Brunswick Monogrammist / Public domain

To be disregarded or despised is a painful experience for us human beings. Have you considered that God, in creating free persons, opened himself to being despised and disregarded? From the beginning, he opened himself to the possibility of being despised and disregarded. The Cross is God’s answer to this. It comes down to this: will let him love us? Will we accept his gift or spurn it? He loves you. Will you disregard him, despise him, or will you receive him and be saved?

The Sermon on the Mount | Part 3: A Reality Check (Ask, Seek, Knock) | Homily for the 6th Sunday of Ordinary Time – Luke 10:41

In Part 3 of our Sermon on the Mount series, Fr. Will uses a ninth grade geometry story—an exam covered in red ink—to unpack what Jesus is doing in today’s Gospel. Christ, the Master Teacher, tells the truth about the human heart. He fulfills the law and then presses deeper, revealing that God desires more than outward compliance—he desires interior conversion. When we face the “reality check” of our weakness and sin, we usually fall into one of two traps: denial (“I’ll decide what’s right for me”) or despair (“I can’t do this, so why try?”). Jesus offers a third way: humility—admitting we need to change and asking him for help. The good news is that God doesn’t demand holiness from a distance. The Lord comes close, teaches us, and gives grace to live what he commands. As Jesus promises later in the Sermon on the Mount: Ask and you will receive. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened. Readings: Sirach 15:15–20; 1 Corinthians 2:6–10; Matthew 5:17–37
  1. The Sermon on the Mount | Part 3: A Reality Check (Ask, Seek, Knock) | Homily for the 6th Sunday of Ordinary Time
  2. The Sermon on the Mount | Part 2: Salt & Light | Homily for the 5th Sunday of Ordinary Time
  3. The Sermon on the Mount | Part 1: The Master Teacher | Homily for the 4th Sunday of Ordinary Time
  4. Called By Name | Mission – Come After Me | 3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time
  5. That They May Have Life | Part 2 -Why Is It So Hard to Be Good? Sin, Freedom, and the Moral Act

Published by Fr. Will Rooney

Fr. Will Rooney was baptized at St. Anthony’s Parish in Bryan, TX where his parents had been married. He has two younger brothers, David and Travis. Will received his First Communion at St. Anthony’s and around that time began to think about becoming a priest. Will was confirmed at St. Thomas Aquinas in May 2006. During high school, he actively participated in the parish youth group and was involved in robotics competitions. He and his brothers also raised poultry for 4-H and FFA projects. Upon graduation from A&M Consolidated High School in 2009, Will studied Biological and Agricultural Engineering at Texas A&M University. While at A&M, he worked as a Middle School youth minister and felt a growing desire toward the priesthood. In his senior year at A&M, he decided to apply for seminary, was accepted, and began attending Holy Trinity Seminary for pre-theology after he graduated. Two years later, Will was sent to St. Mary’s Seminary in Houston for theological studies. He served his pastoral year at St. Louis, King of France, Catholic Church and School in Austin (2017-2018). He was ordained to the Diaconate May 18, 2019, and served his deacon year at Our Lady of the Visitation in Lockhart, TX. He was ordained to the priesthood June 27, 2020 currently ministers at St. Mary Cathedral in Austin.

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  1. Good morning Father Will. I appreciate your homilies very much. You continue to educate me on God’s word. Thank you and God bless you. Oliver says hello.

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