Fr. Kyle White's Homilies

When Christians persevere in hope, the Gospel spreads like wildfire. To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

More than having all the answers or the perfect plan, our hearts are fundamentally longing for Jesus Christ. To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

We often make it more complicated than God does. In making decisions, we don’t have to approach it as a puzzle to solve, but a relationship to trust. Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and he respects our freedom. To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

We all know people who have left the faith. Some of them might have once had a strong faith, only until something happened that caused them to walk away. Jesus is drawn to these people, just as he was drawn to the disciples on their way to Emmaus. To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

The Risen Jesus enters into the upper room even though the doors are locked. He does the same for our hearts and says, “peace be with you.”To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

The fundamental claim of Christianity is that Jesus Christ truly died & rose from the dead. We have plenty of historical evidence to suggest that he did. There’s no room for middle ground here. He either rose or he didn’t. To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

Pontius Pilate gives us two options: the kingdom of the world v the kingdom of God. Which will you choose? To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

So many of us live as though we’re already dead, but Jesus calls us by name and loves us back to life. It’s time to start acting like it. **This is the final week of our series on conversion. To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

Although conversion includes a change in behavior, it’s so much more than that. True Christian conversion is about changing the way we see. Everything changes when we put on the lens of Christ.  To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

The problem is not that we desire too much, but that we settle for too little. Deep within each of us is an innate desire for God, but most of us aren't able to tap into that desire because of so many smaller desires that keep our attention. Our desires need to be purified so that we can discover our thirst for the Lord, who thirsts even more for us. To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

When God calls, fear surfaces where trust is thin. If we fix our eyes on Jesus, our fear begins to fade, trust begins to grow, and our hearts begin to heal. To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

Our hearts are divided because ew distrust Our Father. God wants to rebuild our hearts by regaining our trust.To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

Just as a good doctor addresses high blood pressure & high cholesterol, Jesus addresses the “smaller,” hidden sins because they are still indicative of poor spiritual health. If left unchecked and unaddressed, these tend to escalate into much larger problems.To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

When Jesus says that we are the salt of the earth, he means so much more than simply “making the world a better place”. While that’s definitely true, there’s a deeper meaning connected to the one perfect sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

Jesus was happy and he wants us to be happy. The Beatitudes are his instructions for deep, enduring fulfillment (makarios). Jesus not only taught them, but lived them out perfectly.

Although important, the call of the first apostles is but one moment of a much longer, complex story. Our conversion upon encountering Christ is a major event in our lives, but each day following should be a deepening of that conversion. The apostles give us much hope here. To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

God created both faith and reason to draw us to Himself. The Magi used both to discover the Christ child. When the star and the scroll converge, the only proper response is worship.To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

We don’t honor our parents because they’re perfect. We honor them because love demands it. The 4th commandment never expires, it only matures through the seasons of life. To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

Christmas is supposed to be a time of joy and happiness, but that’s sometimes overshadowed by a cloud of suffering. Whether this past year has been filled with great moments or difficult ones, we’re in this together. God is with us! To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

Although we may feel unworthy of the task to which God is calling us, we can find encouragement in taking Mary into our hearts. Be not afraid to accept God’s mission for you. To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

John the Baptist points out that something better than the Messiah is here. Just because things may not be happening according to our plan doesn’t mean that God is not present. In fact, he may be doing something even better. To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

Just like marathon training, growing in the spiritual life is a long, slow process. Patient endurance is key to building strength over time. You’ve already come this far - have hope in how much further God is taking you!To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

 In the spiritual journey, many of us have been driving distracted, or worse, falling asleep at the wheel. Advent is our annual spiritual alarm clock. To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

How is it that two people can look at the same thing, but see something completely different? Here’s how Pontius Pilate and St Dismas saw Jesus differently during his final moments. To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

Work has dignity because of the dignity of the worker. From the medical field to the construction site, and from the stay at home parent to the disabled veteran, every human person needs a sense of meaningful purpose. Without it, we lose an essential piece of what makes us human. To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

Three events converged this weekend: the conclusion of National Vocation's Awareness Week, the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica this Sunday, and Veteran's Day coming up this Tuesday. What do all three of these have in common? Holy Zeal.To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

Even after someone experiences a conversion, they still sin because of their brokenness. We all need to go through a process of purification, and suffering can be the opportunity we didn’t know we needed. To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

Like the Pharisee in the parable, we tend to compare ourselves to others and lean too much into our spiritual resumes. The tax collector shows us the better way by praying The Jesus Prayer. To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

The most important, effective, and powerful thing that you can do for someone you love is to pray for them. Our prayers are like lightning bolts where divine power meets human surrender. Prayer is so much more than a mental health exercise. We pray because the world depends on it. To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

Gratitude is more than good manners. It keeps grace alive in us. Pride keeps us from happiness, but humility makes us grateful. To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

Our efforts will always fall short to some degree, but God’s favor doesn’t depend on our success or results. It’s freely given; and when his grace meets our limitations, something extraordinary happens. To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

Our lack of faith is not due to a lack of evidence, but to our hardness of heart. If you’re feeling doubtful, discouraged, or self-concerned, the solution to your misery may be surprising to you. To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

Why does Jesus praise the dishonest steward? Not for his dishonesty, but for his prudence. True wealth is not measure by how much we accumulate, but in how much we give away. To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

One of the most powerful things that sets us apart as Catholics is how we approach suffering. Although we don’t go looking for it, we also don’t run away from it. Instead, we face it with faith. And when we do, we are healed. This is the mystery of the cross, and the reason why we elevate the crucifix as the primary icon of our faith. To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

St. Carlo Acutis & St. Pierre Giorgio Frassati show us that holiness has nothing to do with age, status, or success. Even ordinary people in modern times can become saints by giving Christ everything. To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

Humility is about trusting God more than ourselves. Jesus is the supreme model of courageous humility.To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

We too often treat Jesus like a fair weather friend, even though he’s there for us through the thick and thin. Like a loyal friend, he’s there beside us as we strive to enter through the narrow gate.  To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com 

Jesus is on a mission to save you from self destruction and to give you life, but that is not fully experienced until we go through a process of purification. Be not afraid!To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com 

Our interior peace is too often determined by external circumstances. But we don’t have to be emotional yo-yos, constantly fluctuating due to things outside of our control. When we trust in Christ, we are at peace and prepared for anything. To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

Sometimes our minds feel like a browser window with 30 tabs open. But how much of that is self imposed? Imagine if we spent less mental energy on the "vanity of vanities" To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

Be persistent in your pursuit of Christ, because He’s persistently pursuing you. To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

How different would the Martha & Mary story be if Martha would have simply asked Mary for help? Although most of us would prefer to avoid conflict in most cases, conflict resolution can save us from turning a small issue into a big one.To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

People of every age, race, and economic status are at risk of experiencing a deep loneliness. What if we saw Jesus in the lonely and made a genuine connection?To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

What if we stopped comparing and started rejoicing? Instead of boasting in our skills, accomplishments, and accolades, we find real strength and courage in the cross of Jesus Christ.To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

Nothing can imprison someone who belongs fully to Christ. Sts. Peter and Paul show us real courage and true freedom. To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

Following Jesus is about both prayer and mission. Eucharistic adoration is one way that we follow Jesus. We do it not just to feel better, but because the world needs it. Here’s a handout on Eucharistic adoration. To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

Just as God is a communion of persons, so are we designed for community. Here’s a brief training on how to start and lead small groups. The handout can be found hereTo learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

Every baptized Christian has charisms of the Holy Spirit. Here’s a quick catechesis & training on how to discern your charisms and to use them for God’s kingdom. Handout can be found here.To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

Jesus did not ascend into heaven to leave us, but to lead us. We are his body, the Church, and we share in his mission for the salvation of souls. To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com

We may be tempted to seek to escape earth for heaven, but what if we changed our mindset to bridge heaven & earth now? Jesus Christ is the bridge, and we are the body of Christ, which means that we are called to bridge heaven & earth. To learn more about our mission, visit stleolafayette.com