The Homilies of Father Merkley

God Wants you to be Happy - How? (4th Sunday of Lent - Laetare Sunday - Year A readings)

What are the Church's "Scrutinies"? Scrutinizing our Hearts - 3rd Sunday of Lent (Scrutiny Readings from Year A)

How You Can Never Be the Same Again - 2nd Sunday of Lent (Year B)

Live Lent to the Full - 1st Sunday of Lent - Year B

Lent Can Make Us Happy (Preparing for Lent) - 6th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year B)

God Desires to Heal You - 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

Jesus' Authority and Your Participation in the Mass - 4th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year B)

You and the Bible - 3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year B)

What Exactly is "Ordinary" Time? - 2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year B)

Stars - Epiphany (2024)

Fr. Gregory Merkley's Christmas homily for 2023!

Sock Monkeys and Spiritual Joys - 3rd Sunday of Advent, Year B (Gospel and Homily)

The Priests People Want, Advent Wisdom from Monsignor Earl Talbot - 2nd Sunday of Advent, Year B

What are the 3 comings of Christ?

True Humility

- What is true humility?

- What is false humility?

- What are the extremes we might be tempted to move in as regards this virtue?

- Is God calling you to grow deeper in humility?

This is a recorded homily from Fr. Gregory Merkley, delivered on August the 28th, 2022, 22nd Sunday of Ordinary time, Year C.

- What makes for a successful Lent?

- Why is Confession not so scary?

- Is Confession in the Bible, and why is it a thing?

- What is it like for a priest to hear confessions?

This is a recorded homily from Fr. Gregory Merkley, delivered on March 13th, the 2nd Sunday of Ordinary time, Year C.

- Who would you say is the most perfect married couple you've ever seen? Why?

- Why does the Church give us 'ordinary time' in the Church's liturgical year?

- Does God wants to be closer to you than even the closest spouses?

- How can my relationship with God get better?

This is a recorded homily from Fr. Gregory Merkley, delivered on January 16th, 2022, the 2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year C.

- What is often considered the most venerable and traditional of the Eucharistic prayers?

- What did St. Cecilia do that made her special?

- Why does the Church praise virginity so much?

- Where is God calling you to live your vocation more generously?

This is a recorded homily from Fr. Gregory Merkley, delivered on November 22nd, Memorial of St. Cecilia.

- What did you become at your baptism?

- What is the solemnity of Christ the King really about?

- When did you give Jesus your car keys? Does He still have them?

- Where is God calling you to live as more surrendered to Him?

This is a recorded homily from Fr. Gregory Merkley, delivered on November 21st, Solemnity of Christ the King (Year B)

- What is the context for the recent liturgical cycle of 1st readings?

- How do certain Jews respond heroically to being persecuted for their faith?

- How do you respond when your faith is under attack?

- How can you be more like Sts. Peter and Paul?

This is a recorded homily from Fr. Gregory Merkley, delivered on November 18th, Memorial of the Dedication of the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles.

- What does a 'radical Christian' look like?

- What did St. Elizabeth of Hungary do that was great and radical?

- How are you called to be radical in following Jesus?

- Do you always let Jesus 'reign over you' as today's parable shows He wants to?

This is a recorded homily from Fr. Gregory Merkley, delivered on November 17th, 2021, Memorial of St. Elizabeth of Hungary.

- What do you call a group of people gathered in prayer like Zacchaeus?

- What do Eleazar and Zacchaeus teach us today?

- How are you called to please God more in your life?

- How is God inviting you to imitate Eleazar or Zacchaeus?

This is a recorded homily from Fr. Gregory Merkley, delivered on November 16th, Tuesday in the 33rd Week of Ordinary Time (B1)

- What do the readings invite us to ponder today?

- How does God want us to use our time?

- Do others know you as a person whose time is generously available for others?

- What is the Holy Spirit inviting you to see about how you use the time you have?

This is a recorded homily from Fr. Gregory Merkley, delivered on November 14th, 2021, 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B.

- What resource did Father Merkley recommend to use for listening each day?

- Who is St. Martin of Tours?

- How does his story connect with what we remember today?

- What is the true war that alone can end all other wars?

This is a recorded homily from Fr. Gregory Merkley, delivered on November 11th, 2021, the memorial of St. Martin of Tours and Remembrance Day

- What is today's feast all about?

- Who gave the land for this beautiful basilica?

- What does Jesus call us to be in today's Gospel?

- Who is the most perfect example of what the Church is called to be, both individually and corporately?

This is a recorded homily from Fr. Gregory Merkley, delivered on November 9th, 2021, the feast of the Dedication of the Basilica of St. John Lateran.

- If God made out a cheque to you, what would He write down (what did He write down)?

- If God gave you a blank cheque to give back to Him,  what would you write on it?

- What does God want most of all from each one of us?

- What do the readings today say to us about being generous with God?

This is a recorded homily from Fr. Gregory Merkley, delivered on November 7th, 2021, 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B.

- What does the parable of the unrighteous steward teach us?

- What does it mean to be "shrewd"?

- How is God calling you to be smart, clever, and work intelligently to live and proclaim the Gospel?

- What does St. Gaudentius say about this parable?

This is a recorded homily from Fr. Gregory Merkley, delivered on November 5th, 2021, Friday in the 31st Week of Ordinary Time (B1).

- What does the story about Fr. Merkley's lost cat tell us about God's love? (PS - Father found that cat later on and it was all good!)

- What have you lost that was dear to you, and how did it make you feel?

- How can God's love for you excite your love for Him?

- How does this connect with who we pray for this month?

This is a recorded homily from Fr. Gregory Merkley, delivered on November 4th, 2021, the memorial of St. Charles Borromeo.

- What is today's solemnity of 'All Saints' all about?

- What does it mean that the Church calls all of us to be saints, and to be holy?

- How do the beatitudes show us a path towards holiness?

- How can you receive the graces you need to become a saint as well?

This is a recorded homily from Fr. Gregory Merkley, delivered on November 1st, 2021, the solemnity of All Saints.

- What is the greatest commandment of all, according to Jesus?

- What does it mean to love, according to St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Augustine?

- What tools does God have in His 'toolkit' to help us to love better?

- How does Fr. Greg's multitool help us understand how God works in our lives?

This is a recorded homily from Fr. Gregory Merkley, delivered on October 31st, 2021, 31st Sunday of Ordinary Time Year B.

- Have you ever 'happy cried' at someone's kindness to you?

- How does our heart become transformed to be more and more like Jesus Christ's?

- How did the Holy Spirit work in the lives of Sts. Simon and Jude?

- How is God calling us to become instruments of God like them?

This is a recorded homily from Fr. Gregory Merkley, delivered on October 28th, 2021, feast of Saints Simon and Jude, apostles and martyrs.

- What does Jesus mean when He says, 'Strive to enter by the narrow door' in today's Gospel?

- Does anyone really 'coast' into Heaven?

- Who wants us to get to Heaven the most? Is it ourselves? Other people?

- What does it mean to be "In Christ"?

This is a recorded homily from Fr. Gregory Merkley, delivered on October 27th, 2021, Wednesday of the 30th Week in Ordinary Time (B1).

- Why does Fr. Merkley use sunglasses as a prop for today?

- How does God look on those who have special crosses?

- How is God inviting us to have 'new vision', to see with Christ's eyes?

- How does this new vision bring new joy to those around us?

This is a recorded homily from Fr. Gregory Merkley, delivered on October 24th, 2021, 30th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year B.

- Why would Jesus, the 'Prince of Peace', say in today's Gospel that He "came to bring division"?

- What is the cause of that division?

- What does that division look like?

- How should we understand our response to it?

This is a recorded homily from Fr. Gregory Merkley, delivered on October 21st, 2021, Thursday in the 29th week of Ordinary Time, B1.

- Have you noticed much division lately?

- What is the real cause of all the division in the world?

- Why does St. Paul of the Cross think we should meditate on Christ's Cross?

- How and why will this help us be alert, and bring peace and healing to a troubled world?

This is a recorded homily from Fr. Gregory Merkley, delivered on October 19th, 2021, memorial of St. Paul of the Cross (Readings from Tuesday in the 29th week of Ordinary Time, B1)

- What is the prop Fr. Merkley used in this homily, and why?

- What does it mean that Jesus gave Himself to be a 'ransom for many'?

- What is a fantastic summary of the Catholic faith?

- What are the main elements of the Gospel?

This is a recorded homily from Fr. Gregory Merkley, delivered on October 17h, 2021, 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B1)

- How does the Lord justify us?

- What does it mean to be justified?

- How does one get to share in the "divine nature"?

- What does sharing in that divine nature really look like?

This is a recorded homily from Fr. Gregory Merkley, delivered on October 14th, 2021, Thursday in the 28th week of Ordinary Time (B1)

- What does St. Thomas Aquinas say about why and how humans are 'broken' since the fall of Adam and Eve?

- What is one of the symptoms of this brokenness, in relation to how we are tempted to put on a show for others without true faithfulness to God?

- Is God capable of healing us in our brokenness?

- What means does God use to heal us from this brokenness over time?

This is a recorded homily from Fr. Gregory Merkley, delivered on October 12th, 2021, Tuesday in the 28th Week of Ordinary Time (B1)

- What blessings have you received from God? How many have you received?

- How is God inviting you to be attentive to and use the blessings you've received?

- What mistake does the Gospel's parable show the rich farmer made?

- Is God always your number #1 priority, or do your blessings sometimes take priority?

This is a recorded homily from Fr. Gregory Merkley, delivered on October 11th, 2021, which is Canadian Thanksgiving.

- Should our thanksgiving be annual, or often?

- How can we understand the essence of gratitude?

- Are you aware that everything you have is a gift?

- How does Jesus invite us to be made ready to receive eternal life?

This is a recorded homily from Fr. Gregory Merkley, delivered on October 10th, 2021, 28th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Canadian Thanksgiving Weekend)

- What does Fr. Gregory Merkley think about the rosary?

- What is so special about the rosary?

- What do the saints and the Church say about the rosary?

- How should the promises of Mary to those who pray her rosary inspire us to pray it more faithfully?

This is a recorded homily from Fr. Gregory Merkley, delivered on October 7th, 2021, Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary.

- What do today's readings invite us to look at?

- What is 'Mary's part'?

- Are you making enough time for the Lord every day?

- How is the Lord calling you to a higher quality and/or quantity prayer life?

This is a recorded homily from Fr. Gregory Merkley, delivered on October 5th, 2021, Tuesday of the 27th week of Ordinary Time (B1).

- What does it really mean in the book of Genesis that the man and woman are 'partners'? What else does Genesis tell us about men and women?

- What else are we reminded of by today's readings about Holy Matrimony?

- What does Jesus say when He is asked about divorce?

- What does the Church teach today about divorce, and what is a "declaration of nullity" or an "annulment"? Why might one be granted?

This is a recorded homily from Fr. Gregory Merkley, delivered on October 3rd, 2021, 27th Sunday of Ordinary Time (B1).

- Have you ever found yourself touched when reading Sacred Scripture?

- What is God's motivation in all He says and does?

- Do you read the Sacred Scriptures every day, and let them nourish you?

- Do you let Sacred Scripture transform you into a laborer in God's vineyard like St. Jerome so completely did?

This is a recorded homily from Fr. Gregory Merkley, delivered on September 30th, 2021, memorial of St. Jerome.

- What is perhaps Satan's greatest deception?

- Who are the (arch)angels in general?

- What are the particular missions of these three Archangels?

- Do you invoke Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael regularly?

This is a recorded homily from Fr. Gregory Merkley, delivered on September 29th, 2021, Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, Archangels.

- Are you sure deep down that God is with you, and looking after you?

- Did the apostles have it all figured out? Did that change God being with them?

- Will God helps us, even though we don't have it all figured out yet?

- How can this reality comfort us in our day-to-day life?

This is a recorded homily from Fr. Gregory Merkley, delivered on September 28th, 2021, Tuesday in the 26th Week in Ordinary Time (B1).

- Why does it hurt so much for us to be excluded?

- What is the "principle of charitable interpretation"?

- What does it mean to have an authentic 'Christian inclusivity'?

- What do this Sunday's readings have to say about all this?

This is a recorded homily from Fr. Gregory Merkley, delivered on September 26th, 2021, 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B1).

- Why might you not believe God delights in you?

- What does God do for those He loves?

- Who was St. Padre Pio, and how did he follow the Lord?

- Are you willing to unite your crosses to Christ to please God even more?

This is a recorded homily from Fr. Gregory Merkley, delivered on September 23rd, Memorial of St. Pius of Pietrelcina (St. Padre Pio).

- How does the Israelite's exile connect with your life?

- What does Jesus mean when he talks about his 'Exodus' at the Transfiguration?

- What dangers do you need to watch out for while journeying in this 'our exile'?

- Where is your true home?

This is a recorded homily from Fr. Gregory Merkley, delivered on September 23rd, Wednesday of the 25th Week of Ordinary Time (B1).