REFLECTIONS WITH FR. LEO CLIFFORD
Father Leo Clifford reflects on a variety of aspects of the Catholic Church.
CHRISTIANITY
2/13/2022
Father Leo Clifford discusses how Jesus brought God to live and dwell in our own being and how we must learn to accept this and live it.
MERCY OF GOD
Father Leo Clifford explores the various methods of mercy introduced by Jesus to mankind and why they have been given to us. The thesis is that God's love is so great that His mercy abounds if we but seek it sincerely.
HOLY SPIRIT
Fr. Leo Clifford discusses the "Forgotten" Person of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit.
PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE
Father Leo Clifford develops the Parable of the Good Samaritan as the motivation for a philosophy of life for a Christian. Seen from the perspective of how we use God's gifts, we are called to help others on our path - not ignore them.
FORGIVENESS
Father Leo Clifford explains that as God's forgiveness to us is boundless if we ask, so should ours be to our neighbors.
OUR LADY
Father Leo Clifford discusses how Our Lady is to be in our lives in 2 ways - as Our Mother and as our model for life. She brought us Jesus and She continues Her work for Him by bringing us to Him.
PRAYER
Father Leo Clifford discusses how each day should be offered as an entire prayer to the Lord. We are not to exclude Him from any portion of our life, but invite Him to enhance our understanding of the love He has for us and to grow in love for Him.
HOPE
Fr. Leo Clifford shares that we need to have the supernatural gift of hope to gain our eternal life of love.
FAITH
Fr. Leo Clifford uses the play Pymalion to explain the concept of faith. The Lord living in me allows me to learn to accept that He really loves me and then I can learn to love Him. Learning to love God is based solely on faith.
CHARITY
Father Leo Clifford discusses the need for the soul to experience giving and receiving love. It is an innate characteristic that is hard-wired into people but we must activate it.
HOLY COMMUNION
Fr. Leo Clifford uses John Cardinal Henry Newman as an example to have a strong yearning to receive the Body and Blood of Our Lord.
THE MASS
Fr. Leo Clifford explains the Mass, the source and summit of the Catholic faith.
HUMILITY
Father Leo Clifford reflects on the virtue of humility—showing how it can set you free.
WITHOUT CHRIST
Father Leo Clifford reflects on Christ as the center of the moral life.
THE MOTHER OF GOD
Father Leo Clifford reflects on the magnificence of Mary as God’s masterpiece.
GRATITUDE
Father Leo Clifford reflects on how lack of gratitude creates bitterness.
SUFFERING
Father Leo Clifford reflects on the meaning of The Cross in our daily lives.
DUTY
Father Leo Clifford reflects on the difference between blind duty and sacrificial love.
SIN
Father Leo Clifford reflects on the nature of sin.
GREATNESS
Father Leo Clifford reflects on the importance of sincerity in everyday life.
THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY
Father Leo Clifford reflects on what it means for God to live in the soul.
SINS OF OMISSION
Father Leo Clifford reflects on why it’s so important to love.
OUR FATHER
Father Leo Clifford reflects on the glory of the Our Father.
THE LOVE OF GOD
Father Leo Clifford reflects on the meaning of love of God and love of neighbor.
RESPECTABLE SINS
Fr. Leo Clifford explains we are no different than the Prodigal Son's older brother if we show indifference to others.
THE BUILDING BUSINESS
Using Jesus' carpentry skills, Father Leo Clifford develops the theme of forgiveness with forgiveness as rock and resentment as sand. The rock is foundation while the sand is shifting.
GOD'S WAYS
Father Leo Clifford reflects on God's way and how normally He operates quietly. We can see this in the stillness of the night, alone before the Blessed Sacrament in the quiet of a church, or in the secret recesses of our own heart.
THIS IS YOUR LIFE
Father Leo Clifford reflects on how the Lord already has our lives planned out, even our death. But He expects us to trust him.
MISSED OPPORTUNITIES
Surely these words of wisdom find an echo in your heart this day. "I shall pass this way but once. Any good I can do, any kindness I can show, let me not defer it, let me not neglect it. Let me do it now, because I shall not pass this way again."
FIRST HAND FAITH
Fr. Leo Clifford treats the understanding of how faith impacts life and how it is different from experience. Walking with Our Lord by using the Scriptures enhances our faith in God.
GRIEF OF GOD
Father Leo Clifford reflects on the Epistle to the Ephesians, the awesome love of God for us, and we grieve Him by our sins.
KNOW, LOVE AND SERVE
Father Leo Clifford develops the idea that our deepest yearnings are put there by God due to His great love for us. He wants us to learn to love Him as much as He love us, impossible though that may be.
THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT
Father Leo Clifford explains how much God loves each person and asks us to return that love to Him as it grows in depth.
THE CHRIST WHO NEEDS US
Father Leo Clifford explains that Christ expects each Christian to spread the message of His love and to live the Christian life as He directed us to do so while He was on earth.
THE PURPOSE OF LIFE
Father Leo Clifford reflects how life is a gift mankind loves but we often forget the Giver. We need to acknowledge the gift by a true love for God.
DISCIPLESHIP
Fr. Leo Clifford explains why "The Word of God is inexhaustible" and how God wants us to spend our lives learning about the Trinity so that we can love Him more.
RADIANT LIVING
Our Lord said in the Gospel, "I have come that you may have life and have it more abundantly." A stepping-off point for Father to explain radiant living from Christ's point of view.
GOD'S TRUTH
Father Leo Clifford says that many do not allow the Word of God to penetrate their minds because they put off dealing with God and religion until they are old and "have time." We should listen now, absorb it, live it and be ready for a happy death.
HEART OF GOD
Fr. Leo Clifford explains that the Lord sees individuals, not groups, when He looks at us. He is very deeply in love with each person, caring unbelievably about each of us. He cared so much that Jesus became man to redeem us.
OUR LINGERING SINS
Father Leo Clifford discusses the theme of harboring grudges, resentments, gossip and other nasty habits that are disastrous to us personally and to all the others involved.
SOLUTIONS
The struggle to overcome our sinful nature every day is rooted in how much or how little we allow Christ into our lives. Fr. Leo Clifford explains that if we allow Him to enter into ourselves, the better the solutions for our lives.
ST. FRANCIS
Fr. Leo Clifford tells of how St. Francis of Assissi came to be the richest man in the world, even in his abject poverty. He had security, the stability, the serenity, the peace that is immutable as God Himself.
UNFINISHED SYMPHONY
Father Leo Clifford is quoting Fr. Karl Rahner by stating that "most people die with symphonies unfinished." If we do not accomplish the mission entrusted to us by God, we leave unfinished the symphony of our life, never to be heard by anyone.
SERMON ON THE MOUNT
Father Leo Clifford explains how to face the world through the few words spoken by Jesus on the Sermon on the Mount. These reflections can literally change our lives and those we meet.
BLESSED SACRAMENT
Father Leo Clifford reflects on some of the writings of Fr. Frederick William Faber of England concerning the Blessed Sacrament and some of the devotions we have - 40 Hours, Perpetual Adoration, visits.
WHO WE ARE
Father Leo Clifford develops this talk around our names and what we do to identify ourselves to others. He shows various ways St. John the Evangelist is known and goes on to say that we are the masters of our own fate in how we are known to the world.
BANQUET OF GOD
In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus talks about the Kingdom of God being a banquet prepared by the king with all invited. When it was time to dine, many refused for various reasons. All of this was important to the Jews of that time and also to our generation.
HOW TO HANDLE WORRY
Father Leo Clifford has four reasons to allow God to take the worry and just be the best possible person we can be within the boundaries of the Commandments.
A NAME, NOT A NUMBER
Fr. Leo Clifford discusses that God has given each of us a name before we were born and when we die. God doesn't care about numbers, only people.
GOD'S WILL
Father Leo Clifford uses the Parable of the Father with the two sons being asked to work in the vineyard to explain the Will of the Father.
ON TALKING TO OURSELVES
Father Leo Clifford reflects on people who talk to themselves and what we say and our resulting actions that is important to monitor.
ONE DAY AT A TIME
Psalm 118 is quoted, "This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it." Father Leo Clifford's talk is about why life interferes with enjoyment and what we can and should do about it.
HOW WE HANDLE OUR FAILURES
Fr. Leo Clifford explains that we each have a sense of moral failure. St. Augustine is quoted with the beloved verse of, "You have made us for Yourself, Oh Lord and our hearts are ever restless, Lord, until they rest in Thee."
REMINDERS
Fr. Leo Clifford explains how we need to be reminded again and again of what Jesus has done for you and me.
THE IMPORTANCE OF ONE PERSON
Based on the Miracle of the Loaves and the Fishes, Father Leo Clifford explains how one person can truly impact many. We each have our own mission and each person is unique. If we do not accomplish our mission, it goes undone.
THREE THINGS
Father Leo Clifford reflects on 1 Corinthians and the three things - faith, hope and love. Love being the greatest of these.
THE LORD'S PRAYER
Fr. Leo Clifford on the Lord's Prayer, which is said in Jesus' Name. He promised us that if we ask the Father anything in His Name, the Father would answer it, if it was good for us.
APPEALING WORDS
The most appealing words Jesus ever spoke were "Come to Me all you who labor and are heavily burdened and I will find rest for your souls." Fr. Leo Clifford mentions that Christ offers us so much and we need to learn to listen to Him and accept His love.
ARE WE CONSISTENT?
Discussing the story of the rich man and the dishonest overseer, Father Leo Clifford develops the theme that we need to treat others as we ourselves wish to be treated. If we request mercy and forgiveness, we should give the same to others.
