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Father Raymond Harris is a priest of the Archdiocese of Baltimore. He has served in parochial, university chaplaincy, seminary formation, and canon law ministries. He serves as the Pastor of Holy Family Parish in Randallstown. This podcast includes homilies, and Bible Study presentations.
Episodes

Tuesday Nov 07, 2023
Hypocrisy in the Church: A Gospel Response
Tuesday Nov 07, 2023
Tuesday Nov 07, 2023
Hypocrisy in the Church is a reason that some people refuse to join the community of faith or to remain in it. What does the Lord Jesus teach about how to respond to hypocrisy?

Monday Oct 30, 2023
Loving Yourself in a God-Centered Way
Monday Oct 30, 2023
Monday Oct 30, 2023
A Pharisee invited the Lord Jesus to debate which divine commandment was the greatest. The Lord Jesus invites the Pharisee and everyone to acknowledge the purpose for which God has made them for us. To love God wholeheartedly, which is the context in which we love ourselves and others appropriately. We understand the necessity of loving God and our neighbor. However, we shall love ourselves? Yes, in a God-centered way.

Thursday Sep 21, 2023
September 17, 2023 - Freed from the Burden of Unforgiveness
Thursday Sep 21, 2023
Thursday Sep 21, 2023
Peter thought that seven was the perfect number when he asked the Lord Jesus how many times one must forgive a person. Jesus teaches that loving actions cannot be calculated. Unforgiveness is a burden that we cannot take into heaven. We do not want to live with it on earth. The ability to forgive others begins with appreciating how much God has forgiven us. That teaches us how to forgive others.

Thursday Sep 14, 2023
September 10, 2023 - Confronting Conflict as Christians
Thursday Sep 14, 2023
Thursday Sep 14, 2023
The Lord Jesus knew that there would be conflicts in His Church because of imperfect human beings. No one in their right mind relishes conflict. However, refusing to deal with a problem will not solve it. It will make it worse. The Lord teaches how to confront conflict as a Christian. While the context is conflict within the Christian community, Father Harris suggests some analogies which may help us in other contexts.

Sunday Aug 27, 2023
August 27, 2023 - What is Essential for the Christian Life?
Sunday Aug 27, 2023
Sunday Aug 27, 2023
Some Christians think that we can be followers of Christ and forsake His Church. In the Gospel reading, the Lord Jesus offers essential lessons about His identity and our identity in relationship to Him (cf. Matthew 16:13-20). The Church is the context in which Christ forms His disciples to enjoy a fruitful life within time and for eternity. Believing in Christ and belonging to His Church are essential for the Christian life.

Sunday Aug 20, 2023
August 20, 2023 - Anointed by God to Overcome Racism
Sunday Aug 20, 2023
Sunday Aug 20, 2023
The Lord Jesus established catholicity as one of the essential characteristics of His Church (cf. CCC 830 & 831). He was not afraid to speak about race and ethnicity. He is the Savior of humanity. Jesus teaches His disciples that there was another demon to cast out in addition to what was afflicting a Canaanite's daughter. Christians must not allow worldly viewpoints to corrupt the practice of our faith. We are anointed by God to make disciples of all nations (cf. Matthew 28:19). To heal the wounds of sin, which includes racism. This has nothing to do with what some deride as "being woke." It has everything to do with being awake to what the Gospel of Christ teaches and to live accordingly.

Tuesday Jul 18, 2023
July 18, 2023 - The Blessing of a Fruitful Christian Life
Tuesday Jul 18, 2023
Tuesday Jul 18, 2023
Jesus said to His disciples, “‘“But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear’” (Matthew 13:16). The Lord Jesus teaches how we can enjoy a fruitful Christian life. Setbacks must not discourage us. We need to be reflective in order to take up opportunities to grow and remove any obstacles with God’s help.

Sunday Jul 09, 2023
July 9, 2023 - How Christ Provides Serenity in Life
Sunday Jul 09, 2023
Sunday Jul 09, 2023
Having faith in God provides many blessings in life, but it does not prevent burdens from happening in life. Faith in God gives us a perspective that will prevent these burdens from shaking our confidence in God. In the Gospel reading, the Lord Jesus shows us how to experience serenity amid the delights and difficulties of life.

Sunday Jul 02, 2023
July 2, 2023 - Fully Committed to the Cross with Christ
Sunday Jul 02, 2023
Sunday Jul 02, 2023
Father Harris focuses on two verses of the Gospel reading for this homily (cf. Matthew 10:37-38), particularly when the Lord Jesus teaches, “… ‘and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me’” (Matthew 10:38). Taking up the cross involves offering a total commitment of love to Christ, who offers Himself totally in love to us. By ourselves, we cannot do that; but with God, we can. We are observing, “The Year of Parish Revival” as part of the multi-year National Eucharistic Revival. It is important to understand how the Lord uses the rhythm of Holy Mass to encourage us to persevere in taking up our crosses and prevailing with Him.

Monday Jun 26, 2023
June 25, 2023 - Fearlessly Living An Authentic Christian Life
Monday Jun 26, 2023
Monday Jun 26, 2023
Being authentic is key to having a secure identity and trusting relationships. That applies to our identity in God and our relationship with God too. Some are tempted to become inauthentic due to fears that others will not like or love them otherwise. In the Gospel reading, the Lord Jesus tells us not to give into this temptation. Living an authentic Christian life is rewarding within time and for eternity (cf. Matthew 10:25-33).