Hey Deacon!
“From Outward Appearance to Inward Conversion”
Bishop Rice’s homily highlights from last weekend’s Steubenville Youth Conference
Last weekend, I joined about 50 disciples from OLL, OLC, and OLO as we traveled to the Steubenville Mid-America Conference in Springfield. Together with more than 4,000 teens from across the Midwest, we gathered to encounter Christ in a powerful and life-changing way. The speakers were outstanding, Team Priest Fr. Fernando Camou’s personal witness was deeply moving, and Bishop Rice’s presence and preaching were both inspiring and challenging. It was a blessing to witness transformation unfolding in real time. With that in mind, I wanted to share a few key takeaways from Bishop Rice’s Sunday homily on the “Parable of the Sower.”
Bishop Rice opened his homily with a humorous but pointed observation about modern culture. He noted how obsessed the world has become with outward appearance; anti‑aging products, cosmetic procedures, filters, and even the endless search for ways to prevent hair loss. With a smile, he joked that men will try almost anything to keep their hair, and that society pours billions into staying wrinkle‑free and “forever young.” The teens laughed, but the bishop’s message was clear: we spend enormous energy trying to look good on the outside while often neglecting the far more important work of becoming good on the inside.
This contrast sets the stage for the heart of his homily. Bishop Rice reminded the youth that while the world is fixated on preserving the exterior, Jesus is focused on transforming the interior. He then turned to the Gospel of the day and invited the young people to consider the condition of their hearts. God, he said, is always sowing seeds of grace. The question is never about the generosity of the Sower, but the readiness of the soil.
He challenged the teens to ask themselves: What kind of soil am I? Are they rocky soil that receives God’s Word with excitement but quickly fades when life becomes difficult? Are they thorny soil, where distractions, temptations, and cultural pressures choke out spiritual growth? Or are they rich, fertile soil capable of bearing fruit “thirty, sixty, or a hundredfold”?
Bishop Rice emphasized that authentic discipleship cannot be passive or inherited. Faith must be chosen, nurtured, and lived intentionally. He urged the youth not to let the powerful experiences of the conference remain within the walls of the arena. He said, “If all of this stays here, then what was the point?” The true measure of the weekend is not the emotion of the moment but the transformation that follows once they return home.
He encouraged them to cultivate their hearts through daily prayer and challenged them to replace “look maxing” with “faith maxing” or “Catholic maxing.” In other words, he invited them to take intentional steps to deepen their interior lives: attending daily Mass when possible, spending time in Eucharistic Adoration, and praying the rosary. These spiritual practices keep the soil of the heart soft, deep, and receptive. Holiness, he reminded them, is not complicated; it is found in daily fidelity, small acts of love, and openness to God’s grace. Even the smallest seeds, when planted in good soil, can bear an abundant harvest.
His homily was both challenging and hopeful. It honored the powerful experiences of the weekend while calling the youth to a long‑term, life‑changing response. As they left the arena, Bishop Rice’s words echoed: the seeds have been planted, now it is time to grow.