Deacon DSM | A deacon trying to live Devotio, Sacrificium, and Ministerium

God bless you!

Welcome to Deacon DSM!

I am Deacon David S. Miller and I was ordained for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh on June 15, 2013 and I am assigned to the St. Kilian, Seven Fields and Holy Sepulcher Parish, Glade Mills/Butler, PA grouping.

NEWS!

I have created Stations of the Cross videos, a traditional Lenten version and an Easter Resurrection version, for those who are unable to attend them in person. Click here to view them.

The latest edition of the Pro-Life Newsletters for May 2020 is now available. Click here for the Pro-Life newsletter page.

The video of my appearance on The Journey Home on EWTN is available on YouTube. Click here to view it.

Categories: Homilies | Tags: David Miller, Deacon DSM

Jesus Knows You Are a Dog

Posted on March 15, 2020 by deacondsm

HOMILY

Preached at Holy Sepulcher Parish on March 15, 2020 at 8:00am and 10:30am Masses

“On the intranet, nobody knows you are a dog.” Or a cat. Or a monkey. Or a potato. It’s an old quote that has been around almost as long as the intranet. It describes the truth that when you are online, you can remain anonymous, create a new persona, become whoever you want to be, essentially reinvent yourself. If you are shy and reserved in person, online you can be bold and opinionated. If you want to meet someone, you can post a picture of some good looking and athletic model to attract others. If you want to appear to be an expert, you can attach an MD or PhD to your name.

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Categories: Homilies, Word | Tags: 3rd Sunday in Lent Cycle A, be yourself, Christianity, faith, fried in Jesus, homily, Jesus, religion, Woman at the Well | Leave a comment

Presenting Ourselves to the Lord

Posted on February 2, 2020 by deacondsm

HOMILY

Preached at St. Kilian Parish on February 2, 2020 at 8:00am and 10:00am Masses

February 2 is the midpoint of winter, 40 days after Christmas, and over a month into the new year. So, it’s a good time to reflect on the resolutions that we may have made this year for ourselves. Many of you decided to exercise this year and you have kept your resolution because I am still waiting in line for a treadmill at the gym. Some of you might have decided to exercise, diet, quit smoking (or vaping), become more organized, clean out your garage, spend more time with your family, or even work on your spiritual life by attending Mass more or praying the Rosary more. But whatever resolutions we make, they usually involve making something more present in our life (like exercise and other good habits) or making something less present in our life (like cigarettes and other bad habits). We make resolutions to present a better version of ourselves (to be fitter, healthier, more organized) or to be more present to God and to others. So, today’s feast of The Presentation of the Lord is a good time to reflect on our resolutions and the other ways we try to improve ourselves.

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Categories: Homilies, Word | Tags: Christianity, faith, Groundhog Day, homily, Jesus, Presentation of the Lord, Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, religion, resolutions | Leave a comment

Searching for the Faint Star of Bethlehem

Posted on January 5, 2020 by deacondsm

HOMILY

Preached at St. Kilian Parish on January 5, 2019 at the 8:00am and 10:00am Masses

The Butler Hospital in Butler, PA has always had a special place in my heart. For one thing I was born there. The hospital was also the first place I lived growing up. We lived in a large yellow apartment building in downtown Butler, which was the original Butler General Hospital. My mom found it creepy living in a former hospital that was right next to a cemetery, so we soon moved to our home on Third Street, one block away from the current Butler Memorial Hospital. I spent a lot of time at the hospital: playing football in the lower parking lot using the painted lines as yard markers and sled riding the hospital hill using the elevator from the lower lot to the upper lot as a ski lift. So, I spent some time getting repaired at the hospital as well. Back in the day before HIPAA privacy laws, the Butler Eagle newspaper would publish the list of people that were admitted to the hospital each day, so my family would often visit people in the hospital because we lived so close. I even met my first high school girlfriend at the hospital, she was a volunteer who sat at the front desk to tell you in which room your neighbor or loved was staying.

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Categories: Homilies, Word | Tags: 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle C, Birth of Jesus, Christianity, epiphany, faith, homily, Jesus, journey, journey of faith, Magi, newborn king, religion, Star of Bethlehem, three kings, wise men | Leave a comment

Clothed in Joy

Posted on December 15, 2019 by deacondsm

HOMILY

Preached at St. Kilian Parish on December 14, 2019 at the 4:00pm and 5:30pm Masses

Today is the Third Sunday of Advent and we celebrate by lighting the pink can dle of the Advent wreath, although the color is officially called rose. An easy way to remember this is to remember that Jesus rose from the dead, he did not pink from the dead! It’s one of my favorite Catholic jokes and I only get to use it twice a year. We have the option to wear rose colored vestments on this day, and they have them at Holy Sepulcher, but we don’t have them here at St. Kilian’s, so we wear the more traditional purple. Just to give you an idea of what it would look like, underneath my vestments I am wearing a pink, or rose, colored shirt.

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Categories: Homilies, Word | Tags: 3rd Sunday of Advent Cycle A, Christianity, faith, Gaudete Sunday, homily, Jesus, Joy, Pink, religion | Leave a comment

Jackson Paul

Posted on December 8, 2019 by deacondsm

BAPTISM

Holy Sepulcher November 29, 2019 11:30AM

I baptized Jackson Paul, son of Angela and Jeffrey, at Holy Sepulcher Parish.

May the almighty God bless you and your parents now and forever. Amen

Categories: Baptisms, Sacrament | Leave a comment

Blaise Daniel

Posted on November 29, 2019 by deacondsm

BAPTISM

Holy Sepulcher November 29, 2019 4:00PM

I baptized Blaise Daniel, son of Daniel and Kathleen, at Holy Sepulcher Parish.

May the almighty God bless you and your parents now and forever. Amen!

Categories: Baptisms, Sacrament | Leave a comment

Our Lives Are Not Hallmark Movies

Posted on November 17, 2019 by deacondsm

HOMILY

Preached at St. Kilian Parish on November 17, 2019 at the Noon and 5:00pm Masses

Did anyone have any trouble getting home on Tuesday? What a disaster that snowstorm was! Cranberry was complete gridlock! When I get stuck in traffic, I take it as a sign that God wants me to pray. Well, apparently, he really wanted to have a long chat with me! That snow was like the end of the world had come!

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Categories: Homilies, Word | Tags: 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle C, Christianity, faith, finding God in the oridnary, Hallmark movies, homily, Jesus, journey, ordinary life, religion | Leave a comment

Theodore Paul

Posted on November 16, 2019 by deacondsm

BAPTISM

Holy Sepulcher November 16, 2019 2:00PM

I baptized Theodore Paul, son of Kori and Benjamin, at Holy Sepulcher Parish.

This was my first three-peat baptism! I baptized Theodore’s sister Zoey Grace back in January 19, 2014 and his brother Tyson on April 16, 2016.

May the almighty God bless you and your parents now and forever. Amen!

Categories: Baptisms, Sacrament | Leave a comment

Our Faith Journey Takes the Scenic Route

Posted on August 11, 2019 by deacondsm

HOMILY

Preached at Holy Sepulcher Parish on August 11, 2019 at the 8:00am and 10:30am Masses

Joe was hiking alone at the top of a high canyon. He stopped to take a selfie of himself, but he got too close to the edge and fell. On the way down he was able to grab a branch, which kept him from plunging to his death, but he was now stuck a thousand feet above the canyon floor with no way to climb up the steep wall of the canyon to safety. So he began yelling “HELP! HELP! IS THERE ANYONE UP THERE THAT CAN HELP ME?”

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Categories: Homilies, Word | Tags: 19th Sunday in Oridinary Time Cycle C, Abraham, Christianity, faith, faith journey, father of faith, homily, Jesus, religion | Leave a comment

DeDe and Kevin Ozimek

Posted on August 3, 2019 by deacondsm

WEDDING

Holy Sepulcher Parish August 3, 2019 1:30PM

I witnessed the wedding vows of DeDe and Kevin Ozimek at their nuptial Mass led by Father Ken Marlovits at Holy Sepulcher Parish.

May the almighty God bless you and your parents now and forever. Amen!

Categories: Sacrament, Weddings | Tags: DeDe and Kevin, Ozimek Wedding, wedding | Leave a comment

Faith: Taking Off the Training Wheels

Posted on July 7, 2019 by deacondsm

HOMILY

Preached at St. Kilian Parish on July 6, 2019 at the 4:00pm and 5:30pm Masses

When I was eight years old, I received a beautiful bright orange bike for my birthday. It had streamers on the end of the handlebars, and the handlebars were adjustable so that it could be a normal bike, or a chopper, or an Evel Knievel stunt bike. It had a big white banana seat on it, the bike equivalent of the three-row seating in SUVs today. I could ride the bike with both my sisters as passengers.
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Categories: Homilies, Word | Tags: 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle C, bike, Christianity, disciples, evangelization, faith, homily, Jesus, leaving everything behind, traning wheels, trusting in God | Leave a comment

The Holy Spirit: Our Spiritual Fitbit

Posted on June 9, 2019 by deacondsm

HOMILY

Preached at Holy Sepulcher Parish on June 8, 2019 at the 4:00pm Mass and June 9, 2019 at the 8:00am and 10:30 Masses

I bought this Fitbit recently for a fitness challenge we’re having at work, and I was surprised to find that it does way more than count my steps and heartbeat. It knows a lot about me. It knows where I am. It knows what I am doing (whether walking, running, exercising, sitting, or lying down). When I sleep, it knows how deeply and how long I am dreaming. It knows how well I’m doing (whether I’m in shape or tired). It even suggests on how I can improve myself, to have better eating habits and to exercise in my target cardio zone. It will even complain if I have been sitting around too long without doing anything. It’s actually like having a wife or mother attached to your wrist! Although to be honest, unlike a wife or a mother, the Fitbit can be fooled. I’ve noticed that if I eat desserts really quickly, it actually believes that I’m exercising!
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Categories: Homilies, Word | Tags: Christianity, Fitbit, Holy Spirit, homily, Jesus, Pentecost, Pentecost Cycle C, spirit | Leave a comment

Climbing the Mountain of God

Posted on March 17, 2019 by deacondsm

HOMILY

Preached at Holy Sepulcher Parish on March 16, 2019 at the 4:00pm Mass and St. Kilian Parish on March 17, 2019 at the 8:00am Mass

A young man was having trouble driving through a bad snow storm, until he remembered what his father told him, that if he ever had trouble driving in snow, he should just pull off and wait for a snow plow and then follow it, so he pulled off the road and waited. In a short while a snow plow drove by and so the young man pulled out and followed it. After an hour of driving around, the snow plow driver was fed up and got out of his truck to ask why he was being followed. The young man explained what his father had told him about what to do if he had trouble driving in snow. “OK,” replied the snow plow driver, “I’m done with the Walmart parking lot now, but if you want you can follow me to Target.” “Sure,” the young man replied, “but after that, could you swing by the Hallmark store? It’s Valentine’s Day and I need to pick up a card for my wife.”
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Categories: Homilies, Word | Tags: 2nd Sunday of Lent Cycle C, Christianity, homily, Jesus, journey, Lent, life is a journey, mountain, mountain climbing, relationship with God, relationships, religion, transfiguration, trips | Leave a comment

Following Jesus to the Ultimate Catch

Posted on February 10, 2019 by deacondsm

HOMILY

Preached at St. Kilian Parish on February 10, 2019 at the 12:00pm and 5:00pm Masses

A young man was having trouble driving through a bad snow storm, until he remembered what his father told him, that if he ever had trouble driving in snow, he should just pull off and wait for a snow plow and then follow it, so he pulled off the road and waited. In a short while a snow plow drove by and so the young man pulled out and followed it. After an hour of driving around, the snow plow driver was fed up and got out of his truck to ask why he was being followed. The young man explained what his father had told him about what to do if he had trouble driving in snow. “OK,” replied the snow plow driver, “I’m done with the Walmart parking lot now, but if you want you can follow me to Target.” “Sure,” the young man replied, “but after that, could you swing by the Hallmark store? It’s Valentine’s Day and I need to pick up a card for my wife.”
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Categories: Homilies, Word | Tags: 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle c, Christianity, fishing, follower, heaven, holy, holy makerel, homily, Jesus, religion | 11 Comments

Chase Carter

Posted on October 14, 2018 by deacondsm

BAPTISM

Holy Sepulcher October 14, 2018 11:45AM

Baptism Holy Sepulcher

Baptism Holy Sepulcher

I baptized Chase Carter, son of Holly and Kenneth, at Holy Sepulcher Parish.

May the almighty God bless you and your parents now and forever. Amen!

Categories: Baptisms, Sacrament | Leave a comment

True Love Is Sacrificial

Posted on October 7, 2018 by deacondsm

HOMILY

Preached at Holy Sepulcher Parish on October 6, 2018 at the 4:00pm Mass and October 7, 2018 at the 8:00AM and 10:30AM Masses

Recently there was a renewal of vows Mass for married couples at St. Catherine of Sweden Parish and they asked me to be the guest speaker at the dinner that followed Mass to talk about marriage. Because most of the couples in attendance have been married longer than I have been and are also probably better at marriage than I am, I was hesitant to do it. But I agreed to do it as my initial contact with the people of at my new parish assignment, which of course we now know I am staying here at Holy Sepulcher. I was supposed to talk for 15 minutes, but I was very busy at work that week and I didn’t have 15 minutes of material ready. So, to fill time I began by having all the married couples stand and then I said, “Couples married less than five years be seated.” Then I said, “Couples married less than 10 years be seated.” This is done sometimes at wedding receptions and it is a great time filler, so I continued up through all the five-year increments, 15, 20, 25, etc. until there was one couple remaining who had been married 65 years. Obviously, this couple should have been giving marriage advice to me and not the other way around, so I went over to them and asked them to share with those in attendance their secret for how they have stayed happily married for 65 years. The husband took the microphone, looked at the crowd, and said, “I keep my mouth shut.”
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Categories: Homilies, Word | Tags: 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle B, Christianity, homily, Jesus, love, Marriage, religion, sacrifice, sacrificial love | Leave a comment

Megan Amanda

Posted on September 9, 2018 by deacondsm

BAPTISM

Holy Sepulcher September 9, 2018 11:45AM

Baptism Holy Sepulcher

Baptism Holy Sepulcher

I baptized Megan Amanda, daughter of Sara and Stephen, at Holy Sepulcher Parish.

May the almighty God bless you and your parents now and forever. Amen!

Categories: Baptisms, Sacrament | Leave a comment

Our Elephants Hiding in the Tree

Posted on September 2, 2018 by deacondsm

HOMILY

Preached at Holy Sepulcher Parish on September 1, 2018 at 6:00pm Mass and September 2, 2018 at the 8:00am and 10:30am Masses

Why do you not see elephants hiding in trees? Because they are really good at it.

But seriously, today I am going to talk about the elephant in the room, or the elephant in the Church, I guess you might say. Not the grand jury report on child sexual abuse in the Church of Pittsburgh and other dioceses of Pennsylvania, although it is part of it. Today’s subject is sin.

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Categories: Homilies, Word | Tags: 22nd sunday in ordinary time cycle b, Christianity, clergy sexual abuse, elephant in the room, faith, homily, interior life, Jesus, religion, sin | Leave a comment

Helena Marie

Posted on July 22, 2018 by deacondsm

BAPTISM

Holy Sepulcher July 22, 2018 11:45AM

Baptism Holy Sepulcher

Baptism Holy Sepulcher

I baptized Helena Marie, daughter of Kaitlin and Jordan, at Holy Sepulcher Parish.

May the almighty God bless you and your parents now and forever. Amen!

Categories: Baptisms, Sacrament | Leave a comment

Elaine Elizabeth

Posted on July 8, 2018 by deacondsm

BAPTISM

Holy Sepulcher July 8, 2018 11:45AM

Baptism Holy Sepulcher

Baptism Holy Sepulcher

I baptized Elaine Elizabeth, daughter of Mary and James, at Holy Sepulcher Parish.

May the almighty God bless you and your parents now and forever. Amen!

Categories: Baptisms, Sacrament | Leave a comment

Our Inner Selves Never Grow Old

Posted on June 10, 2018 by deacondsm

HOMILY

Preached at Holy Sepulcher Parish on June 9, 2018 at 6:00pm Mass and June 10, 2018 at the 8:00am and 10:30am Masses

Image may contain: indoor I was driving my car to the store recently and there was a good song on the radio, I don’t really remember what song it was, but I know it was the 80’s channel, the music of my youth. As I often do when listening to a good song, I had the radio turned up all the way to 11. Also, because it was a nice day I had the windows down and the roof open. When I got to the store, I pulled into an open parking space and decided to finish listening to the song. When the song was over I got out of my car and to my horror I realized with some embarrassment that a young woman had been in the car next to me with her windows down and could not help but hear my loud music. I may have even been singing along. Embarrassed, I apologized about all the noise. “No problem, sir,” she replied. “I love Oldies music too.”

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Categories: Homilies, Word | Tags: 10th Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle B, aging, Christianity, faith, Getting old, God's will, homily, inner self, Jesus, religion, suicide | 4 Comments

James Daniel

Posted on June 10, 2018 by deacondsm

BAPTISM

St. Teresa of Avila May 27, 2018 1:30PM

Image may contain: indoor

I baptized James Daniel, son of Amanda and James, at St. Teresa of Avlia Parish in the Perrysville section of Pittsburgh.

May the almighty God bless you and your parents now and forever. Amen!

Categories: Baptisms, Sacrament | Leave a comment

Luke William

Posted on May 27, 2018 by deacondsm

BAPTISM

St. Teresa of Avila May 27, 2018 1:30PM

Image may contain: indoor

I baptized Luke William, son of Samantha and Jonathan, at St. Teresa of Avlia Parish in the Perrysville section of Pittsburgh.

May the almighty God bless you and your parents now and forever. Amen!

Categories: Baptisms, Sacrament | Leave a comment

How Is It Possible to Love One Another?

Posted on May 6, 2018 by deacondsm

HOMILY

Preached at Holy Sepulcher Parish on May 5, 2018 at 6:00pm Mass and March 6, 2018 at the 8:00am and 10:30am Masses

My vanity plate

I wasn’t here last week. Did I miss anything? Were there any important announcements or anything? Just kidding, I realize we had the important On Mission for the Church Alive announcements. I would have been here for this important day, but I had plans for a long time to race my car last week. Unfortunately, they only hold race events on weekends, but I thought I was doing it with God’s blessing. I have a cross on the car, a cross on my helmet, Speed Deacon in large letters across my visor, Team Jesus printed on my shirt, and I have a bible verse as my vanity plate. Surely God wanted me to do well. But I finished next to last. Out of almost 200 cars participating, I only beat one of them. The car was another Ford Focus like mine, but it was black instead of yellow and it’s number was 666! God wanted me to realize my calling is the Church and not racing and he made it clear, although he didn’t want me to lose to the a friend of Satan!

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Categories: Homilies, Word | Tags: 1 John 4:7, 6th Sunday of Easter Cycle B, Christianity, faith, homily, infinite love, Jesus, love, love one another, religion, unconditional love | 1 Comment

Lent: The Journey From Death to Life

Posted on March 18, 2018 by deacondsm

HOMILY

Preached at Holy Sepulcher Parish on March 28, 2018 at 8:00am and 10:30am Masses

A family had two little boys that were always stealing things. They stole from their classmates at school, took things from the neighbors’ yards, and shoplifted things when they were at the mall with their mom. The parents tried everything they could to change their boys’ bad behavior, but nothing worked. As a last resort they decided to ask their pastor what to do. (*only in a joke is a priest considered a last resort.*) The pastor agreed to talk to each boy individually about stealing.

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Categories: Homilies, Word | Tags: 5th Sunday in Lent Cycle b, almsgiving, Christianity, death to life, faith, fasting, homily, Jesus, Lent, Prayer, religion, ten words of God, Year of Living Biblically | 1 Comment

The Words of God Guide Us Through Lent

Posted on March 4, 2018 by deacondsm

HOMILY

Preached at Holy Sepulcher Parish on March 3, 2018 at 4:00pm Mass and March 4, 2018 at 10:30am Mass

Image result for ten commandments

Ben and Hannah were not the most devout or religious Jews, and like the many Catholics that only attend Mass on Christmas or Easter, they only went to the Temple once or twice a year. As they were leaving the Temple, the Rabbi said, “Ben, it would be nice to see you and your wife Hannah here at the Temple more often!”

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Categories: Homilies, Word | Tags: 3rd Sunday in Lent Cycle B, almsgiving, Christianity, faith, fasting, homily, Jesus, Lent, love your neighbor, Prayer, religion, Ten Commandments, ten words of God | 1 Comment

Kendyl and Blake

Posted on February 25, 2018 by deacondsm

BAPTISM

Holy Sepulcher February 25, 2018 11:45AM

Baptism Holy Sepulcher

Baptism Holy Sepulcher

I baptized Kendyl and Blake, daughter and son of Jamie and Robert, at Holy Sepulcher Parish.

May the almighty God bless you and your parents now and forever. Amen!

Categories: Baptisms, Sacrament | Leave a comment

Shelby Mae

Posted on February 18, 2018 by deacondsm

BAPTISM

Holy Sepulcher February 18, 2018 11:45AM

Baptism Holy Sepulcher

Baptism Holy Sepulcher

I baptized Shelby Mae, daughter of Megan and James, at Holy Sepulcher Parish.

May the almighty God bless you and your parents now and forever. Amen!

Categories: Baptisms, Sacrament | Leave a comment

Hudson Kenneth

Posted on January 28, 2018 by deacondsm

BAPTISM

Holy Sepulcher January 28, 2018 11:45AM

Baptism Holy Sepulcher

Baptism Holy Sepulcher

I baptized Hudson Kenneth, son of Jennifer and Michael, at Holy Sepulcher Parish.

May the almighty God bless you and your parents now and forever. Amen!

Categories: Baptisms, Sacrament | Leave a comment

We March for Life as Disciples of the Lord

Posted on January 19, 2018 by deacondsm

HOMILY

Preached at Holy Sepulcher Parish on January 19, 2018 at a 6:00am Communion Service before our trip to the March for Life in Washington, D.C.

March for Life

I wrote a beautiful email to the Pope Francis last week. I knew he was going to be busy in Chile this week and everything, but I had an important question for him that I needed an answer and, so I looked up the pope’s email address and sent my question. The pope had just announced that anyone who was going to the March for Life in Washington, D. C. and attended Mass that day in a state of grace would receive a plenary indulgence from the Church. In case you don’t know what a plenary indulgence is, it is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been committed. In more simpler terms, it is like a get out of purgatory free card. That is quite a nice thing to have and I wanted one. So I sent him an email because we are not having Mass today obviously, there is no priest here today, so I wanted to know if he would allow a communion service to count for the indulgence.

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Categories: Homilies, Word | Tags: Christianity, David, disciples, discipleship, homily, indulgence, Jesus, life, March for Life, pro life | Leave a comment

Madilyn

Posted on January 14, 2018 by deacondsm

BAPTISM

Holy Sepulcher January 14, 2017 5:15PM

Baptism Holy Sepulcher

Baptism Holy Sepulcher

I baptized , Madilyn daughter of Brandy, at Holy Sepulcher Parish.

May the almighty God bless you now and forever. Amen!

Categories: Baptisms, Sacrament | Leave a comment

What Christmas Is All About

Posted on December 24, 2017 by deacondsm

HOMILY

Preached at Holy Sepulcher Parish on December 24, 2017 at 8:00pm Mass

That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown! I say that for two reasons, one because it is true and second because ever since I was a small child I remember standing on the pew after that gospel was proclaimed and there was that dramatic pause at the end before the priest or deacon says, “The gospel of the Lord,” I would say loud and clear for all to hear, “That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown!” It always got laughs, but you can imagine my wife’s horror when we attended our first Christmas together and I had still continued that tradition well into my 20’s. If you have ever seen the commercial where the husband is wearing a light up Raiders sweater to his wife’s family Christmas dinner, and everyone is wearing Kansas City Chiefs jerseys, the reaction of the wife in the commercial was about Karen at our first Midnight Mass together, along with a sharp elbow to the ribs!

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Categories: Homilies, Word | Tags: 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle A, Christianity, exercising, faith, goals, God as coach, heaven, homily, Jesus, religion, spiritual workout, workout | Leave a comment

Lucas Matthew

Posted on December 10, 2017 by deacondsm

BAPTISM

Holy Sepulcher December 10, 2017 11:45AM

Baptism Holy Sepulcher

Baptism Holy Sepulcher

I baptized Lucas Matthew, son of Vanessa and Matthew, at Holy Sepulcher Parish.

May the almighty God bless you and your parents now and forever. Amen!

Categories: Baptisms, Sacrament | Leave a comment

John the Baptist Calls Us Into the Solitude of the Desert

Posted on December 10, 2017 by deacondsm

HOMILY

Preached at Holy Sepulcher Parish on December 9, 2017 at the 4:00pm and December 10, 2017 at 8:00am and 10:30am Masses

Do you know John the Baptist, Winnie the Pooh, and Smokey the Bear share two things in common? They both eat honey and they have the same middle name.

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Categories: Homilies, Word | Tags: 2nd Sunday of Advent Cycle B, Christianity, desert, faith, homily, Jesus, John the Baptist, quiet, solitude | Leave a comment

The Ultimate Status Symbol

Posted on November 5, 2017 by deacondsm

HOMILY

Preached at Holy Sepulcher Parish on November 4, 2017 at 4:00pm and November 5, 2017 at 8:00am and 10:30am Masses

I bought a new watch this week, not because I needed a new watch, but because I needed a new watchband, and for whatever reason a watchband costs as much as a new watch, so I got the whole watch. It even came with a 10-year battery. All for the unbelievably low price of $17. I even saved 5% because I used a Target Red Card. It was a great deal.

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Categories: Homilies, Word | Tags: 31 sunday in ordinary time cycle A, Christianity, faith, heaven, homily, humility, Jesus, Paul Newman, Paul Newman watch, phylacteries, religion, status symbol, tassels | Leave a comment

Exercise Your Way to Heaven

Posted on October 15, 2017 by deacondsm

HOMILY

Preached at Holy Sepulcher Parish on October 14, 2017 at 6:00pm and October 15, 2017 at 8:00am and 10:30am Masses

A married couple were in their 90’s and had been married for 70 years, but they still had excellent health, because the wife always insisted that they both eat right and exercise. Unfortunately, as they drove to the beach on vacation, they were in a terrible auto accident and they both died.

When they arrived in heaven they were greeted by St. Peter who said, “Welcome to heaven! Right this way! The feast is about to begin!”

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Categories: Homilies, Word | Tags: 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle A, Christianity, exercising, faith, goals, God as coach, heaven, homily, Jesus, religion, spiritual workout, workout | Leave a comment

Heaven Must Seem Like Hell

Posted on October 1, 2017 by deacondsm

HOMILY

Preached at Holy Sepulcher Parish on September 30, 2017 at 6:00pm and October 1, 2017 at 8:00am and 10:30am Masses

Bob and Earl were two of the biggest baseball fans ever. They had season tickets together for fifty years and they spent most of the day discussing baseball, even in winter. They even agreed that whoever died first would somehow come back and let the other know if there was baseball in heaven. One night after a ball game, Bob died peacefully in his sleep. A few nights later Earl was awakened to the sound of Bob’s voice calling out to him from the beyond. Earl had to know right away and so he quickly asked Bob, “Is there baseball in heaven?”

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Categories: Homilies, Word | Tags: 26th sunday in ordinary time cycle a, Christianity, faith, heaven, heaven must seem like hell, homily, Jesus, righeousness | 1 Comment

Agree, Pray, and It Is Ours!

Posted on September 10, 2017 by deacondsm

HOMILY

Preached at Holy Sepulcher Parish on September 9, 2017 at 6:00PM and September 10, 2017 at 8:00AM and 10:30AM Masses

There is a commercial that has been running on TV recently. A woman is looking carefully at a wall covered with dozens of different paint chip samples. She is trying to figure out what color would look best in her family room. As she is trying to make her decision her husband walks in the room and notices what she is doing, his face falls, and he quickly and quietly sneaks out of the room before she notices he is there. Obviously, he wants nothing to do with choosing a paint color.

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Categories: Homilies, Word | Tags: 24th sunday in ordinary time cycle a, agreeing about anything, Christianity, coming together, faith, homily, Jesus, love, love one another, love your neighbor, walking on water | Leave a comment

Our Captain Needs No Boat

Posted on August 13, 2017 by deacondsm

HOMILY

Preached at Holy Sepulcher Parish on August 12, 2017 at 6:00PM and August 13, 2017 at 8:00AM and 10:30AM Masses

A man was fishing from his boat on a river when a bad storm came up. The storm was so strong that it blew his boat against the rocks along the shore and the boat sank. The man was swept down the river in the strong current and he realized that he would soon be swept over a waterfall that was several hundred feet high. There was no way that he would survive if he went over the waterfall.

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Categories: Homilies, Word | Tags: 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle A, Christianity, faith, homily, Jesus, O you of little faith, Our Lord captain of our ship, Our Lord needs no ship, walking on water, whispering sound of God | Leave a comment

Avery Leigh

Posted on July 8, 2017 by deacondsm

BAPTISM

Holy Sepulcher July 8, 2017 2:00pm

Baptism Holy Sepulcher

Baptism Holy Sepulcher

I baptized Avery Leigh, daughter of Rebecca and Brian at Holy Sepulcher Parish.

The family received a special blessing as well!

May the almighty God continue to bless you, your parents, and your family now and forever. Amen!

Categories: Baptisms, Sacrament | Leave a comment

Stop Fidgeting and Just Be

Posted on June 11, 2017 by deacondsm

HOMILY

Preached at Holy Sepulcher Parish on June 10, 2017 at 6:00PM and June 11, 2017 at 8:00AM and 10:30AM Masses

A husband and a wife were driving and agreed to stop to eat at the next town along the highway. When an exit sign finally appeared they could not figure out how to pronounce the very long name of the town. They were very hungry and it made them irritable, so they began to argue about who was pronouncing the name correctly.

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Categories: Homilies, Word | Tags: Christianity, faith, Father Son and Holy Spirit, fidget spinner, God of love, homily, Jesus, stop doing and just be, Trinity Sunday | Leave a comment

We Don’t Have to Find God

Posted on May 21, 2017 by deacondsm

HOMILY

Preached at Holy Sepulcher Parish on May 20, 2017 at 6:00PM and May 21, 2017 at 8:00AM and 10:30AM Masses

I recently went on retreat with the men of the parish. Then my wife and I drove to Utah on vacation, really I drove 5,000 miles while my wife slept. She awoke for the important things, like the incredible scenery, the points of interest, and when I was being introduced to my new friend, a Utah Highway Patrol officer. Except for that bump in the road, it was good quality time with God.

It’s easy to find God on retreat or vacation. You see God at work in your life; that he has blessed you with the time and resources to go away for a little while. It’s quiet, peaceful, and unhurried so you have many opportunities to speak and listen to God in prayer. You walk and drive with God through the beauty of his creation, whether it’s a beach, a park, the snow-covered Rocky Mountains in Colorado, or the colorful canyons in Utah. You will even find God in other people. It’s amazing how friendly everyone is when you share a rocky, steep, uneven, and possibly dangerous trail on the edge of a cliff a couple of thousand feet above a canyon. Not only do people say “hello,” but they go out of their way to make sure you are OK, ask if you need help, and will even insist, “No, you go first.”

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Categories: Homilies, Word | Tags: 6th-sunday-of-easter-year-a, Christianity, faith, God, God dwells in us, Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit dwells, homily, Jesus, vacation | 1 Comment

How Different Is Our Shepherd

Posted on April 3, 2017 by deacondsm

HOMILY

Preached at Holy Sepulcher Parish on April 2, 2017 at 7:00PM Penance Service

One day a shepherd was out looking for one of his lost sheep. He found the sheep, but he was sad, because while looking for it, he lost the Bible that he always carried with him. A few weeks later, another sheep walked up to him carrying his beloved Bible in its mouth. The shepherd couldn’t believe his eyes. He took the precious book out of the sheep’s mouth, looked up to heaven and said, “It’s a miracle!”

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Categories: Homilies, Word | Tags: Christianity, faith, forgiveness of sins, good shepherd, homily, Jesus, lost sheep, penance service | Leave a comment

Our God Weeps for Us

Posted on April 2, 2017 by deacondsm

HOMILY

Preached at Holy Sepulcher Parish on April 1, 2017 at 4:00PM and April 2, 2017 at 8:00am Masses

A young couple was waking up the day after their wedding. The young man asked his new wife if she could make some coffee.

She replied, “I can’t.”

He responded, “Why? Don’t you know how?”

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Categories: Homilies, Word | Tags: 5th-sunday-of-lent-year-a, Christianity, eternal life, faith, homily, Jesus, jesus wept, lazarus | 1 Comment

What Makes it Fulfilling?

Posted on February 12, 2017 by deacondsm

HOMILY

Preached at Holy Sepulcher Parish on February 11, 2017 at 6:00PM and February 12, 2017 at 8:00am and 10:30am Masses

A young man stopped at a tuxedo shop to order a tuxedo for his upcoming wedding. He was a little nervous about getting married so as the tailor took his measurements, the young man asked him if he was married. “Yes, in a few weeks my wife and I will have been married 50 years,” the older man replied.

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Categories: Homilies, Word | Tags: 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, Christianity, faith, homily, Jesus, Ten Commandments | Leave a comment

Be-Attitude

Posted on January 29, 2017 by deacondsm

HOMILY

Preached at Holy Sepulcher Parish on January 28, 2017 at 4:00PM and January 29 at 8:00am and 10:30am Masses

A man was having another bad day, so he stopped at a restaurant to have dinner and a few glasses of his favorite beverage. As he waited for his dinner and for the waitress to return to refill his already empty glass, he looked at the walls of the restaurant which were covered with old items like road signs, hubcaps, and rusty tools like you would see at

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Categories: Homilies, Word | Tags: 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, Beatitudes, Christianity, faith, homily, Jesus | 1 Comment

Kate Josephine

Posted on January 22, 2017 by deacondsm

BAPTISM

Holy Sepulcher January 22, 2017 11:45AM

Baptism Holy Sepulcher

Baptism Holy Sepulcher

I baptized Kate Josephine, daughter of Carolynn and Matthew, at Holy Sepulcher Parish.

May the almighty God bless you and your parents now and forever. Amen!

Categories: Baptisms, Sacrament | Leave a comment

Grant Louis

Posted on January 14, 2017 by deacondsm

BAPTISM

Holy Sepulcher January 14, 2017 1:00PM

Baptism Holy Sepulcher

Baptism Holy Sepulcher

I baptized Grant Louis, son of Leslie and Timothy, at Holy Sepulcher Parish.

May the almighty God bless you and your parents now and forever. Amen!

Categories: Baptisms, Sacrament | Leave a comment

Give Yourself the Gift of Silence this Christmas

Posted on December 18, 2016 by deacondsm

HOMILY

Preached at Holy Sepulcher Parish on December 17, 2016 at 4:00PM and December 18, 2016 at 8:00am and 10:30am Masses

As you make your way over the river and through the woods to grandmother’s house this Christmas, or wherever else you might be going, there is so much that will keep you occupied as you travel: a cellphone, a laptop, an iPad, an iPod, a video game, a DVD of your favorite holiday movie, the list goes on and on. When I was growing up we didn’t have any fancy technology to keep us busy on long trips, we had the Be Quiet Game. The Be Quiet Game is simple: you do not talk or make any noise whatsoever for as long as you possibly can. Any parent knows how hard this is for a child to do. But my parents convinced my sisters and me that this was one of the most exciting games that you could play and we would try really hard to be quiet longer than anyone else to win whatever the prize might be. Although now as I look back I realize that my parents were the true winners of this game, because for however long the game lasted, they enjoyed peace and quiet.

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Categories: Homilies, Word | Tags: 4th Sunday of Advent Cycle A, Christianity, Christmas, faith, homily, Jesus, silence | 1 Comment

My Beloved, Come Down!

Posted on October 30, 2016 by deacondsm

HOMILY

Preached at Holy Sepulcher Parish on October 29, 2016 at 6:00PM and October 30, 2016 at 8:00am and 10:30am Masses

There is a lot of preparation that goes into a homily: prayer, Bible study, checking biblical commentaries, and researching the writings of popes and saints. This time I included one unusual step that I never included before. I decided to climb a tree. I used to love to climb trees, but it has been decades since I have actually climbed a tree, and I found that it is not as easy as it used to be. There is a lot of talk about global warming, but I think that people are ignoring a much more serious issue – the ever increasing power of gravity. I used to be able to easily jump and touch a basketball rim, but I had to get out a ladder to climb our oak tree and the branches are much lower than a basketball rim. When I finally did get into the tree, it was difficult to climb very high and if I strayed too far from the trunk, the branches would begin to creak and bend toward the ground.

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Categories: Homilies, Word | Tags: Christianity, faith, homily, Jesus, tree climbing 31th-sunday-in-ordindary-time-cycle-c, zacchaeus | Leave a comment

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