What started as a casual conversation in an airport turned into something neither of them expected.

This Sunday, Fr. Paul shares a real encounter with a woman who was openly vocal about not believing in God while waiting at the gate. She had no idea she was speaking to a priest… until someone greeted him: “Hi, Father Paul.”

Moments later, they found themselves seated next to each other on the same flight.

What followed was an honest, unfiltered conversation about faith, doubt, and the reality of God. But the story doesn’t end there. After the flight, she reached out again… this time sharing how that unexpected encounter opened her heart to God’s mercy in her own life.

This homily is a reminder that God moves in places we don’t plan, through conversations we don’t expect, and in hearts we might assume are closed.

No one is too far.
No moment is wasted.
God’s mercy is always at work.

HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAITH Gospel - John 3:13-17Jesus said to Nicodemus: "No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life."For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.In what aspect of your life are you being called to carry the cross with humility and detachment?In what ways has the Son of God saved you?In what areas of your life are you still seeking eternal salvation? (Be specific.) Invite Jesus into those areas, share with Him the pain they have caused you, and allow His presence to heal those parts.Find the Sunday readings here.

HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAITH Gospel - Luke 14:25-33Great crowds were traveling with Jesus, and he turned and addressed them, “If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion? Otherwise, after laying the foundation and finding himself unable to finish the work the onlookers should laugh at him and say, ‘This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.’ Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down and decide whether with ten thousand troops he can successfully oppose another king advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops? But if not, while he is still far away, he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms. In the same way, anyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.”“Jesus invites us into a detachment that can feel bewildering, almost as if we might be left alone, without friends or comfort. Yet this holy letting go makes space in us, opening our hands to receive what God longs to pour out.”Name it with courage: are there things, people, titles, or feelings you cling to? Be specific.Sit with one attachment. Imagine what it might feel like to lay it down, tenderly and trustingly.Then in silence, pray: “Holy Spirit, what does Jesus desire to give me in place of this attachment?” (Take your time and let the Holy Spirit speak to you. If you don’t sense an answer, allow more time for the Spirit to work in you, and keep your heart open throughout the day or week as the Spirit moves in your life.)Find the Sunday readings here: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/090725.cfm