This weekend we celebrate that day when Jesus Christ, having risen from the dead and appeared to his disciples with his gift of peace and his command to preach to all the nations, ascended to heaven to be with the Father forever. The portion of his mission which necessitated his physical presence here on earth…
We continue to celebrate the Easter season, this fifty-day celebration of the Risen Lord’s victory over the grave. It stretches from Easter Sunday to Pentecost Sunday, when we mark the day when the Holy Spirit came down upon the first apostles. At the Last Supper Jesus told his disciples that he and the Father would…
Today’s first reading comes from the Acts of the Apostles. The beauty of this book is thefocus on action, inspired by direct contact with Jesus. It is through these acts of faith,courage, and love that we have the worldwide church as we know it today. Each of us has a responsibility to continue this mission…
“Love one another,” Jesus tells his disciples. No, Jesus commands his disciples. This is how everyone will know that they are his disciples. As we gather, we ask ourselves if we can be recognized by our love. Do we show the love we have for one another in what we do and say? Do we…
In this coming Sunday’s Gospel the risen Lord appears to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. He had already appeared to them in the upper room in Jerusalem—twice—but they still didn’t recognize him until he led them to catch a miraculous number of fish. We too may not recognize the risen Lord in our…
Divine mercy is like the wind: invisible, but with effects that can be sensed. We may feel the lifting of a burden off our shoulders as a fresh breeze on a new day and a new chance to do good. Today on Divine Mercy Sunday we hear John’s account of the coming of the Holy…
The palm branches we will bless symbolize the welcome Jesus received as he entered Jerusalem. In riding upon a colt newly pressed into service with people spreading their cloaks on the road before him, Jesus entered the city as the messianic king. Though he was not the Messiah they expected, the victory he went on…
As we approach the holiest time of the year, we are afforded the opportunity to realize how transformative God is. Again and again, God has transformed the world and the human race, never as much as when raising Jesus from the dead. But God also transforms us individually—in baptism, when we are given a new…
Today on our journey through this penitential season we are reminded of the promise the Lord makes to us. God asked Abraham to look up to the heavens and witness the uncountable stars in the sky. Peter, John, and James looked up to the heavens and saw Jesus transfigured to shine like the sun. As…
We undergo numerous trials in our lives. A loved one is rolled into surgery, we are laid off from work, a friend invites us to participate in something we know is unethical. All difficult situations, all occasions we feel we cannot face alone. We hope to turn to God, trusting that the Lord will accompany…