April 2025

Does your faith impact your daily life?

Are you ready to see and experience life differently? This is the day! Have faith in the risen Lord.

Most of us have moments in which we go through the motions. We get up, go to work or school, work out, go out with friends, or enjoy quiet at home, and start the next day no different than the one before.

Occasionally, something powerful happens. We hear from a friend we haven’t seen in a long time; we are struck by a moment of beauty, a difficult circumstance arises, or we simply find ourselves longing for more, aching for meaning, purpose, and impact.

This month at Sunday Mass, we hear the stories of the early communities of believers and what took place after Jesus’ resurrection. The lives of the apostles and those who gathered with them were turned upside down by all they experienced in Jesus’ ministry, passion, death, and resurrection. They had to look at their lives differently as a result.

Filled with the Holy Spirit, their hearts and minds were opened to the love of God in unexpected and powerful ways. In response, they shared with others: they told the stories of Jesus, gave their time and resources in care of those in need, and came together as people in community with one another.

The same thing can happen to us: let us take this Easter season to open our minds and hearts to the love of God, and respond to this love by sharing: faith, time, prayer, talents, and resources, as Christ’s people together.

Impact awaits!

Is doubt a bad thing?

What we can learn from “doubting Thomas.”

The apostles were gathered in a locked room when Jesus came to them, offered them peace, and helped them to believe that he had risen from the dead. But Thomas was not there that day, and when he returned, he expressed his doubt. Now, centuries after that moment, we still know him as “doubting Thomas.”

Is doubt a bad thing? In and of itself, no. Doubt is actually part of the process of growing in faith. Our doubts show us the aspects of faith and discipleship that we need to bring to prayer, explore, and grow beyond. Which is exactly what Thomas did.

We can learn from Thomas. He expressed his doubts to the people whom he trusted and listened to their expressions of faith; he took his doubts to Christ, who showed him the way to faith; he moved from doubt to belief, later spreading the Gospel as a missionary.

What doubts do you have? To whom could you talk about these doubts? Have you taken your doubts to Jesus in prayer?

Follow Thomas’ example, so that, in time, you may also say, “My Lord and my God!”

Sharing the hope of peace

In many of the post-resurrection Gospel narratives, Jesus greets the apostles by saying, “Peace be with you.” His peace counteracts their confusion and fear, giving them the strength to live as his disciples in uncertain times.

As baptized Christians, we have been given the peace of the Lord; the Holy Spirit dwells with us; we know of God’s love for us and for the world, and are called to share this love and peace, which is so much needed in our time.

This is Jesus’ message to all who follow him: we have been sent into the world to know and to share the peace of Christ in every circumstance in which peace is lacking.

“The first sign of hope should be the desire for peace in our world,” Pope Francis states in his proclamation of the Jubilee Year 2025. “May the Jubilee remind us that those who are peacemakers will be called “children of God” (Mt 5:9). The need for peace challenges us all, and demands that concrete steps be taken. May diplomacy be tireless in its commitment to seek, with courage and creativity, every opportunity to undertake negotiations aimed at a lasting peace.Peace is at the heart of the risen Christ’s message.” (Spes non confundit, 8)

How do we share peace today?

Start at home. When conflicts arise, look for and bring a peaceful solution even when (especially when) peace requires compromise among family members.

Find ways to share peace with friends and co-workers. Rather than contributing to conflict, actively seek and build on areas of agreement among people..

Advocate and vote for peace. Be attentive to candidates and civic leaders who promote and work for just and peaceful solutions to conflict.

March 2025

… a time to give up bad habits, eat better, or exercise. While a healthy lifestyle is important and can have a positive impact on our physical and emotional being, Lent is first and foremost a spiritual season, one in which we are called to re-order our lives so that Christ will be at the center of all we are and do.

Every one of us has things in our life that need to change: times when we are impatient, selfish, and inwardly focused. And yes, even those bad habits and unhealthy choices can affect our relationship with God and others; unhealthy lifestyle choices are not good stewardship of our body, mind, or spirit.

While it is easy to turn in on ourselves or look outwardly toward others with judgment, the readings this month remind us that there is a better way, one that frees us to be the persons God created us to be. On the mountain as Jesus was transfigured, leaving the disciples in awe, God said, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.” This Lent, let us listen to Jesus and learn from him.

Face temptation. Jesus faced temptation by staying focused on and trusting in God and God’s ways. When you are tempted to take the easy way out or give up on your resolution entirely, turn to God in prayer knowing that the Lord is ready to guide and strengthen you.

Stand firm. The purpose of the traditional Lenten practice of fasting is to be more keenly aware of our hunger for God. When fasting from food or a favorite treat, be steadfast in your commitment to Jesus and bear the fruit of faith.

Multiply love. Jesus tells us to store goodness in our heart. We must be ready to share the love, mercy, and hope of Christ at all times, in every circumstance.

Focus first on your relationship with the Lordas you make your Lenten resolutions this year. . When we listen prayerfully and change our lives according to God’s ways, we are sure to find something better, life filled with light, purpose, and meaning.

The Gospels are truly Good News — the good news of Jesus Christ! The Gospels during Lent spread out before us accounts of Jesus as God-with-Us, encountering people who, like us and all of humanity, are broken and sinful, who fail to bear fruit, who are blind to God’s love and dead to all that love offers.

 The First Sunday of Lent always includes an account of Jesus facing temptation in the desert. Jesus holds true to all that he knows is of God. Do you also reject sin and temptation, staying focused on God and God’s ways?

 On the Second Sunday of Lent, Peter, James and John go to the mountain with Jesus. There, they have a most profound experience of Jesus, who was transfigured before their eyes; they encounter holy ones of Israel’s past; and they hear the voice of God! Pope Francis calls us to be open to an encounter or renewed encounter with Christ’s love, daily! (EG, 2). What experiences of God’s love have touched your mind, heart, and actions? How are you called to hear the voice of mercy that calls you to reach out to others with God’s love?

During the third, fourth, and fifth weeks of Lent, two Gospel passages are possible for Sunday Mass, since the Gospel for the celebration of the scrutinies with the Elect who will be initiated at the Easter Vigil are the same from year to year. On March 23 and 30 we hear:

 •      The parable of the fig tree that does not bear fruit, yet receives the mercy of the gardener;

•      The account of the Samaritan woman, who encounters Jesus’ merciful attention at the well and who teaches us about being open to conversion and to sharing the love of Christ with others;

•      The story of the son who takes his share of his inheritance before his father has died (imagine that!) and whose father waits for his return, running to him with a joyful and lavish expression of forgiveness and mercy;

•      The narrative of the man who is healed of his blindness when everyone around him seems determined to live in darkness rather than embrace Christ’s vision of mercy and love;

 How do you experience God’s mercy, forgiveness, compassion, and love, especially when you are least deserving of it? How does faith enlighten your mind and heart so that you are ready to see and respond to God’s love?

Find patience (and hope) in the journey

“Beyond the darkness we glimpse a light: we come to realize that evangelization is sustained by the power flowing from Christ’s cross and resurrection. In this way, we learn to practice a virtue closely linked to hope, namely patience. In our fast-paced world, we are used to wanting everything now. We no longer have time simply to be with others; even families find it hard to get together and enjoy one another’s company.

A renewed appreciation of the value of patience could only prove beneficial for ourselves and for others. Saint Paul often speaks of patience in the context of our need for perseverance and confident trust in God’s promises. Patience, one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, sustains our hope and strengthens it as a virtue and a way of life.

This interplay of hope and patience makes us see clearly that the Christian life is a journey calling for moments of greater intensity to encourage and sustain hope as the constant companion that guides our steps towards the goal of our encounter with the Lord Jesus.”

(Spes non confundit, 4, 5)

February 2025

Wait for it…

Have you ever waited for something? Not a small thing, like a takeout order or a meeting at work. Think about when you have waited for something significant - a wedding, birth of a child or grandchild, results of medical tests or treatments - you know this kind of waiting.

Waiting is hard. Painful. Exciting. The longer the wait and the more momentous the thing for which we long, the more ill at ease we may feel between now and what lies ahead. At times, we “can’t wait” for the future life event - the job interview that may lead to more fulfilling employment, the arrival of a family member or reunion with longtime friends later this year. At other times, however, we prepare ourselves for the possible outcome - the diagnosis may be frightening, results of treatment uncertain. Whatever the situation, we can struggle through the unknown and find our spirit waning, doubtful, or weary.  Or we can wait in faith and hope, seeking God, being attentive to the Holy Spirit’s presence in the time between now and what is to come.

On February 2, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, we hear the stories of two people who had waited for years to see the long-awaited Messiah. Simeon and Anna had waited in hope, without fail. They may have expected a strong leader who was ready to liberate their people from Roman domination. Or a young man, ready to take on the world. They may have been astounded when the Messiah came as a child. We do not know their reaction other than the words they spoke; the Gospel only reports their exclamation of wonder and faith.

After waiting so long, what we have anticipated finally happens: the reunion took place exactly as you had imagined or totally differently; the diagnosis was better than you had dreamt, or not. In the waiting and in the long-awaited resolution, grace may appear. Let’s restate that. Grace will appear, if only after years of reflection or living into the new life that emerged when the waiting was over. Truly, God’s grace is with us always and everywhere. We must simply become attentive to God’s loving presence and grow in willingness to live more fully as Christ’s people in grateful response.

While they waited in prayer for the Messiah, Anna and Simeon had learned to perceive God, to know God’s ways, even when those ways were surprising. In Simeon’s words, “my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.” Traditionally, the candles used in liturgy are blessed on the Feast of the Presentation. The candles are a reminder that the light of Christ illumines our worship and our lives and is entrusted to us as we steward the grace of God, which, through prayer and participation in Mass and the sacraments, we may more deeply come to perceive and to live each and every moment of our lives.

Be a blessing

I often think of blessings from the viewpoint of the recipient. I recount the blessings I have received, thinking of all the things that I, myself, have enjoyed or had access to. I think of my family, my health, my job, the opportunities I have been given. It’s quite a list!

I forget, however, that I am also a source of blessing. It may be a kind word or a simple deed, or it may be an act of great charity or service; either way, I have it in my power to bestow blessings upon others.

When I make this shift - from recipient to source - I become immediately more aware of the capacity I have for influence in the world. Not only this, but the obligation, too. If our world is in such a need of blessings, and blessings are in my power to give, how can I refuse?

St. Theresa of Avila wrote that “Christ has no body now but yours, no hands, no feet on earth but yours…yours are the hands with which he blesses all the world.” I am given opportunities every day to bless others in the same way that I have been blessed.

There are many people who are in the habit of writing down a few blessings they received throughout the course of their day. It’s a worthwhile practice, to be sure. What would your journal look like if you listed the blessings you gave in the course of your day? I don’t know about you, but I know I’ve got more work to do.

— Matt Reichert lives in Richmond, MN with his wife and daughters and works to support the work of clergy and lay ministers through formation, coaching, and consulting.

Sharing hope

“Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours…Woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.” (Lk 6:17, 24) I have to be honest with you. I find passages like the Beatitudes we hear on February 16 very challenging. And this month seems to be filled with such messages. Put out into the deep and rely on God to fill our needs; love our enemies, forgive as we have been forgiven. As God’s people and followers of Jesus, those who are most in need should always be in our hearts, on our minds, with hands ready to serve. We should hold possessions lightly, seeing them as gifts from our good and gracious God. It’s probably easy for most of us to point to the food or clothing collection to which we donated in the past few months at our parish, or the special collection to which we gave at Christmas time.

But our readings this month, and in fact, the whole of the gospel, tell us that we are called to something more, something deeper. Because, as has often been noted by spiritual writers, this is about who we are because it is about whose we are.

Our sisters and brothers who are in need should be in our hearts because they are in God’s heart. We must share, shelter, clothe, and be attentive to the vulnerable among us because they belong to us, as they belong to God. I may have written here before that one of the most striking talks I have encountered was given by Sr. Elinor Ford about thirty years ago. In it she said, “I belong to God and God needs me.” Don’t mistake me, it is not as though God is a needy, distant deity who uses us like pawns in a game. Rather, God needs us to act as Christ’s people in the world because, as St. Teresa of Avila put it so well, “Christ has not body now on earth but yours.”

So here is my challenge to all of us.  Throughout this month as we begin or close out our day, let us ask God to show us the people or situations in which the Lord needs us to bear Christ’s presence, healing, or care. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to open our hearts so that they overflow with love as does God’s heart and make us ready to act out of this great love which cannot be contained. May we experience the abundance of grace in giving that Jesus described: “Give, and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.” I have no doubt that this will be so! Because, as we go beyond ourselves for others, we will see the very light of Christ which we hope to share, casting out all darkness and gloom and bringing in its stead comfort, consolation, and peace.

January 2025

The beginning of a new year always holds potential — an opportunity to reflect on the year that has just concluded, build on past successes, learn from mistakes, and resolve to live with greater commitment and integrity in the year to come.

This month’s Sunday readings provide particular wisdom upon which to reflect as we begin 2025. Listen carefully, and you will hear how precious we are in the eyes of the Lord and how deeply we are called to live as God’s holy people in the world. We might even say that God counts on us to do this. We are to be light in darkness, bring healing to those who suffer, and share compassion, justice, and hope with all people. With such a sacred call, where do we begin?

Place your hope in the Lord. Pope Francis has announced 2025 as a Jubilee year with a central message of hope. Jubilee, or Holy, Years invite us to embrace reconciliation and be renewed in faith. “In the heart of each person, hope dwells as the desire and expectation of good things to come, despite our not knowing what the future way bring. Even so, uncertainty about the future may at times give rise to conflicting feelings, ranging from confident trust to apprehensiveness, from serenity to anxiety, from firm conviction to hesitation and doubt. For all of us, may the Jubilee be an opportunity to be renewed in hope.” (Pope Francis, Bull of Indiction of the Ordinary Jubilee of the Year 2025) .

Be mindful to give God glory in your words and actions. Reach out to others with love and care; be a peacemaker at home, office or school, and in the world. Anything that wouldn’t be pleasing to God? Let go of it, stop it, learn to avoid it!    

Make 2025 “the year of our Lord.” The letters A.D., which sometimes follow the numerical year are an abbreviation for “Anno Domini,” or “year of our Lord. “ Make Jesus the Lord of your life and trust in God to be with you through all the circumstances you may experience this year. Turn to God in prayer as you face decisions, even little ones. Draw on Church teaching or a trusted friend or spiritual advisor when making more complicated ones.   

Remember that every day is a gift. Thank God for each new day and resolve to spend time wisely and well.

Don’t sell yourself short. You have a mission, a purpose, which only you may fulfill. In the words of John Henry Cardinal Newman, “God has created me to do Him some definite service; He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another.  I have my mission - I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next.”

Make 2025 truly special, a year in which you live as the Lord’s very own hopeful person in the world and share the hope of Christ through caring and sharing, in word and deed.

Like the Magi, open your gifts before the Lord

The Magi traveled great distances to bring their gifts to Jesus. Their gifts were chosen carefully and were presented with awe and homage to the Christ-child.

We may not have to travel far to offer our gifts, yet like the Magi, each of us, too, should choose carefully and wisely how we will offer our gifts to Christ through our presence, service, caring, and sharing, giving glory to God who has entrusted the gifts to us.

We do not know how the Magi determined what gifts they would bring, nor who would bring which gift. We do know that they did not all bring the same gift, and somehow each must have felt compelled to give precisely the gift he did.

As we begin a new year, learn from the Magi. Like the magi who sought out the Christ-child in order to offer him homage and bring precious and unexpected gifts, each of us has something special to give, not only at Christmas. Every day holds an opportunity to share as only you can.

Recognize your gifts: faith, the blessing of family and friends, your talents and possessions.

Seek out the Lord in the poor, the homeless, and those who have no one to care for them.

Remember that all we are and have are truly gifts from God, to be cared for and shared with love. This is the real meaning of stewardship, for this season and throughout all time.

Each of us has something special to offer as we respond in gratitude for our many blessings. Each has something special to give - a particular combination of talents, strengths, gifts, and blessings along with things we are passionate about.

In his letter to the Church in Corinth, St. Paul tells us that we are called by Christ to fulfill varying roles and responsibilities. Like the body that cannot function well if one of the parts if one is hurt or absent, something is missing if any of us fail to put our gifts at the service of others, in our parish, local town or city, and in the world.

The Christmas story would not be the same without the shepherds and angels, Magi and saints. Like them, we too have something special to give. In being good stewards of our lives and our gifts, we may touch others in lasting ways, and in doing so our lives will change as well. In giving and receiving, we find hope in Christ’s presence.

December 2024

Ironically, we may find our call to be loving, forgiving and compassionate more challenging at this time of the year than at any other. People around us may try our patience and our already-busy pace may be pushed to the limit. It may seem difficult to believe that Jesus was born into our human state, with all of the evidence of just how unloving humans can be! And yet, God does love us! More than we can imagine.

Come, Emmanuel. Wisdom. Day-Spring. Lord of Might. Desire of Nations.  Throughout Advent, especially from December 17 until Christmas, we sing “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, using Biblical titles for the long-awaited Messiah. When we call Jesus “Emmanuel” we are making a statement of deep faith and enduring hope. Jesus is Emmanuel, God who is with us.

God is with us. If God is with us, there is nothing to fear in life or death. If God is with us, we can trust that all will be well, regardless of the difficulties of the present moment. If God is with us, we can mirror God’s lavish giving by giving of ourselves and our resources, and know that in doing so, we help others to see that God is with them.

In sharing love with the people around us, particularly when it is difficult to do so, we will make the incarnation known. This may just be the best gift we could give now, or at any time of the year!

We who have walked in darkness have seen a great light.

For the shepherds who were in the field, it was just an ordinary night in which they took turns watching for predators, listening for threats to their flock and themselves. That night, like every night, they hoped they would get some rest and that the dawn would find them safe, with all the sheep accounted for. They surely were not expecting messengers of God announcing the birth of the Christ-child. In their wildest dreams they had not imagined the glory of God shining around them. Is it any wonder the angel felt it necessary to tell them to not be afraid?

We go about our ordinary days and nights, our lives often filled with activity with little time to ponder the larger things in life. We have our routines and rarely deviate from them, feeling a kind of security in the repetition. We sometimes forget that Christ is with us, and frankly do not often expect an in-breaking of God’s glory and grace. And yet, God’s grace abounds. We are surrounded by divine light, if only we have eyes to see it and hearts to perceive it.

We recognize fear of the Lord - awe - as a gift of the Holy Spirit. This fear rightly shakes us when we encounter Christ’s presence, when we are filled with the sense that God is with us, greater than our hearts, bigger than any circumstance we face in our lives. When filled with awe, we may sense the presence of the holy messengers of God, the angels, saying, “do not be afraid.” Likewise, we may find ourselves fearful when we face tasks for which we do not feel equipped, life challenges which appear larger than our capacity to handle. Again, hear the angels cry, “do not be afraid.” We who have walked in darkness have seen a great light. Let us not be afraid. Let our lives bear witness to the glory of God which surrounds us, the grace in which we stand.

“The message of Christmas makes us recognize the darkness of a closed world, and thereby no doubt illustrates a reality that we see daily. Yet it also tells us that God does not allow Himself to be shut out. He finds a space, even if it means entering through a stable; there are people who see his light and pass it on. Through the word of the Gospel, the angel also speaks to us, and in the sacred liturgy the light of the redeemer enters our lives. Whether we are shepherds or ‘wise men’ the light and its message calls us to set out, to leave the narrow circle or our desires and interests, to go out to meet the Lord and worship him. We worship him by opening the world to truth, to good, to Christ, to the service of those who are marginalized and in whom he awaits us.”

— Benedict XVI, 2007

October 2024

Stand before Jesus

Imagine standing in front of Jesus. He looks at you with love and asks, “what do you want me to do for you?” How would you respond? What do you truly want from the Lord?

As we read the Sunday gospels this month, pay attention to the way Jesus responds to each person. He hears what they want and gives them what they need - guidance, humility, healing, understanding.

When we pray, we stand before the Lord who looks at us with love. Entering into a time of prayer knowing that God is there, loving us in that moment and in every moment, we can risk being honest with God and with ourselves. In prayer, we bring our desires to God, and in doing so, we reveal to ourselves how aligned we are with God and God’s ways. We may come with something that troubles us or a situation that we hope will change. We may come asking for something - trivial or life-altering, and we listen, opening our heart and mind to find what we need.

With an open heart

At the end of the month, we hear the account of a scribe who approached Jesus, asking which is the first of all the commandments. While other Jewish leaders tried to trick Jesus with questions, this scribe came with a true desire for understanding. The dialogue between Jesus and the scribe (Mk 12:28b-34) is truly remarkable.  In his response to the scribe, Jesus wove together the essential elements of Jewish teaching: God is one. Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Love your neighbor as yourself. The scribe grasped Jesus’ response as divine wisdom and Jesus recognized the scribe’s understanding, saying, “you are not far from the kingdom of God.”

This is what it is like to be in communion with Christ, to be in perfect alignment with God and God’s ways. The scribe had not only studied sacred scripture, assenting to the faith with his mind, he had opened his heart to its true meaning and was of one heart with the Lord.

  It’s possible

It may seem that only the saints live so close to the kingdom of God. Yet we are all called to be saints, to grow in holiness so that we are of one heart with the Lord.

On our own, we stumble over the obstacles that block the path of faithfulness. We want to follow Jesus but, like the man with many possessions, we may walk away when discipleship calls us to leave our former selves behind.

We do not do this alone. We rely on the inspiration and strength of the Holy Spirit, the presence of Christ in the nourishment of the Eucharist, and the forgiveness, peace, and restoration found in the sacrament of penance. With God, it is possible to find salvation, perfect communion with Christ and one another, the joy of discipleship.

Jesus looks at you with love and asks, “what do you want me to do for you?” Take a moment now to return Jesus’ gaze. Open your heart to him. All things are possible for God.

Are you weighed down? Let it go. Be free.

“Children, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

Anyone who has moved from a long-time home can likely relate to the man whose story we hear in the gospel on October 13.  We seem to acquire material possessions without thinking. Then we prepare to move, and find all that stuff we have not used in years (or ever). We face a decision: will we pack the stuff and move it with us, knowing it may never come out of the box, or will we give it away, knowing someone else may truly need it, and feel free in the giving?

Jesus looked on the man with love, told him to give what he had to the poor, and then to follow him. Jesus knew that in letting go, the man would be set free. The man went away sad. He was weighed down by his many possessions. Many of us, like the man in today’s gospel, are burdened by the pursuit of worldly things. Much of our days and weeks is spent trying to get ahead, to have all the things we want, thinking that in the things, we will find security and freedom. Jesus uses the outlandish image of a camel passing through the eye of the needle to illustrate how burdened we may become.

In the kingdom of heaven, no one is weighed down. No one is poor. All are free to live as God’s children. All know, find meaning and security in, and share God’s love.

As people committed to grow as good stewards, we learn to trust in God, seeking purpose in his will. We grow closer to the Lord, leading us to desire what God desires. As stewards, we learn to more prudently discern the way we spend our time and money. Less weighed down by possessions or the striving for them, we are free to accept the kingdom of God like a child and live as Christ’s own in the world.

Are you burdened by financial concerns, physical difficulties, mental or emotional illness? When things are hard, remember that Christ looks on you with love and is ready to set you free.

What weighs you down? As Jesus looks into your life and heart with love, what does he see? Is much of your time focused on the things you want or on gaining financial wealth? Do you find yourself eying the possessions of a friend or neighbor with envy? Do you find yourself consumed by a Pinterest image or someone else’s seemingly perfect Instagram account?

Learn from the man in the gospel. Are you weighed down? Don’t be possessed by your possessions. Let go of all that stands between you and the life Jesus desires for you. Be free.

September 2024

September marks a transition time for most of us. Vacations are over. Those with children return to the routines of school, sports, and activities. We anticipate autumn and get outside as often as we can before winter arrives. The liturgical year is in transition, too. We concluded the Easter season in the late spring, and spent the Sundays of summer hearing of Jesus’ miracles and interactions with his early followers. We reflected on Christ’s identity as the living bread of life and recognized the abundance of God’s grace and goodness in our lives. Now, in the autumn weeks of Ordinary Time, we encounter some of the most essential and challenging of Jesus’ teachings, and hear to the call to take Jesus’ way of life to heart: “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it.” (MK 8:27-35)

Jenny’s life changed dramatically after a women’s retreat at her parish a few years ago. At first, the differences were subtle: she seemed more willing to listen rather than to immediately judge the actions or motivations of others; her family noticed that she prayed before meals and that she seemed to want to go to Mass each week, and they appreciated her growing patience; co-workers recognized that she respected them and their customers. The changes in her actions drew a few surprised reactions, but mostly, appreciation, and wonder. What had caused these shifts in her behavior? It wasn’t like she was a difficult or mean person before, but now she seemed to be at peace.

One day a friend asked her what had brought about “the new Jenny.” Jenny paused for a moment and then replied, “This may sound strange, but I realized that the point of my life is not all about me. Going on the retreat helped me to see God’s presence, but also to recognize that I have a purpose in my life, too. Now, I am growing in love of God, and that love leads me to act differently, to be aware that others will see God’s love through me or not, as a result of how I live. I am learning to live differently as a result, and am grateful you recognize the changes in me.”  Jenny has discovered that her faith calls her to act in particular ways, and others are being touched by her new sense of purpose and meaning.     

In reflecting on all that Jesus taught, Saint James realized that we must be “be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves.” James knew that we have a tendency to remain complacent and inactive, telling ourselves in our heads that we are people of faith, but not allowing Jesus’ call to love and service to have an impact on our lives.  Yet Jesus says, “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.”  Every day provides an opportunity to serve another, often simply and quietly with little notice by the people around us. Saint James tells us that if we do not take these opportunities and act on them, we delude ourselves into thinking we are Christians, yet we fail to do as Jesus commands.

For some of us, being the “last of all and the servant of all” comes naturally easily; for others, such living is a real challenge. Our journey as disciples who embrace this call begins here, now, each and every day of our lives.

How is your life shaped by such humble service? In what ways do Jesus’ command and James’ wisdom provide direction, encouragement, and challenge for you at this time in your life? How might you, like Jenny, see God’s presence and find renewed purpose in your life? What steps on the journey of discipleship are you called to take today? Your journey starts here.

August 2024

We can imagine how perplexed the disciples were. They had journeyed with Jesus, saw the healings and heard him teaching. They witnessed miraculous events at Jesus’ hands and when they reached out in Jesus’ name. They understood the confusion of the crowds but could not imagine leaving Jesus. They may have talked among themselves, but now was the moment to declare their growing faith: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You alone have the words of eternal life.”

“I am the bread of life,” Jesus said to those who sought him after the multiplication of loaves and fish. “The bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” In many ways, Jesus’ words are as confounding now as then. The crowd was not sure what to make of it all. Some left. Others were filled with awe.

Like the disciples who gathered on the hillside, we, too, may be confounded by the Lord. Every time we participate in the Eucharist, we hear the Lord’s voice in the proclamation of the readings and the homily. We come face to face with the glory of God in the simple elements of bread and wine; Christ, the bread of life, is given to us as food for the journey, nourishment for the life of discipleship.

How is it possible that the bread and wine become Christ’s body and blood? How can we, unworthy though we are, receive this precious gift? How can we possibly respond in gratitude for such an incredible blessing?

Those who remained with Jesus did not allow themselves to stumble on the incredible mystery of God’s love they experienced in Jesus, but rather risked putting their faith in him. Even though they did not understand, they reflected on what they saw and heard, the moments of forgiveness, healing, and love, and trusted that their experience was real and true. They became convinced that Jesus is the Holy One of God.

We can learn from the disciples and do likewise. We can reflect on what we hear and experience in the liturgy and the goodness that surrounds us, and put our faith in Christ, the Holy One of God, who gives himself for the life of the world. We can commit ourselves to become more deeply the people the Lord desires, Christ’s Body here and now, and offer ourselves in humble service and compassion. The disciples were forever changed in that moment on the mountain when they stayed with Jesus. Let us likewise be transformed by the mystery of Christ, the bread of life.

Make a choice. Serve the Lord.

”As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

The disciples made a choice to remain with Jesus when others returned to their previous way of life. Joshua gathered the people together to renew their covenant with the Lord, asking them to declare their commitment to serve God rather than the idols of the nations that surrounded them. Joshua stated, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Jos 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b)

We, too, are called to declare and live our faith in God, boldly renouncing the idols that lure us away from God and God’s ways and living abundantly in the Lord. Like the people whom Joshua gathered, we too have a choice to make, once and for all and each and every day. Our daily decisions  will bear out this great choice for Christ, knowing that the Lord will always be with us, strengthening us and offering us mercy when we fail.

Any time we think about our food sources, especially at this time of growing and harvest in North America, we have a beautiful analogy for abundance. What we put into our soil is what we see in our fruit. If we tend the soil of our lives with God’s word, humility, love and attentiveness, our roots, stems and leaves will stay strong when the storms of life roll through. Furthermore, abundance is not always quantity, but quality. When a crop is well-rotated and soil is well-fertilized, its fruit will be sweet if not always plentiful. When we place our trust in the Lord our fruits are not always more time or more energy, but more patience and deeper understanding.

The people whom Joshua gathered had experienced the abundance of the Lord, from their escape from slavery in Egypt, water that flowed from the rock, manna that gave them daily nourishment, and entry into the promised land. In seeing the hand of God in the circumstances of their lives, they responded by putting their faith in the One whose goodness they had known, “Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.”

“Forsake foolishness that you may live; advance in the way of understanding,” we hear from the book of Proverbs. Be rooted in Christ, the bread of life, who calls us to bring life to the world. See God’s hand in the goodness that surrounds you. Let this recognition grow within you, draw you to the One who provides it, and respond by sharing and serving others with glad and generous hearts. Make a choice. Serve the Lord.

Bring faith to life.

Donna had been invited dozens of times to help with her parish’s soup kitchen. It was not lack of time or appreciation of the need for the kitchen that stopped Donna. It was fear, outright and simple. She was afraid she would not know what to say; afraid of what someone might say to her; and most of all, afraid that she would be overwhelmed.

Donna knew in her heart that once she served meals, she would not be the same. Her time and all of the inconsequential things she did with it would be measured by the number of minutes she gave to others. Her resources would seem plentiful in comparison with those who came to receive a meal from the people at the parish. Donna also knew that this is exactly what she needs to do. She cannot ignore the pull on her heart every time the request for help is made.

Finally a good friend called and said, “I know you really want to come and so do some of our friends. I will pick you up and we will serve together.” Donna said a brief prayer for strength and accepted the invitation. Christ’s call is often gentle, no more than a tug at the heart, and Donna is now certain she can conquer her fear through faith and the strength of her friends at her side.

July 2024

The crowd had followed Jesus into a deserted place. And, as time passed, Jesus sensed their hunger. They hungered for him, the hope they felt in his presence, and for physical food - the day had been long and they had left in haste to follow him. He tested the disciples, wondering if their experience of being sent in mission had strengthened their faith. “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?”

This is a story of faith - the faith of the disciples who sought to respond to their Teacher, and of the young boy who gave his five loaves and two fish. Surely he did not expect the great miracle that produced enough food to feed them all. The boy could have succumbed to the fear that the disciples would eat his food and leave him hungry. He might have simply stated the obvious - the little he had could not possibly feed the crowd. Yet, he risked giving what he had and trusted that Jesus would use it well. Through his generosity, the crowds were fed and all experienced a remarkable outpouring of the mercy and care of God through Jesus.

What will your response to Jesus’ command be? How might you feed the hungry - those who need spiritual, physical, and emotional sustenance? When we consider what faith in Jesus leads us to do with our lives, especially when we pay close attention to the Gospel and Jesus’ message of care for the hungry and poor, compassion for those who are suffering, grieving, and in need, suddenly discipleship becomes real, and so does stewardship. This is where faith meets life.

We always have room to grow as disciples and stewards, whether we have never given these things conscious thought before or we have been on the path of stewardship for a long time. And we always have fears to face. It might be fear that if we give too much of our financial resources there won’t be enough for us; it might be worry that if we give too much of our time, we will be tired and stressed. The obstacles might be more subtle, however. Perhaps it is not fear that we will not have enough, but rather, simple selfishness. Sometimes we simply don’t want to share with others.

We find the path through the obstacles when we act on our commitment to Jesus. The leap of faith that feels so risky becomes easier when we are encouraged by and learn from those in our lives and community who freely give of themselves and their resources. There is great value to the example of people who embrace stewardship and tell us that “God will never be outdone in generosity,” or “God loves a cheerful giver.”

How might you follow the example of the young boy whose generosity and trust in the Lord brought about an outpouring of the love of God?

Be prepared. Grace is in your midst

I include in my email signature a brief quote from St. Elizabeth Ann Seton who said, “Be prepared to meet your grace in the daily circumstances of your life.” Every time I send an email, I see the quote and am reminded to be attentive, to pay attention to the ways I experience God’s love and  how I am called to share it with others.

Like the air we breathe and the passing of days, nights, weeks and months, God’s grace is always with us. In order for this to change us, we must be attentive to God’s love and mercy in our daily lives.

Being attentive is not always easy. We have responsibilities we must fulfill, people who need us, many things that vie for our attention. Being attentive to God and God’s action in our lives may feel like another “thing” that has to be done, even while we know that doing so is good for our spiritual well-being. Let us consider small ways in which we may grow in attentiveness, becoming conscious of God’s love throughout our days.

Morning: Begin the day with a time of prayer. If only for five minutes, take time to be mindful of God’s love and mercy. Invite the Holy Spirit to give you an open mind and heart throughout the day, in order to perceive God’s grace in your life and to respond to it freely and generously.

Midday: Just before or during lunch, pause to thank God for the blessings of the morning. Make a note of any special moments, experiences, or gifts received — a kind interaction with a co-worker, a task completed, a complicated situation that was resolved. Just being alive is a gift! Look ahead to the afternoon, and ask God to give you the grace to live as a disciple in the hours that come.

Dinnertime: If you live with others, take a moment at dinnertime to hear about each person’s day. Pray a prayer of blessing over the meal you will share and the time you have together. Ask God to be with those who lack food, shelter, or companionship, and consider ways you may help to meet their needs in the future. If you dine alone, talk with God while you eat, as a friend would converse with a friend, sharing silence and your inmost thoughts.

Night: Before you go to bed, thank God for the day that is passing. Make note of the grace of the day, mercy received and given. Resolve to grow in attentiveness to God’s love and in willingness to be a bearer of God’s mercy in the days to come.

Taking St. Elizabeth Ann’s instruction to heart can be life-changing. The grace of God is not abstract, distant, only for a few special ones. God’s grace is for each of us. In our midst. Waiting for us to pay attention, to be prepared. We know and experience God’s grace uniquely, as each of us is fearfully and wonderfully made, created in God’s image and likeness. Just as God’s grace is poured out on each of us personally, so we are called to share the love of God with others in the way in which only we can. Be prepared to meet your grace.  - Leisa Anslinger

June 2024

Who or what do you put your faith in? You may immediately think of your faith in Jesus Christ, even while recognizing that faith in the Lord can sometimes be weak and shaky. Think more deeply about the question and you may realize that you sometimes put your faith in things - money, possessions, or positions of authority, for example.

Placing our faith in someone or something says a lot about who we are and who we want to be.  Why we put our faith in people or things is even more telling. We may be looking for security or we may long for someone or something to take away our fear, concern, or worry; we may ache for certainty in an uncertain world, strength when we feel especially vulnerable.

People flocked to Jesus as news of him spread throughout the territory. Some came simply out of curiosity. Yet many came to believe in him, to place their faith in Jesus, compelled to risk trusting that a great and holy one was in their midst. The woman plagued by hemorrhages, for instance, and the synagogue official whose daughter was dying. Their faith was evident as they sought Jesus out in dire circumstances.

The disciples who traveled with Jesus grew in faith over time. They had been with him when he healed the sick; they heard the parables, and watched people’s reactions to Jesus’ stories, pondering their meaning. Yet even for the disciples, growing in faith in Jesus was a gradual process.

Put yourself in the boat with the disciples. Jesus had spent the day teaching people at the lakeshore. Late in the day, they went out in a boat, heading for the other side of the lake where more people would hear the good news of the kingdom of God which Jesus proclaimed.

A storm arose, tossing them about, waves breaking over the boat. Many of the disciples were fishermen. They knew the ways of life on the water. The storm was rough enough that it even rattled these seasoned seamen. It may not have occurred to them to go to Jesus in their fear. They probably thought was tired and needed to rest. Only when they came to him with their fear did they experience the fullness of Jesus’ power as he calmed the wind and stilled the sea.

Jesus seemed to wonder what took the disciples so long before they called to him. “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?” While they had witnessed healing and new life at Jesus’ hands, their faith became “real” when they themselves turned to him in a time of great need. Awestruck, the disciples asked themselves, “Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”

Come to the Lord with all of your life, when facing minor setbacks or when you’re overwhelmed, and when life is good. Do not hesitate to bring your fear, worry, or doubt to Jesus, who desires to be at the center of your life. We may sometimes hesitate to turn to the Lord, perhaps thinking the situation is too small or that we only come to Jesus when we’re in trouble. The gospels convince us there is no storm too big, nor circumstance too small to bring to the Lord. Have faith. Trust the one who calms the storm.

When tiny becomes mighty

Throughout his ministry, in everything he did and taught, Jesus proclaimed the kingdom of God. He reached out to those who were sick, dying, in need of mercy and forgiveness. Jesus shows us that God’s desire is that all of humanity might know and share love. Unexpected, sometimes confounding, sacrificial love.

Jesus tells us that the kingdom of God is like a mustard seed - the smallest of all the seeds on the earth, which springs up and becomes a large plant. If God’s kingdom is the reign of love, then even our smallest actions on behalf of love can grow beyond our imagining. Think of all the opportunities we have to show and to share love every day. Times when we put impatience aside, linger with someone who is struggling, give our time in service. These small acts expand our hearts and make Christ’s presence known.

Tiny seeds of mercy, compassion, and caring grow into mighty expressions of the incredible love of God. Doing this is simple but it is not always easy. It requires us to make the perspective of the Lord our own, to have as our greatest desire that all will know and share love.

What tiny seed of love will you plant today? How does the Eucharist shape and nourish you to be a sower of the seeds of Christ’s presence? What might be the mighty impact of your sharing in the lives of others and for the life of the world?

“And what do Christians bring to the Eucharistic celebration and join there with Jesus’ offering?

Their lives as Christian disciples; their personal vocations and the stewardship they have exercised regarding them; their individual contributions to the great work of restoring all things in Christ.

Disciples give thanks to God for gifts received and strive to share them with others. ”

— Stewardship: A Disciple's Response, p. 34

May 2024

COME, HOLY SPIRIT!

Fill our hearts. Come to our aid.

Think about your life for a moment: all that you hope and dream for, the things that fill the minutes and hours of your days, the challenges, joys, and everything in between. Then, remember that in each of those times, in all of the yearning and wondering, ups and downs, ins and outs, the Holy Spirit is with you. Always and everywhere.

It may be easy to lose sight of the Holy Spirit. Unless we are attentive to God’s continual offer of grace, we may feel that we are left to face the circumstances of our lives alone. The celebration of Pentecost reminds us that we have been imbued with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, special ways in which the Spirit is present. The gifts are already given; we must be ready to recognize and allow the Spirit to activate them within us when we need them, and in doing so, we will powerfully know the Spirit’s presence.

Confused or facing a difficult decision? Ask the Spirit to provide wisdom. When uncertain or befuddled by the complexity of life around you, understanding awaits. When seeking God’s will in demanding situations, ask the Spirit to give you knowledge.  When you or a friend face a moral or ethical dilemma, rely on the Spirit’s counsel.  Feeling weak and wavering in your commitment to live as a disciple of Jesus? Ask the Holy Spirit for fortitude. Seeking meaning and purpose in life and faith? Ask for piety — reverence for God and God’s ways. Need to see beyond the mundane and understand yourself as a child of God? Invite the Holy Spirit to imbue you with fear of the Lord - holy awe.

The Holy Spirit knows our hearts and is already at work within us. The Holy Spirit is love. Love resides within us, awaiting our readiness to live in love boldly, compassionately, trusting that our good God will give us all we need.

“True to his nature as giver and gift alike, he is now working through you. Let unifying love be your measure; abiding love your challenge; self-giving love your mission!” Benedict XVI’s insight helps us to understand the mystery of the Holy Spirit. Not only does the Spirit give us great and wonderful gifts, the Holy Spirit is the gift!

As with all good gifts entrusted to us by our gracious God, we are called to steward well the gift and gifts of the Holy Spirit.  The gifts are not only for us, but for all. There is no doubt the world - the people and circumstances around you - needs wisdom, understanding, knowledge, counsel, fortitude, piety, and holy awe. As a good steward of these gifts, give them lavishly, sacrificially, as a reflection of the giver, the Spirit of God.

We live in mission through the Holy Spirit

Live boldly

Have you ever felt it just isn’t possible to live as a disciple in today’s world?

There is no doubt, living faith in our daily lives is not always easy. Not only is the world increasingly ambivalent about, sometimes overtly hostile to, faith, it is challenging to consciously live as a follower of Jesus. Doing so requires us to be intentional about our attitudes, decisions, and actions, every day, in every situation.

We are sometimes uncertain whether we are ready to take our relationship with Christ seriously.

It isn’t that life is always hard, although we all have difficult periods in our lives. It is simply that living as a Christian raises expectations about the way we should live.

Sometimes it feels as though we’re hitting a wall, and are tempted to take the easy way out.

Friends may want us to do things that feel counter to the Christian way of life. We may face ethical dilemmas at work. We may fight selfish and self-centered tendencies when demands are placed on our time. We may be afraid to truly live as a person of faith, for fear of rejection or ridicule.

After Jesus’ crucifixion, the disciples were filled with fear.

They likely felt they had hit a wall. They remained together, waiting as Jesus had told them, uncertain of what was to come.

On the day of Pentecost, they were filled with the Holy Spirit.

Empowered with the strength and courage of the Spirit of God, they they boldly shared the good news of Jesus’ resurrection and they never looked back.

Like the disciples, we, too, have a mission. And like them, the Holy Spirit is with us.

In his pastoral exhortation on the call to holiness in today’s world, Pope Francis challenges us to live our mission with purpose through the power of the Holy Spirit: “You too need to see the entirety of your life as a mission. Try to do so by listening to God in prayer and recognizing the signs that he gives you. Always ask the Spirit what Jesus expects from you at every moment of your life and in every decision you must make, so as to discern its place in the mission you have received. Allow the Spirit to forge in you the personal mystery that can reflect Jesus Christ in today’s world.” (GE, 23).

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

We begin and end prayer with the Sign of the Cross, but have you ever thought of the sign itself as a prayer?

The Sign of the Cross invites us into an encounter with God’s love, protection, mercy, forgiveness and presence. Through this briefest of prayers, we recall the key mysteries of our faith: that we are created in love and for love by God the Father; we are redeemed through Jesus Christ, whose passion, death, and resurrection lead us to the fullness of life; and we are filled with the Holy Spirit, whose presence empowers us to live as God desires.

These three persons of the Holy Trinity are one God, whose love is overflowing, everlasting, abundant beyond our comprehension.

The Sign of the Cross is a sign of our faith, whether prayed privately in personal prayer or publicly, before meals, at Mass, with friends.

The next time you make the Sign of the Cross, make a renewed commitment to live as a child of God, disciple of Jesus Christ, as one who is anointed and sealed with the Holy Spirit. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen!

April 2024

Doubt. Is doubt a bad thing? Not necessarily. Our doubts show us the aspects of faith and discipleship we need to bring to prayer, explore, and grow beyond. We can learn from Thomas (whose story we hear this month and who is forever remembered as “doubting”). Thomas expressed his doubts to the people whom he trusted and listened to their expressions of faith; he took his doubts to Christ, who showed him the way to faith; he moved from doubt to belief, later spreading the Gospel as a missionary.

Confusion. The disciples had experienced Jesus’ arrest, witnessed his passion and crucifixion; knew he had died. Jesus had been brutally killed and he had been in the tomb for three days. Their faith was shaken; they were confused and perplexed. We are sometimes confused as well. Life is not always black and white; complex situations with no easy answers may leave us feeling unmoored, uncertain; we may question our faith or wonder about God and God’s ways.

Longing. Most of us have moments in which we go through the motions. We get up, go to work or school, work out, go out with friends, or enjoy quiet at home, and start the next day no different than the one before. Then, occasionally, something happens. We have a flash of insight, hear from a friend we haven’t seen in a long time, are struck by a moment of beauty, a difficult circumstance arises, or we simply find ourselves longing for more, aching for meaning, purpose, and impact.

Amazement. It is easy to understand the astonishment of the disciples when they encountered the risen Jesus. He appeared before them offering his hands and his side - flesh and blood - as proof that it was really him and he was really alive. This month at Sunday Mass, we hear the stories of the early communities of believers and what took place after Jesus’ resurrection. The lives of the apostles and those who gathered with them were turned upside down by all that took place in Jesus’ ministry, passion, death, and resurrection. They had to look at their lives differently as a result.

Peace. Jesus’ message to the disciples is more than a nice greeting. He understands their confusion and uneasiness. The peace of Christ does not mean our lives will be absent of fear, confusion, grief, or dismay. Rather, the gift of the Lord’s peace is the assurance that God holds us closely in love and mercy in the midst of the most perplexing of times. With Christ’s peace in their hearts, Jesus entrusted his mission of forgiveness and love to disciples then and now.

New life. Filled with the Holy Spirit, the disciples opened their hearts and minds to the love of God in unexpected and powerful ways. In response, they shared with others: they told the stories of Jesus, gave their time and resources in care of those in need, and came together as people in community with one another. The same thing can happen to us: let us take this Easter season to open our minds and hearts to the love of God, and respond to this love by sharing: faith, time, prayer, talents, and resources, as Christ’s people together.

How will you open yourself to new life this Easter season?

“Our daily problems and worries can wrap us up in ourselves, in sadness and bitterness…and that is where death is. That is not the place to look for the one who is alive!”

— Pope Francis

Stewards of God’s mercy

When we think of stewardship, we often use the phrase, “time, talent and treasure” to express the understanding that we are called to be good stewards of all we are, have, and will be. Stewardship is more than checking things off a list, however. It is a way of life in which we learn to be grateful for our many blessings, and as a result, to be generous in giving to the point of sacrifice, as a reflection of the sacrificial love of Christ.

In applying this understanding of stewardship to mercy, let us think about the people who may only know God’s love through us. We may show mercy to someone who is lonely or feels neglected by paying attention to him or her, “spending time” in order to express the love of God through our actions. This is good stewardship. We might be called to give of our talents in organizing or participating in a time of service, outreach, or care for others. This is good stewardship as well. Perhaps our material resources or money are needed to meet the needs of those who are in need. This, too, is good stewardship!

Go out of your way to be a good steward of God’s mercy through the ways in which you offer your time, talent and treasure. Keep a journal or make a list of the ways you and all in your household show and share God’s mercy. Become more attentive to the needs of others, and focus less on what you want. Be mindful instead of the many ways you are blessed. In doing so, your stewardship will impact your life and the life of all you touch, now and into the future.

Receive and give mercy this month

Think about the most powerful experience you have had of the love of God. Perhaps it was at Mass or the celebration of a sacrament, such as Confirmation or Baptism, your own of that of another. Maybe it was a particularly intimate moment with a spouse or good friend. Perhaps you were in a crisis, or you reached out to another in a time of need. Whatever the experience, at the heart of it all, was God’s mercy. Let us reflect on this for a few moments: during the Mass, we tell the story of and celebrate God’s mercy in many ways, from the readings we hear, to the prayers we pray, to the act of receiving Christ’s Body and Blood in Holy Communion. Our sacraments draw us nearer to God in specific ways, through God’s merciful action working through simple, earthly material such as water, oil, and human touch, not leaving us to our own devices, but declaring God’s love for us, often in spite of our human weakness and failing. When we know the love of others, or when we reach out to those in need, we know and share God’s mercy. The extent to which our human relationships mirror the love and mercy of God has direct bearing on the depth of love we experience with family, friends, in our parish communities, and in our service to others.

In this Easter season, we are reminded of a powerful aspect of our faith in Jesus Christ: God’s love and mercy never fail! Whatever kind of death we experience — physical death, spiritual or emotional turmoil, grief over the death of a loved one, the loss of job or meaningful work, the breakup of a relationship — death does not have the last word. This is cause for us to say and sing “Alleluia!” Mercy is a sign of God’s enduring love. Take time this month to notice and reflect upon the power of God’s mercy, received and given.

March 2024

At times, we choose  to hide

None of us likes to admit it, but sometimes, we hide from the light of God’s love. We may tell ourselves that we want to grow closer to God, yet our attitudes, actions, and inactions do not bear out this desire. We fail to live as we know we ought and take little or no time for prayer, Sunday Mass, or the sacrament of Reconciliation. We keep God at a distance, perhaps wondering if God’s love truly is real or if we are really lovable. We choose to remain in the shadows and hide from the light of God’s face.

See the light

As we continue through this season of Lent, we are invited to see in Christ the light of God’s love and mercy. Lent is about making an intentional decision to follow Jesus more closely, to turn away from the darkness - that which is thrust upon us and that which is of our own making - and trust in God’s incredible eternal light.

Jesus shows us the way

Throughout this month, especially during Holy Week, we come face-to-face with the full extent of God’s love, the love in which we are created, and to which we are called. Jesus shows us that this light pierces every darkness. Not only did Jesus sacrifice himself, enduring suffering and death for us, he helps us understand that by seeking and living in the light, we will know God’s love more powerfully than our human minds and hearts can fathom.

Share the light

In coming to see and know Christ’s light more deeply, we are called to share the light as good stewards of God’s varied grace. We do this by giving of ourselves and our resources as a reflection of the self-giving love of God, poured out and shared through Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection. This is the purpose and meaning of our lives as Christian disciples. It is time to see and share the light of Christ’s love.

“Jesus is the supreme teacher of Christian stewardship, as he is of every other aspect of Christian life; and in Jesus’ teaching and life self-emptying is fundamental…Refracted through the prisms of countless individual vocations, this way of life embodies and expresses the one mission of Christ: to do God’s will, to proclaim the Good News of salvation, to heal the afflicted, to care for one’s sisters and brothers, to give life - life to the full- as Jesus did. ”

— SDR, 19, 14

There the cross is found

“There the cross is found, because the cross is our desire to give ourselves away. It is our hunger to genuinely hand ourselves over, to give ourselves to others, because it is in doing so that we are most who we are. If you hold onto your life, you will not have life, but if you give it away, you cannot exhaust life. It becomes everlasting life. You become absolutely you.

And who, finally, are you? You are the image and likeness of God. If God is pure self-gift, then self-gift is the image in which we are made, the blueprint on which we are built. Therefore, to give ourselves away is what we most deeply desire.”   — Fr. Michael Himes, Doing the Truth in Love

Walk with Jesus in a special way this Lent as he teaches and heals, forgives and loves. Place yourself alongside Jesus as he washes the feet of the disciples and prays that the cup of suffering might pass from him. Hear him say to the Father, “not my will but yours be done,” and pause to wonder what great love would lead him to give so completely, to sacrifice his very self. See the look of love on his face as he entrusts Mary to the disciple he loved, and stay with him as he suffers and dies on the cross. And as you reflect and pray, peer into your heart and life and understand again, or perhaps for the first time, that Jesus died for each of us and for all.

Jesus wants us to come to him with our suffering, trials, confusion, doubts, and longing, to bring these things to the foot of the cross, where he looks at us with love and takes these difficult things to himself and transforms them. There is nothing so small or so great that it is beyond the love of God.

At the foot of the cross, we more fully understand that sacrifice is not as much about giving up as it is in giving for. On the cross, Jesus gave his life so that we might know God’s redeeming love. At the foot of the cross, we take to heart the call to respond to this great love by loving in return, by “giving without counting the cost,” just as Jesus did. Jesus did not hold back, and neither should we.

What do you bring to the foot of the cross? What are you called to sacrifice, and for whom? How might your giving transform your life and share God’s love with others?

February 2024

Life can be hard. Walk in faith.

Life can be hard. We all have moments when times are tough. Challenges with health, work or school may bring anxiety. The pace of life may seem unbearable. Our mental and emotional health may be fragile; life may be filled with loneliness and discomfort (the opposite of being settled and comfortable with one’s circumstances). We’re not only concerned about ourselves and our lives, the state of life for our family, friends, and those in the wider community are on our minds and in our hearts. We may feel helpless and doubt God or our ability to carry on.

Be honest. Sometimes we may feel that being a person of faith means never admitting our challenges or doubts. Surely, we think, if our faith was strong enough, the difficulties of life wouldn’t get to us. The witness of the saints who precede us tells us that people of faith do indeed have difficulties. We can learn from them and be honest with ourselves, others, and God when life is hard.

Walk in faith, even when we are tempted to give up. This month, we hear the stories of people who placed their trust in God in their most vulnerable and challenging moments. Job endured trials and voiced his discouragement and weariness, and eventually found the consolation for which he longed. Peter brought his worry for his mother-in-law to Jesus who healed her and the crowds who gathered at her door. The leper knelt at Jesus’ feet, declaring his faith that Jesus could heal him and was given more than he could have imagined, healing and forgiveness.

Jesus faced temptation too. He held fast, trusting that the Father and the Holy Spirit were with him. Our Lord understands when we struggle. Jesus knows our human condition in all its frailty and is with us as we seek consolation, light, and peace.

Jesus took his disciples up on a high mountain where he was transfigured before their eyes. They held on to the experience during the profound grief of Jesus’ passion and death and in the uncertain days that followed.

Lent is a season in which to draw near to our Lord. Gain new perspective as we re-order our lives in the light of Christ’s love. When we feel we are in the desert, alone with little around us in which to find hope, we remember that the Holy Spirit drove Jesus to the desert, where he found the grace to withstand temptation, hunger, and isolation. When we are sick, tired, and afraid, we remember those who have gone before us who experienced similar trials and were consoled by the Lord’s presence and peace. When we are just going through the motions in life, we can take a step toward Jesus who knows our every need. When life is hard, grow in trust that through the grace of God, you and all you face may be transformed. Walk in faith this Lent and always.

Bring faith to life

Sometimes it is difficult to think about God’s will. Our fierce human independence balks at the idea of someone else’s will being important, even if it is God whose will we are considering. Yet each of us has moments in which we sense what we are called to do: dreams of making a contribution in the life of another; a simple act of kindness that could make a real difference; a sense of purpose or fruitfulness in which we may find meaning in life; a desire to show compassion, share mercy, forgive another, or give of ourselves in a new and substantial way.  St. John XXIII understood these interior promptings that are glimmers of the will of God (see quote below).

This Lent, discern God’s will and resolve to live in the way God most desires. Dream boldly and grow as a good steward. Use your talents, resources, time, and presence to make a difference in the life of another. Bring faith to life.

“Consult not your fears but your hopes and dreams.

Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what is still possible for you to do.” - St. John XXIII

More or less

We might think of Lent as a season of less and more. Less focus on stuff; more on giving of time or attention. Less time absorbed in self; more in prayer and serving the needs of others. Less of unnecessary things; more on the most important ones, which usually aren't things at all.

We often think of Lent as a time to "give up" something, which leads us to less of a favored food or activity, and which ideally gives us more of an experience of sacrifice, and more time or money for another. Will your Lenten practice this year lead you to be less distracted, more prayerful, less stressed, and more trusting in God's goodness?

May this Lent be a season of "less is more": as you free yourself from whatever keeps you from following Jesus, may you find more of all that you truly need: grace, forgiveness, mercy, compassion. And may you share these gifts with others. As you do so, you will surely also discover the grace of the Spirit of God within you, empowering you to act as a person of Christ in the world.

This Lent, let us make "less is more" our motto as we repent and change and grow in faith.

January 2024

January is a time for new beginnings

January is a time to begin anew. It is a time for reprioritizing and trying again. It is a time for surrender.

Wait, what??? You read correctly, it is a time for surrender.

God is constantly calling us back. God wants to be with us. He desires us, our whole selves. The question we must ask is: are we comfortable surrendering to God’s desire to draw close? Surrender is a word that for many of us brings up images of depleted resources and white flags. Surrender is a bad thing that only happens to those who lose an effort. It is something that is forced by a conquering body or a circumstance. It is certainly not something that any sane person would choose to do.

Or is it? Let’s back up for a moment. At Christmas, we celebrate just how much God loves us and wants to be with us. Truly human and divine, Jesus came to share in all of our joys, trials, temptations and successes. This is one of the great mysteries of our faith, and something that makes all the difference if we really take it to heart. If God loves us so much that He sends us His son to be with us and guide us in this human life, why wouldn’t we want to surrender to that kind of perfect love? It is hard for us to understand perfect love because human love is imperfect.     God is perfect. God is not a conqueror. Yet God does invite us to surrender.

Unlike the world’s definition of surrender, surrendering to God’s will frees us! Just like God asked our Blessed Mother Mary (whose feast we celebrate on New Year’s Day!), God invites us to offer Him our whole “yes” — a white flag of sorts — a pure statement of our trust in God’s presence and providence. Sometimes our yes is not as complete as it could be, but we have a lifetime of opportunities to continue trying to give God our full yes.

If we say yes and surrender our whole selves to God’s will, we must then be prepared to act on it.  We must be willing to surrender our fear, our anxiety, our schedules and our loved ones to God’s perfect plan. We must resolve to live lives of prayer, service and generosity. In this way, our lives can become a witness to God’s perfect plan and provision so that others can see and be inspired to surrender to God’s love and sustenance in their lives.

Resolutions can be daunting, but surrender is freeing. Surrendering our will to God is not easy, but neither is sticking to resolutions. There are many ways we see, hear, and know God’s will. Perhaps the best resolution we can make this year is to surrender to God’s loving will for us and for the world. God will show you. Let 2024 be the year we grow in trust of God and surrender.   — Amberly Boerschinger

Look. listen. Respond.

“We have seen his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.” (MT 2:2)

The magi were looking. It was not an accident that they journeyed to Bethlehem, having seen the star at its rising. They were attentive, searching, and ready to go when the time was right.

Others saw too. The shepherds were on the night watch. They were on the lookout for predators and thieves. They were stunned to see instead the glory of the Lord around them. At the angels’ announcement, they also journeyed to Bethlehem, eager to see for themselves the miracle of the newborn in the most unexpected of places, the manger.

Have you seen his star? Not a physical star, but the light of God’s love. Light pierces darkness, illumines shadows, and diminishes the fear of night. Do you see the glory of the Lord around you? If there is one thing that we should carry with us through the Christmas season and beyond, it is this: God is with us in all of our searching, hoping, and longing. God is here, in the midst of our everyday lives. The light of God’s love shines brightly, through all of the darkness, fear, frustration, and anxiety we may experience in life. God wants to break through and to bring us peace.

This month, we hear the stories of ones who heard, listened, and responded to God’s love. Samuel heard the voice of God before he was fully prepared to understand. Once aware that God was speaking to him, he earnestly responded, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” (1 Sam 3:10) The first disciples heard the voice of the Lord and they immediately followed him.

Do we see, listen, and respond to God’s love? Notice that once the magi and shepherds saw the light of God’s love, once Samuel and the disciples heard the Lord’s voice, they were open and ready to respond. They brought their gifts, their very selves, to the Lord, allowed the light of God’s love to change them, and became vessels of that love for others.

In this new year, be like the magi and the shepherds, ready to see the Lord in your midst, in the eyes of a loved one, the presence of Christ at Mass, an unexpected moment of tenderness. When you see God’s love, be ready to offer him homage, and grow in love and grace.

Be like Samuel, Simon, Andrew, James, and John. Hear the voice of the Lord and respond. Bring your gifts, your very selves, to the Lord, saying, “Here I am, send me.”

Impact this year

Use these ideas to bring faith to your daily life and find life in faith in the coming year.

Pray every day. Tell God what is in your heart and on your mind, and allow God’s love to touch you.

Truly participate in the Mass, and in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Open your heart and mind to the Lord.

Read the Bible. Find words of encouragement, consolation, and challenge in Sacred Scripture.

Talk with others about faith. You are likely to be inspired by their sharing, and they from yours.

Learn more about our Catholic faith through study, small faith sharing, and adult faith formation.

Read the lives of the saints. They show us that God speaks to each of us as ordinary people with the ups and downs of daily life.

Pay attention to those who are poor, lonely, ill, or in prison. Not only do they need our care, they also witness to God’s compassion for the weak and broken.

Serve with a glad and generous heart. You will see God’s love in action.

December 2023

We wait

Perhaps you’re thinking about this, too. Some of us truly love Christmas and the anticipation of the season is part of the fun -- shopping, preparing, trees, cards, parties, and all. Others of us are not as fond of this time of the year. It seems to be blown out of proportion and for some, the hoopla takes away from what Christmas really means.

Advent is a season of waiting, not only for the celebration of Christmas, but also for Christ's return in glory. We linger in anticipation, preparing our minds and hearts for such great mysteries. By doing so, we appreciate more fully that for which we wait. We are called to be stewards of all of this, because in the seasons of Advent and Christmas, we focus on the message of God’s love for humanity.

In the incarnation, Jesus shows us the love of God. Christ witnesses this love in the meager dwelling of our humanity, and in the dwelling of a manger. Throughout Advent, especially from December 17 until Christmas, we sing “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” Emmanuel, which means “God is with us,” is a particularly powerful title for Christ. When we call Jesus “Emmanuel” we are making a statement of deep faith and enduring hope. If God is with us, there is nothing to fear in life or death. If God is with us, we can trust that all will be well, regardless of the difficulties of the present moment. If God is with us, we can mirror God’s lavish giving by giving of ourselves and our resources, and know that in doing so, we help others to see that God is with them.

In Advent and Christmas, we are assured that God is with us! Our annual immersion into this truth provides comfort and calls us to shape our living as good stewards of God’s varied grace, especially the knowledge that Jesus is our Emmanuel.

Look for Christ where there is love. In the care of family members for one another; among friends; when you are compelled to greet a stranger or care for someone in need; in word and sacrament in the Mass; in the healing of Reconciliation.

Look for Christ in quiet. When your heart is filled with peace, especially when nothing can explain the calm you feel. When you find resolution in conflict; healing of body, mind, and spirit.

Look for Christ during difficulty. When simple things are hard; when life seems insurmountable; when your heart aches.

Look for Christ in others. Those who need care and those who give it. In the eyes of a friend who is in pain. In the lonely neighbor; the homeless person on the street; the sick and dying.

Look for Christ in unexpected places. When you least expect to experience God, remember, God is there!

November 2023

Have you ever had the experience of being too close to something? Something at work, perhaps, or with a friend or family member? We sometimes lose perspective, focusing so intently on a situation that we no longer see it clearly. We have to step back in order to gain the clarity we need.

The same holds true in our spiritual life.

Sometimes we have to step back in order to see life and faith clearly.  We conclude the liturgical year this month. At this point each liturgical year, the Sunday readings encourage us to step back and take the long view:

• Recognize that every day is a gift from God; we do not know when our final day of life on earth will be. As sobering as it is to think about this, it is also good for us to do so. It is a reminder that every day is precious and that our daily actions matter.

• Put Christ at the center of our lives. When we do this, everything else falls into place.

• Draw on faith even in, especially in, the most challenging times.

This is the perfect time to look back and look ahead.

• Does God have a meaningful place in your life? Does your faith guide your daily decisions?

• Are you sometimes distracted, too busy, or too focused in one area of life to the exclusion of everything (or everyone) else?

• Are you mindful to see God’s grace and goodness in the daily moments of your life?

• Are you stressed and tired? Do you spend time with the people you love, and give of yourself in service?

• Do you use your material and financial resources wisely and share with those in need?

Soon, we will mark the end of 2023 and the beginning of a new calendar year. This is the perfect time to look back, reflect on our lives in light of faith, and to look ahead to the coming year with renewed commitment to live as disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Giving Thanks

Our national celebration of Thanksgiving provides a reason to reflect on all for which we have to be grateful.

Gratitude is not only for Thanksgiving day.  In reality, beginning each day by stepping back to reflect on our many blessings will have lasting impact on each of us and all whom we touch at home, work or school, and in service.

When we begin with gratitude, we recognize God’s grace in our midst.

Many people have been taught to think about life through a perspective of scarcity: What is missing? What needs fixing? Starting with thanksgiving provides a perspective of abundance. We see that each day and all that surrounds us is a gift from God, and we grow in our desire to share with others out of gratitude for our many blessings.

Choosing abundance over scarcity takes practice. Consider the following to practice gratitude:

Begin each day with a brief moment of gratitude. Express thanksgiving at meals. End the day by noticing the many times you were blessed. At first, this may seem awkward or forced. Stay with it! You’ll soon recognize God’s abundant grace beyond what you are able to comprehend.

Ask God to guide your heart and life, so that your daily comings and goings may be reflections of gratitude for all you are and have. Such a grateful life does take practice. It is sure to have lasting impact, bringing faith to life in wonderful ways!

October 2023

The basics.

Sometimes it is good for us to get back to basics. At home, we might set aside time for dinner and conversation rather than family members rushing off to separate activities. In our lives of faith, Jesus says we are called to two foundational actions: love God, love neighbor.

Love God.

Love God, love our neighbor. It sounds so simple. And yet, we know that it is anything but simple. Loving God and neighbor requires commitment. Loving God requires us to place our trust in One who cannot be seen and yet knows us better than we know ourselves. Loving God calls us to order our lives in relationship to God and God’s ways, the way of self-giving love. When our heart is centered on God, we will see ourselves as uniquely created, God’s very own. When we love God with all our soul, we find peace in the midst of turmoil. When our mind is focused through faith, we seek what is good, right, and just before all things.

Love neighbor.

Loving our neighbor is the way in which we show our love for God. When we love God with our whole being, we understand that our neighbor is a child of God, one who is God’s prized possession, just as each of us is. The truth is that every person is created out of love, for love. As Christ himself taught us, whatever we do for the least among us, we do for him. Loving our neighbor is, after all, our greatest act of faith, of discipleship, and of stewardship.

Take the call to heart.

What would our lives look like if we really took to heart the two intertwined commandments that Jesus places before us? Would we re-order our days in order to spend time with God in prayer? Would we become more attentive to the needs of others? Might we recognize our talents as gifts from God, and more readily give the gifts back, with increase, at home, in our parish, and the world? Would we consider that the way we spend time, money and attention are signs of our priorities?

It’s time.

Most of us have thought about these things many times in the past, but may have done little to change our routines, behaviors or habits. One of the reasons the three-year Lectionary cycle of readings is so helpful is that we hear passages like this again and again. We hear and reflect on God’s word in light of the very real circumstances of our lives.  Think for just a moment about what was happening in your life three years ago. Surely you heard the Sunday readings differently then than you do now. The gospel passages we hear this month challenge us to not be passive recipients of God’s gracious love. Let this be the year we take Jesus’ two great commandments more fully to heart, and act accordingly: love God, love neighbor.

Finding strength

“I can do all things in him who strengthens me.”

Faith in Jesus does not prevent us from having difficulties in life. Truly, discipleship includes challenges - the ordinary adversities that are part of life, and particular trials that come from our commitment to living as Christian people in the world. As we listen to the gospels this month, Jesus challenges us to live as his people, stay focused on God and God’s ways, and produce the fruit of faith through our actions.

“I can do all things in him who strengthens me.” Such faith is not theoretical or abstract. When we can make this statement with conviction in the midst of turmoil, we tell ourselves and others that we believe Christ is with us, that the Lord cares about us and remains with us each and every day, even when we are not conscious of God’s presence. As we face the trials of life and of discipleship, faith provides perspective. And strength. And hope. Because Jesus bore his cross and reigns victorious over it, we can face our trials with the assurance that Christ is with us and that nothing is greater than the love and power of God.

“I can do all things in him who strengthens me.” St. Paul wrote those words to the Christian community in Philippi from prison. “I know how to live in humble circumstances; I also know how to live with abundance. In every circumstance and in all things I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry, of living in abundance and of being in need. I can do all things in him who strengthens me.” Can we say the same? Do we trust in the Lord in every circumstance, in all things? Earlier in the same letter, St. Paul shared the faith that gave him courage in the trails that he faced, “Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your request known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phl 4:6-9, 12-14)

“I can do all things in him who strengthens me.” Notice that St. Paul’s prayer is one of thanksgiving. Even in the midst of trial, doubt, or fear, we always have something to be thankful for, because we are blessed children of God!

“I can do all things in him who strengthens me.” Let these words sink into our hearts and minds. Let them become a mantra, a phrase that we repeat whenever we are challenged - by situations at home or work, when things seem to be falling apart, when we are discerning a new step on life’s path or need courage to take a stand or act as we know discipleship demands - in all things, let us trust that we are not alone. We can do these things in and with Christ.

September 2023

What has hold of you? Let it go

Does something have hold of you? Perhaps the desire for possessions drives you; maybe it is the need for security; perhaps you hold onto your relationships with people  too closely, or think far too much of yourself. It is easy to find ourselves holding on too tightly to something or someone. We may find comfort in it for a while, but realize in time that it is fleeting. Jesus has a different vision for our lives. When we cling to things, people, or self-reliance, we lose the beauty of God’s vision for us and for all of creation. In holding tight to what we think we want, we lose the possibility of  a greater, more profound, deeply meaningful way of life.

Separate your wants from your needs

Most of us spend a lot of time thinking about what we want. We dream of a new house, better car, career success, or a life of unbridled happiness. These wants may be worthy goals for a life that is centered in God and rooted in faith. But often, the wants stem from misplaced priorities, putting possessions or the desire for control before our relationship with Christ and all that we are called to be and to do as Christian disciples.  Jesus invites us to let go of this want-driven life, to instead embrace his way of self-giving love. When we separate our wants from our needs, what is most important comes into focus. Life is simpler, more purposeful and filled with joy.

What do you own, and what owns you?

The late Archbishop Thomas Murphy recalled a moment in which he was preparing for serious surgery. In his reflection, he asked himself, “What do I own, and what owns me?”

Archbishop Murphy had a dramatic insight at a pivotal point in this life. “I know that my whole understanding and appreciation of the gifts and resources I possess took on new meaning. It is amazing how a divine economy of life and heath provides a unique perspective of what really matters.” What really matters for you? Jesus asks us to find meaning in a life that is centered in love, forgiveness, mercy, trust, and compassion.

Take a step

Throughout his ministry and ultimately on the cross, Jesus showed us that true security and meaning lie in letting go, in living for God and others. As followers of Jesus Christ, we find that the things the world holds out in front of us as markers of success often lack meaning and ultimately distract us from what really matters. We will find true happiness by losing ourselves to the loving, merciful will of God. We will gain a new and enriching perspective when we see that all we are, have, and will be are gifts from God, to be nurtured and shared out of gratitude for all that we have been given.