we have been awakened to the ever-present realities of atrocities and evils throughout our world by the media coverage of the war in Israel), but as we realize the state of the world around us, we can respond to what's happening in three ways: by being discouraged from our task, by being distracted from our task, or by being encouraged in our task. What is our task? It's the same it's always been! (And perhaps now we are waking up anew to the reality of just how needed it is!) /episode/index/show/anchoredinthelord/id/28320659

Quick to Pray 10/02/2023

Quick to Pray 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time Last Advent we preached about the 4 Marks of a Disciple: Quick to Pray, Joyfully Sacramental, Intentional in Relationships, and Committed to Growth. Since then, I hope that you’re finding yourself on certain weeks striving to grow in one or another of those Marks as we have continued to bring them up in preaching. This weekend we return to the first -- Quick to Pray -- and after some examples of how we as a staff here at our Central Office have been changing our habits and actions to grow in being Quick to Pray, I'd invite you to consider for yourself: How have you been more Quick to Pray in your daily life? What are some ways you’ve thought of being more Quick to Pray but maybe just haven’t acted on yet? (That’s likely the Holy Spirit inviting you to take the next step.) The call in these days ahead: start challenging yourself, as we the staff are challenging ourselves, to grow in being more Quick to Pray! /episode/index/show/anchoredinthelord/id/28199825

As We Forgive 09/18/2023

As We Forgive 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” “Forgive your neighbor’s injustice; then when you pray, your own sins will be forgiven… Remember your last days, set enmity aside;” “So will my heavenly Father do yo you, unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart.” /episode/index/show/anchoredinthelord/id/28065552

Let's Not Hold It In 09/07/2023

Let's Not Hold It In 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Last week we heard about how the gates of the netherworld would not prevail against the Church, how Jesus actually sees His Church as being on the offensive, and how the gates of darkness will not be able to hold back His kingdom. This week's readings continue and clarify that them, showing us what it will actually cost to overcome gates of darkness in our world and bring the light of Christ. It won't be easy, but it will absolutely be worth it! /episode/index/show/anchoredinthelord/id/27965292

Gates of the Netherworld 08/28/2023

Gates of the Netherworld 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time In our Gospel today Jesus says an often misinterpreted and misunderstood line: "upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it." In the face of such seemingly steep opposition, pushback and darkness in our modern world, I believe this line of Jesus, correctly understood, provides us the key to understanding how and with what attitude we as Christians are called to engage the world today! /episode/index/show/anchoredinthelord/id/27871872

Prayerful Generosity-CSA 08/21/2023

The Small Moments 08/14/2023

The Small Moments 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time In our first reading, there’s a strong heavy wind crushing rocks, there’s an earthquake, there’s a raging fire. In our Gospel there’s a stormy sea. But where is God in the midst of it all? In the noise of our lives (which will always be there), I want you to look for God in the small moments, the daily moments, the unnoticed moments, in the small whispers. When we notice Jesus in small ways, even in the midst of our storms, and invite him into our boat, we find a true peace and calm that only He can bring. And those storms just aren’t as stormy any more. Look for God in the small moments this week. /episode/index/show/anchoredinthelord/id/27747063

Anchored In The Lord

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