First Reading: Acts 5:34-42 A Pharisee in the Sanhedrin named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, respected by all the people, stood up, ordered the Apostles to be put outside for a short time, and said to the Sanhedrin, “Fellow children of Israel, be careful what you are about to do to these men. Some time ago, Theudas appeared, claiming to be someone important, and about four hundred men joined him, but he was killed, and all those who were loyal to him were disbanded and came to nothing. After him came Judas the Galilean at the time of the census. He also drew people after him, but he too perished and all who were loyal to him were scattered. So now I tell you, have nothing to do with these men, and let them go. For if this endeavor or this activity is of human origin, it will destroy itself. But if it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy them; you may even find yourselves fighting against God.” They were persuaded by him. After recalling the Apostles, they had them flogged, ordered them to stop speaking in the name of Jesus, and dismissed them. So they left the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name. And all day long, both at the temple and in their homes, they did not stop teaching and proclaiming the Christ, Jesus. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14 R. (see 4abc) One thing I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear? The LORD is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid? R. One thing I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord. One thing I ask of the LORD this I seek: To dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD and contemplate his temple. R. One thing I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord. I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD with courage; be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD. R. One thing I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord. Gospel: John 6:1-15 Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee. A large crowd followed him, because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. The Jewish feast of Passover was near. When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip, “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?” He said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people recline.” Now there was a great deal of grass in that place. So the men reclined, about five thousand in number. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted. When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples, “Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted.” So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat. When the people saw the sign he had done, they said, “This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world.” Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain alone. NAB I am always amazed when I read the Acts of the Apostles, especially at passages such as today’s where the Apostles were reprimanded and flogged but left “rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.” Rejoicing? The same guys that were cowering behind locked doors after Jesus’ death? I can relate to those pre-Pentecost apostles. At times they were hot-tempered, confused, tempted, and sometimes even a little clueless. I have to admit that I love that because it meant they were human. They struggled in life just as we do. However, when Jesus chose them He saw more than their human faults. He saw their love, devotion, and desire to follow the path of God. He saw what they were capable of accomplishing. When each of these men heard Jesus call their name and ask them to follow Him, I am sure they felt a surge of excitement as well as a pang of unworthiness or uncertainty. Like the five loaves and two fish in today’s Gospel, it did not matter that they were seemingly small and insignificant. Jesus knew their littleness in the eyes of man but He was looking at them through a different lens. God is always looking for littleness to work great wonders. I find comfort in this when I feel like I can’t possibly do what God is asking of me. Sometimes my goal is to simply make it though the day without losing my temper with anyone. Sometimes it is to reach outside my comfort zone and start something new. Sometimes it is to carry a cross that looks way too heavy for my shoulders. Can you relate? You may feel the tears welling up as you whisper, I can’t do this. On your own, you can’t, just as there was no way the Apostles were going to feed all those people with those measly loaves and fish. But in the hands of Our Lord, miracles happen. It is the same with us. When we place in God’s hands the little bit that we can barely muster, He can miraculously grow and expand it far beyond what we thought possible. [bctt tweet="In the hands of Our Lord, miracles happen. It is the same with us."] Do you feel like something is holding you back? Is there something you lack to accomplish a task or carry a cross? Place yourself at the feet of Christ and offer what little you have to Him. Let Jesus take your littleness and make something great. photo credit Bobbi Rol is a wife, a mama of four and a blogger learning to love God in the midst of dishes, laundry and swinging light sabers. You can find out more about her here.

Memorial of Saint John Baptist de la Salle, Priest First Reading: Acts 5:27-33 When the court officers had brought the Apostles in and made them stand before the Sanhedrin, the high priest questioned them, “We gave you strict orders did we not, to stop teaching in that name. Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and want to bring this man’s blood upon us.” But Peter and the Apostles said in reply, “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our ancestors raised Jesus, though you had him killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins. We are witnesses of these things, as is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.” When they heard this, they became infuriated and wanted to put them to death. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 34:2 and 9, 17-18, 19-20 R. (7a) The Lord hears the cry of the poor. I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall be ever in my mouth. Taste and see how good the LORD is; blessed the man who takes refuge in him. R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor. The LORD confronts the evildoers, to destroy remembrance of them from the earth. When the just cry out, the LORD hears them, and from all their distress he rescues them. R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; and those who are crushed in spirit he saves. Many are the troubles of the just man, but out of them all the LORD delivers him. R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor. Gospel: John 3:31-36 The one who comes from above is above all. The one who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of earthly things. But the one who comes from heaven is above all. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. Whoever does accept his testimony certifies that God is trustworthy. For the one whom God sent speaks the words of God. He does not ration his gift of the Spirit. The Father loves the Son and has given everything over to him. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him. NAB Sometimes I feel alone. As I spend my days with my five children (the oldest of whom is five) driving a 12-passenger van, and thinking about going to a homeschool convention, I think, “How in the world did I ever get here?” Not to the convention, but here, to this place, in life. I was always going to have three kids (before I was 30, mind you). I was never going to be a “van mom” (I prefer a suburban). And, homeschooling was something I made fun of in my oh-so-wise teenage years. I had my life planned. God did, too. And apparently we didn’t quite see eye-to-eye. Now I sit here as a 34-year-old mom thanking God that I am right where I am. I love my life. Yet the midst of the overwhelming blessings He has given me, there are still days when I let the teachings of men lead me to feel alone as I try to obey the teachings of God. Sometimes it is difficult to convince others that my children weren’t born out of irresponsibility. There are days when I feel like I’ve gone over and over the reasons we’ll try homeschooling with those who question it only to end the conversation with the listener wide-eyed and responding with, “Children need to be social.” And, honestly, I’ve even had moments that I’ve had to talk myself into believing it all again. It isn’t because I am not 100% behind the direction we’ve chosen to live our lives through many, many prayers. It is because sometimes it just feels like it would be easier to not be the odd ball of the bunch. And, that’s when it hits me . . . we must obey God rather than men. It has never been easy to do so. The Apostles were killed for it. Christians today are killed for it. And here I am complaining about not being able to go to the grocery store without a few wide-eyes gaping at me. Whatever you are doing in order to try to fulfill God’s will, you can handle it. I can handle it. We can handle it together. He did not promise ease, but He did promise that we would never be alone . . . even if we sometimes feel that way. [bctt tweet="He did not promise ease, but He did promise that we would never be alone."] Take a moment to reflect on the ways you are trying to obey God. Take courage in knowing we are on this journey toward Heaven together. photo credit Britt Fisk is the wife of Jeremy and mother of five young kids. She spends her days living simply in the-middle-of-nowhere-New Mexico helping with the family beef cattle operation. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Acts 5:17-26 The high priest rose up and all his companions, that is, the party of the Sadducees, and, filled with jealousy, laid hands upon the Apostles and put them in the public jail. But during the night, the angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison, led them out, and said, “Go and take your place in the temple area, and tell the people everything about this life.” When they heard this, they went to the temple early in the morning and taught. When the high priest and his companions arrived, they convened the Sanhedrin, the full senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the jail to have them brought in. But the court officers who went did not find them in the prison, so they came back and reported, “We found the jail securely locked and the guards stationed outside the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” When the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard this report, they were at a loss about them, as to what this would come to. Then someone came in and reported to them, “The men whom you put in prison are in the temple area and are teaching the people.” Then the captain and the court officers went and brought them, but without force, because they were afraid of being stoned by the people. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9 R. (7a) The Lord hears the cry of the poor. I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall be ever in my mouth. Let my soul glory in the LORD; the lowly will hear me and be glad. R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor. Glorify the LORD with me, let us together extol his name. I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor. Look to him that you may be radiant with joy, and your faces may not blush with shame. When the poor one called out, the LORD heard, and from all his distress he saved him. R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. Taste and see how good the LORD is; blessed the man who takes refuge in him. R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor. Gospel: John 3:16-21 God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God. And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God. NAB Can I tell you something? As a little girl, I was REALLY scared of the dark. So much so, if I turned off the light in the basement I would rush upstair at lightening speed because I didn't want to be in the dark by myself. It made me feel unsafe or like something bad was going to happen to me if I hung around there too long. Thankfully these days I can walk up the stairs with much more ease and confidence. The dark doesn't have the hold on me it used to. Today's Gospel contain perhaps some of the most memorized, well-quoted words of Scripture: "God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but have eternal life." But as I thought and prayed over the Gospel, I found myself coming back to the words later on in the passage: "The light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil." Before Christ came, the world was in utter darkness, we were trapped and defined forever by our sin and brokenness. But like a bright, intense flashlight Jesus came into this world and changed it all. Because God came, took on human flesh, and purchased us with His blood, we were given the chance to step out of our darkness and into the light of God. Even as believers striving to follow Christ in our daily lives, we're constantly in a spiritual battle against darkness and light. Sometimes the darkness wins, and sometimes the light. But the only way we allow the darkness to win is to stay stuck and not come out. It is like me running up the stairs after turning out the basement light. I didn't want to stay down there. And now the darkness doesn't have the hold on me it used to. [bctt tweet="What are the dark parts in your life you still need to allow God's light into?"] What are the dark parts in your life you still need to allow God's light into? Fear? Addiction? Gossip? Hardened-heart? Holding onto grudges? Self-righteousness? Bitterness? Resentment? From Darkness? Whatever it is, come out of the dark. Run up those stairs into God's marvelous light. And when we do, the darkness doesn't have the same hold on us. photo by Jillian Lim Patty Hubbard is a runner, youth minister ordinaire, and recovering know-it-all. When not fundraising for World Youth Day, she is learning to find grace in all things. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Acts 4:32-37 The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common. With great power the Apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great favor was accorded them all. There was no needy person among them, for those who owned property or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale, and put them at the feet of the Apostles, and they were distributed to each according to need. Thus Joseph, also named by the Apostles Barnabas (which is translated Ason of encouragement”), a Levite, a Cypriot by birth, sold a piece of property that he owned, then brought the money and put it at the feet of the Apostles. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 93:1AB, 1CD-2, 5 R. (1a) The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty. The LORD is king, in splendor robed; robed is the LORD and girt about with strength. R. The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty. And he has made the world firm, not to be moved. Your throne stands firm from of old; from everlasting you are, O LORD. R. The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty. Your decrees are worthy of trust indeed: holiness befits your house, O LORD, for length of days. R. The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty. Gospel: John 3:7B-15 Jesus said to Nicodemus: “‘You must be born from above.’ The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus answered and said to him, ‘How can this happen?” Jesus answered and said to him, “You are the teacher of Israel and you do not understand this? Amen, amen, I say to you, we speak of what we know and we testify to what we have seen, but you people do not accept our testimony. If I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” NAB To what lengths am I willing to go, to show my trust? Am I willing to give up anything and everything? Especially if I trust in the Lord? For him, will I give up even my life? "Your decrees are worthy of my trust." The Levite Barnabas, a Cypriot, was willing—even eager!—to give it all up. His trust stands in contrast to Nicodemus, who doubted. We know he had this great trust because he took a portion of his property, sold it, and gave the money to the Apostles. He gave to help the entire group of new Christians, and spread the word of God. Now pause and change gears with me for a moment. When Jesus speaks of trust, He talks a lot about children. Children who trust their parents to catch them if they fall, to teach them to ride a bike, to be there when they wake from a bad dream. Jesus says our trust should be like the trust of a child. Is it? I imagine that Barnabas' trust was like a child's. He trusted in the Father to continue to take care of him, even after selling a portion of his property. I want to be like Barnabas. Yet, I'm more often like Nicodemus. Is it that I am afraid or unwilling to trust? Is it that I don't allow myself to be like a child and trust in my God, even and especially when I can't see past today? I sigh to myself and wish I trusted more. Jesus tells us that with belief, comes eternal life. The Psalmist declares that the Lord's decrees are worth of trust. What is holding me back, then? Lord, soften my heart. Increase my trust. Let me be like Barnabas, who trusted in your promise. [bctt tweet="Am I willing to give up anything and everything? For him, will I give up even my life?"] Think about how Barnabas gave something up, as a display of his trust in our Lord. What can we give up? What can we give back to Christ, placing our trust in Him with all we have and are? photo by Leah Helen Gina Fensterer is a wife, daughter, mother, friend, homeschooling mama, and Colorado native. You can find out more about her here.

Annuciation of the Lord First Reading: Isaiah 7:10-14; 8:10 The LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying: Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God; let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky! But Ahaz answered, “I will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!” Then Isaiah said: Listen, O house of David! Is it not enough for you to weary people, must you also weary my God? Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel, which means “God is with us!” Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 40:7-8A, 8B-9, 10, 11 R. (8a and 9a) Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will. Sacrifice or oblation you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me. Holocausts or sin-offerings you sought not; then said I, “Behold I come.” R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will. “In the written scroll it is prescribed for me, To do your will, O my God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart!” R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will. I announced your justice in the vast assembly; I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know. R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will. Your justice I kept not hid within my heart; your faithfulness and your salvation I have spoken of; I have made no secret of your kindness and your truth in the vast assembly. R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will. Second Reading: Hebrews 10:4-10 Brothers and sisters: It is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats take away sins. For this reason, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; in holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight. Then I said, ‘As is written of me in the scroll, behold, I come to do your will, O God.’” First he says, “Sacrifices and offerings, holocausts and sin offerings, you neither desired nor delighted in.” These are offered according to the law. Then he says, “Behold, I come to do your will.” He takes away the first to establish the second. By this “will,” we have been consecrated through the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all. Gospel: Luke 1:26-38 The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end.” But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her. NAB I still remember the drive home from work. I was pregnant with our third child, and Army culture did not look kindly upon us "pregnant females." My husband and I wanted to be open to God's will, but here I was again: agonizing over what my unit would think, what they would say, how I’d be treated. God's will in all of this was not easy to see. Turning the car into my neighborhood, I told Him so in no uncertain terms. Jesus showed me His mother in response: unwed and alone, scorned by everyone around her. And in the time it took to reach my house, her fiat, her "yes" to God's will pierced my consciousness and wiggled its way into my heart. I took a deep breath, thought of the tiny heartbeat within me, and said, "Okay. If this is Your will, I will say yes, too." Though the fear didn’t disappear, my heart opened to the possibilities—to the plans and life and love ahead of us. As I celebrated my birthday that night, the joy of my own tiny fiat rang through my heart. By the next evening, the baby was gone. I could not foresee that we would lose this baby. But God did. In the end, all He’d wanted was my “yes.” Yet in helping me say yes to His will, I was given the most valuable birthday gift of all: a single day of joy with our baby while there was still time. I'd (reluctantly) handed over my will despite my fears. Just like our Blessed Mother with her fiat. Just like Jesus in His agony in the garden. And out of the human disgrace Mary suffered she gained a far greater grace—God's favor. Her God-son. Everlasting joy. And out of Jesus's selfless suffering, He gained the salvation of all humanity. As we wrestle with our fears and God’s directive to break with our own wills, we would do well to remember exactly that: God does not—cannot—will evil. God wills good out of evil. We’re constantly inundated with so many conflicting expectations and judgements and desires that shape our will: Still single? Shouldn’t you follow your career over marriage? You’re pregnant again? Where’s that big Catholic family we thought you’d have? You’re not going back to work? And on it goes. The world is oversaturated with misguided human will, but remember: there is only one true will of God for each of us. And whenever we break with our own inflexible will, God conforms us more closely to the best path and plan for our soul—His. No one, but no one, loves us or wills the best for us more than our God. [bctt tweet="No one, loves us or wills the best for us more than our God."] Today, let’s give our will over to Him as completely as possible. photo by Corynne Olivia Megan Hjelmstad is a wife, mom, writer and sometimes soldier whose real passion is equal parts faith and chocolate. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Acts 5:12-16 Many signs and wonders were done among the people at the hands of the apostles. They were all together in Solomon’s portico. None of the others dared to join them, but the people esteemed them. Yet more than ever, believers in the Lord, great numbers of men and women, were added to them. Thus they even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on cots and mats so that when Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on one or another of them. A large number of people from the towns in the vicinity of Jerusalem also gathered, bringing the sick and those disturbed by unclean spirits, and they were all cured. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24 R. (1) Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting. Let the house of Israel say, “His mercy endures forever.” Let the house of Aaron say, “His mercy endures forever.” Let those who fear the LORD say, “His mercy endures forever.” R. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting. I was hard pressed and was falling, but the LORD helped me. My strength and my courage is the LORD, and he has been my savior. The joyful shout of victory in the tents of the just: R. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting. The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. By the LORD has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes. This is the day the LORD has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it. R. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting. Second Reading: Revelation 1:9-11A, 12-13, 17-19 I, John, your brother, who share with you the distress, the kingdom, and the endurance we have in Jesus, found myself on the island called Patmos because I proclaimed God’s word and gave testimony to Jesus. I was caught up in spirit on the Lord’s day and heard behind me a voice as loud as a trumpet, which said, “Write on a scroll what you see.” Then I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me, and when I turned, I saw seven gold lampstands and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, wearing an ankle-length robe, with a gold sash around his chest. When I caught sight of him, I fell down at his feet as though dead. He touched me with his right hand and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the first and the last, the one who lives. Once I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever. I hold the keys to death and the netherworld. Write down, therefore, what you have seen, and what is happening, and what will happen afterwards.” Gospel: John 20:19-31 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name. NAB These are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name. There is a beautiful lyric from a song by Catholic singer/song writer Danielle Rose that asks the question, “Do I live a life of such love so as to be a reason to believe?” In Saint John’s Gospel, we hear that we have life through our belief in Jesus as Christ. Spend a moment with that truth. What does it mean for you? Has your life been transformed by your belief in Jesus, by His resurrection that we celebrate in this joyous Easter season? The Apostles were completely changed after the Resurrection. In the First Reading from the Acts of the Apostles, we hear how Saint Peter walked through the streets, curing the sick when even his shadow fell upon those needing healing. Wait a minute—Peter? The same person who just days earlier denied even knowing Jesus? Now he is healing people and serving as the leader of the Church? Yes. Peter’s life, Peter’s heart, was made completely new by the resurrection of Jesus and his belief in Him as the Christ. It should be the same for us. If we are honest, we have all had moments like Peter’s denial or Thomas’s unbelief in our lives. We have temporarily abandoned our Lord, as all but one of Christ’s friends did in His most difficult moments at His crucifixion. Yet when Jesus sees the apostles again for the first time after the resurrection, He doesn’t say, Where were you? He says, Peace be with you. The first thing Jesus does when He sees them is an act of mercy—He sets things right. God’s mercy, the divine mercy that we celebrate this Sunday, is absolute. It is far better than any mercy you or I can give as humans. When we humbly ask, God pours out His mercy on us freely, and it endures forever. Forever, sisters! What a gift! May Divine Mercy and our belief in Jesus the Christ transform our hearts and souls this Easter season, and always. [bctt tweet="Peter’s life, was made completely new by the Resurrection. It should be the same for us."] Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy today. Join me in praying that our lives may be completely transformed by our belief in Christ. Ask God to make your life a bold and beautiful witness to His divine mercy and unfailing love. photo credit Elise Howe is a devoted wife, new momma, and musician currently living in NYC, though she will always be a midwestern gal at heart. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Acts 4:13-21 Observing the boldness of Peter and John and perceiving them to be uneducated, ordinary men, the leaders, elders, and scribes were amazed, and they recognized them as the companions of Jesus. Then when they saw the man who had been cured standing there with them, they could say nothing in reply. So they ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin, and conferred with one another, saying, “What are we to do with these men? Everyone living in Jerusalem knows that a remarkable sign was done through them, and we cannot deny it. But so that it may not be spread any further among the people, let us give them a stern warning never again to speak to anyone in this name.” So they called them back and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. Peter and John, however, said to them in reply, “Whether it is right in the sight of God for us to obey you rather than God, you be the judges. It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.” After threatening them further, they released them, finding no way to punish them, on account of the people who were all praising God for what had happened. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 118:1 and 14-15AB, 16-18, 19-21 R. (21a) I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. My strength and my courage is the LORD, and he has been my savior. The joyful shout of victory in the tents of the just. R. I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me. “The right hand of the LORD is exalted; the right hand of the LORD has struck with power.” I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD. Though the LORD has indeed chastised me, yet he has not delivered me to death. R. I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me. Open to me the gates of justice; I will enter them and give thanks to the LORD. This is the gate of the LORD; the just shall enter it. I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me and have been my savior. R. I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me. Gospel: Mark 16:9-15 When Jesus had risen, early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. She went and told his companions who were mourning and weeping. When they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe. After this he appeared in another form to two of them walking along on their way to the country. They returned and told the others; but they did not believe them either. But later, as the Eleven were at table, he appeared to them and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart because they had not believed those who saw him after he had been raised. He said to them, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.” NAB It is incredible how the Holy Spirit can change everything. Saints Peter and John went from hiding in the upper room with the Eleven, to seeing the resurrected Christ, to receiving the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, to proclaiming in the face of threats from the Jewish leaders, “It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.” The same thing happened to the man that they healed. He could not stop proclaiming what had been done for him. I look at my life. There are so many things that God has done for me. He called me to Him. He leads me to seek a life of grace. He gave me the Sacraments, of which I can never get enough. He gave me a wonderful parents and siblings. He has blessed me with friends. He brought my husband and I together. He gave us children. He gave me my gifts and talents. He leads me to use them for His glory. He has healed my past hurts. He forgives my sins. He teaches me about mercy. Mostly, He continues to hold me in existence from moment to moment. How can I not declare the works of the Lord? And while the idea of proclaiming the Gospel to every creature is just a little bit daunting, God has also given us the Holy Spirit. Where can we start to share the Gospel today? For me, I do it in my teaching and loving of my children, and in the way I love and serve my husband. I share what the Lord has done for me with my friends and family. I share the Gospel in what I write. Wherever we go, in person and online, we have an opportunity to share the Gospel with whomever we encounter. Let us pray that we will do it well. [bctt tweet="It is incredible how the Holy Spirit can change everything."] We are all called to proclaim the Gospel to every creature. How is God calling you to proclaim the Gospel today? In what parts of your life can you proclaim it more fully? photo by Michelle Chan Photography Susanna Spencer once studied theology and philosophy, but now happily cares for her three adorable little girls, new baby boy, and her dear husband in Saint Paul. She loves beautiful liturgies, cooking delicious meals, baking amazing sweets, reading good books, raising her children, casually following baseball, and talking to her philosopher husband. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Acts 4:1-12 After the crippled man had been cured, while Peter and John were still speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees confronted them, disturbed that they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. They laid hands on Peter and John and put them in custody until the next day, since it was already evening. But many of those who heard the word came to believe and the number of men grew to about five thousand. On the next day, their leaders, elders, and scribes were assembled in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly class. They brought them into their presence and questioned them, “By what power or by what name have you done this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, answered them, “Leaders of the people and elders: If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a cripple, namely, by what means he was saved, then all of you and all the people of Israel should know that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead; in his name this man stands before you healed. He is the stone rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.” Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 118:1-2 and 4, 22-24, 25-27A R. (22) The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. Let the house of Israel say, “His mercy endures forever.” Let those who fear the LORD say, “His mercy endures forever.” R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone. The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. By the LORD has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes. This is the day the LORD has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it. R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone. O LORD, grant salvation! O LORD, grant prosperity! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD; we bless you from the house of the LORD. The LORD is God, and he has given us light. R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone. Gospel: John 21:1-14 Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself in this way. Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We also will come with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore; but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?” They answered him, “No.” So he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something.” So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish. So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad, and jumped into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards, dragging the net with the fish. When they climbed out on shore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.” So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore full of one hundred fifty-three large fish. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.” And none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they realized it was the Lord. Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them, and in like manner the fish. This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples after being raised from the dead. NAB Fishermen are coming ashore after a long, unsuccessful night. A stranger on the shore encourages them to cast their nets one last time, something of a ridiculous idea—the sun is already rising, the time for a catch has passed. The fishermen follow the directive, and I imagine the skepticism playing across their faces until the net fills past capacity. At this moment, Saint John recognizes Christ. Saint Peter abandons ship to go ashore. The other disciples realize Jesus is in their midst when He invites them to break their fast with Him. In our own lives, Jesus is standing on shore, asking us to put out our nets into unlikely waters so He can fill them. He is inviting us to His holy meal in the Eucharist. Do we hear His voice calling to us? This process of learning to listen for the voice of Christ is the process of discernment. “The great movement of the spiritual life is from a deaf, nonhearing life to a life of listening,” writes the great Henri Nouwen. As we learn to listen for Christ's voice, we begin to hear His call echoing throughout our days. More than just following divine directives, we learn to hear Him in our lives through relationships, creation, books, and in our own hearts. Learning to hear Him isn’t easy. Like the apostles, today sometimes we may not even realize that we are following His call until we begin to see the bounty in our nets. The Fruits of the Spirit begin fill our lives: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. As we become aware of the Spirit moving in us, we can look back and see where the Lord was leading us. We recognize which choices opened our hearts to grace, who pointed us toward the action of the Lord in our lives, when Jesus was inviting us to break bread with Him on the shore. He will tell us where to cast our nets. We just need to listen. [bctt tweet="Jesus will tell us where to cast our nets. We just need to listen."] Where is the Lord telling you to cast your net? Will you recognize Him by His voice? Do you know Him in the breaking of the bread? photo credit Brigid Hogan loves the view of the Washington Monument from her apartment, her standing desk, the Green Bay Packers, and a good mystery. She tolerates taking the Metro to the office, where she works as a communications consultant. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Acts 3:11-26 As the crippled man who had been cured clung to Peter and John, all the people hurried in amazement toward them in the portico called “Solomon’s Portico.” When Peter saw this, he addressed the people, “You children of Israel, why are you amazed at this, and why do you look so intently at us as if we had made him walk by our own power or piety? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus whom you handed over and denied in Pilate’s presence, when he had decided to release him. You denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. The author of life you put to death, but God raised him from the dead; of this we are witnesses. And by faith in his name, this man, whom you see and know, his name has made strong, and the faith that comes through it has given him this perfect health, in the presence of all of you. Now I know, brothers and sisters, that you acted out of ignorance, just as your leaders did; but God has thus brought to fulfillment what he had announced beforehand through the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer. Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away, and that the Lord may grant you times of refreshment and send you the Christ already appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the times of universal restoration of which God spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old. For Moses said: A prophet like me will the Lord, your God, raise up for you from among your own kin; to him you shall listen in all that he may say to you. Everyone who does not listen to that prophet will be cut off from the people. “Moreover, all the prophets who spoke, from Samuel and those afterwards, also announced these days. You are the children of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your ancestors when he said to Abraham, In your offspring all the families of the earth shall be blessed. For you first, God raised up his servant and sent him to bless you by turning each of you from your evil ways.” Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 8:2AB AND 5, 6-7, 8-9 R. (2ab) O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth! O LORD, our Lord, how glorious is your name over all the earth! What is man that you should be mindful of him, or the son of man that you should care for him? R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth! You have made him little less than the angels, and crowned him with glory and honor. You have given him rule over the works of your hands, putting all things under his feet. R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth! All sheep and oxen, yes, and the beasts of the field, The birds of the air, the fishes of the sea, and whatever swims the paths of the seas. R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth! Gospel: Luke 24:35-48 The disciples of Jesus recounted what had taken place along the way, and how they had come to recognize him in the breaking of bread. While they were still speaking about this, he stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost. Then he said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.” And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed, he asked them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of baked fish; he took it and ate it in front of them. He said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. And he said to them, “Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.” NAB I love this Gospel! Jesus appears to them as they are speaking about all the mysterious, terrifying, troubling things that have happened of late and just when they get to the part where they recognized Him in the breaking of the bread, He says, "Oh, hey, here I am again. Peace out." And they're troubled all over again. How many times does He come to me and make Himself known, only to have me fail to recognize Him and fail to seize His peace and make it my own? He is there, every time we choose to seek and find Him in the Eucharist. He is right there, to see and taste and take into ourselves. As we approach to receive Holy Communion, can we hear Him say, "Peace be with you. Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts?" Jesus is there in the tender mercies of everyday life. How aware are you of the very personal little ways He cares for you, the small blessings along the way that mean He is ever enveloping you in His protection? The Lord offers to us His consolation and His protection, particularly suited to our individual situation and disposition. Those are the ways He meets you on the road. As Lent draws to a close and the celebration of the miraculous begins in earnest, commit to recording every day those tender mercies, just for a season, just long enough to let your soul fully open in the spring sunshine. But wait, before you head off into your day, there's one more place to look, to open your eyes and truly see Him there. Go back and re-read the verses carefully. Don't skim them or skip to the essay. God said to them, "These are my words . . . ." These very words! He wants to you to have them. He wants you to know them intimately. He wants you to find them in your Bible and underline them and trace your finger over them and make them yours. Then He wants you to do it again tomorrow. [bctt tweet="As we approach to receive Holy Communion, can we hear Him say, "Peace be with you."?"] We invoke the presence of Jesus when we read Scripture and we ponder its truth. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the words on the page leap into your heart. They are Him, come to console you, come to bring you peace. Know Him, this morning and every day for forever. photo credit Elizabeth Foss is a wife, the mother of nine, and a grandmother. She finds the cacophony of big family imperfection to be the perfect place to learn to walk in the unforced rhythms of grace. You can learn more about her here.

First Reading: Acts 2:36-41 On the day of Pentecost, Peter said to the Jewish people, “Let the whole house of Israel know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and they asked Peter and the other Apostles, “What are we to do, my brothers?” Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is made to you and to your children and to all those far off, whomever the Lord our God will call.” He testified with many other arguments, and was exhorting them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand persons were added that day. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 33:4-5, 18-19, 20 AND 22 R. (5b) The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. Upright is the word of the LORD, and all his works are trustworthy. He loves justice and right; of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full. R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him, upon those who hope for his kindness, To deliver them from death and preserve them in spite of famine. R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. Our soul waits for the LORD, who is our help and our shield. May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us who have put our hope in you. R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. Gospel: John 20:11-18 Mary Magdalene stayed outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the Body of Jesus had been. And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken my Lord, and I don’t know where they laid him.” When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” She thought it was the gardener and said to him, “Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,” which means Teacher. Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and then reported what he had told her. NAB Have you ever experienced deep, soul-piercing grief? Perhaps it was not getting the dream job, a pregnancy lost, a tragic family death, or the ending of a relationship. Grief can sometimes blind us to the reality in front of us. It can grip us like violent ocean waves during a storm, and pull us under so quickly and easily. I think of that when I imagine Mary Magdalene in this Gospel passage. Crying, distraught, maybe even hysterical, Mary was a hot mess. Not only did one of her closest friends die, but now the body is missing?! If I went to the graves of grandparents only to find them missing I would be freaking the freak out. While we do not know a lot about Mary Magdalene from Scripture, we know she was with Jesus when many others abandoned as He hung upon the cross. She was with her friend when He needed her most. Through her tears and hysterics, she couldn't see the reality in front of her, Jesus. Blinded by pain and sadness, Mary didn't realize the gardner was Jesus until He called her by name, "Mary." Mary was consumed by her pain and grief. It blinded her to the reality that was lovingly looking at her, Jesus. All of us have different stories. We all will or have experienced loss, pain, suffering, and grief. But do we let those big feelings and emotions consume, overtake us? Once Mary realized it was Jesus speaking to her, that He was with her all along, everything changed. She hurried and went to tell the disciples what the Lord had said to her. When we realize we are not alone on the journey, it can change the outcome of our story. Even when you feel most alone, Jesus is right there with you. Don't let the big feelings of whatever of you're facing blind you to that reality. He sees you and knows before you ever utter a word. [bctt tweet="Breathe deeply and imagine yourself as Mary at the tomb. Jesus calls you by name."] Take ten minutes today of silence. Breathe deeply and imagine yourself as Mary at the tomb. See Jesus call you by name. Rest in that promise that our God knows and sees you no matter what. What does He say to you? Listen and respond like Mary. photo credit Patty Hubbard is a runner, big dreamer, youth minister ordinaire, and recovering know-it-all. When not fundraising for World Youth Day, she is learning to find grace in all things. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Acts 2:14, 22-33 On the day of Pentecost, Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed: “You who are Jews, indeed all of you staying in Jerusalem. Let this be known to you, and listen to my words. “You who are children of Israel, hear these words. Jesus the Nazorean was a man commended to you by God with mighty deeds, wonders, and signs, which God worked through him in your midst, as you yourselves know. This man, delivered up by the set plan and foreknowledge of God, you killed, using lawless men to crucify him. But God raised him up, releasing him from the throes of death, because it was impossible for him to be held by it. For David says of him: I saw the Lord ever before me, with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed. Therefore my heart has been glad and my tongue has exulted; my flesh, too, will dwell in hope, because you will not abandon my soul to the nether world, nor will you suffer your holy one to see corruption. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence. My brothers, one can confidently say to you about the patriarch David that he died and was buried, and his tomb is in our midst to this day. But since he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants upon his throne, he foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was he abandoned to the netherworld nor did his flesh see corruption. God raised this Jesus; of this we are all witnesses. Exalted at the right hand of God, he poured forth the promise of the Holy Spirit that he received from the Father, as you both see and hear.” Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 16:1-2A AND 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11 R. (1) Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope. Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge; I say to the LORD, “My Lord are you.” O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup, you it is who hold fast my lot. R. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope. I bless the LORD who counsels me; even in the night my heart exhorts me. I set the LORD ever before me; with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed. R. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope. Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices, my body, too, abides in confidence; Because you will not abandon my soul to the nether world, nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption. R. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope. You will show me the path to life, fullness of joys in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever. R. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope. Gospel: Matthew 28:8-15 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce the news to his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” While they were going, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had happened. The chief priests assembled with the elders and took counsel; then they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him while we were asleep.’ And if this gets to the ears of the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” The soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has circulated among the Jews to the present day. NAB Take a deep breath. You made it. Through Lent. Through Easter Sunday. And now we have the season of Easter to celebrate as we approach the birth of the Church at Pentecost. Easter Sunday began with Jesus presenting Himself to Mary and Mary. Mary Magdalene and the Other Mary were "fearful yet overjoyed." They found the tomb empty and even prior to seeing Jesus, they knew He had risen. They weren’t described as being confused or shocked or saddened. They had to have such a strong faith to not be discouraged by the absence of His body! What a combination of emotions! Have you ever been fearful yet overjoyed? The last time I felt that was on a roller-coaster. I had a giddiness of joy mixed with the tinge of fear. My heart both raced and felt thrilled. I am sure that pales in comparison to their emotions, but it is as close as I can get and I wonder if that was what they felt as they left that tomb. Can you imagine being the one to meet Jesus on the road after His resurrection? I wonder how long they met. I wonder if He took these beloved women into His arms. I wonder what private words He had for them. And then, to go and share the news with the others! And such good news! This good news provided hope and direction to the disciples. Mary and Mary came not just with the knowledge that He had risen, but also with a plan. Go to Galilee. They brought with them a plan, a next step, and the news that Jesus would be seeing them all. Just like the two Mary’s, we are sisters in Christ, and have been given with the task of spreading the Good News of Christ’s resurrection. For some of us that comes easy in our lives as friends, teachers, mothers, or Brides of Christ. For others of us, it may feel forced or uncomfortable to bring the Good News up in conversation. Still, we can all evangelize through our actions of love and kindness to those around us. Just as Lent is a time for us to die to ourselves, Easter is a time to awake and rise, and spread the Good News of Christ’s resurrection. [bctt tweet="Lent is a time for us to die to ourselves, Easter is a time to awake and rise, & spread the Good News."] Does your life reflect hope and excitement for Christ? How can you spread the Good News of God’s love for us today? photo credit MaryRuth Hackett is a full-time wife and mother doing her best to teach her four children to love God and country. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Acts 10:34A, 37-43 Peter proceeded to speak and said: “You know what has happened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree. This man God raised on the third day and granted that he be visible, not to all the people, but to us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.” Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23 R. (24) This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. Let the house of Israel say, “His mercy endures forever.” R. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad. “The right hand of the LORD has struck with power; the right hand of the LORD is exalted. I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.” R. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad. The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. By the LORD has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes. R. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad. Second reading: Colossians 3:1-4 Brothers and sisters: If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory. Gospel: John 20:1-9 On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.” So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead. NAB As I sit to write this, my grandfather is dying. I vacillate between sadness about his departure from this earth and joy that he will soon be free from suffering and meeting His Savior face­to­face. Visiting the tomb after Christ’s death, I get the impression that Jesus’ disciples are undergoing similar feelings after losing Him: sorrow at His absence, but hope in His promises for the future. Jesus is no longer in the tomb ­­ but where has He gone? “Death no longer has power over Him.” (Romans 6:9) This great fact gives us so much hope for the future. Death is not the end. Death does not have the final word. It is the entrance into eternal life (!), where one day, too, our bodies will be rejoined with our souls, resurrected for all eternity. Christ’s victory over death has made this possible. It is hard to have faith in the midst of suffering. It is difficult to see joy through the pain. “The other disciple whom Jesus loved” chose to see with the eyes of faith. He chose to allow the glory of the Resurrection to surpass the suffering he witnessed just a few days earlier. He sprinted to the tomb eagerly and believed instantly upon seeing it empty. Of course, if Jesus was not there, He must have risen as He said! Alleluia! It is not easy to readily jump to this conclusion sometimes. When we see pain and suffering, when we watch our loved ones pass away, it is so much easier to question, ­Why aren’t you here, Lord? Where is your mercy? Why do you take the ones I love away from me? But He is there, although we may not see Him. His mercy is in the promise revealed hereafter. We must leave this earth in order to fully grasp it, ­­to rest completely in His Love, ­­to be lifted up with Him. Witnessing my grandfather’s suffering through his final earthly moments, I, too, cling to Christ’s promise of victory, of resurrection. The veil between Heaven and earth is thin now and, although I cannot see to the other side, I firmly trust that Christ is waiting there to welcome him home, to raise him up on the last day. The JOY is in the Resurrection. Pray to see that empty tomb with the eyes of faith. “Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and Hallelujah is our song.” ~Pope Saint John Paul II [bctt tweet="Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and Hallelujah is our song. JPII"] Are you ready to take the leap of faith with “the other disciple whom Jesus loved”? If not, what is holding you back? photo credit Laurel Muff is a creator and appreciator of beautiful things. She resides with her husband and daughters in Northern California. You can find more about her here.

All the readings for the Easter Vigil can be found here. NAB The church we attend has a portrait of the Blessed Virgin Mary hanging on the wall right when you walk in. She looks to be in her mid 40's with soft wrinkles around her eyes. She is staring off into the distance with the most peaceful look on her face—her mouth pursed in thought. And a great light is shining upon her, illuminating her gentle beauty. It’s called Mary on Saturday. What was that Saturday like for her? Yesterday we heard what she witnessed—the torture and death of her child. And today she waits while her Son descends into Hell to bring freedom. Sometimes I wish I could just sit with her at the table, sip a cup of tea, and wait with her in silence. The patience and grace I would witness! But today we can wait with Mary in our own way. The Catechism states: 73. On Holy Saturday the Church is, as it were, at the Lord's tomb, meditating on his passion and death, and on his descent into hell, and awaiting his resurrection with prayer and fasting. It is highly recommended that on this day the Office of Readings and Morning Prayer be celebrated with the participation of the people (cf. n. 40). Where this cannot be done, there should be some celebration of the Word of God, or some act of devotion suited to the mystery celebrated this day. 74. The image of Christ crucified or lying in the tomb, or the descent into hell, which mystery Holy Saturday recalls, as also an image of the sorrowful Virgin Mary can be placed in the church for the veneration of the faithful. [bctt tweet="Unplug today. Work mindfully while you reflect on what Holy Saturday means."] Unplug today. Read, quietly do chores, bake, live in silence. Work mindfully while you reflect on what Holy Saturday means. Quiet your heart so you may experience the full joy tomorrow brings. photo credit Jenna Hines has teeny army of three children and is married to a bearded fellow named Mike. A former high school English teacher, she now stays at home where she blogs and runs a crafty embroidery business. You can find out more about her here.

Good Friday First Reading: Isaiah 52:13—53:12 See, my servant shall prosper, he shall be raised high and greatly exalted. Even as many were amazed at himC so marred was his look beyond human semblance and his appearance beyond that of the sons of manC so shall he startle many nations, because of him kings shall stand speechless; for those who have not been told shall see, those who have not heard shall ponder it. Who would believe what we have heard? To whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? He grew up like a sapling before him, like a shoot from the parched earth; there was in him no stately bearing to make us look at him, nor appearance that would attract us to him. He was spurned and avoided by people, a man of suffering, accustomed to infirmity, one of those from whom people hide their faces, spurned, and we held him in no esteem. Yet it was our infirmities that he bore, our sufferings that he endured, while we thought of him as stricken, as one smitten by God and afflicted. But he was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins; upon him was the chastisement that makes us whole, by his stripes we were healed. We had all gone astray like sheep, each following his own way; but the LORD laid upon him the guilt of us all. Though he was harshly treated, he submitted and opened not his mouth; like a lamb led to the slaughter or a sheep before the shearers, he was silent and opened not his mouth. Oppressed and condemned, he was taken away, and who would have thought any more of his destiny? When he was cut off from the land of the living, and smitten for the sin of his people, a grave was assigned him among the wicked and a burial place with evildoers, though he had done no wrong nor spoken any falsehood. But the LORD was pleased to crush him in infirmity. If he gives his life as an offering for sin, he shall see his descendants in a long life, and the will of the LORD shall be accomplished through him. Because of his affliction he shall see the light in fullness of days; through his suffering, my servant shall justify many, and their guilt he shall bear. Therefore I will give him his portion among the great, and he shall divide the spoils with the mighty, because he surrendered himself to death and was counted among the wicked; and he shall take away the sins of many, and win pardon for their offenses. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-16, 17, 25 R. (Lk 23:46) Father, into your hands I commend my spirit. In you, O LORD, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame. In your justice rescue me. Into your hands I commend my spirit; you will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God. R. Father, into your hands I commend my spirit. For all my foes I am an object of reproach, a laughingstock to my neighbors, and a dread to my friends; they who see me abroad flee from me. I am forgotten like the unremembered dead; I am like a dish that is broken. R. Father, into your hands I commend my spirit. But my trust is in you, O LORD; I say, “You are my God. In your hands is my destiny; rescue me from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors.” R. Father, into your hands I commend my spirit. Let your face shine upon your servant; save me in your kindness. Take courage and be stouthearted, all you who hope in the LORD. R. Father, into your hands I commend my spirit. Second reading: Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9 Brothers and sisters: Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin. So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help. In the days when Christ was in the flesh, he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered; and when he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him. Gospel: John 18:1—19:42 Jesus went out with his disciples across the Kidron valley to where there was a garden, into which he and his disciples entered. Judas his betrayer also knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. So Judas got a band of soldiers and guards from the chief priests and the Pharisees and went there with lanterns, torches, and weapons. Jesus, knowing everything that was going to happen to him, went out and said to them, “Whom are you looking for?” They answered him, “Jesus the Nazorean.” He said to them, “I AM.” Judas his betrayer was also with them. When he said to them, “I AM, “ they turned away and fell to the ground. So he again asked them, “Whom are you looking for?” They said, “Jesus the Nazorean.” Jesus answered, “I told you that I AM. So if you are looking for me, let these men go.” This was to fulfill what he had said, “I have not lost any of those you gave me.” Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear. The slave’s name was Malchus. Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its scabbard. Shall I not drink the cup that the Father gave me?” So the band of soldiers, the tribune, and the Jewish guards seized Jesus, bound him, and brought him to Annas first. He was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. It was Caiaphas who had counseled the Jews that it was better that one man should die rather than the people. Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. Now the other disciple was known to the high priest, and he entered the courtyard of the high priest with Jesus. But Peter stood at the gate outside. So the other disciple, the acquaintance of the high priest, went out and spoke to the gatekeeper and brought Peter in. Then the maid who was the gatekeeper said to Peter, “You are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” Now the slaves and the guards were standing around a charcoal fire that they had made, because it was cold, and were warming themselves. Peter was also standing there keeping warm. The high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his doctrine. Jesus answered him, “I have spoken publicly to the world. I have always taught in a synagogue or in the temple area where all the Jews gather, and in secret I have said nothing. Why ask me? Ask those who heard me what I said to them. They know what I said.” When he had said this, one of the temple guards standing there struck Jesus and said, “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken wrongly, testify to the wrong; but if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?” Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest. Now Simon Peter was standing there keeping warm. And they said to him, “You are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” One of the slaves of the high priest, a relative of the one whose ear Peter had cut off, said, “Didn’t I see you in the garden with him?” Again Peter denied it. And immediately the cock crowed. Then they brought Jesus from Caiaphas to the praetorium. It was morning. And they themselves did not enter the praetorium, in order not to be defiled so that they could eat the Passover. So Pilate came out to them and said, “What charge do you bring against this man?” They answered and said to him, “If he were not a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you.” At this, Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your law.” The Jews answered him, “We do not have the right to execute anyone, “ in order that the word of Jesus might be fulfilled that he said indicating the kind of death he would die. So Pilate went back into the praetorium and summoned Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you say this on your own or have others told you about me?” Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not here.” So Pilate said to him, “Then you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” When he had said this, he again went out to the Jews and said to them, “I find no guilt in him. But you have a custom that I release one prisoner to you at Passover. Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” They cried out again, “Not this one but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a revolutionary. Then Pilate took Jesus and had him scourged. And the soldiers wove a crown out of thorns and placed it on his head, and clothed him in a purple cloak, and they came to him and said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they struck him repeatedly. Once more Pilate went out and said to them, “Look, I am bringing him out to you, so that you may know that I find no guilt in him.” So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple cloak. And he said to them, “Behold, the man!” When the chief priests and the guards saw him they cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him. I find no guilt in him.” The Jews answered, “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.” Now when Pilate heard this statement, he became even more afraid, and went back into the praetorium and said to Jesus, “Where are you from?” Jesus did not answer him. So Pilate said to him, “Do you not speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you and I have power to crucify you?” Jesus answered him, “You would have no power over me if it had not been given to you from above. For this reason the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin.” Consequently, Pilate tried to release him; but the Jews cried out, “If you release him, you are not a Friend of Caesar. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.” When Pilate heard these words he brought Jesus out and seated him on the judge’s bench in the place called Stone Pavement, in Hebrew, Gabbatha. It was preparation day for Passover, and it was about noon. And he said to the Jews, “Behold, your king!” They cried out, “Take him away, take him away! Crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your king?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” Then he handed him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, and, carrying the cross himself, he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull, in Hebrew, Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus in the middle. Pilate also had an inscription written and put on the cross. It read, “Jesus the Nazorean, the King of the Jews.” Now many of the Jews read this inscription, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that he said, ‘I am the King of the Jews’.” Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.” When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four shares, a share for each soldier. They also took his tunic, but the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top down. So they said to one another, “Let’s not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it will be, “ in order that the passage of Scripture might be fulfilled that says: They divided my garments among them, and for my vesture they cast lots. This is what the soldiers did. Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home. After this, aware that everything was now finished, in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I thirst.” There was a vessel filled with common wine. So they put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop and put it up to his mouth. When Jesus had taken the wine, he said, “It is finished.” And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit. Here all kneel and pause for a short time. Now since it was preparation day, in order that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath, for the sabbath day of that week was a solemn one, the Jews asked Pilate that their legs be broken and that they be taken down. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and then of the other one who was crucified with Jesus. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs, but one soldier thrust his lance into his side, and immediately blood and water flowed out. An eyewitness has testified, and his testimony is true; he knows that he is speaking the truth, so that you also may come to believe. For this happened so that the Scripture passage might be fulfilled: Not a bone of it will be broken. And again another passage says: They will look upon him whom they have pierced. After this, Joseph of Arimathea, secretly a disciple of Jesus for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate if he could remove the body of Jesus. And Pilate permitted it. So he came and took his body. Nicodemus, the one who had first come to him at night, also came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes weighing about one hundred pounds. They took the body of Jesus and bound it with burial cloths along with the spices, according to the Jewish burial custom. Now in the place where he had been crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had yet been buried. So they laid Jesus there because of the Jewish preparation day; for the tomb was close by. NAB The altars have been stripped. The bells will not ring today. The candle flame extinguished. This is a day of mourning. A reminder of the great tragedy of Good Friday. If you attend a service today, you might find your voice calling out amongst the crowd for His crucifixion. It can be shocking and painful to say those words out loud. “Crucify him, crucify him!” But how often have I found myself saying that by way of my sin? I hate to admit it. But I have called for His death. When I lie. When I gossip. When I criticise. When I am selfish and unloving. I know there is more for me. I know there is life waiting for me. But first there needs to be death. Death to the liar, the cheater, the thief, the sinner in me. Death can be violent, shocking, and utterly terrifying. But the Messiah has shown us that sometimes it is necessary and sometimes it is good, because it makes room for something else. Today, in the silence of our mourning, we remember the great sacrifice of our beloved Savior who stood in our place and bore the weight of our sins. Life is coming. Life is on its way. But first there is death. [bctt tweet="Life is coming. Life is on its way. But first there is death."] What in your life needs to die in order to make room for life? Jacqueline Skemp is a daughter, sister, wife, and mother who endures living in Minnesota after leaving California for her one true love. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, “This month shall stand at the head of your calendar; you shall reckon it the first month of the year. Tell the whole community of Israel: On the tenth of this month every one of your families must procure for itself a lamb, one apiece for each household. If a family is too small for a whole lamb, it shall join the nearest household in procuring one and shall share in the lamb in proportion to the number of persons who partake of it. The lamb must be a year-old male and without blemish. You may take it from either the sheep or the goats. You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, and then, with the whole assembly of Israel present, it shall be slaughtered during the evening twilight. They shall take some of its blood and apply it to the two doorposts and the lintel of every house in which they partake of the lamb. That same night they shall eat its roasted flesh with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. “This is how you are to eat it: with your loins girt, sandals on your feet and your staff in hand, you shall eat like those who are in flight. It is the Passover of the LORD. For on this same night I will go through Egypt, striking down every firstborn of the land, both man and beast, and executing judgment on all the gods of Egypt—I, the LORD! But the blood will mark the houses where you are. Seeing the blood, I will pass over you; thus, when I strike the land of Egypt, no destructive blow will come upon you. “This day shall be a memorial feast for you, which all your generations shall celebrate with pilgrimage to the LORD, as a perpetual institution.” Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 116:12-13, 15-16bc, 17-18 R. (cf. 1 Cor 10:16) Our blessing-cup is a communion with the Blood of Christ. How shall I make a return to the LORD for all the good he has done for me? The cup of salvation I will take up, and I will call upon the name of the LORD. R. Our blessing-cup is a communion with the Blood of Christ. Precious in the eyes of the LORD is the death of his faithful ones. I am your servant, the son of your handmaid; you have loosed my bonds. R. Our blessing-cup is a communion with the Blood of Christ. To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving, and I will call upon the name of the LORD. My vows to the LORD I will pay in the presence of all his people. R. Our blessing-cup is a communion with the Blood of Christ. Second reading: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 Brothers and sisters: I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes. Gospel: John 13:1-15 Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father. He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end. The devil had already induced Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, to hand him over. So, during supper, fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power and that he had come from God and was returning to God, he rose from supper and took off his outer garments. He took a towel and tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and dry them with the towel around his waist. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Master, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing, you do not understand now, but you will understand later.” Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Master, then not only my feet, but my hands and head as well.” Jesus said to him, “Whoever has bathed has no need except to have his feet washed, for he is clean all over; so you are clean, but not all.” For he knew who would betray him; for this reason, he said, “Not all of you are clean.” So when he had washed their feet and put his garments back on and reclined at table again, he said to them, “Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.” NAB Today marks Holy Thursday, the first of our three day journey with Jesus towards the Resurrection. Today is one of my favorite days of the year to go to Mass. Holy Thursday Mass reminds us of that first Mass. Seeing the priest at this Mass we remember this day when Jesus first instituted the priesthood for the first time. In receiving Communion on this day, we remember the first Eucharist that Jesus offered at the Last Supper. The Mass is also the new fulfillment of the Jewish Passover feast that Jesus and His disciples were celebrating in the Upper Room. Furthermore, the Mass is the memorial of Jesus' Passion, death and Resurrection, which we are commemorating ever more intensely in these days of Triduum. Today when we go to Mass it is really as if we are truly there with Jesus at the Last Supper before His crucifixion. So, yes, it's a good day to go to Mass. What great gifts God has given us! Like the Psalmist, we too cry out, "How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?" And thankfully God gives us the means to through which we can perfectly thank Him—His Son. The word "Eucharist" means "thanksgiving." Through offering Jesus in the Eucharist back to the Father, we offer the most perfect act of worship and thanksgiving to God. After washing the disciples' feet, Jesus says to His disciples, but also to us, "I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do." I'm wondering, how has Jesus been a model for you? What has Jesus done for you? Not only the immediate weighty answer that He died on the Cross for you and won for you salvation, but what are the ways in which He has brought salvation to you in your everyday life? How has Jesus washed your feet?? What has Jesus done for you? And if you don't really know, consider asking Him tonight and seeing if He reveals or does something for you in these next three days. Perhaps tonight you can be willing to let Him wash your feet . . . . Then . . . go and do the same. [bctt tweet="How has Jesus washed your feet?"] Consider asking Jesus how He is a model for you in your everyday life. And, whose feet does He want you to wash in this year of mercy? photo credit Mary Catherine Craige is a lover of creativity and learning new things. When she is not guiding the development of young children through Montessori methods, you can find her behind her harp, taking an art class, or writing. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Isaiah 50:4-9A The Lord GOD has given me a well-trained tongue, That I might know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them. Morning after morning he opens my ear that I may hear; And I have not rebelled, have not turned back. I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; My face I did not shield from buffets and spitting. The Lord GOD is my help, therefore I am not disgraced; I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame. He is near who upholds my right; if anyone wishes to oppose me, let us appear together. Who disputes my right? Let him confront me. See, the Lord GOD is my help; who will prove me wrong? Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 69:8-10, 21-22, 31 AND 33-34 R. (14c) Lord, in your great love, answer me. For your sake I bear insult, and shame covers my face. I have become an outcast to my brothers, a stranger to my mother’s sons, because zeal for your house consumes me, and the insults of those who blaspheme you fall upon me. R. Lord, in your great love, answer me. Insult has broken my heart, and I am weak, I looked for sympathy, but there was none; for consolers, not one could I find. Rather they put gall in my food, and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. R. Lord, in your great love, answer me. I will praise the name of God in song, and I will glorify him with thanksgiving: “See, you lowly ones, and be glad; you who seek God, may your hearts revive! For the LORD hears the poor, and his own who are in bonds he spurns not.” R. Lord, in your great love, answer me. Gospel: Matthew 26:14-25 One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver, and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over. On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples approached Jesus and said, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?” He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The teacher says, “My appointed time draws near; in your house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples.”’” The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered, and prepared the Passover. When it was evening, he reclined at table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, “Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” Deeply distressed at this, they began to say to him one after another, “Surely it is not I, Lord?” He said in reply, “He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me. The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born.” Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply, “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?” He answered, “You have said so.” NAB On some days, I walk around with a pierced heart, sullied from digging down deep in the mud. It weighs heavily, smeared with earth and dirt. And I rest with it there under the weight of my own fault. I rest with it in waves of shame and sorrow. I rest with it until my knees find themselves firmly planted on that wooden kneeler and the priest speaks the words to resolve my aching heart: “"I absolve you from your sins." It’s a horrible kind of pain, the awareness of your fault. It scratches at the walls of your heart while Heaven beckons you home. And I think that’s the worst thing about it—seeing, knowing, trusting the light but choosing darkness instead. I suppose that’s why my heart is torn with both disdain and compassion for Judas Iscariot. I can’t imagine the torment that must have settled down deep in his bones when he denied Jesus. Part of me cringes at the thought of his transgression while the other part of me gets caught in empathy. Because we all have a little of Judas running through our veins, don’t we? We all sin. We all fall short. But that’s not the end of the story, you see. Because though we run to darkness in the midst of our weakness, light is always there. Waiting. Calling. Nudging. So, may we recognize all of the places Judas lingers in our lives, and may we run to those words that sets hearts free: "I absolve you from your sins." [bctt tweet="Though we run to darkness in the midst of our weakness, light is always there."] Where does Judas linger in our life? Recognize these dark corners and run to those words that sets hearts free: “I absolve you from your sins.” Brittany Calavitta is an enthusiastic advocate for a good book, strong coffee, and a hopeful heart. She currently resides in Irvine, California with her hipster husband and overweight Chihuahua. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Isaiah 42:1-7 Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased, Upon whom I have put my Spirit; he shall bring forth justice to the nations, Not crying out, not shouting, not making his voice heard in the street. A bruised reed he shall not break, and a smoldering wick he shall not quench, Until he establishes justice on the earth; the coastlands will wait for his teaching. Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spreads out the earth with its crops, Who gives breath to its people and spirit to those who walk on it: I, the LORD, have called you for the victory of justice, I have grasped you by the hand; I formed you, and set you as a covenant of the people, a light for the nations, To open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 27:1, 2, 3, 13-14 R. (1a) The Lord is my light and my salvation. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear? The LORD is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid? R. The Lord is my light and my salvation. When evildoers come at me to devour my flesh, My foes and my enemies themselves stumble and fall. R. The Lord is my light and my salvation. Though an army encamp against me, my heart will not fear; Though war be waged upon me, even then will I trust. R. The Lord is my light and my salvation. I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD with courage; be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD. R. The Lord is my light and my salvation. Gospel: John 12:1-11 Six days before Passover Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. They gave a dinner for him there, and Martha served, while Lazarus was one of those reclining at table with him. Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil made from genuine aromatic nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair; the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. Then Judas the Iscariot, one of his disciples, and the one who would betray him, said, “Why was this oil not sold for three hundred days’ wages and given to the poor?” He said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief and held the money bag and used to steal the contributions. So Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Let her keep this for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.” The large crowd of the Jews found out that he was there and came, not only because of him, but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. And the chief priests plotted to kill Lazarus too, because many of the Jews were turning away and believing in Jesus because of him. NAB We all have a charism, a vocation, in which we flourish. Mine? The charism of hospitality. Making people feel at home when they walk in my door is something I adore. I consider it the highest compliment when someone props their feet up on our ottoman, with a glass of wine in hand, and says “cheers” because they feel at home in our company. Mary may not have had wine, but she had costly perfumed oil and she shared it freely. She knew who was in her presence. How gracious was Jesus? How blessed was she? Yet, Judas the Iscariot and the chief priests mocked that extravagance, belittled her generosity and scorned Jesus’ actions. But, we know how that all ended for them, don’t we? Or, do we? We’re about to hit high gear this week. The super bowl of liturgical weeks is upon us. The Triduum is near. How extravagant are we with our love for Jesus? When was the last time you wept while reading Scripture? Do you save those tears, that love, for just these seven days, or do you live it 365 days a year? Guilty as charged right here. I have to be honest, sometimes I’m stingy with my love. I hold back my gifts. I cling tightly to those things which I think are mine. You might as well call me Judas. And, it’s not just about me holding back my gifts, but I’m sometimes afraid to generously share my forgiveness. Both Jesus and Pope Francis remind us of the beauty of mercy and its freeing power. Of all weeks, of all days, this is the one to share all that you have generously. Share it without abandon, sweet sisters. Lean into Jesus’ suffering, cling tightly to His love, and leave your shortcomings at the foot of His cross. Now is the time to get real. He wants nothing less. [bctt tweet="Of all weeks, of all days, this is the one to share all that you have generously."] Say a prayer for someone you've wronged, and say it with love. Kathryn Whitaker and her husband, Scott, have 6 awesome kids, teen to toddler. She is a former public relations consultant turned freelance graphic designer, party planner, organizer and preemie advocate who hails from the Lone Star state. You can find out more about her here.