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This Will Pass – Our Faith Will Endure

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St. Philip Neri: priest; missionary; founder of the Congregation of the Oratory, a community of Catholic priests and lay brothers. Known for his knack to engage people in conversation, which, in turn, would lead people to Jesus, and charitable work for the sick and the poor. He was born in 1515; he died in 1595.

Fast forward to 2020.
Have you paid attention to the human-interest stories of late? Stories about surviving COVID; stories of neighbor helping neighbor; stories of first responders; stories of nurses and doctors battling this virus, amidst many obstacles; stories of recovered patients donating their blood. So many stories, so much faith.

St. Paul traveled all over his known world, preaching the gospel of Jesus. He did his best. He didn’t look back to those who would not listen, because he did his best. Paul’s message was delivered with conviction and joy. He evangelized, as did Philip Neri.

Are you, today, recognizing Evangelization? In most of the stories I listed above, have you noticed one thing in common? Almost all of those involved thank God, thank Jesus, credit their survival, hard work, care, and love of one another to their faith. “God was with us,” “God will see us through,” “I get strength from Jesus,” “I couldn’t carry on without my faith.” These are just a few of the ways that these folks express their faith.
I believe they are all sincere. I choose to believe that not one of these folks is “just saying it” because it seems like the right thing to do. They are evangelizing, without the benefit of a pulpit.

Can we do the same? When all this has passed away, will OUR faith endure?

God Bless.

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Jeanne Penoyar, an Accounts Manager at Diocesan, is a Lector at St. Anthony of Padua parish in Grand Rapids, MI. Jeanne has worked in parish ministry as an RCIA director, in Liturgy, and as a Cantor. Working word puzzles and reading fill her spare time. Jeanne can be reached at jpenoyar@diocesan.com.

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A Heavenly Perspective

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It can be easy to get bogged down in the struggles of daily life. Even when we are not dealing with a global pandemic, fear, anxiety, and depression can quickly creep in. Uncertainty leads to fear, fear leads to anxiety, anxiety leads to disorientation, and disorientation leads to depression. Once we enter into this state, tunnel vision ensues. Our gaze remains fixed on the earth, unable to see anything beyond the immediate.

When we hear the readings at Mass, we sometimes skip over the Alleluia verse. Pay close attention to it today: “if then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:1). Seek what is above. This is a call for all experiencing uncertainty, fear, anxiety, and depression, but it is also a perennial call. No matter what the circumstances, we ought to look up, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

Saint Paul had to remind the disciples in Ephesus of this. As we hear in the first reading, they did not even know that the Holy Spirit existed. They had only been baptized with John’s baptism, and they did not realize that something greater awaited them: “‘John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus’” (Acts 19:4). The Ephesian disciples didn’t realize it, but they were always meant to look beyond earthly baptism. They were meant to be baptized into Christ, turning their gaze to the things that are above.

Christ reminds the Apostles of the same thing in the Gospel. Even when the Apostles are confident that they have reached the heights of faith, Jesus reminds them that there are trials ahead: ‘“Do you believe now? Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived when each of you will be scattered to his own home and you will leave me alone.’” (John 16:31-21). Each scattered into his own home, left alone…sound familiar? By now, I’m sure that we can all relate to that experience.

In these dark times and in the brighter days beginning to follow, Jesus tells us how to move forward: seek what is above. “But I am not alone, because the Father is with me. I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.’” (John 16:32-33).

Take courage: Christ has conquered the world. The Father is with Him in heaven, where He has ascended in glory. This is simple enough to say, but how can we keep it in mind? How can we seek what is above, always focusing on the things of heaven? How can we have a heavenly perspective and experience the peace that Christ promises?

One practical way to cultivate a heavenly perspective is extemporaneous prayer, or prayer in the moment. Each time we encounter a difficult situation, an upcoming challenge, or even a great joy, we can quickly say a prayer to the Lord. “O God, give me courage and wisdom.” “Lord, be with me.” “Father, I give You praise for Your goodness.” These quick prayers keep us from getting stuck on earth. Each time we send up an extemporaneous prayer, we turn our head towards heaven, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Turning back to the earth, we carry His light with us.

Simply speaking about heavenly things is another good way to seek what is above. The more we talk about the Faith, God, and Christian life, the easier it is to see things in light of them. Having good friends who are willing to talk about their experiences with living the Christian life and are willing to engage the meatier topics of the Faith is a great thing. Even a quick mention of faith in a conversation, telling someone that we will pray for them, can turn our gaze upward. The more we are talking about heaven, the more it will permeate our lives.

In both troubling and good times, we are called to seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Armed with the grace of the Holy Spirit, we can use extemporaneous prayer and spiritual conversation to remain with the Lord. He has conquered the world; we need only to keep His victory in sight.

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David is the Associate Director of Liturgy for a group of parishes in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. When he is not spending time with his wife and infant daughter, he is writing on philosophy and theology for various online publications. You can find some of these in Crisis Magazine and the Imaginative Conservative, and you can contact him at ddashiellwork@gmail.com.

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Christ Ascends to the Father

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“‘So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.’ Christ’s body was glorified at the moment of his Resurrection, as proved by the new and supernatural properties it subsequently and permanently enjoys. But during the forty days when he eats and drinks familiarly with his disciples and teaches them about the kingdom, his glory remains veiled under the appearance of ordinary humanity. Jesus’ final apparition ends with the irreversible entry of his humanity into divine glory, symbolized by the cloud and by heaven, where he is seated from that time forward at God’s right hand.” -CCC 659

Have you ever been confused by the Ascension? God becomes a man and dies for our sins only to leave us here on this earth? I always struggled to wrap my mind around it. But this quote from the Catechism gives me such hope and joy.

See, Jesus came to die for our sins, but not only that. That’s a reductionist view of what Jesus did for us if that is our only focus. As if that one moment of death was the epitome of his purpose. That’s simply not giving God enough credit. We must look at his ENTIRE life and mission in order to see how deep his love really is for us.

At the fall we sinned against an immortal being, we could not pay back the hurt that was caused. The only possible hope for our fallen human nature is for God to take it on, dispel the bad, resurrect the good, and then bring it to his Father. That is precisely what he did. Salvation history doesn’t stop with the crucifixion. It doesn’t even stop with the resurrection. Jesus resurrected human nature through his power, but he still had to take his place at the right hand of God and bring human nature with him into divine glory.

He is the one mediator between God and man, as we hear in scripture. Our broken humanity is resurrected when he conquered sin and death, but then he brings humanity fully and irreversibly into divine glory through his ascension. Now for all eternity, Jesus sits next to the father to be a constant reminder that we have been redeemed.

There is a lot of talk that the end of the world is coming. I think fear has entered our hearts through the current pandemic and we start thinking and worrying about things that are outside of our control. Whether the end of the world is coming is not the question we should be trying to figure out. After all, we are told that nobody knows the time or place. What we should be concerned with is the gift God has given us through his ascension. He has taken our humanity into the depths of divine love. What is our response to that kind of action? Do we waste it with our time here on earth or do we thank him and live in joy and hope, longing for the day we join him?

This is a tough question to ask, but it’s the one that needs to be answered in our hearts. Have we said yes to God and his gift? Or have we rejected the invitation into divine life? Let’s pray that we all have the grace to one day ascend into our heavenly home, just as Jesus did. God Bless!

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Tommy Shultz is Director of Evangelization for the North Allegan Catholic Collaborative and the founder of Rodzinka Ministries. In these roles, he is committed to bringing all those he meets into a deeper relationship with Christ. Tommy has a heart and a flair for inspiring people to live their faith every day. He has worked in various youth ministry, adult ministry, and diocesan roles. He has been a featured speaker at retreats and events across the country. His mission and drive have been especially inspired by St. John Paul II’s teachings. Tommy is blessed to be able to learn from the numerous parishes he visits and pass that experience on in his presentations. With a degree in Theology from Franciscan University, Tommy hopes to use his knowledge to help all people understand the beauty of The Faith.

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Complete Joy

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Last Saturday, I was able to participate in a friend’s ordination into the transitional diaconate via live feed. It brought me great joy to see his immediate family as well as a few priests who have been mentors taking part in the celebration of this sacred rite and liturgy. I was part of the community of saints who prayed with him on his journey and who chuckled and smiled when the vestments were tangled during his robing of deacon attire. The joy was palpable as the Bishop (while masked) laid hands, welcoming him into a new part of his journey, ordained life.

The first reading today speaks about the community in Ephesus helping a brother learn more about the Way and teachings of Jesus. That is exactly what happens for our seminarians. The beautiful thing is that it also happens for all who wish to learn more about faith, God, and receiving the sacraments. There is joy in listening to and learning about the gospel, the Way of Jesus Christ.

Pope Francis, in his encyclical The Joy of the Gospel said:

“I invite all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment, to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ, or at least an openness to letting him encounter them; I ask all of you to do this unfailingly each day. No one should think that this invitation is not meant for him or her, since “no one is excluded from the joy brought by the Lord” (#3).

Our psalm today has us shouting to God in gladness as the great king over all the earth. Pope Francis goes on in #167 of the encyclical to say:

“ Proclaiming Christ means showing that to believe in and to follow him is not only something right and true, but also something beautiful, capable of filling life with new splendour and profound joy, even in the midst of difficulties…” (#167)

Think of the joy you felt when you were able to successfully ‘log in’ to a live liturgy (or a recorded one) during this pandemic. There is joy and community in that shared experience. We were able to see the faces of our clergy and hear the gospel proclaimed by those we care about. Pope Francis wrote in his opening: 

“The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept his offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness. With Christ joy is constantly born anew.” (#1)

As I look forward to being at the table for a physical encounter with Jesus through the reception of the Eucharist, I have His words of the gospel, which fill my heart with joy and hope at all times. God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good.

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Beth is part of the customer care team at Diocesan. She brings a unique depth of experience to the group due to her time spent in education, parish ministries, sales and the service industry over the last 25 yrs. She is a practicing spiritual director as well as a Secular Franciscan (OFS). Beth is quick to offer a laugh, a prayer or smile to all she comes in contact with. Reach her here bprice@diocesan.com.

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Perseverance Through Faith and Hope

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Both readings for today urge us to have hope in the presence of Christ. In the first reading, we hear of St. Paul’s experience in Corinth. He is confronted with persecution but is able to persevere because of the faith and hope he places in God’s presence: “Do not be afraid. Go on speaking, and do not be silent, for I am with you.” In hearing the words of God, St. Paul is emboldened to continue preaching the Gospel despite what hardships may befall him. In a homily from 2014, Pope Francis described St. Paul as a “very courageous man” and encouraged us to follow the example of St. Paul. We, like St. Paul, experience fear, pain, and suffering and sometimes that causes us to question our faith or to ask God why. Why me? Why this feeling? Why do I have to suffer? I suppose the answer to those questions is joy. We experience fear and pain and suffering so that we can encounter true joy. Christ in His passion showed us that in order for us to be redeemed, we must first carry a cross. He carried His own cross so that we might enter into eternal life with Him, but in doing so, He also called us on to live a Christian life. The Christian life is not easy, nor is it meant to be, but the reward is the fulfillment of our greatest desire.

In the Gospel, Christ tells the disciples exactly that; they will feel great sorrow when He leaves them, but the joy they feel in the Resurrection cannot be taken from them. I think it is also important to note that this sorrow the disciples will feel when they are separated from Christ is the same sorrow that we experience when we are away from the Sacraments, especially that of Confession. We need Christ in our everyday lives. We need His love and His forgiveness if we want to enter into eternal life with him. At this time, I know it feels difficult to participate in the Sacraments, but Christ suffered for us so that we may place our hope in His Resurrection. As Christ said to His disciples, “…you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve but your grief will become joy…But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you”.

May we continue to hope in Christ and His Resurrection!

St. Rita, pray for us!

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Dakota currently lives in Denver, CO and teaches English Language Development and Spanish to high schoolers. She is married to the love of her life, Ralph. In her spare time, she reads, goes to breweries, and watches baseball. Dakota’s favorite saints are St. John Paul II (how could it not be?) and St. José Luis Sánchez del Río. She is passionate about her faith and considers herself blessed at any opportunity to share that faith with others. Check out more of her writing at https://dakotaleonard16.blogspot.com.

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It is better for you that I go

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“But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you” (John 16:7).

Jesus speaks these words to His disciples before He enters into His Passion. They do not understand it then, and they do not understand it now when He is about to ascend to the Father. How can it be a good thing for Jesus to leave? He only just rose from the dead. Forty days of precious moments were not enough for the Apostles. After all, He hasn’t even restored the Kingdom to Israel!

At this decisive moment, Jesus speaks His last words while walking the earth: “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8-9). With that, He disappears into the clouds. Why has He left so soon? What does this mean?

It may seem that Christ has left His disciples in confusion, in the dark. He is gone, after all. But He is not simply leaving; He is going somewhere, to where He belongs, at the Father’s right hand. With His Ascension, Christ reigns triumphant and completes His mission on earth. He has trampled death and conquered sin, and now He ascends resurrected into heaven.

Going up with shouts of joy, He carries both His natures intact: divine and human. Taking His rightful place, He sends the promised Holy Spirit and charges the Apostles: continue my mission on earth. Receive the power promised to you. Be my witnesses. Restore the Kingdom. “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).

It may seem, especially in these times, that the Lord has abandoned us. Though many states are re-opening and public Masses are beginning to return, it is not the same as it once was. It can feel as if Jesus is distant. Even so, the Ascension reminds us of something important: the Lord intends to do something great with this situation. We may not be able to notice Him as easily, but He remains seated on His throne, triumphant and guarding His Church until the end of time. He has sent His Spirit to empower us and strengthen us.

We do not need to understand everything that is happening to experience this grace. We need only to trust in the promise of Christ. King triumphant, He has raised our human nature to divine heights, all the while giving us the grace to experience this magnificence here and now. In our Baptism, we received the Holy Spirit, and in Confirmation, we were sealed with His gifts. These gifts are always available to us, even though we may have forgotten them.

We know that something great awaits us. Christ gives us the Comforter in this life, and at the same time, He shows us what we will become in the next. In our struggles on this earth, we are given grace and peace to weather storms. But in the end, we can look forward to something even better. Christ has left the earth, but He is alive and reigning in the heavens. When all has been accomplished, He will come again to take us with Him, and then all will be as it should be.

“Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven” (Acts 1:11).

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David is the Associate Director of Liturgy for a group of parishes in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. When he is not spending time with his wife and infant daughter, he is writing on philosophy and theology for various online publications. You can find some of these in Crisis Magazine and the Imaginative Conservative, and you can contact him at ddashiellwork@gmail.com.

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Truth and Idolatry

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Today’s Mass readings start with St. Paul in Athens. The first verse sounds a bit like an installment in a serial novel… ‘after Paul’s escorts took him to Athens…’ What happened before this?

Paul had been in northern Greece and wasn’t too well received. In fact, Philippi is a city in northern Greece where, you may remember, he and Silas were imprisoned, and miraculously released in the night by an earthquake (a favorite story from my Sunday School days).

His friends thought Paul had better find somewhere else to preach, so he was taken to Athens. He arrives in the city and is distressed by the idols everywhere. Naturally, Paul wastes no time in telling the Athenians about Jesus–both at the synagogue and in the marketplace.

He makes his way to the Areopagus, the place where cases were tried and ideas debated. Upon seeing the altar to the ‘Unknown God’, he delivers his famous sermon.

In reading this passage, I was struck by a couple of things. First of all, Paul doesn’t tell the Athenians how wrong they were to worship their idols, and how foolish they were to believe these idols could control their lives. Instead, he tells them of God the Father’s love for them and his plan from creation throughout all of history to provide the means of repentance and redemption through Jesus. He doesn’t need to set up a ‘straw man’ that he then knocks down to prove God’s supremacy over their idols. The message is enough, and it is what they long for because it is the truth.

Secondly, he didn’t convince everyone. He did his best and left the results with God. This leads directly to the Gospel reading about the Spirit of Truth. God’s Spirit will work in the heart of every person in due course. It’s not our responsibility to determine when that is; it is our responsibility to tell them the Good News so the Spirit can work.

These last months of silence due to closed churches have been difficult to endure, much less understand. Perhaps we should see them as an opportunity to boldly proclaim the Good News. Our secular culture has increasingly embraced death during recent years, not just the literal death of abortion and euthanasia, but the spiritual death of calling good evil and evil good. There is no life in it, and those who live by it are desperate for deliverance and might not even know it.

We don’t need to know every nuance of other churches or religions, to explain why the culture of death isn’t working. We know the truth, and, as Paul says, ‘in Him we live, and move, and have our being.’

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Pamela joined Diocesan’s staff in 2006, after a number of years in the non-profit sector. Her experience is in non-profit administration including management, finance, and program development, along with database management and communications. She was a catechist in her parish RCIA program for over 15 years, as well as chairperson of their Liturgy Commision. Received into the Catholic Church as an adult, Pamela’s faith formation was influenced by her Mennonite extended family, her Baptist childhood, and her years as a Reformed Presbyterian (think Scott Hahn).

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Build Up Strength Within Me

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In today’s Gospel, Jesus warns his disciples that He will soon be leaving this world. He tells them something that must have been so hard for their hearts to hear: “It is better for you that I go.” I can only imagine each of them shaking their heads in disbelief and grief. “Why? Why? Why?! There’s no way it could be better for us to be left alone…” and then they would hear the rest of His words about sending an Advocate, and their hope would be somewhat restored.

I think this could be similar to losing a loved one. People are trying to tell you that they are in a better place, that they are no longer suffering, but all you want to do is shake your head and say, “No! No! No! I can’t live without this person! What am I going to do!?” Perhaps as time passes and your head clears, you can admit to yourself how amazing it is to have an intercessor in heaven praying for you, someone you can now talk to anytime you want, but you still miss that person terribly.

We can probably all relate to the 1st Reading as well, although in a more figurative way. Paul and Silas were stripped, beaten with rods, inflicted with many blows, and thrown into prison. I have read many social media posts where people feel stripped down to their very core; they are worn down and beaten. They may even feel like they have spent so much time in their own home that it now feels like a prison. We are tired, defeated, and desolate.

Yet just as God sent an earthquake to free these two apostles from their chains, He also wants to shake up our souls. In times of crisis, we turn our hearts more fully to Him. Have we done that yet? Does God see a marked change in us? Or have we continued on as always and just changed a few external routines?

Perhaps God is giving us an opportunity to continue learning and growing, and at the appropriate time, he will fling those prison doors wide open. Just as the jailer saw the power of God and converted, so can we. We, too can be recipients of His promise: “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved.”

As I write, we are in the midst of a Global Day of Prayer and Action for Humanity. We are once again joining together as fellow earthlings to pray for God’s mercy and to show His mercy to others to the best of our ability. Last week we had Giving Tuesday to support organizations that are helping others. Maybe it sounds cliche by now, but we are truly all in this together, much in the same way that each and every one of us are a beloved child of God.

Some suggest praying as if what you ask for has already been granted, so that is what I choose to do today. Join me in praying this Psalm:

I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart,
for you have heard the words of my mouth [].
Because of your kindness and your truth,
you have made great above all things
your name and your promise.
When I called, you answered me;
you built up strength within me.

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Tami grew up in Western Michigan, a middle child in a large Catholic family. She spent early young adulthood as a missionary in Mexico, studying theology and philosophy, then worked and traveled extensively before finishing her Bachelor’s Degree in Western Kentucky. She loves tackling home improvement projects, finding fun ways to keep her four boys occupied, quiet conversation with the hubby and finding unique ways to love. She works at Diocesan, is a guest blogger on CatholicMom.com and BlessedIsShe.net, runs her own blog at https://togetherandalways.wordpress.com and has been doing Spanish translations on the side for almost 20 years.

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The Advocate is Sent

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As Jesus is preparing to offer himself completely for love of the Father and for us, he takes a moment to prepare his disciples also. He opens their eyes to the truth that his mission is not ending with his death, but is only beginning: the Church is born from his outpouring on the Cross, and the Spirit of truth will be sent to assist the disciples in this ongoing mission.

Jesus warns them now of the difficulties and confusion that will come so that these difficulties and persecutions will not cause them to doubt or second-guess their mission to bring truth – to bring Jesus – to all the world. The “Advocate,” the Spirit of truth, is sent BY Jesus FROM the Father to testify to the truth of Christ. This Spirit remains with the Church throughout time, ensuring that it will remain faithful no matter the circumstances.

History has proven this to be the case. Every kind of human wrong and evil have touched the Church, and yet it remains standing as the beacon of truth: wars, persecutions, heresy, greed, confusion, sin; all of these have had their grip on the members of the Church and hierarchy throughout history, and yet the Church has never succumbed. Never has the Church made an official declaration (ex cathedra) that is not true. 

Never has the line of succession from the Apostles themselves been broken. Through all the failures and confusions of the fallen humans that make up the Church, the Bride of Christ has continued to bear the Good News of Jesus Christ to the world, and transform cultures. This can only be the work of grace, the gift of the Spirit.

From the preservation of literacy in Western Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire to the founding of universities; from the great art Christianity has inspired to the sacred music of composers like Vivaldi, Mozart, and Beethoven; from the elevation of women and protection of widows in ancient society to the valuing of all human life, including orphans; from the contributions to the legal system to the commitment to opposition to any form of racial or ethnic segregation or prejudice; from the staggering contributions of the Jesuits to science to the heart-rending charity of the Missionaries of Charity to the sick and the poor; the Church has brought the light of Christ and the creativity and freedom of the Spirit to every human endeavor.

Disciples are sent to bring truth to the world. This does not happen only in organizations or saints or systems. It happens every day through each one of us. Each day, we walk in the newness of the Spirit, we walk with Christ, we walk as children of the Father, bringing God’s light to every darkened place. Where is God sending each of us to gently challenge with His light and peace today!

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Kathryn Mulderink, MA, is married to Robert, Station Manager for Holy Family Radio. Together they have seven children (including newly ordained Father Rob and seminarian Luke ;-), and two grandchildren. She is a Secular Discalced Carmelite and has published five books and many articles. Over the last 25 years, she has worked as a teacher, headmistress, catechist, Pastoral Associate, and DRE. Currently, she serves the Church as a writer and voice talent for Catholic Radio, by publishing and speaking, and by collaborating with the diocesan Office of Catechesis, various parishes, and other ministries to lead others to encounter Christ and engage their faith. Her website is https://www.kathryntherese.com/.

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Born for This

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Each of us has a purpose, a role to play in building God’s kingdom. That purpose, that role is so unique, that no one else in the history of humankind, no else who is ever to be born, can fulfill your role just as no one else can fulfill my role.

That means that we, yes, you and me, we were born for this time. We were created to live here and now in the midst of all this craziness and sickness and suffering and politics and whatever else is going on in the world. We were literally born for this.

It also means that my role isn’t the same as your role. So whatever your role is right now, well done! You may be a mom or dad holding it together while spending 24/7 with those little creatures who want to eat constantly, need to learn, and are constantly picking on their siblings and pushing your buttons. You may be someone who is socially isolated by health or age or other circumstances and have more time on your hands than you ever dreamed possible and are struggling with loneliness. You may be working and struggling with fear and awkwardness at the new social norms. You may be leading your family or a business or a faith community and feeling unsure of what to do next or where you want to be, much less taking responsibility for anyone else. There are a gazillion more maybes, and one of them is yours.

But whatever our roles are, today’s readings make abundantly clear what we have in common. We are to “sanctify Christ as Lord” in our hearts. We are to love God and keep his commandments. What is the greatest commandment? To love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your mind and all your soul and then to love your neighbor as yourself. I have heard it said that when we truly love God first, we just naturally demonstrate that love through our neighbors.

It is time to get creative and find new ways of loving.

A friend of mine has taken to visiting care facilities with her blind dog, Booker (there is a whole ‘nother great story there!) to help people celebrate birthdays. They show up with a sign and hats and wave through the window and help people who are so incredibly isolated know that they are loved and remembered. We need to follow her example and think outside of the box for new ways to reach out. Try sending a card to a nursing home or hospital simply addressed to “Someone Who Needs a Smile.” Your children don’t know what to color anymore? Have them decorate a heart to send off to a fire or police station to let these first responders know they are supported. Have your children help you make a list of people to thank and declare once a week Heart Day when you send off your handmade hearts to warm the hearts of others.

Do you wake up in the night, unable to sleep? How about saying a Divine Mercy chaplet for someone who is alone in the hospital fighting for their life or, better yet, someone who is about to meet Jesus. Your prayers are efficacious, they really work and are so needed!

Depressed by the negativity on social media? Try posting a Bible verse a day. Or simply ask people how you can pray for them today. There are people who will respond to you who may not ever respond to anyone else. Then do it, spend some time in prayer lifting up others.

They need you. We all need you. In a time of social distancing, we need each other more than ever. Not only that, but we are also called to it by God himself. Jesus promises that he would not leave us orphans. He sends us an advocate, the Holy Spirit. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we will see Jesus now when we see him present in those around us, we see him in each other’s suffering and joy.

So wherever you are, however you are coping with this pandemic, well done you. Today, take a deep breath and ask God to show you who he needs you to love today. Put him first and then let him show you who to love next.

You’ve got this. Matter of fact, you were born for this.

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Sheryl delights in being the number 1 cheerleader and supporter for her husband, Tom who is a candidate for the Permanent Diaconate in the Diocese of Kalamazoo. They are so grateful for the opportunity to grow together in this process whether it is studying for classes, deepening their prayer life or discovering new ways to serve together. Sheryl’s day job is serving her community as the principal for St. Therese Catholic School in Wayland, Michigan. Since every time she thinks she gets life all figured out, she realizes just how far she has to go, St. Rita of Cascia is her go-to Saint for intercession and help. Home includes Brea, a Bernese Mountain dog and Carlyn, a very, very goofy Golden Retriever.

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Christ in our Midst

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I used to live in the city, and would often stop at red lights where homeless persons sometimes aggregated, asking for help. (I can only imagine how now much their numbers will have multiplied today in view of the current economy). I always kept one-dollar bills folded up and at hand to give to them, and I gave to every person I saw. I know—I always knew—that some of them would use the money for things I didn’t want them to use it for, but that was fine: I was giving them a gift, not a bribe. A gift means there are no strings attached. Life is the gift that God has given us, and he lets us make of it what we will: we’re free to, as Richard Bach once wrote, “write lies, or nonsense, or to tear the pages.” So I always gave. And there was always that thought in the back of my mind: any one of these people could be Christ in disguise.

In fact, when one day the light changed before I could hand something to the man with the cardboard sign and I drove on, I couldn’t get him out of my mind. All I could hear were the words of St. Matthew: “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me.”

I turned the car around and went back.

Was it Jesus I gave money to? God reveals himself to us in many ways—and, sometimes, in ways we miss, or almost miss. God is relentless in pursuing us. God is love and, as love, he wants us to know and recognize him, take pleasure and joy in his presence.

The Hebrew Bible shows us that God revealed himself to his chosen people slowly, over time. Throughout our lifetime, also slowly and sometimes in strange ways, God continues to reveal himself to us.

Today’s readings are all about God revealing himself in surprising places (and to surprising people). Philip was minding his own business when the angel told him to go out and address the Ethiopian traveling down the road. This was an important personage—essentially the head of the queen’­s treasury department—and a lesser man than Philip might have been daunted. Seeing the traveler reading from Scripture, Philip went one further and challenged him as to whether or not he understood what he was reading, offering to explain the passage. Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter… “Who could this be?” demanded the Ethiopian. “Who is the prophet referring to?” Philip told him about Jesus, and the Ethiopian, overcome, requested baptism immediately. Would you expect God’s messenger to be someone who stops you on the road and asks you whether or not you know what you’re doing?

In the Gospel, it’s Jesus who is revealing who he is—and not just who he is, but who sent him. Most of the people surrounding Jesus accepted his authority: he was a rabbi, a teacher; he was a prophet; he was clearly a man of God. But now they’re looking at him with fresh eyes: he is not just a man of God, but he is God, God Incarnate, and he is promising eternal life. Would you expect God’s Son to be a man who looks just like everybody else?

God is constantly doing the unexpected, surprising us over and over again with his message of love and these promises of life. In graced moments, the presence of God shines crystal-clear in the midst of the world. In inviting us to be part of the community of faith, Christ draws in the whole world, even those (perhaps especially those) on whom the world has turned its back.

One of my favorite authors, C.S. Lewis, writes that “there are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. It is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit—immortal horrors or everlasting splendors.” As God reveals himself to us, he is also constantly revealing himself in us. All of us.

The twentieth-century mystic Caryll Houselander  says that “if we see everyone in our life as ‘another Christ,’ we shall treat everyone with the reverence and objectivity that must grow into love (…) once that is understood we can never again feel completely frustrated by anyone, or lose the serenity of our minds by nursing a grievance.”

God is constantly revealing himself and his love, not to people but through them. All we have to do is notice.

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Jeannette de Beauvoir is a writer and editor with the digital department of Pauline Books & Media, working on projects as disparate as newsletters, book clubs, ebooks, and retreats that support the apostolate of the Daughters of St. Paul at http://www.pauline.org.

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Alleluia, Alleluia

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Alleluia, alleluia.
I call you my friends, says the Lord,
for I have made known to you all that the Father has told me.
Alleluia, alleluia.

Today’s alleluia really snapped me back into the reality of my faith and that reality is that I am not as alone as I feel.

This past week was extremely difficult for me. I’ve found myself more immersed in my faith while being in quarantine, which is wonderful, but I have also found my faith being tested. What was a welcome relationship some weeks ago is once again strained. I’ve had my insecurities pulled to the surface by well-intentioned hearts, my own words twisted to fit another person’s narrative, and those issues I thought I had laid to rest? Well, they’re pesky little things, let me tell ya!

Throughout all of this, I began to feel as though the distance of my good friends and the proximity of my family has made me feel a little… cagey? So today, as I read the Alleluia, I was reminded that the friend I should hold most dear, is always here with me. 

“It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you.” 

John 15:16 reminds me that I have always been chosen, especially in the weakest of moments of my faith. I do not need to have the strength, as long as I trust in God’s strength. It reminded me that I have always been loved by my Lord, even when I find it difficult to love myself. I have always had a friend, even when I feel so very alone in my thoughts. My God understands that I am not perfect, regardless of being created in His perfect image. He does not demand perfection, but, above all, faith. My Father knows my struggles and my doubts and still, He calls me His chosen child. 

During this time of social distancing and quarantining, difficult relationships, and feelings of defeat, it is important to keep all of these things in mind. While our God demands a lot of us, He is also a loving God that wants us to come to him. 

Take a moment today to realign yourself with His endless love for you. 

Let us pray:

God of Goodness,
I come into your presence so aware of my human frailty and yet overwhelmed by your love for me.
I thank you that there is no human experience that I might walk through where your love cannot reach me.
If I climb the highest mountain you are there and yet if I find myself in the darkest valley of my life, you are there.
Teach me today to love you more.
Help me to rest in that love that asks nothing more than the simple trusting heart of a child.
Amen.
– Author Unknown

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.