Fr. Jarrod’s Homily, 2/9/25
Dynamite and water can both shape rock. Dynamite can explosively reshape rock in an instant, while water, over a long period, can shape rock through its constant movement.
As I reflected on this image yesterday, a joke from comedian Brian Regan came to mind. He once shared that while driving through the mountains with his family, they saw a sign that read, “Danger: Blasting Zone.” His response was, “Shouldn’t that say, ‘Road Closed’?”
Just as dynamite can explosively break apart rock, there are also “dynamite spiritual experiences”—sudden moments of awareness when we recognize our deep need for the Lord Jesus Christ. In today’s Gospel, Peter had such an experience. At first, he encountered Jesus as a stranger, someone he did not know. To fully appreciate this, we must place it in a historical context. Imagine a man getting into someone’s work vehicle—a fisherman’s boat—and saying, “Put out into deep water while this crowd listens to me.” Picture an electrician in a boom truck, with a crowd following a stranger who then asks, “Hey, I want to get in your boom and speak to this crowd.” It would be an awkward moment.
Yet, Peter allowed Jesus into his boat and listened to His words. In that moment, he recognized the divine power of God at work in Jesus, who exercised authority over creation. When Peter witnessed this power, he had an explosive realization—Jesus was the son of God. Overcome, he said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” He had encountered the One who entered human history with the power to speak on God’s behalf.
Many of us have had our own “dynamite experiences” of the Lord. Some grew up without faith but, through an inexplicable encounter, recognized God’s presence and now live a life they never imagined. I have heard stories of people who walked away from behaviors they now would never consider, all because they discovered the joy of discipleship. These explosive moments of conversion happen in different ways—perhaps from atheism to faith, or from one Christian tradition to the Catholic Church.
Each of us should revisit those moments when we had a dynamic encounter with the person Jesus Christ. For some, it may not have been a “dynamite experience” but rather a “firecracker experience”—a smaller but still significant moment of enlightenment. However, we must recognize that these experiences don’t happen unless we place ourselves in the right context. Too often, we live our daily lives expecting that if God wants to reach us, He will find us. While it is true that God pursues us, how much more valuable is it when we intentionally seek Him?
About twenty years ago, I traveled to Rome with Fr. Marstal and Fr. Nelson. While there, I had the opportunity to shake Pope Benedict’s hand—a moment captured in a picture hanging in my office. That experience happened because I went to Rome; the Pope did not come to Wichita. Likewise, we must ask ourselves: Have we placed ourselves in the context of spiritual experiences? This weekend, many men are on ACTS retreats, encountering their faith anew. How often do we seek out retreats, read spiritually enriching books, attend adoration regularly, or at the very least, faithfully attend Sunday Mass (or even daily Mass)? Peter was intentional in allowing Jesus into his boat, despite the awkwardness of the situation. Similarly, Jesus was intentional in choosing Peter. We, too, must be intentional in opening ourselves to these “dynamite moments” by placing ourselves in situations where they can happen.
Yet, just as dynamite shapes rock, so does water. My own life has been shaped more like water over rock—gradually, over time, through continuous exposure to the Catholic faith. At 51 years old, I have spent 41 years within a three-mile radius of where I was born, ministering in the same area. Of my 24 years as a priest, 18 have been spent within a quarter-mile of Bishop Carroll and St. Francis. I have been immersed in Catholic culture because my parents intentionally raised me in a home of faith. My mother took me to daily Mass as a child. I attended Catholic schools—Christ the King, St. Peter, Bishop Carroll—and later entered seminary. Over my lifetime, I have probably attended daily Mass 85% of the days of my life.
My father was a committed adorer; ever since Christ the King began perpetual adoration, he would go every week, reading the entire Bible twice and the Catechism, simply by spending one hour a week in prayer. Like water shaping rock, these small, consistent acts shaped his life. My family prayed the Rosary almost every morning, and at one point, inspired by the apparitions at Medjugorje, we prayed both in the morning and at night. My parents frequently discussed faith—not in grand theological debates, but in the daily conversations of parish life and Catholic living.
Along with this steady faith formation, I had my own personal “firecracker” spiritual experiences. In high school, I attended TEC, a retreat that helped me take ownership of my faith. I frequented adoration, sought out confession, and attended daily Mass. Through these actions, I placed myself in situations where I could encounter the living Jesus Christ.
However, we must not assume that simply being in a Catholic environment will automatically form us or our children in the faith. A priest friend who worked in a hospital would wince when he heard a patient say, “I used to go to Catholic school,” because it was often followed by, “but I no longer go to church.” There is a misconception that merely placing a person in a Catholic setting—whether Catholic school, PSR, or youth ministry—will ensure their faith formation. That is not enough. Many people have grown up in Catholic environments but now have no faith life because they never personally encountered the Lord. Faith formation is shaped primarily at home, with 80% of its impact coming from family life and only 20% from outside influences.
A fellow priest who went on a missionary assignment visited a fourth-grade class at a Catholic school. When he mentioned the word “resurrection,” the students had no idea what it meant. He had to stop everything and explain it to them. I have spoken with parents whose children left the faith, and some have said, “So much for Catholic education.” My response is: What was the faith conversation in the home? Why blame Catholic education if the family itself did not create an environment for encountering Jesus Christ?
On this World Marriage Day (2/9), as we reflect on Peter’s experience of Jesus, we must remember that spouses have a responsibility to help one another grow in faith. Have we forgotten that our role is to lead each other to the Lord? Do we pray together? Do we encourage one another in faith?
Dynamite and water both shape rock. We need both types of experiences in our spiritual lives. We cannot receive them unless we are present for them. Even within a rich Catholic culture, we must be intentional about inviting Christ into our homes, speaking about Him among our families, and opening our hearts to encounter Him.
Father Jarrod Lies, Pastor