Posted on

This Saying is Hard

Click here for daily readings

In yesterday’s Gospel, Jesus says the hard saying: “Unless you eat of the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood, you do not have life within you.”

These words, if we think about them, are still hard to hear, because they go beyond our reason and understanding. We ask, as the Jews did, “How can this be?” How can it be that God is present under the appearances of Bread and Wine in the Eucharist?

Jesus knows it is hard, but he also knows it is not the only hard thing for us to accept with our human minds and hearts. “Does this shock you? What if there are even more shocking things? And yet, this is Truth, this is Spirit and Life if you believe it. You have to see with the heart to understand this; you have to open your spirit to the limitlessness of my love and desire for you to begin to grasp this; you have to accept that my ways are not your ways, and that I am not limited by human understanding. If all that I am and all I long to do for you were to fit into the confines of your skull, I would be very small. But I am Who am. Before Abraham was, I am. I am infinite and eternal. And I can do things that you cannot grasp, except with the heart.”

Jesus wants us all to open ourselves radically to His Truth and His Love, just as he wanted to Apostles, his close friends and collaborators on earth, to accept all he had planned for them. And he knew it was hard for them (especially before Pentecost) and so he asks them, as others are walking away from him in disappointment: “Do you also want to leave?” He does not try to explain it all right now, he does not plead with them; he merely poses the question. And Simon Peter, often the first to respond, does not assert that they all understand or that this is easy for them to accept. He makes an act of faith, a sign of his willingness to accept whatever Jesus tells them, beyond reason and understanding: “You have the words of eternal life…you are the Holy One of God.”

What about us? When the things that we use to make sense of things stop making sense, to whom do we go? Are we open to all that the Lord longs to give us, even when we don’t understand the reasons, or see how it will go, or why it will be good? Do we walk away from the Lord in search of something that will satisfy our reason? Or do we remain with Him in trust, even when things make no sense to us? With Peter, we can say, “We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God,” and remain with Him in loving trust.

Contact the author

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/.

Posted on

A Powerful Transformation

Click here for daily readings

Before we dive into the scriptures this morning, I wanted to let everyone know that we have made some exciting changes to the blog. We have added some brand new writers along with those you have come to know and love. We will also be posting the blog every day at 5 AM Eastern Time. Thank you all for reading and may God bless you!

Today is the feast of St. Joseph the Worker and the first day of the month dedicated to Our Lady. I have always loved the month of May. We are still in the Easter season, the weather is finally feeling like spring consistently here in Michigan, and our short summer is only a few weeks away. It is also special to me because it is the month I got married; this year, we celebrate eight years.

In case you can’t tell, I am constantly looking for reasons to celebrate, or perhaps it ‘s my way of coping. Another way I cope is by doing home improvement projects. I look for ways to transform my house into what is most practical for our family and also what would increase its value should we ever choose to sell. As I write, we are painting, having electrical work done, creating closets in two bedrooms, and just beginning to think about how to split a large bathroom into two smaller ones with the least amount of plumbing work possible.

I would hope that some of the energy I am putting into transforming my home leaks over into my spiritual life as well, but alas, hoping is not enough. Today’ s First Reading talks about one of the biggest changes in Scripture, that of Saul ‘s personal transformation into Paul, the great apostle. He literally went from “breathing murderous threat” to” proclaim[ing] Jesus in the synagogue” all in one passage. He was struck blind in order to see the greatest truth known to man, that Jesus is the Son of God.

Now, I ‘m right there with you in feeling like this quarantine is the song that never ends, but I heard something on a live-streamed Mass this past Sunday that really helped put things in perspective. “As Christians, we should never say, ‘something has to change for me to have peace, joy, and happiness’ but rather, ‘something has to change IN ME in order to have peace joy and happiness'” (Fr. Mike Schmitz, paraphrase)Who ‘s to say that we can’t have a transformation just as powerful as St.Paul’s? Who’ ss to say that God does n’t want to open our eyes in much the same way? Does He love us any less? Does He desire any less for us? Does SOMETHING need to change? Or do WE need to change?

If I am constantly breathing venomous complaints, maybe it ‘s time I will be struck dumb of my own accord. If my mind is full of worry and fear, perhaps now is the perfect time to make an act of complete surrender. If my children are driving me crazy because they feel just as cooped up as I do, maybe it ‘s time to have a one on one with each of them to discern what their needs are, and then all go outside together to play.
I leave you with this uplifting part of today’ s Psalm: “For steadfast is his kindness toward us, and the fidelity of the Lord endures forever.” (Psalm 117:2)

Contact the author

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.

Posted on

How Much is Enough?

Click here for daily readings

I might as well start with an admission: I love English muffins. Give me a toasted English muffin, and I’m happy to put anything on it—honey, cheese, peanut butter, jam, avocado… I’m just happy. English muffins are generally both plentiful and inexpensive, and for years I’ve never given much thought to them as a preference. They just were.

And then the pandemic struck, and the bread aisle at my local supermarket was suddenly denuded; a swarm of locusts couldn’t have done a better job of wiping it out. A couple of packets of hot dog rolls and some suspicious-looking flatbreads were all that were left. I went home with other groceries, of course. I wasn’t close to starving. But I kept going to the refrigerator and reaching for those English muffins and feeling unsatisfied and even bereft when there were none.

Of course, it’s all just a matter of perspective, and if nothing else the pandemic has brought that understanding home to us, too. I might not have my food of choice; but I have enough food. In my community, in your community, throughout the world, there are people who don’t have enough. Children who will go to sleep tonight hungry. Beside that, my preference for English muffins seems a small, entitled thing.

But I think it’s significant that it’s bread I’m missing, the lack of bread that makes my life so incomplete. I was already thinking about that when I opened my missal to today’s Gospel reading, and there it was again. Bread.

Bread is such a basic part of life. Bread represents the most basic of human needs. It’s a fundamental part of the diets of nearly every world culture. It provides nourishment, sustenance, and vitality. “Give us this day our daily bread,” we are taught to pray. Why? Because we need it.

Perhaps because of its ubiquity, bread symbolizes our need of sustenance, and so it’s not surprising to find it featuring regularly in Scripture. There are at least seven words referencing bread in the Hebrew-language version of the Old Testament, and three Greek words referring to it in the New Testament. Mentioned at least 492 times in the original languages of the Bible, it is easy to see how important this food was to everyday life.

From the very beginning, God has longed to feed us, care for us, and lift us up to eternal life with him, and he has constantly been at work to fulfill his longing.

Food, and eating food, especially bread, is a theme the New Testament returns to again and again. When Jesus says in today’s Gospel, “I am the bread of life,” it isn’t just a figure of speech. Jesus meant the words literally. At the Last Supper the night before he died, he held bread in his hands and said to his friends, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me” (1 Corinthians 11:24). When Jesus called himself the bread of life, his listeners no doubt thought of Moses. Through Moses, God sent down manna, bread from heaven that fed the chosen people for 40 years before they reached the promised land. Jesus explained, “Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die” (John 6:49-51).

In feeding hungry people, Jesus recognized the emptiness inside them: not just the emptiness in their bodies, but in their hearts and souls and spirits. And today, more than two thousand years later, we’re still starving.

One of the many things about Christianity I value is its incarnational aspect. Not only did God become human, he blessed the world through his association with earthly things. He performed his first miracle with wine. He wrote words in the dirt. And he valued bread, the work of human hands. When one day Jesus was teaching in a remote and solitary place and it got late, he multiplied five small loaves of bread into enough to feed five thousand hungry people. Again and again we see him coming back to bread.

In an interview with a French Catholic publication, Mother Teresa once said, “The spiritual poverty of the western world is much greater than the physical poverty of our people. You, in the west, have millions of people who suffer such terrible loneliness and emptiness. They feel unloved and unwanted. These people are not hungry in the physical sense, but they are in another way. They know they need something more than money, yet they don’t know what it is. What they are missing, really, is a living relationship with God.”

So our souls need him. He is the very food our souls crave. Anyone apart from Christ remains famished and dying. Anything else is just empty calories—junk food. He is the answer to end all our spiritual cravings. He is enough.

I keep coming back to that concept in my thoughts and reflections and prayers, the concept of enough. I used to think of it as not particularly positive. Enough doesn’t sound like what I want; I want more! I want perfection! I want exactly what I want, when I want it! Yet more and more in these days of scarcity and fear, of uncertainty and pain, I’ve come to value the concept of “enough.” Enough isn’t second-best. It isn’t oh-well-better-luck-next-time. It is enough.

We don’t have the world we want. We have lost things we thought we couldn’t live without—jobs, a sense of security, friends and loved ones. We are using food banks and soup kitchens and the kindness of strangers for the bread our bodies need. It’s not perfect. It’s not what we’re accustomed to. But it’s enough.

And one place where we really do have enough is in our invitation to the Banquet of the Lamb, in sharing the true bread of life. We are all invited to be taught, to be fed, and to be one with him, and because of this privilege, we have to be sensitized to the needs of others. At the meals Jesus hosted, there were no guest lists. None was necessary, because everyone was invited. In our sharing of the bread of life, we are called to follow his lead in welcoming everyone to his table—and to our own.

Contact the author

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.

Posted on

Let All the Earth Cry Out to God with Joy

Click here for daily readings

“Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love
the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books that are now written in a very foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer.” -Ranier Maria Rilke

I don’t know about you, but I am kind of fond of feeling like I have some semblance of control. I carry my calendar everywhere, color code my appointments, events, and to-dos. I love the feeling I get when I can check something off my list. This time of not knowing, of change, of having questions with no answers is taking a toll. My biggest fear? What if feeling out of control is my new normal?

In today’s reading in Acts, we hear about a time of persecution when the dominant culture was trying to actively destroy the Church. But what happens? The exact opposite, “those who had been scattered went about preaching the word.” Whether it is an act of a government or a natural phenomenon like the Coronavirus, when the Church is scattered, it is a call to action for every Christian. But Jesus doesn’t expect us to act on our own. 

“I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”

Jesus knows what we need. Created in his image and likeness, He knows us more intimately than we know ourselves. He knows that we were created in the image and likeness of love, meaning that we are hardwired to give of ourselves in love. He knows that through the sludge and muck and mire we make of our lives, deep within us is a desire to love and be loved. Jesus is the tenderest of lovers in that he waits for us to be ready. Because we are more often tuned in to our physical hunger than our spiritual hunger, in today’s Gospel, Jesus appeals to our physical self. Our natural state is body and soul. In offering to feed our bodies, Jesus is telling us that when we turn to Him, He is ready, willing, and able to meet all our needs, both physical and spiritual. 

In my old normal, I strove to meet my needs by structuring and planning my days, by taking on more and more projects to inflate my sense of accomplishment. In this time of physical distancing from one another and spiritual distancing from the Sacraments, I can feel the tug on my heart to stop relying on myself for the answers and to lean more heavily on Him. This is a time to simply live each moment, trusting that God will provide in his time. Today’s readings reassure me of what will happen when I loosen my need for control and just live in his love. 

This new normal requires that I rely on God’s grace. The new normal gives me the space to set aside my questions so that I may patiently live into His answers. My new normal is to rely so fully on His grace, I leave behind my reliance on my own accomplishments and receive the bread of life with an open heart and mind. This new normal is to make a spiritual communion to increase the desire of my heart and soul to be united to Jesus so that when I can return to Eucharist, I am more fully open to all He has waiting for me. He is waiting for me, and I can wait for Him. 

While we wait for that time when we can return to the altar together, may you and I live in peace with all our questions and find within the questions themselves, not simply answers, but His joy which calls all the earth to sing out, “Alleluia!”

Contact the author

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.

Posted on

Focus on the Eternal

Click here for daily readings

I am grieving.

Eight days ago, our governor extended online distance learning for the rest of the school year, so I am grieving for all of my teens who were clinging on to the hope that they would return to school this year. Yesterday, my parish was supposed to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation, so I am grieving for my 8th graders who have worked so hard to prepare for the sacrament and had yet another event in their 8th-grade year canceled or postponed. Today, I was supposed to be on a flight to visit one of my dear college friends, so I am grieving my lost vacation.

I am grieving bigger losses, too – the loss of human contact, like simply being able to hug my family and friends. I am grieving in-person, face-to-face connection, which has been relegated to screens for the time being. And I am still grieving the loss of my grandmother, who passed away 38 long days ago in the midst of this pandemic.

It is good, natural even, to grieve these things. But, you see, the things that I am grieving are all temporal. They’re all of this crazy, twisted world we’re living in right now. Yes, we are of this world, but we were made for something more, something deeper.

Jesus gives us this reminder in today’s Gospel. The crowd asks Jesus for a sign, reminding Him their ancestors wandering in the desert were given manna to eat. Jesus proceeds to explain the sign, saying that it was the Father who provided the bread from heaven, not Moses, but the crowd just continues to focus on the physical aspect of food. They think that Jesus will make it rain with sourdough (too soon?), and then they will physically live forever.

The crowd couldn’t move past the temporal that they were thinking about to the eternal that Jesus was talking about. With the food that He will give, the Bread of Life, we will always be satisfied. When we consume that spiritual food that is the Eucharist, we become united with Jesus – Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity – in anticipation of the union that we will enjoy with the Father in heaven one day.

We were made for this union. We were created by a God who placed deeper desires on our hearts than being able to attend school or to hug my parents. We long for Him and the happiness that only He can provide.

Instead of grieving a postponed Confirmation, I will pray for a deeper longing for the Holy Spirit in the candidates’ hearts. Instead of grieving my lost beach vacation, I will seek rest in the Lord, who desires to flood my heart and my soul with peace and comfort. And I will remind myself that my grandma now enjoys the hope of the Resurrection and that we will reunite in heaven again someday instead of focusing too much on my grief.

In light of today’s Gospel, I would encourage you all to identify what you have lost and are grieving due to this COVID-19 crisis. Ask the Lord to help you put those things in perspective, to see the eternal past the temporal, and remember that He gives us the greatest, most perfect things that our hearts desire and fills those things Himself.

Contact the author

Erin is a Cleveland native and graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville. Following graduation, she began volunteering in youth ministry at her home parish of Holy Family Church. Her first “big girl” job was in collegiate sports information where, after a busy two years in the profession on top of serving the youth, she took a leap of faith and followed the Lord’s call to full-time youth ministry at St. Peter Church. She still uses her communication arts degree as a freelance writer and statistician, though. You can catch her on old episodes of the Clarence & Peter Podcast on YouTube as well as follow her on Twitter @erinmadden2016.

Posted on

The Most

Click here for daily readings

Does anyone else feel as though these quarantine days are flying by? In the moment, each day feels so long, but when I look back at the last week, three weeks, seven weeks I’ve been in quarantine, it feels like time has flown by. Today, I find myself in the third week of Easter even though I feel that Easter was only last week! 

Looking back at time, we are all forced to face the fact that while the past defines who we are, it is the present that shapes who we will become. 

During Lent, I made a point to go to Mass each Sunday and take notes in my homily journal. I easily could have stopped once the pandemic and quarantine hit. There are a million excuses I could make of why my Lent just didn’t pan out. Even when my sister invited me to the last public Mass in our county, I considered not going. Then, I thought, Where is this coming from? Get away, Satan, before telling my sister I’d be joining her. 

This moment, like many others, has become a part of my past, but, at the time, it was my present. A choice made in a split second. A chosen path towards God. 

Each of our moments build upon one another. Evil choices make choosing evil easier the next time around. The same can be said for choosing morals, love, and good. 

Today, as we continue to celebrate the resurrection and true life of our Savior, I ask you to consider your choices and how they affect not just your present or your past, but how they define your future. I ask you to make the most of the present. 

Together, we pray:

Dear Heavenly Father,
As you watch over us and see our stumbles,
give us the humility to ask for your helping hand.
Guide us on the path you have so lovingly provided.
Strengthen our hearts against Satan,
that we may choose to show the love
and mercy you shower upon us,
every moment of every day.
Amen.

Contact the author

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.

Posted on

The Road to Emmaus

Click here for daily readings

You know that feeling when you are walking through the store or in a large public area and all of a sudden think you recognize someone? Typically excitement floods our being as we try to navigate the crowds to meet with our friend from long ago. Or perhaps we try to dodge this person because the last time we saw them it was not a pleasant experience. Lots of emotions are conjured up when we encounter someone we haven’t seen for a long period of time.

I like to put myself in the place of the disciples in the Gospel today. As Jesus broke the bread and started the blessing, I would not have been able to contain my excitement. This man that I had been reading about in the scriptures and talking about is now here in front of me, about to give me his very self in the sacrament of love.

I also like to think that Jesus was being funny and disguised himself just to see what they thought of him and then dramatically took his disguise off to reveal he had been there all along. Jesus playing a funny prank on the disciples. Of course, that ruins the theological significance of this passage, but it’s funny in my mind.

So what is the significance? Jesus is adamant about the reality of the Eucharist as being fully himself and his love. I mean think about it, before he even died, he knew the importance of giving this sacrament. After he resurrected from the dead and was still with the disciples he taught the importance of it. Then, of course, after Jesus ascended to be with the Father, he left us this beautiful sacrament so he would always be with us.

Then there is the significance that they read the scriptures, the word of God, but they did not recognize Jesus. They only recognized him through the breaking of the bread. The bible itself tells us of the necessity of eating his flesh and drinking his blood in order to have eternal life. So as much as we need the bible to recognize him, the word of God reminds us that we have the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus on every altar in every Catholic church in the world.

This is why the world has such a longing right now for the Eucharist. I have had a very unique experience since the stay at home orders came out. I work for the parish and have been setting up the live stream for daily Mass, so I have had the complete blessing of receiving every day. Though I don’t feel the ache that some have now for the Eucharist, I have been offering my presence at Mass for all those who are not able to attend in person and receive.

I must say this has been a time that my faith is coming alive. I have been able to receive so I have been much more intentional about it knowing so much of the world is going without. It helps me not to take the Eucharist for granted.

Jesus wants to be with us in this sacrament, but until the moment when we can all receive publicly again, let’s all pray for a new understanding of the Eucharist; for an increase in faith in the most blessed sacrament. Let’s make sure that when churches are opened back up and we say “Amen” that we recognize Jesus in the breaking of the bread. May God bless you and know of my prayers for you during this time.

Contact the author

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.

Posted on

Radical Joy

Click here for daily readings

Today is the Feast of St. Mark the Evangelist, and we get to hear his words in today’s Gospel. St. Mark’s Gospel is characterized by his call to radical discipleship. Throughout his Gospel, St. Mark shows us how that radical discipleship and radical love for Christ leads to overwhelming, overflowing joy. St. Mark’s Gospel is also the shortest of all four, so he does this in few words that are packed with love for our Redeemer and the desire for all people to become steadfast, joyful followers of Christ.

In today’s Gospel, we hear the story of Jesus commissioning the disciples to the whole world. I love the word “commission” to describe this event. When you break it down, it becomes “co-mission.” The disciples are entrusted with Christ’s mission to bring the Good News to all people. Christ tells the disciples that those who believe will “..drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” After instructing the disciples to carry on His mission–a weighty and perhaps intimidating task–Christ reassures His disciples that He will continue to accompany them on the journey. The radical mission is filled with joy because Christ is not abandoning them. On the contrary, in the end, it will be Christ’s signs that will aid the disciples in their mission of evangelization.

May we follow the example of Mark and become radical, joy-filled followers of Christ. May we preach the Gospel to all those we encounter, and may our joy serve as a witness to our faith.

O God, who raised up St. Mark the Evangelist and endowed him with the grace to preach the Gospel, grant, we pray that we may so profit from his teaching as to follow faithfully in the footsteps of Christ.

Contact the author

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.

Posted on

But if it Comes from God

Click here for daily readings

As I was struggling to get a start on this post, my phone rang. It was from Ann, my very good friend and neighbor. She had a “present” for me. I was working in my downstairs office, so I had to take the stairlift up to meet her at my door. She was able to find some of my favorite yogurt, Siggi’s Triple Cream Lemon. My supermarket stopped carrying it, and since I don’t get around to other stores anymore because I am unable to walk the long aisles, I have groceries delivered. It was a pleasant surprise to find Ann had found this for me. This yogurt is one of the simple pleasures of life that I enjoy.

Yes, I know. You are thinking, “what does this have to do with today’s readings?” Well, the yogurt has nothing to do with it. But the love and friendship of Ann do! Ann’s friendship comes to me from God. I try to be there for her, and she tries to be there for me.

This begs the question we all must at times ask ourselves: is what we say, do, experience, share, come from God? Or do those things have another origin?

Have you taken notice when contemplating the things of the world, who or what makes the most significant impact on human life? I have. I have come to believe that the people and organizations that do the most good are those that come from God. The motivation in the hearts of these people is to uplift and care for everyone. Mostly to care for their wellbeing – which in the end will result in the care of the soul. Especially today. Look to the many “good news” stories and film clips we are seeing of people reaching out to make life a little better for those confined, or ill, lonely, or just in need of a bit of yogurt!

Gamaliel was right. If it comes from God, it will survive and make a difference in the world. I won’t be remiss in reminding you that the story from Acts clearly shows us that Jesus’ ministry, his words, his teachings of love have continued to spread and have lasted over two thousand years! This, in spite of the hardships his followers have experienced over the centuries; in spite of the evil that has, at times, tried to bring down the Church but have not succeeded. They were not “of God.”

But you and I are. Maybe not in perfection every day, but in the continued striving to make Jesus’ teachings our guideposts. Whether in easy times or hardships, cling to the words of Gamaliel, here paraphrased: “If it comes from God, it will not be destroyed, or we find ourselves fighting against God, instead of working with him.” All for the greater good and the glory and honor of God!

God Bless.

Contact the author

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.

Posted on

Jesus, I Trust in You

Click here for daily readings

My heart is telling me I should trust in my Lord, Jesus Christ, whose Divine Mercy we celebrated last Sunday. Alleluia! Still, my head struggles for control, trying to challenge and push aside His truth and His ways. Confusing? It sure is. I’m in good company though; it’s in today’s readings.

The first reading tells us that Peter and the Apostles must obey God rather than man, and then were given the Holy Spirit because they obey Him. Each of us is created in God’s image. Naturally, He is in our hearts. As children, we innately recognize His presence in every aspect of creation. 

As we mature, our hearts frequently become jaded and untrusting of His Divine Love and Mercy. We need to overcome the struggle that confronts us each day, moment by moment. We have to remember the call placed in our hearts to be a united part of creation, seeing the world through His love.

I feel an urgency placed in my heart to share this with you today. As we continue to build community digitally, we are united in our one faith. I am compelled to share with you the Litany of Trust, written by Sr. Faustina Maria Pia, SV.  Please pray with me.     

The Litany of Trust

From the belief that
I have to earn Your love
Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear that I am unlovable
Deliver me, Jesus.

From the false security
that I have what it takes
Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear that trusting You
will leave me more destitute
Deliver me, Jesus.

From all suspicion of
Your words and promises
Deliver me, Jesus.

From the rebellion against
childlike dependency on You
Deliver me, Jesus.

From refusals and reluctances
in accepting Your will
Deliver me, Jesus.

From anxiety about the future
Deliver me, Jesus.

From resentment or excessive
preoccupation with the past
Deliver me, Jesus.

From restless self-seeking
in the present moment
Deliver me, Jesus.

From disbelief in Your love and presence
Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being asked
to give more than I have
Deliver me, Jesus.

From the belief that my life
has no meaning or worth
Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of what love demands
Deliver me, Jesus.

From discouragement
Deliver me, Jesus.

That You are continually holding me,
sustaining me, loving me
Jesus, I trust in You.

That Your love goes deeper than my
sins and failings and transforms me
Jesus, I trust in You.

That not knowing what tomorrow
brings is an invitation to lean on You
Jesus, I trust in You.

That You are with me in my suffering
Jesus, I trust in You.

That my suffering, united to Your own,
will bear fruit in this life and the next
Jesus, I trust in You.

That You will not leave me orphan,
that You are present in Your Church
Jesus, I trust in You.

That Your plan is better
than anything else
Jesus, I trust in You.

That You always hear me and in
Your goodness always respond to me
Jesus, I trust in You.

That You give me the grace to accept
forgiveness and to forgive others
Jesus, I trust in You.

That You give me all the strength
I need for what is asked
Jesus, I trust in You.

That my life is a gift
Jesus, I trust in You.

That You will teach me to trust You
Jesus, I trust in You.

That You are my Lord and my God
Jesus, I trust in You.

That I am Your beloved one
Jesus, I trust in You. 
Amen.

Contact the author

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.

Posted on

Filled with Joy and Wonder

Click here for daily readings

Have you ever wondered what life would have been like for the Apostles in the days after the Resurrection? They were so filled with joy, wonder, and a deep interior drive to share Christ’s message that they truly cared not about what others thought about them.

In today’s First Reading, the Sadducees were jealous of all the attention the Apostles were getting. They threw them in jail, God got them out, and the Apostles just kept on preaching, as if nothing had happened. Eventually, the leaders of the time caught on and realized that this was something out of their power, and the Apostles marched onward, to spread the Good News to all the nations.

I wonder what today’s world would be like if we truly cared about nothing other than spreading the message of Christ. Would we be filled with that same joy, peace, and drive that nothing would stop us, not even “the virus”?

It has got me thinking about mindset and priorities. How is my attitude these days? Am I so busy lamenting my boredom and restlessness that I have forgotten to be a beacon of joy during this Easter Season? Have I allowed myself to become so overwhelmed with worry and fear that I have forgotten what truly matters? What is really important to me? Health, family, financial stability…yes, but even if all these crumble to pieces, I still have my God!

The Gospel reminds us of perhaps the most well-known passage in the whole Bible: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

There are some that think we are in the end times, that this world is coming to pass. I am in no position to say one way or the other, but it has got me thinking about eternity for sure. If it’s my time to go, so be it. I would love to be the beneficiary of God’s loving promise.

Let us not be a people who prefer the darkness to the light, but rather a people who live the truth and come to the light. May our lamenting turn to praise as we join in the words of the Psalmist:

“I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.
Glorify the LORD with me,
let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.
The angel of the LORD encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Taste and see how good the LORD is;
blessed the man who takes refuge in him.”

Contact the author

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.

Posted on

Maranatha

Click here for daily readings

No matter how much we learn or study, no matter how refined our culture or advanced our science, these are still bound to earth and limited by our human limits. It is grace and the indwelling of the Spirit of God that free us and allow us to understand and judge with right judgment, to love freely, and to participate fully in all God desires for us.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus says that “unless one is born from above, he cannot see the Kingdom of God,” to which Nicodemus (who seems to take this literally) replies, “How can a man once grown old be born again? Surely he cannot reenter his mother’s womb and be born again, can he?” Jesus explains, “Unless one is born of water and Spirit he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.”

We have two “births” then: a physical birth from our mother’s womb, and a spiritual birth from the baptismal font of Mother Church. It is this second “birth” that opens for us the door to the Kingdom of God. “What is born of flesh is flesh,” Jesus says, “and what is born of spirit is spirit.” Our physical eyes see the physical world; we need spiritual eyes to “see” the spiritual realities. It is necessary for us to be “born of water and Spirit” in order to participate in the life of the Spirit, which is the life of the Trinity – the Family of God!

How does this happen? It is mystery. As mysterious as the source and direction of the wind, but the effects are obvious in a person.

This is not to draw an artificial division between our flesh and our spirit, or make “spirit” the opposite of “body” – we are embodied souls, physical and spiritual! This is, rather, to help us see that we cannot remain simply on the level of the “flesh” but must turn our attention to our eternal souls; we cannot simply be content to take care of the body, but we must be attentive to the spirit. The Spirit Jesus speaks about comes “from above” and is sent by the Father: the Holy Spirit.

In the Holy Spirit, we are called and empowered to live IN Christ, not just near Him, not just next to Him. John’s words at the beginning of his Gospel give insight to this: “But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in His name, who were not born by natural generation nor by human choice nor by man’s decision but of God” (Jn 1:12-13).

Is sacramental Baptism enough? To be born again in Baptism is the beginning, but we must continue to grow in wisdom and spiritual stature and in favor with God! Let’s pray during this Easter season that God will complete the work He has begun in us and bring us to full maturity in the Spirit!

Contact the author

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).