'God pushes the "reset" button for us'

Courtesy of the wonderful Franciscans of the Immaculate at AirMaria.com, here is the latest Sunday homily, for yesterday's Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, by Father Joseph Tito of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Baltic, Connecticut. This time, the friars running the cameras added some fine shots of the beautifully renovated church—click the arrow to watch:



In part of the sermon, Father Tito quotes a homily by Father Phil Bloom. A Seattle priest who hosted me for talks at his church last May, Father Bloom is a sort of underground star of the homiletic world, as he thoughtfully posts his sermons  in advance, to inspire his brother priests. And are they ever inspired! My parish priest in Washington, D.C. yesterday likewise borrowed the very same Father Bloom point that Father Tito quotes, about how a baptism is not a guarantee of sanctity. He said, "Some terrible people were baptized. Adolph Hitler. Joseph Stalin. Your mother-in-law."

Actually, the "mother-in-law" part was my pastor's addition. It went over very well.