Sunday Homilies

from Father Kevin Laughery, Troy St. Jerome and St. Jacob St. James Parishes, Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. Note: Comments from this page do not reach me; instead, email: kl@kevinlaughery.com

The Podcasts

Are we like goats?  We make a lot of noise, and we will eat anything.

Direct download: KML_2020-11-22_830am.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 3:15pm CDT

The word "talent" presents difficulties, since it seems to refer to performance.  Our God in fact wants us to go deeper than performance and recognize essential qualities which are not easily subject to observation.

Direct download: KML_2020-11-15_830am.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:13pm CDT

"Stay awake!"  In fact, the point of the parable is the exercise of forethought, as opposed to vigilance.

Direct download: KML_2020-11-08_830am.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 3:10pm CDT

On sainthood as a process.

Direct download: KML_2020-11-01_830am.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 3:07pm CDT

The great commandments.

Direct download: KML_2020-10-25_830am.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 3:04pm CDT

Every twelve years: "Caesar's Coin" just before a presidential election.

Direct download: KML_2020-10-18_830am.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:01pm CDT

More perversity.

Direct download: KML_2020-10-11_830am.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 2:58pm CDT

Perversity -- and a tribute to Joaquin Lavado (Quino), noted for his comic strip "Mafalda."

Direct download: KML_2020-10-04_830am.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 2:56pm CDT

Of Brownies and brownie points.

Direct download: KML_2020-09-27_830am.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 2:46pm CDT

"The parable that everybody hates": proof that Jesus intended his parables to be provocative.

Direct download: KML_2020-09-20_830am.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 2:44pm CDT

The parable of the unforgiving debtor: Do we get it?

Direct download: KML_2020-09-13_830am.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 2:41pm CDT

Campus minister Emily Rogers of the Newman Center of Eastern Illinois University interviews Fr. Kevin Laughery on racism.

Direct download: Fr._Kevin_Interview.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 10:19am CDT

Sorry, no audio for this Sunday.  You can hear the homily by viewing the St. Jerome live stream.  (My wearable mic wasn't working, but the ambo mic was.)

Category: -- posted at: 1:12pm CDT

Part 2 of two parts.  Peter doesn't understand that the Messiah (and those who proclaim his name) has to suffer and die.

Direct download: KML_2020-08-30_830am.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 1:07pm CDT

Part 1 of two parts.  Peter expresses faith in Jesus and Jesus calls him the "rock" on which he will build the Church.

Direct download: KML_2020-08-23_830am.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 1:05pm CDT

Our lives are rich and full -- so much so that we could sing arias about them.

Direct download: KML_2020-08-16_830am.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 1:03pm CDT

When we are afraid, we want people to affirm that they feel afraid, too.

Direct download: KML_2020-08-09_830am.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 1:01pm CDT

Jesus is not the "victim" here.  He has something in mind when vast throngs come to him.

Direct download: KML_2020-08-02_830am.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 12:59pm CDT

This was the weekend when we added a public Mass.  -- Does everything work out for good?  If we keep in mind the human family instead of a narrow focus on ourselves, we will be pleasantly surprised!

Direct download: KML_2020-07-26_830am.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 3:52pm CDT

I can't recall why I don't have a recording for July 12.  -- Have you rebuked temerity lately?

Direct download: KML_2020-07-19_830am.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 3:49pm CDT

Gentleness is needed to heal a raucous and agitated world.  

Direct download: KML_2020-07-05_830am.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 3:46pm CDT

As important as family ties are, we must not allow them to impede us from proclaiming the Kingdom of Godl

Direct download: KML_2020-06-28_830am.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 3:44pm CDT

We began having public Mass.  We are the assembly, and have always been such.  Fear no one.

Direct download: KML_2020-06-20_400pm.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 3:41pm CDT

I think that, for a time, I thought my recorder wasn't working, and I missed recording audio for two Sundays.  You can find the video recordings.  -- We focus on the physicality of eating and drinking and recognize that this food and drink feeds us more deeply than other nourishment.

Direct download: KML_2020-06-14_830am.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 3:38pm CDT

My apologies to all who are looking for more homilies.  Particularly during this Easter season, I have been forgetful and have not always brought my digital audio recorder to church.  You can see and hear videos on Facebook, St. Jerome Catholic Church, Troy, Illinois.  The videos are archived on YouTube, St. Jerome Church, Troy, Illinois.

Heaven is not "up"!  Indeed, heaven is as close as the human heart when our God has made his dwelling there.

Direct download: KML_2020-05-24_830am.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 12:42pm CDT

Mystery and conversion are things we surrender to, without trying to figure them out.

Direct download: KML_2020-05-17_830am.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 12:38pm CDT

My apologies for not including Palm Sunday and the Second Sunday of Easter, neither of which I recorded (things have been weird here; have they been weird for you?).  Anyway, the theme of insight continues: things begin to come together and make sense for the two disciples on the road to Emmaus.

Direct download: KML_2020-04-26_830am.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 10:41am CDT

Insight is something which occurs within us and which we must pay more attention to.  The fragments of life coalesce and begin to make sense.  This was the experience of Peter and John at Jesus' empty tomb.

Direct download: KML_2020-04-12_830am.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 10:38am CDT

"Untie him and let him go free."  These words of Jesus, regarding Lazarus, apply to us as well.

Direct download: KML_2020-03-29_830am.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 10:26am CDT

The Year A readings of the Fourth Sunday of Lent are loaded with irony -- all the more so in the circumstances in which we find ourselves.

Direct download: KML_2020-03-22.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 1:17pm CDT

News was changing by the hour.  This homily ended up a little disjointed.  I meant to add -- to complete the thought about not being irrational -- that the current challenge is an opportunity for us to bring forth all that is most precious and beautiful within us.  As Jesus thirsted for the faith of the Samaritan woman, we thirst for an outpouring of love from us all.

Direct download: KML_2020-03-15_830am.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 4:15pm CDT

"It's a good thing the world is far, far away!"  No, the world is with us, and we are with the world.  Jesus' Transfiguration is his pledge to be with us, whatever the world is suffering.

Direct download: KML_2020-03-08_830am.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 4:09pm CDT

We must keep posing to ourselves the question: "Jesus -- he became human -- just like me?"  Yes, he is one with us when we are in the midst of temptation.

Direct download: KML_2020-03-01_830am.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 4:04pm CDT

We take a look at St. John XXIII and all the renewal he initiated by calling Vatican II.

Direct download: KML_Vatican_II_2020-02-27.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 1:00pm CDT

Generosity or codependency?; and why Easter should be one week later.  Also, my apologies for not including the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time.  I left the recorder on and the file ended up being 2.5 hours!

Direct download: KML_2020-02-23_830am.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 12:57pm CDT

I had a letter to read.  Light and salt!

Direct download: KML_2020-02-09_830am.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 12:54pm CDT

The One presented in the Temple comes with the power to change us, and his influence will feel astringent!  But he derives his authority from his complete union with humanity.

Direct download: KML_2020-02-02_830am.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 5:05pm CDT

It's not just these four fishermen who are called by Jesus.  Every one of us has received a call to holiness.

Direct download: KML_2020-01-26_830am.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 5:03pm CDT

Some housekeeping matters, and these readings feel like a repeat of last week.  First Corinthians feels familiar to us, because all church is local!

Direct download: KML_2020-01-19_830am.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 5:01pm CDT

I was not able to record the homily; what you hear here is a summary.

Direct download: KML_2019-01-12_830am.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 4:52pm CDT

As we survey the diversity of the nations, we recognize the ironies of people, supposedly of one community, to fail to communicate.  We talk to one another about projects before us, and we recognize the value of silence.

Direct download: KML_2020-01-05_830am.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 4:38pm CDT

Family traditions are of various kinds, even in the Holy Family.

Direct download: KML_2019-12-29_830am.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 4:29pm CDT

We consider the secrets which give depth to our life.

Direct download: KML_2019-12-22_830am.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 4:22pm CDT