True Freedom is from God
True Freedom is from God
Homily for July 4th. 2026 | In this Independence Day homily, Fr. Matthew Tomeny, MIC reflects on the true meaning of freedom. Freedom is not the power to do whatever we want, but the grace to choose the good, reject evil, and live under God’s law. He reminds us that our rights come from God, not government, and that true patriotism begins with love for God, family, neighbor, community, and country.
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The readings for this homily: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/011526.cfm
Why would God allow Israel to be defeated even while the Levites were carrying the Ark of the Covenant before the army into battle? And why would Jesus heal a leper — then sternly command him to tell no one? In this homily, Fr. Mark Baron, MIC, brings these unsettling questions together and shows that they reveal the same spiritual danger: presumption.
Happy All Saints Day! As Fr. Matthew reminds us, today we celebrate all the saints — not just those canonized and known to the Church, but also the hidden saints known only to God. These are the souls who lived their lives faithfully, quietly, and heroically, fulfilling the will of God in the ordinary duties of their daily lives. This feast is meant to be your feast day too. God desires every one of us to become a saint, to be counted among the Church Triumphant in Heaven.
In today’s Gospel (Luke 12:39–48), Jesus calls us to vigilance—to be faithful stewards who live every moment ready for the coming of the Lord. “Much will be required of the person entrusted with much,” He says. That same spirit of responsibility and readiness defined one of the greatest saints of our time: St. John Paul II.
