Homilies of Fr. Ken Fortney

Humbled Before the Altar: Finding True Humility

The key to our scriptures today is humility. A seminary anecdote about a falling chair leads into a reflection on how God humbles us to remind us that only He has true righteousness. Priests and laypeople alike are called to step down from pride and serve with trust and love.As we celebrate the Eucharist, we are invited to come before the Lord in humility, receiving His grace and recognizing His sacrifice. This episode encourages believers to imitate the humble service of Christ and to guide others toward the gift of eternal life.

Ready to Learn: A Blessing for the New School Year

Today's homily is a back-to-school blessing asking listeners to be prepared for a year of learning and growth, trusting that God will fill their minds with good ideas and gifts of love and mercy.
Rooted in Scripture and Catholic tradition, the speaker prays for students, teachers, parents, the sick, those serving in the military, clergy, and the deceased, emphasizing community, unity, and God’s guidance throughout the year.

Awake and Faithful: Thessalonica's Call to Witness

St. Paul urges the Thessalonians — and us — to change our lives by remaining faithful, staying awake, and witnessing the faith to others. We are called to be loving stewards who care for one another, relying on God’s help rather than our own strength.Though staying attentive and open can be difficult, God provides the assistance and timing we need. By praying for and supporting family, friends, neighbors, and our broader community, we become visible signs of God’s presence and love.

Clean the Inside: Confronting Hypocrisy in Faith

This episode challenges the hypocrisy of religious leaders, using the cup illustration to show how outward appearances can hide inner emptiness. It calls listeners to honest self-examination and spiritual renewal.Despite our flaws, God's mercy invites us to receive forgiveness and strength through baptism, the Eucharist, and confirmation, empowering us to live authentically and serve others with love.

Discipleship Is Discipline: Embracing the Challenge

This episode explores what it means to be a disciple: the discipline required, the challenges we face, and the growth that comes from trusting the Lord. Using personal stories from priesthood and the example of Peter stepping out onto the water, it highlights the cost and reward of accepting God’s call.Through the gift of the Eucharist and daily commitment, listeners are encouraged to take courageous steps in faith, rely on God’s strength, and strive each day to grow closer to Christ for the good of themselves and their community.

Servant Leaders: Humility Over Authority

This episode explores Christian humility and the call to servant leadership, emphasizing that no one should claim authority over others and that all believers are called to serve. Fr. Ken reflects on the role of priests, bishops, and the Pope as examples of service, and highlights the Eucharist as a moment of humble giving.
Listeners are encouraged to embrace the priesthood of the laity and to let Christ be the central focus, serving their brothers and sisters with compassion and selflessness.

Entering Heaven: The Cost and the Promise

Jesus tells the disciples that entering the kingdom of heaven is difficult, using the image of a camel passing through the gate known as the "eye of the needle" to illustrate the need for radical surrender and trust.He calls people to put God first—even above family—and promises that through grace, especially received in the Eucharist, God will nourish, strengthen, and bless those who sacrifice and witness his presence.

From the Cistern to the Altar: Jeremiah's Cry for Help

In this homily Fr. Ken reflects on Jeremiah’s experience of being thrown into a cistern, drawing parallels to times of personal struggle and spiritual need. The sermon emphasizes calling on God in both hardship and abundance, gratitude for the Eucharist, and the duty to bring Christ’s presence to others through simple acts of kindness.
Through personal anecdotes and pastoral advice, the message encourages faithful reliance on God, persistent compassion for those in distress, and living out the Eucharist as a source of strength and witness.

Mary’s Hidden Ending: Assumption, Mercy, and the Eucharist

This homily reflects on Mary’s final days, the tradition of her Assumption, and the reverence she receives as the mother of Christ—contrasting that view with more limited perspectives. It explores how Mary’s life calls us to lives of peace, openness, and service.
It also focuses on the Eucharist as the greatest gift—Christ given to us to transform how we live. Listeners are invited to consider how receiving the Lord should change our hearts and motivate us to bring grace and healing to others.

From Thirst to Crossing: God’s Provident Gift

This homily reflects on readings from Deuteronomy and the Gospel, showing how God provides for His people—from supplying water and drying the river so Israel can cross with the Ark—to offering the ultimate gift of eternal life.
It explores Jesus’ teaching on forgiveness (not seven times but seventy times seven), the story of the woman caught in adultery and the call to "go and sin no more," and the struggle to forgive others and ourselves. Through anecdotes and the Eucharist, the episode highlights mercy, repentance, and the ongoing work of conversion.