
Homily on the Spot
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Fr. Jim Chern has been a priest in the Archdiocese of Newark since 1999. On Homily on the Spot, Fr. Jim posts his homilies, messages on the love of Christ, and ways to live better lives.
Homily on the Spot
4d ago
In 1995, I experienced something extraordinary. Fresh out of college and recognizing all my thinking, talking and praying about the priesthood needed some action on my part, I entered Immaculate Conception Seminary at Seton Hall University. Within my first month there, Pope John Paul II made his historic visit to New Jersey – the first ..read more
Homily on the Spot
2w ago
We often hear the old saying “never discuss politics or religion in public.” Growing up, this seemed like common courtesy, a way to keep the peace at family gatherings and social events. But today, these once-taboo topics have become daily conversation, especially when religion and politics intersect. Just this past week, we saw heated reactions ..read more
Homily on the Spot
2w ago
Today holds special significance. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has designated January 22nd as the Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children, marking the anniversary of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which effectively legalized abortion until that Supreme Court Decision was thankfully overturned a few years ago. But the reality ..read more
Homily on the Spot
2w ago
Seven seconds. That’s all it takes to form a first impression. I watched this truth play out in real time during a college orientation. Picture this: hundreds of freshmen, slouched in their seats after an hour of endless presentations. Then the speaker drops this bomb about seven seconds, and suddenly everyone snaps to attention. Some ..read more
Homily on the Spot
3w ago
This past Thursday, thousands of individuals gathered at the National Cathedral to bid farewell to former President Jimmy Carter. Amid the expected media coverage which analyzed every detail – from seating arrangements to the controversial performance of John Lennon’s “Imagine” – one moment cut through the noise with striking clarity: Jason Carter speaking about his ..read more
Homily on the Spot
1M ago
Words can often dance with different meanings depending on how we say them. Take the phrase “Wait till your father gets home.” Growing up, those words from Mom could foretell either impending doom or upcoming celebration – the difference lay entirely in her tone (and, let’s be honest, in whatever mischief my brothers and I ..read more
Homily on the Spot
1M ago
There’s a ritual my friend’s grandparents practiced every New Year’s Eve. At midnight, they’d open the front door in their house to “let the old year out.” When he told me this, I laughed and asked if they were witches rather than Irish Catholics. His response? “I don’t know, but this year, I’m opening every ..read more
Homily on the Spot
1M ago
The other day, I joked in my Christmas homily about adding Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You” to my personal banned list. This sparked an amusing conversation with friends about our least favorite Christmas songs. We traded nominations: “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas” (which I had happily forgotten until that moment ..read more
Homily on the Spot
1M ago
Merry Christmas! There’s something particularly special about saying those words here, in this sacred space, on this holy day. While the world outside swirls with tinsel and commerce, here we encounter something authentic — a truth that breaks down the boundaries between earth and heaven, and God and humanity embrace that we can experience the ..read more
Homily on the Spot
1M ago
The great Catholic author, G.K. Chesterton once made this remarkable observation about children and God that I first heard when my nieces were much younger – an idea that has resonated with me ever since. He wrote: “Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated ..read more