Father Dave Preaches

Memorial of Saint Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church. Father Dave discusses the story of Gideon in the Old Testament. He explains that Gideon was hiding from intruders and is confused when the angel greets him by calling him a champion. Father Dave encourages us not to allow fear to cripple us, but like Gideon, realize that God calls us for a purpose. Preached at Saint Paul the Apostle Church, New York City on 8-20-19

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Father Dave discusses the importance of persistence in prayer and complete reliance on God. Preached at Saint Paul the Apostle Church, New York City on 7-28-19

Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene. Father Dave reflects on the misconceptions that often circulate about Mary Magdalene. He also explains the important role she plays in the resurrection and the life of the Apostles. Preached at Saint Paul the Apostle Church, New York City on 7-22-19

Friday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time. Father Dave preaches near the tomb of Saint Peter. He explains that certain things, like visiting Saint Peter's tomb, can inspire awe in us and call us to be bolder. Father Dave challenges us to become bolder in our lives of faith so as to inspire awe in others. Preached at Saint Peter's Basilica, Rome, Italy on 7-05-19

Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Father Dave discusses today's reading in which God appoints Elisha to be the successor of Elijah. Father Dave points out that it's important for us to have our own succession plan when it comes to passing on our faith to others. Preached at The Basilica of Sant Andrea Della Valle in Rome, Italy on 6-30-19

Monday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time. In today’s reading from 2 Corinthians, Paul addresses believers by calling them “fellow workers.” Does your Christian life feel like a job? Maybe it should. Father Dave explains being Christian isn’t always warm and fuzzy. It might feel like work, and that’s okay. Living a Christian life involves things that are hard to do like forgiving, loving unconditionally, and serving others. Preached at Saint Paul the Apostle Parish in New York City on 6-17-19.

Thursday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time. Saint Paul tells the Corinthians, “Because of my love for you, I will not be silent!” Father Dave posits that perhaps we choose to be silent too often when it comes to sharing our faith with the ones we love. Preached at Saint Paul the Apostle Church, New York City on 6-20-19.

Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. Father Dave steers away from trying to explain the theological concept of a Trinitarian God and instead focuses on the three persons of God being in perfect unity, perfect harmony, and in perfect love. God challenges us to be like this is our relationships, which flies in the face of our self-centered culture. Preached at Saint Paul the Apostle Church, New York City on 6-16-19.

Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church. Father Dave explains a brand-new feast day in the Church’s calendar, one that’s only been celebrated once before. Pope Francis declared in 2018 that from that time forward, we would now celebrate the feast known as “Mary, Mother of the Church” on the Monday after Pentecost each year. Mary’s universal motherhood can be seen in both of the readings chosen for today: She's called “Mother of All the Living” in Genesis; and in John’s Gospel, Jesus says on the cross to “the beloved disciple” (representing all disciples down through the ages), “Here is your mother,” thus declaring Mary the mother of all believers, or "mother of the Church.” Preached at Saint Paul the Apostle Church, New York City on 6-10-19.

Pentecost Sunday. Father Dave begins by asking the congregation how many of them have unused gift cards sitting in a drawer somewhere. He uses this as an analogy for the Holy Spirit, which we hear about in today’s readings for the Feast of Pentecost. We sometimes think only other people—certain special people—have the gifts of the Holy Spirit. In fact, every baptized person has the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of them. We need only to draw upon those free gifts—just like using a gift card that has been sitting around unused. One way we can do this is by using our own unique voice to spread the love of God. Father Dave says that for us today, that can mean speaking to certain people in our lives who will be able to hear the Good News from us in a unique way. Preached at Saint Paul the Apostle Church, New York City on 6-9-19.

Monday of the Fifth Week of Easter. Father Dave takes a closer look at the lessons on humility found in today's readings. He has a special message for priests: They need to be reminded that sharing the Good News isn't just about them, but about all the people who need to hear the word of God. Preached at Saint Paul the Apostle Church, New York City on 5-20-19