The readings for this homily: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/0113-memorial-hilary.cfm

Father Gabe Cillo, MIC, explains a truth so foundational that everything in the Christian life depends on it: Jesus Christ is truly God. Not partly divine, not a created being, not “like” God — but fully God and fully man.

Father Gabe reflects on how the Church has defended this truth from the earliest centuries, especially against the Arian heresy, which claimed that the Son was created and therefore not truly God. The Church rejected this error because salvation itself depends on Christ’s divinity. If Jesus were not God, He could not forgive sins, defeat demons, give us the Eucharist, or reconcile humanity with the Father. As Scripture proclaims, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (Jn 1:1; NABRE).

This truth gives believers confidence and courage. When we make the Sign of the Cross, invoke the holy name of Jesus, or adore Him in the Eucharist, we are not addressing a mere creature — we are worshiping God Himself. The demons recognize His authority because it is divine. Every knee bends at the name of Jesus because His name is the name of God.

Father Gabe reminds us that the Eucharist, salvation, and every Sacrament only have power because Christ is God. Holding fast to this truth strengthens faith, deepens worship, and renews our trust in the Lord who alone can save.

To grow in understanding of how Christ’s divinity works through the Sacraments, explore Understanding the Sacraments, available at ShopMercy.org. Watch the full homily on YouTube and on Divine Mercy Plus, where Catholic content is free, ad-free, and faithful to Church teaching.

The readings for this homily: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/011226.cfm

Father Daniel Klimek, PhD reflects on the beginning of Christ’s public ministry and the radical call of discipleship. When Jesus calls the first apostles, He does not simply invite admiration, but demands surrender. Peter leaves his nets behind—his livelihood, his security, his safety—to follow Christ. Those nets, Fr. Daniel explains, symbolize the attachments and “safety nets” that often keep us from deeper freedom in God.

Discipleship always requires sacrifice. Christ asks for totality, not partial allegiance. “You cannot serve both God and mammon” (Mt 6:24; NABRE). Idols must be broken so that Jesus may take first place in the heart. Yet this surrender is not rooted in fear, but in love. God desires intimacy, the love of a divine Bridegroom who wants the whole heart of His beloved.

Father Daniel reminds us that true discipleship is not merely intellectual. The apostles were transformed because they spent time with Jesus—resting in His presence, listening, and being sanctified by Him. That same presence remains with us today in the Holy Eucharist. In Eucharistic adoration, Christ heals anxiety, grants supernatural peace, and draws souls into deeper friendship with Him.

Even fatigue before the Blessed Sacrament is not wasted. Resting in Christ’s presence is still prayer. As Scripture assures us, “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28; NABRE). Time given to Jesus is never lost—it is the sacrifice that forms true disciples.

To grow in understanding of how Christ works through the Sacraments, explore Understanding the Sacraments, available at ShopMercy.org. Watch the full homily on YouTube, where it is also available ad-free on Divine Mercy Plus, offering faithful Catholic content.

The readings for this homily: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/123125.cfm

Father Chris Alar, MIC, confronts a hard but urgent truth drawn from Sacred Scripture and the teaching authority of the Church: the Antichrist is not only a future figure, but a present spirit at work in the world. Reflecting on the First Letter of John, Fr. Chris explains that Scripture speaks of both a singular Antichrist still to come and many “antichrists” already active—those who have departed from Christ by rejecting His Church (1 Jn 2:18–19; NABRE).

This deception is subtle. It often disguises itself as independence, spirituality without authority, or self-made salvation. Yet the Catechism warns that before Christ’s return, the Church must endure a final trial marked by religious deception that offers false solutions at the price of apostasy (Catechism of the Catholic Church §675). To deny the Church established by Christ is to deny Christ Himself, even when His name is still spoken.

Father Chris reminds us that the Church is not man-made, but God-made—founded by Christ, entrusted to the Apostles, and preserved through apostolic authority (Mt 16:18; NABRE). Though imperfect in her human members, she remains divinely protected in her mission. Like Noah’s Ark, the Church may feel uncomfortable at times, but outside of it there is only drowning.

The answer to confusion is not retreat, but fidelity. Through Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist, God sustains His remnant and strengthens them to remain faithful witnesses. Evil has already been defeated, but souls are still at stake. Our task is not fear, but perseverance—praying, teaching, and living the truth so that others may return to Christ through His Church.

“Anyone who knows God listens to us” (1 Jn 4:6; NABRE).

To deepen your understanding of the Sacraments Christ gave His Church, explore Understanding the Sacraments at ShopMercy.org.