Whether you call them homilies, sermons, or talks, there’s a lot you can learn from the spiritual leaders in our community. While in a perfect world, you’d have time to listen to everyone, that simply isn’t possible for most with limited time to spare. To help, we’ve surfaced and summarized the teachings from the audio sermons of some of the most influential priests and pastors from around town and in the Christian sphere.
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- Fr. Mike Schmitz
- Cathedral of Christ the King
- Passion City Church
- Trinity Anglican Church
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Fr. Mike Schmitz
In his homily, titled “Citizens, Not Subjects,” Father Mike Schmitz marks a milestone anniversary of the United States by reflecting on the profound difference between being a subject and a citizen. Opening with a story from his seminary days about the ancient history of Europe compared to the relative youth of America, he highlights that the nation’s founders made a revolutionary choice to no longer be subjects to a monarch. While being a subject emphasizes virtues like passive obedience and loyalty, true citizenship demands active engagement. Father Mike argues that to be a genuine citizen, an individual must possess three key attributes: conviction, responsibility, and courage.
Shifting to a spiritual framework, Father Mike explains that patriotism is historically classified as a virtue rooted in the cardinal virtue of justice, which means giving others what they are due. He clarifies that loving one’s country does not mean ignoring its historical wounds or pretending it is perfect; true love recognizes flaws and desires better for the beloved. Acknowledging slavery as America’s “original sin” and the Civil War as a horrific yet redemptive struggle to abolish it, he echoes Abraham Lincoln’s famous warning that the ultimate danger to the nation comes not from foreign invaders, but from internal division. If the United States is ever destroyed, it will be by its own hands—a political “death by suicide” caused by a failure to love and protect the gift of our shared land.
Father Mike unpacks the demands of citizenship by examining conviction, responsibility, and courage through historical examples. He references G.K. Chesterton’s observation that America is a nation founded on a creed—specifically the conviction that our fundamental rights to life and liberty come directly from God, not from the government. To highlight the responsibility of leadership, he shares Benjamin Franklin’s urgent plea for daily prayer during the gridlock of the Constitutional Convention. Finally, to illustrate the necessity of courage, he quotes Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who noted that the 60-year delay in overturning the segregationist Plessy v. Ferguson decision was caused not by a lack of intellect, but by sheer cowardice and fear of political backlash.
Ultimately, Father Mike reminds the congregation of their proper identity, correcting the phrase “American Catholic” to state that they are instead Catholics who happen to be American citizens. A disciple’s primary allegiance belongs solely to Jesus Christ, and their worldview must be shaped by the word of God rather than political platforms or human institutions. We must not look to any government to save us, as God alone is our king and salvation. Guided by this ultimate loyalty, believers are called to return to the world and fulfill their earthly duties with the divine conviction, personal responsibility, and steadfast courage required of true citizens.
Listen to the full version here.
Cathedral of Christ The King
In his homily for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time at the Cathedral of Christ the King, Deacon Bruce Goodwin explores the deep, multi-faceted nature of peace. He begins by noting that while people often define peace as the absence of worldly conflict or geopolitical war, the most vital form is inner, spiritual peace. This internal peace rests quietly within a person’s heart and soul, establishing a proper relationship with oneself and with God. Deacon Goodwin stresses a foundational truth about this gift: you cannot give away something you do not already possess. If an individual lacks interior peace, it is impossible for them to authentically extend it to family members, friends, or strangers.
The homily transitions into an examination of human planning versus divine will. Deacon Goodwin presents a common life trajectory—graduating school, entering a trade or college, marrying, having children, and securing a nice home—and challenges the congregation to consider if these plans belong to them or to God. True peace of mind and heart comes from opening oneself up to God’s plan and accepting whatever life brings through His grace. Even when facing difficult days, illnesses, or fractured relationships, these challenges are part of a larger divine plan designed to teach believers essential spiritual lessons that are ultimately revealed in God’s time.
Deacon Goodwin illustrates this spiritual dynamic by contrasting worldly peace with spiritual peace using two vivid analogies. He compares worldly peace to a high mountain lake that is perfectly flat and beautiful like a mirror, yet easily disrupted and ruined by a sudden gust of wind. In contrast, he utilizes his background as a retired Navy veteran to compare spiritual peace to a ship’s anchor. When an anchor drops and digs into the ocean floor, the ship remains steady and secure, regardless of whether it faces calm seas or a violent typhoon. He urges the congregation to anchor themselves securely in Christ to maintain a steady soul during life’s inevitable storms.
Ultimately, the homily concludes with a practical call to cultivate this inner anchor through a dedicated life of prayer. Acknowledging that many people feel intimidated or claim they do not know how to pray, Deacon Goodwin demystifies the practice by stating that the best prayer is simply a direct, honest conversation with Christ. This simple dialogue can happen anywhere and at any time—whether trapped in a traffic jam on Interstate 285, sitting in quiet adoration, or reflecting silently after receiving the Eucharist. By consistently turning to God first and opening their hearts to His unconditional love and grace, believers can actively work through their brokenness and find the enduring spiritual peace they desire.
Listen to the full version here.
Passion City Church
In his sermon “The Fullest and Freest Version of You” at Passion City Church, Pastor Louie Giglio challenges the modern cultural obsession with self-care, self-help, and self-actualization by arguing that true fulfillment is found in an unexpected direction. He begins by examining how digital algorithms act as invisible curators, constantly feeding our unconscious desires to trap us in an echo chamber of “self.” While the world’s algorithm tries to disciple us by placing our feelings, needs, and options at the center of the universe, Giglio posits that God recommends a counter-cultural path to life: embracing the foundational truth that life is ultimately not about you.
Giglio clarifies that this message is not an invitation to self-loathing, but rather a reminder of our profound value in the eyes of the Creator. He reminds the congregation that they are desired, invited into a divine story, and existing within a “cocoon of unconditional love” that cannot be earned or achieved. True, lasting rest is found when a believer recognizes their identity as a prized child of God who operates out of an economy of spiritual abundance. Giglio asserts that once someone fully internalizes just how deeply they are loved, they are freed from the exhausting cycle of self-preservation and can simply “forget about self” to move forward into a higher purpose.
Drawing from the words of Jesus in Matthew 16, Giglio emphasizes that anyone who desires to be a disciple must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Christ. He provides practical, relatable illustrations of this self-denial, praising moms and dads who routinely shelf their own preferences, feelings, and comfort for the sake of their children. To live out a grander kingdom story, believers must transition from the isolated mindset of “me” to the communal power of “we,” aligning their goals with the common good and the glory of God.
Concluding with a powerful historical and personal appeal, Giglio contrasts the modern algorithm of comfort with the sacrificial mindset of past generations, citing the immense collective sacrifice of young soldiers on Omaha Beach during World War II. He also shares the moving story of his childhood hero, missionary Ian North, who sacrificed personal convenience and conventional comfort to plant churches in hard-to-reach nations. Giglio urges the congregation to break free from the algorithm of self-protection, warning that trying to save your own life leads to losing it, while willingly laying it down for Christ is the only way to truly find the fullest and freest version of yourself.
Listen to the full version here.
Trinity Anglican Church
Pastor Nate Smith, Executive Pastor at Trinity Church, opens his family-service sermon on Matthew 11:25–30 by emphasizing that God hides and reveals spiritual truths according to His gracious will. Drawing a contrast between the self-reliant “wise” and humble “little children,” Smith explains that divine truth cannot be discovered by human intellect alone; it must be actively revealed. He urges listeners—both children and adults—to approach God with an attitude of curiosity, openness, and a willingness to unlearn preconceived notions. By cultivating a childlike heart, believers can truly experience God’s goodness, love, and the deeper mysteries of His kingdom.
The core of the message focuses on the multi-faceted rest that Jesus promises to those who are weary and heavy-laden. Smith categorizes this gift into three distinct phases: rest from work, rest in work, and rest after work. Rest from work honors the rhythmic, God-given boundary of the Sabbath, expressing freedom from the slavery of endless productivity and the exhausting pursuit of maintaining a perfect personal image. Rest in work represents an ongoing reliance on God’s power during busy seasons, which Smith compares to a sailboat propelled by the wind rather than a rowboat driven by human exhaustion. Finally, rest after work points to the eternal Sabbath rest that awaits believers after death, a reality that reframes mortality and removes the fear of the grave.
Smith then addresses the concept of Jesus’s “yoke,” clarifying that it is not a restriction but a partnership. While Christ’s commands to love God, love one’s neighbor, and carry a cross sound demanding, the yoke is easy, and the burden is light because Jesus steps in as a “yoke-fellow” to share the load. The yoke serves to keep believers from wandering, converts their efforts into meaningful spiritual labor, and ensures they never have to carry life’s heavy burdens alone. Through Christ’s ultimate work on the cross, believers are granted a secure identity as beloved children who no longer have to try to perform tasks meant only for God.
Concluding the sermon, Smith outlines three primary reasons why people routinely refuse this divine rest: a lack of practice in true stillness, an unwillingness to sacrifice cultural metrics of success, and an inability to tolerate the quiet self-reflection required to confront mortality. Citing the philosopher Blaise Pascal, he notes that distracting oneself is often easier than sitting quietly with one’s own limitations. Ultimately, Pastor Smith challenges the congregation to actively come to Jesus, learn from His gentle and lowly heart, and intentionally lay down their self-imposed burdens in exchange for true rest for their souls.
Listen to the full version here.
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