On Wednesday our brothers and sisters in Venezuela suffered two devastating earthquakes resulting in tremendous damage and loss of life. Aid has begun to arrive, and many nations have begun to send support and rescue teams. There have been many rescues and stories of those who sacrificed their lives protecting others. Catholic Relief Services share the prayer below for Venezuela. Let us continue to pray for the victims and those who are serving as rescue workers.
Today we celebrate Father's Day. It is a day when we honor all fathers, and father figures. As we celebrate this day let us pray for all father's that they may continnue to be blessed and respected for all they do. Happy Father's Day to all.
God took the strength of a mountain,
Today we celebrate the Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time. In our Gospel today we hear the story of the sending out of the disciples. Jesus was moved with pity at the sight of the crowds for they were like sheep without a shepherd. Gathering the disciples he told them, "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few, so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest." Jesus sent the twelve out with authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness. He further instructed them to give without cost and preach to all people.
This probably felt like a tremendous burden for the disciples. They were to go where they would potentially be rejected. These were fishermen not scholars. Humble men who were doing as they were told. Jesus called his disciples to make a difference. He sent them out to cure illnesses and preach the good news. Today we are called to do the same. We are called to make a difference in our world. Our world is very troubled right now and we are called to rise above that trouble and reach out in compassion and mercy.
There is a wonderful story of a young child on the seashore. The child is standing amid thousands of starfish who are on the shore out of the live giving water they needed. The child was standing there picking them up and tossing them back into the ocean. An older man came upon the sight and stood laughing at the child. He told the child, "You can't possibly save them all." As the child pitched another starfish back he said to the man,"Made a difference to that one." I love this story as it shows what we are called to do. We are called to simply make a difference in the way we can. Our loving God calls us to act justly, love tenderly, and walk humbly with God. Let us strive to make a difference in the way we can.
Today we celebrate the Feast of Corpus Christi. Corpus Christi is Latin for the “Body of Christ.” In the Catholic Church in the West, Corpus Christi is celebrated as a solemnity on the Sunday following the Most Holy Trinity Sunday since the liturgical reforms of Vatican II. At its core the solemnity is a celebration of the Tradition and belief in the Eucharist as the Real Presence of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. In the Eucharistic prayer we hear proclaimed, “the bread of life, the cup of salvation.”
Bernadette Farrel has a song, “Bread for the World” which spoke deeply to me today.
Bread for the world A world of hunger Wine for all people People who thirst May we who eat Be bread for others May we who drink Pour out our love
Lord Jesus
Christ You are the bread of life Broken to reach and heal the wounds Of human pain Where we divide Your people You are waiting there On bended knee To wash our feet with endless care
Lord Jesus
Christ You are the wine of peace Poured into hearts once broken And where dryness sleeps Where we are tired and weary You are waiting there To be the way which beckons us Beyond despair
May we take
time this day to reflect on the meaning of Jesus’ real presence in the
Eucharist. Whether you participate in a Eucharistic procession or simply spend
time in prayer this day may we continue to see Jesus as the bread of life and
the cup of salvation.
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Trinity. The Holy Trinity has been something that theologians have defined for a very long time. Does God love me? It is a question that we most often ask. In our Gospel today we hear the familiar story from John’s gospel that “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” God’s love is always there for us.
In our world
today there is so much pain and suffering. Watching the news can be painful at
times. There are arrests, protests, hunger strikes, and violence. Our political
situation continues to be contentious. I often find myself asking the question,
why do we treat one another so badly? It is a question that is totally opposite
of the quote from John’s Gospel.
As we are
called this day to be people of faith, hope and love, let us take to heart the
call in our scriptures today. The call is to be a people of peace, hope, and
love. May we take time this day to look into our hearts and see what God is
truly calling us to. We are called to act with justice, we are called to love
one another, we are called to walk humbly with our loving God. Our loving God
invites us to act with compassion, to have hearts full of gratitude. Let us
live in the hope of God’s promise for each of us.
The word Pentecost comes from the Greek word meaning “fiftieth.” The feast is celebrated fifty days after Easter Sunday, which is why it always falls at the end of the Easter season. The event of Pentecost is described in Acts 2. The apostles were gathered in Jerusalem when a sound like a mighty wind filled the house, and “tongues as of fire” appeared and rested on each of them. Filled with the Holy Spirit, they began to speak in different languages, proclaiming the mighty works of God to Jews from many nations who had gathered in the city.
Pentecost is
important because it reveals the Holy Spirit’s mission in the life of the
Church. Jesus did not leave his disciples to carry out the gospel by their own
strength. He sent the Holy Spirit to guide, sanctify, strengthen, and unite
them.
Pentecost is
often called the “birthday of the Church.” I remember as a child celebrating this
special day with my family. It was a day that included a special meal and a
cake for dessert. We celebrated the Holy Spirit in a special way that day.
One of my favorite Pentecost hymns is Send Us Your Spirit by Dan Schutte
1. Send us your spirit O Lord. Evening enfolds us and holds us too near. Wake the morning light. Make our living bright. Shine on our darkness O Lord.
2. Hold us with mercy O Lord. Sorrow has spoken, has broken our hearts. Clothe us in your care. Be the life we bear. Feed us and fill us O Lord.
3. Teach us your wisdom O Lord. Shadows have clouded, have crowded our sight. Give us hearts that see. Set our loving free. Hear us and help us O Lord.
4. Send us good summer O Lord. Winters have chilled us and stilled u too long. Give us love's own fire. Be our true desire. Send us yoru spirit O Lord. .
© Daniel L. Schutte and New Dawn
Music, 1985.
May we see the
Spirit among us in a new way today.
On May 13, ACWR (Archdiocesan Council of Women Religious) held a meeting at Mariandale Retreat Center featuring a presentation by Pace e Bene, an organization dedicated to fostering justice, peace, and the well-being of all through education, resources, and action for nonviolent change.
Sam
Chawla-Rios, representing Pace e Bene, presented the unique work of this
organization and its approach to navigating the complexities of working for
peace. Sam explained the “two hands of peace.” One hand is raised to stop evil,
refuse cooperation with it, and take a stance of nonviolent interference. The
other hand is extended in love and compassion, saying, “I have faith that you
can do better.”
Sam also spoke
about the different dimensions of peace: peace within ourselves, with one
another, within society and culture, and with the earth. He introduced the
Gandhian “Iceberg” model, in which direct action is the visible portion, while
constructive programs for peace and self-purification remain largely hidden
beneath the surface.
The visible
aspects include protest, safety teams, singing revolution, contact with
government representatives, support for legislation, non-cooperation, boycotts,
preparation for shutdowns, and illuminating injustice by speaking openly about
it.
The less
visible aspects include communication skills, empathy circles, active
listening, and fostering the capacity to love through grief circles, where
immigrants can express their fears and hopes. This work also encourages a shift
in consciousness toward the “Beloved Community,” supported by art, music, and
writing, such as Love Letter to an ICE Agent by Kaira Jewel Lingo. The hidden
dimension also emphasizes peace within oneself through meditation, prayer,
slowing down, limiting exposure to mainstream news, seeking out nonviolent news
sources such as Nonviolent News, finding beauty, and continuing to learn.
Sam encouraged everyone to reflect on their own spheres of influence and to engage in this important work, recognizing its demonstrated effectiveness.
How can you
practice nonviolence this week?
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