April 23, 2026 // Thursday of the Third Week of Easter // Optional Memorial of Saint Adalbert, Bishop and Martyr // Optional Memorial of Saint George, Martyr
Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: John 6:44-51
Reflect on the Word //
Holiness is the best gift you can give your family.
I heard these wise words years ago when I was a young mama wanting to raise good, holy children. A friend of mine had heard this from a holy priest and while I couldn’t figure out exactly what it meant, I was hopeful that it was true. At first I thought it meant simply reading the Bible or paying better attention in Mass. It seemed overly simplistic.
Over time, however, I realized holiness was more about letting the Lord in—into broken spaces and hurting spaces and the beautiful spaces of my interior as well. And now, years later, I have seen that the more effort I put into being loved by the Lord, the more I am able to love my family.
The Lord offers Himself to humanity. As He says in today’s Gospel, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my Flesh for the life of the world" (John 6:51). We receive the Lord in the Eucharist, His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. And in turn, we share Him with those around us. We receive God’s love and we share it. The Lord offers Himself to us, for our own holiness and for the good of those around us.
The more healed we are—through the Sacraments, through time spent with God in prayer, through God’s healing love—the more love we can pour out on our loved ones and on the people the Lord puts in our path. We are an object of God’s love, and, as He transforms us to be more like Him through His love, we become instruments of that same love.
Relate to the Lord // How is the Lord inviting you to grow in holiness in this season?
Rachel Balducci has a Masters degree from the Grady School of Journalism at the University of Georgia and teaches at Augusta University. She and her husband Paul have five sons and one daughter and are part of an intentional Christian community in Augusta, Georgia. Rachel is the author of several books and is the co-host of The Gist of CatholicTV. Find out more about her here.
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