Alleluia! He is risen! Pope St. John Paul II said, “Do not abandon yourself to despair. We are Easter people and Alleluia is our song.” We are Easter people; hope is our Christian identity. We are not people of fear. We are courageous, hopeful, beloved sons and daughters of God. Our very identity is tied to the Resurrection. We are called to believe that Christ is truly risen, to feel it deep in our bones,…
What a beautiful Savior we have. God the Father didn’t send Jesus to appease His wrath and sentence us to death. Instead, Jesus came to save us: “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him” (Jn 3:17). Jesus holds the power of divine judgment (Jn 5:22-24). Dying for our sins to save us took more love and power than merely…
Imagine what the prodigal son must have looked like when he returned home. He wasn’t wearing his fine clothes or jewelry—he had probably pawned them off. He was dirty from tending the swine and walking for miles with no shoes. He may have even lost weight from lack of food. Even looking so unlike himself, his father recognized him “while he was still a long way off” (Lk 15:20). The son, who had once turned…
The Transfiguration of the Lord shows a powerful manifestation of the Holy Trinity. Peter, James, and John go with Jesus to Mt. Tabor to pray, and Jesus is transfigured: “his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white” (Lk 9:29). The glory of the Risen Christ was revealed. The veil of His humanity was lifted, showing His divine nature: “I am the light of the world” (Jn 8:12). The transfigured Jesus is light…
Jesus was “filled with the Holy Spirit” (Lk 4:1), which led Him into the desert. Are you ready to follow Him? The desert of Lent can seem a little overwhelming at the beginning. It’s hard to stare down forty mostly cold winter days. Most of us long for spring this time of year. We can’t wait to leave our coats at home, feel the sun on our faces, and see the daffodils cheerfully greeting us.…
Every year on Ash Wednesday, you bow your head and are crowned with ashes. You are told, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Hear these words: “you are dust.” We are made from the most basic, humble, fleeting substance: the dirt of the earth. But God’s presence in our lives is what makes us into His image and likeness. His holy breath brings us life. “Then the Lord God formed…
We all know the golden rule: “Do to others as you would have them do to you” (Lk 6:31). Easier said than done, right? Notice that the rule is not, “Do to others as they deserve.” Thank goodness, because we don’t always deserve to receive mercy. We fail each other. We can be hurtful to others. We sin against God and each other. Even so, we’re called to “be merciful, just as your Heavenly Father…
Pope Francis wrote, “Do not be afraid of holiness. It will take away none of your energy, vitality, or joy. On the contrary, you will become what the Father had in mind when he created you, and you will be faithful to your deepest self” (Rejoice & Be Glad, 32). In the Beatitudes, Jesus teaches us the key to happiness: holiness. The world says that happiness consists of money, pleasure, power, and honor. But Jesus…
Today’s readings point to our roles as missionary disciples. In the first reading, Isaiah feels unworthy. But once his lips have been made clean he responds, “Here I am…send me!” (Is 6:5-8). Similarly, we may feel unworthy to tell people about God. After Isaiah was purified, he was confident and bold; perhaps after we’ve been purified in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we too may feel more confident in proclaiming the Gospel. In the Psalm, we…
Jesus loves me. You’ve likely heard that song many times, maybe so much that the words have lost some of their meaning. At a recent Grace that Reigns retreat, Bishop Emeritus Gilmore of Dodge City told us how much God loves us on an individual, personal level. He said that God loves you _______ (your name here), so much that He couldn’t imagine a world without you in it. That God would have made the…