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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.

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For Love, For Others

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Remain in my love. That’s all we can do (or try to do) right now, right?

At the time of writing and time of publication, we are coming up now on two months of quarantine. That’s two months of working from home, two months of online distance learning for our children, and two months of not being able to see our family and friends, among other things.

Looking at it in other words, that’s two months of solitude, pain, and heartache – let alone two months without the sacraments. Personal prayer feels like the least we can do – not the most we can do – during this time, but even that is a struggle. Remaining in God’s love feels like a chore, but, hey, in this crisis, that’s about all we can try to do.

There needs to be a shift in thinking, though. Remaining in God’s love is not the only thing that we can do but, rather, it’s everything that we GET to do through the freedom we have in Jesus Christ. In today’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us of the great privilege and joy we get to have in following His commandments, particularly His commandment to “love one another.”

Jesus simply lays it out at first, “If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love,” and uses Himself as an example – that He has kept the Father’s commandments and so remains in His love. Jesus tells us about these commandments, what they are so that we can share in His joy when we choose to follow them (and Him) in freedom.

But then Jesus gets specific: “This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.” If the way that Jesus loved us was to get up on the cross and die for our sins so that we can live forever in love with Him and the Father in heaven, how can we possibly love as Jesus loves? Seems impossible, right?

Jesus’ love was self-sacrificial and still is. Meanwhile, I believe that the way we’ve loved the best during this time of quarantine is through a self-sacrificial lens. We’ve stayed in our houses to protect the elderly, those with pre-existing conditions, and the frontline healthcare workers (to name a few) – showing them love as well as support through self-sacrifice. In the same spirit, that’s why we haven’t visited our family and friends as we show them love, by protecting them and their health by not putting them at risk. Parents have been self-sacrificing out of love for their children by having to play an integral role in their education and so much more.

Having to abstain from the Eucharist, though, is a self-sacrifice as well, one that ultimately is increasing our love and longing for the Lord, which will have ramifications for the rest of our lives.

As we (hopefully) come to the close of this time of quarantine, let us remember the call to love one another as Christ has loved us so that we may remain in His love both now and forever.

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Erin is a Cleveland native and graduate of the 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 hopes to use her communication arts degree as a freelance writer and statistician, though. You can catch her on the Clarence & Peter Podcast on YouTube as well as follow her on Twitter @erinmadden2016.

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Be Present

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We are beginning to live in a more virtual world than ever before. Online meetings, emails, and videos are the primary means of communication that we have. Amidst all of this craziness and isolation that we are experiencing I have realized that it has been tough for me to be present to my husband and ultimately to Jesus, even though I have all the time in the world to spend in prayer and community with my spouse.  

Technology has become one of the main fillers in my day that allows me to get away (temporarily) from the anxiety this virus is causing. With this drastic increase in my time on devices comes a certain amount of passivity and laziness. Without a routine, I am lost as to how to go about my day. I have added various components into my day for routine (work, exercise, some prayer), but ultimately I am not going to my Advocate for my needs. I am not confiding in my husband and spending time with him as fully as I could be in the present moment. It has been discouraging for me to figure out how to be more present.

I recently read a book that I feel has helped me grow in my vocation called Marriage: The Mystery of Faithful Love by Dietrich von Hildebrand. He talks about how important it is to nourish love, how part of the vocation as husband and wife is to intentionally put your spouse first (and ultimately your relationship together with Christ). I would like to share a quote from his text below:

Because our laziness, our dullness, and our constant falling back into the periphery stultifies our vision, it is difficult always to keep before us in all its same clarity and splendor the image of the other person so wonderfully revealed by love. We should and must fight against this dullness, for it constitutes a sin against the temple which we erected in our marriage. (von Hildebrand, 1984)

After reading this passage in the text, I realized just what it means to truly put your spouse first. This pandemic has been a challenge in many ways, but the one thing I am thankful for is the gift to realize how much my spouse means to me and how I have been taking him for granted. With this realization comes the fact that I have not been loving Jesus the way I should be striving to love Him. I have been falling asleep in the garden, my laziness has taken over, and I am at the point where I am tired of making excuses.

With the grace of God, present and given freely to us all, I am choosing, as von Hildebrand states, to “fight against this dullness” and utilize the free will God gave me to love my husband and God the way it was meant to be from the beginning, looking to the state of Original Man in the Garden of Eden before sin occurred to know how I should act in our state of Historical Man. This choice of embracing the will, along with God’s grace will lead my husband and I to our state in Heaven, referred to as Eschatological Man by St. John Paul II in Man and Woman He Created Them: A Theology of the Body. My flesh may be weak, and I know I will fall many times in the journey of life, but God will accompany my husband and I as we strive to love one another. No matter the ways you are struggling to be present to others and ultimately be present to God, know that if you ask for the grace to love others and love Him more perfectly, He will give you the strength to carry your cross. He will help you overcome your vices and look further into yourself, so you may then see His presence in yourself and those around you. Be thankful for the struggle – when we struggle, God is inviting us to accompany Him for greater adventures ahead. Through the struggle, He equips us with everything we need to love like Him in the vocation He has given us. No matter if you are married, single, or consecrated to Christ, know that we are in this together – our striving to be more present to Christ and our loved ones all comes down to our human vocation, and that is to love.

“My vocation, at last I have found it; my vocation is love.”
-St. Thérèse of Lisieux

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Nathalie Shultz is a joyful convert to the Catholic faith and a competitive swimmer with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).  She loves to share her passion for Catholicism with others, including her conversion story and how God continues to work miracles in her life through her OCD. She is the Director of Religious Education for the North Allegan Catholic Collaborative of parishes. Nathalie is married to her best friend, Tommy Shultz. Her favorite saints include St. Peter the Apostle, St. Teresa of Calcutta, and St. John Paul II.  She is also a huge fan of C.S. Lewis. If you have any questions for Nathalie, or just want her to pray for you, you can email her at nathalie.e.shultz@gmail.com.

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The Peace and Glory of God

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I wish I could have a nickel for every time I’ve read a blog post, social media post, or news article that starts with “In these strange/uncertain times…” I would be a very rich woman. So, at the risk of sounding cliche…

In these strange times, I have found great comfort in the readings that seem truly timeless right now. In today’s Gospel, we hear what Jesus tells the disciples at the Last Supper. He is telling them of what will occur in the days that follow: His Passion. He opens His discourse by saying, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as this world gives do I give it to you”. The difference between His peace and that of the world is that Jesus’ peace consists of consolation in the knowledge that God is with us. Right now it seems to me that the world is offering us a lot of “peace”: car commercials telling us that “we’re in this together,” news articles telling us how to “make the most of quarantine,” social media posts telling us to not compare our experiences to others in order to “avoid anxiety.” Every time I encounter this rhetoric, I feel like something is missing. It wasn’t until reading today’s Gospel that I realized what is missing in all those good-hearted messages: the peace that only God can give.

Even to his disciples, Jesus says to not be afraid because He knows they will grow fearful without Him. His words to his disciples ring true and striking today. He reminds them that He is going to Heaven to be with a Father. The comfort He offers the disciples is what we should take to heart as we persist through this trying time. God is with us now, just as He was with the disciples at the Last Supper. If we place our trust in Him, we will have peace, and our hearts will not be troubled.

Today we celebrate the Sts. Nereus and Achilleus, 1st century martyrs who converted to Christianity after being part of the Roman Army. Part of the epitaph for their tombs reads, “They suddenly gave up their savagery, they were converted, they fled the camp of their evil leader, throwing away their shields, armor, and bloody spears. Professing the faith of Christ, they are happy to witness to its triumph…understand what great deeds can be brought about by Christ’s glory”. May we, like Sts. Nereus and Achilleus, in our suffering, be happy witnesses of the joy of our faith. May we continue to recognize the certainty of Christ’s glory amidst our feelings of uncertainty.

Sts. Nereus and Achilles, 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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What is Love?

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Every evening, several TV channels run an ad for Shriners’ Hospitals for Children. Sometimes they can be a bit annoying, but some are very cute when featuring the children Shriners’ serves. In one of these commercials, the boy in the wheelchair asks, “What is love?” The children try to answer: “Love is when someone likes someone.” “Love is a new prostetical leg” (his word). “You have to call the love doctor.” And my favorite response, “I got nothin!.” Ah, isn’t that the truth for most of us. We got nothin!

I believe love is probably the most difficult emotion to define. Most of us can’t even put into words what we feel when we think we are in love. Ask the old folks who have been married fifty or more years what kept them together, and even their answers are somewhat vague. Although I enjoy the responses, She’s always right, never go to bed angry, get used to apologizing, learn to laugh at yourself, etc. My guess is that it goes much deeper than these responses. The human language just falls short.

John’s Gospel is full of love. Coupled with his discourses about the Bread of Life, we get the epitome of love, in the person of Jesus. While on earth, Jesus tried desperately to impart the essence of love to those who would listen. Sometimes it seemed that his followers caught on even before his disciples. The disciples got it over time, as did John, who lived the longest and wrote his Gospel after many, many years of reflection on his experiences with Our Lord.

Jesus’ final act of love, while with his disciples, was to let them know that, even after he returned to his father, they would not be alone. The Holy Spirit, the Advocate, will come to remind them of what Jesus was all about, and how to find the love. I especially like the fact that the Holy Spirit will not teach anything new, but will remind us of what Jesus said and bring us to an understanding. Part of that understanding is to forget the frail words, and put love into action. Put those unexpressed feelings into acts of love. It is genuinely a case of ‘actions speak louder than words.’

As the weeks go by and we look forward to Pentecost, hopefully, gathered together again as a community in our churches, open your hearts to the power of the Spirit to help you understand how you are to live and love as Jesus taught. “Come Holy Spirit” is a simple prayer, but it works! As time goes by and we learn to trust the Spirit’s guidance, we’ll no longer say, “We got nothin!” Yeah, we will have somethin!

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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You are the Priesthood

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If I said that you (yes, YOU, reading this right now) could do more healings and bigger miracles than Jesus himself, what would you think? I’m crazy, right? Well, yes, but that’s beside the point. 

You might have missed it, but that’s exactly what Jesus says at the end of today’s gospel! First, he explained to his disciples that he had to go prepare rooms for them in his Father’s house. The disciples, wanting to remain with him, asked how THEY might know the way there. Jesus announced that HE was the way (and the truth and the life) to the Father. When they asked to see the Father, Jesus confirms his divinity and explains that he and the Father are one. Didn’t they get it? All the things he had said to them, all the miracles they had seen? Jesus finally adds this: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father.” (Jn 14:12)

What??? Because of Christ returning to the Father (and sending the Holy Spirit), YOU who believe CAN and WILL do greater things than even he did on the earth. But how? The answer is actually in the rest of the readings and Mass prayers. Saint Peter writes in his letter, “Come to him, a living stone, rejected by human beings but chosen and precious in the sight of God, and, like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house…” (1 Pt 2:4-5) As the old saying goes, “the Church is not a building, it’s a people.” But we, these people, need to be built into a building, a spiritual house! Where Christ is the foundation, the cornerstone, the stone that builders rejected, we become like him, and take part in holding up this new building, the Church! 

Saint Peter also says, “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood…so that you may announce the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Pt 2:9). Well, surely he’s only talking about our instituted priesthood, right? They’re the ones responsible for doing God’s work here on earth, right? No! You are the priesthood, and you are called to announce the good news! The Catechism says, “Christ, the high priest and unique mediator, has made of the Church a kingdom of priests for his God and Father. The whole community of believers is, as such, priestly” (CCC 1546). While our priests play a certain and important role in our lives (and our church buildings do too!), you and I are the ones called to create a better world, bring the light of Christ to the desperate, AND to do greater things in the name of Christ. 

In the first reading, the early Christian community recognized a need for their widows. Instead of the Apostles going to handle this need, certain people of the community (who were filled with the Holy Spirit) were chosen and appointed to go and serve! What about our world right now? There are so many people, in our parishes or otherwise, that are deeply suffering right now because of Covid-19. I’ve seen depression, anxiety, addiction, financial struggle, and more. I’ve seen people in my life who were pillars of light get taken out by what’s going on in the world. Should we leave pastoral care to the priests then? No! We all make up this Church, we all are chosen and appointed to go, and we were given a promise that we CAN and WILL do greater miracles than Christ. We all need to go and do our part! And when I say that, I don’t mean just online or digitally (though great things are being done there!). I have seen great healing come in the simple act of giving a friend a phone call. I have seen relief come in the act of dropping off some food for a family in need. I have seen a parish so desperate for Christ, that they packed a parking lot just to see him. 

With Jesus as the way/truth/life, YOU will see the Father and do GREATER miracles than him! YOU are a living stone of the Church, connected to the cornerstone. YOU are the priesthood, chosen by the high priest.

Reach out! Stay in prayer! Remember his promises! Lord, we lift up this prayer to you: “O God, who by the wonderful exchange effected in the Paschal sacrifice have made us partakers of the one supreme Godhead, grant, we pray, that, as we have come to know your truth, we may make it ours by a worthy way of life. Through Christ our Lord.” 

Song meditations based on the readings and theme:
Build My Life – Housefires
Greater Things – Mack Brock
Cornerstone – Hillsong Worship
The Way (New Horizon) – Pat Barrett
Christ is Risen – Matt Maher
The Father’s House – Cory Asbury
So Will I (100 Billion X) – Hillsong United

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Brendan is just your average Millennial hipster: He likes playing guitar, throwing frisbees, sipping whiskey, and grooming his beard. But he also has a passion for walking with teens and young Christ-followers, hearing every person’s story, and waking up the Church. Brendan works at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Lenexa, Kansas (near Kansas City) as a Youth Music Minister, fusing together his two loves of sharing Christ and sharing the power and need for good and beautiful contemporary praise. https://www.instagram.com/brendanbeardo/

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Comfort in His Word

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In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus is sharing with his disciples that if they know Him, then they know the Father. Philip goes on to say, “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” I’m glad that Philip said this, for it is why Jesus expands on the fact that He and the Father are one. He shares that the very words He speaks are not on His own, but with the Father, who dwells within Him. Jesus goes on to say that whoever believes in Him will do even greater works since He is going to the Father. He said that whatever you ask in His name, He will do so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. He said, “If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it.”

What does this good news mean for you and me today? As I’m sure you know, there is much suffering, fear, and unknown going on in this pandemic. Personally, the unknown aspect can really get to me. I’m someone who loves having a plan or an idea of what the future can or should look like. I constantly have to remind myself that God is in control as I loosen my grasp on these plans or ideas of life, especially during this year of 2020. When I reflected on this Gospel passage and how it is good news today, I found that Jesus is comforting us in His word. He expands upon the reality that He is completely united to the Father and anything we ask in His name, He will do it. Does that mean He will give me anything I ask for? I’m not too sure about that, but I know He gives us what we need. So today, what do you need? Comfort, strength, courage? Ask for a particular need or grace in His name. We can trust that His Word is true. He is faithful to His promises, and He always comes through for us.

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Briana is the Pastoral Minister at St. Mark Church in Cleveland, OH. She is also a district manager at Arbonne. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Theology and Catechetics from the Franciscan University of Steubenville, OH and is excited to use these skills to serve the Church. “My soul has been refined and I can raise my head like a flower after a storm.” -St. Therese

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Repair and Healing

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“Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  Jn 14:6

In today’s gospel reading, Thomas voices something that has gone through my mind many times these last several weeks during the pandemic and stay at home orders here in the USA. So many aspects of my life changed in a very short span of time. The apostles’ world was also greatly changed after the passion and rising of Jesus. Each of us has had to work through a different way of relating to and living our lives in a new reality.

I felt a sense of loss, grieving for people and things I took for granted while being quickly ushered into a new way of daily life. It has made me and every aspect of the human world learn a new way of being. The pandemic has forced the Church into the 21st century by making available more digital resources. Since we haven’t been able to gather at our usual Masses, I am now able to participate in daily Mass via live stream and have many options to do so. I have learned more about spiritual communion. I make the time throughout my day to pray more often while I work or do things around my home.

In my solitude at home, I’ve been sorting through areas of my life that I thought I was done dealing with: past hurts, losses, and behaviors that I believed were resolved. This pandemic has triggered some of my grief again. Many of these things I had dealt with, some I set aside by avoidance: loss in mindless tasks, movies, or books to distract me from really facing those important issues and make some necessary changes in my life. I had to face some new realities that I didn’t know how to cope with at the time the situations originally occurred. I felt shame and guilt because of this. I was afraid of sharing these feelings with family or friends. It’s brought forth the longing for deeper relationships with family, friends, a future (unknown) spouse, and with my heavenly spouse, Jesus. I didn’t know how to surrender these things to Jesus and His loving Father, even though I was attending Mass and praying.

I now realize that being vulnerable is part of a healthy life. I need to know my strengths and my weaknesses and of the world in which I live. Past experiences can be triggered by our current life experiences. It’s how we deal with them in the present, by noting what is stirred up and continuing on a path forward, that keeps us moving on the way in a new day. In this new reality, I have heightened awareness of the many who don’t have access to the digital world, who don’t have a home to shelter in nor any jobs to pay their bills. I know there are very necessary changes to be made in all aspects of our societies.

An interview Pope Francis gave a month ago spoke about taking up the challenge during this time. He said:

“…This crisis is affecting us all, rich and poor alike, and putting a spotlight on hypocrisy. I am worried by the hypocrisy of certain political personalities who speak of facing up to the crisis, of the problem of hunger in the world, but who in the meantime manufacture weapons. This is a time to be converted from this kind of functional hypocrisy. It’s a time for integrity. Either we are coherent with our beliefs or we lose everything….

What we are living now is a place of metanoia (conversion), and we have the chance to begin. So let’s not let it slip from us, and let’s move ahead….This is what we all have to do now, today: to take with us the roots of our traditions, and make for the mountain.”

Let us begin today the journey up the mountain together. Let us act boldly and pray intentionally for the changes that need to occur throughout our world. We each have a part in the repair and healing of lives affected in this crisis. Let us walk on the way that Jesus has taught us. We know the way. Pope Francis said, “If following him seems difficult, don’t be afraid, trust him, be confident that he is close to you, he is with you and he will give you the peace you are looking for and the strength to live as he would have you do.”

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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.