The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (C) We cannot have deep, meaningful relationships with other people unless we are willing to be vulnerable with them. When we know our own worth, then we will be able to open up and share with others even if they don't always receive us well.

The Eucharist shows that God is willing to be vulnerable with us. Satan knows that God hurts when we are hurting ourselves and hurting others. God became vulnerable when he became human, and his vulnerability continues in the gift of the Eucharist. Jesus knows that a deep, meaningful relationship is not possible without vulnerability. So He chose to be vulnerable first in hopes that we will not be afraid to open up and be vulnerable with him.

(22 Jun 2025)

Going Deeper: The podcast I was referring to was Episode 157: "Grifter" from Darknet Diaries podcast. Jack does a whole intro about his Defcon party. A large number of these hacker types like Grifter grew up in divorced families, had ADHD, and spent unhealthy amounts of time on computers. Also notice that the trajectory of his life changes when he joins a community that is intentional about forming virtue in its members (in this case it was the Air Force). Later on in life, he continues to live by those same virtues.

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Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity (C) The Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. There are not three gods, but one God. We call this mystery, "The Holy Trinity".

Human beings are body, mind, and spirit. When our spirit is led by the Holy Spirit, it can lead the body and mind into a harmony, a communion, a human trinity.

The family is husband, wife, and children. When the husband listens to God and to his family, he can lead the family into unity. A healthy family balances the individual gifts of each member with the community.

In Communism, the individual is virtual annihilated by the community. In modern Western culture, the community is annihilated by extreme individualism. Society needs healthy families in order to recover a healthy balance of individuals in communion.

Christians are members of the Holy Trinity. From within the communion of the Trinity we can recover harmony in ourselves, our families, and society.

(15 Jun 2025)

Going Deeper: When do you experience harmony in mind, body, and spirit? When and how do you experience disunity?

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Pentecost Sunday (C) We are made for communion. We are called to communion. But you can't force anyone into communion. God respects our free will so much that if we say "No" to him, he won't override us. This is why we don't pray for the souls in hell; it's too late for them to change their minds. I firmly believe two contradictory things: 1) You need to be perfect, free of all sin and sinful habits, in order to enter heaven. 2) Jesus died for every person and God offers salvation to every person. We find ourselves right in the middle between the impossible goal and the impossibly generous gift. Will we allow God to make us worthy of eternal communion?

Evangelization should be motivated less by a fear of hell and more by the love, joy, and peace we have found in communion with God and others. Imagine a church where every member were set aflame by the power of the Holy Spirit and formed and equipped to share the good news with others. That is my dream! "Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and kindle in us the fire of your love."

(8 Jun 2025)

Going Deeper: Read the SERVE magazine or the blog at the Family Missions Company.

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Ascension of the Lord • We know that the earth is a giant sphere suspended in outer space. The ancient people thought of the world like a snow globe. Jesus is ascending to the highest point of the universe. From there he can see everything and lead his people to victory.

The cloud of God's glory leads the Israelites out of Egypt, meets Moses on the top of Mt. Sinai, and takes up residence in the newly-consecrated Temple of Solomon. The cloud appears at the Transfiguration. So when Jesus is hidden from their sight by a cloud, it means that he has moved into the presence of God.

How can Pope Leo the Great say, "Jesus had not left his Father when he came down to earth, nor had he abandoned his disciples when he ascended into heaven"? It's almost like Jesus and the Holy Spirit are two sides of an old-fashioned two-car elevator. When Jesus walked the Earth, the Holy Spirit kept him connected to his Father. Jesus ascends and the Holy Spirit descends. Now the Holy Spirit is here with us keeping us connected to Jesus and the Father.

Jesus is the head; we are the body. We could say that the Body of Christ has its feet on the ground and it's head in the clouds. We, the Body of Christ, is suffering, dying, rising, and ascending into heaven. Meanwhile, our head is safely home and leading us there. Let us pray for a greater communion with God through the Holy Spirit. Place your hands over your heart an repeat after me, "Come, Holy Spirit, fill the heart of your faithful, and kindle in me, the fire of your love."

(1 Jun 2025)

Going Deeper: Reflect on these words from Pope Leo the Great: "Even the blessed apostles, though they had been strengthened by so many miracles and instructed by so much teaching, took fright at the cruel suffering of the Lord's passion and could not accept his resurrection without hesitation. Yet they made such progress through his ascension that they now found joy in what had terrified them before. They were able to fix their minds on Christ's divinity as he sat at the right hand of his Father, since what was presented to their bodily eyes no longer hindered them from turning all their attention to the realization that he had not left his Father when he came down to earth, nor had he abandoned his disciples when he ascended into heaven."

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Easter, 6th Sunday (C) The First Reading is from the Sixth Sunday and the Second Reading and the Gospel are taken from the Seventh Sunday.

God's deepest desire is to be in communion with us. We can find happiness in many places. But we can only find fulfillment in communion. Our communion with God started with our Baptism when we were dunked into the very life of God. It deepened when we received our first Holy Communion. God is in us and we are in God.

The consumer mentality makes me a black hole, endlessly pulling people, things, and experiences into my orbit. But grasping does not lead to lasting fulfillment. Communion happens when we can enter into a relationship of mutually self-giving love. We are helping to bring people into communion with God so they can also experience true communion with themselves, others, and creation.

Jesus is praying for us! He lives every day in deep, intimate communion with his Father. The Holy Spirit makes it possible for us to live every day in deep, intimate communion with the Trinity. Come, Holy Spirit!

(25 May 2025)

Going Deeper: What would it look like to soak more deeply into God's love?

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Easter, 5th Sunday (C) Our parish exists for one reason: Communion. Through Baptism we are "dipped" into God's love for us. When we receive Holy Communion, God enters us. So we are in God and God is in us. That's the very definition of communion!

Today Jesus tells us, "As I have loved you, so you also should love one another." I think many of us nod and smile at these words without realizing what they mean. We think Jesus is telling us to be nice, to tolerate others, to be accepting and inclusive. In reality, Jesus is inviting us to first receive his love and love him back in the same way: total, faithful, fruitful, and free. Our love for Jesus pulls us into communion with him. His love for others pulls us into communion with them.

Communion will never be perfect here on earth. But we need to keep investing in it. The Apostles are sent out by a community, they create little communities, and they return to a community. Is your parish a place of Communion?

(18 May 2025)

Going Deeper: What does Communion mean to you? Does it feel safe? Is it something you long for? What would it practically look like?

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Easter, 4th Sunday (C) Even from the very beginning, children need a felt sense of safety and security in order to thrive. Physically speaking, we live in a very secure country. And yet, we seem to be suffering from an epidemic of anxiety. Jesus offers a sense of safety and security that no one can take from us. Look how Paul and Barnabas feel safe even amidst persecution and riots. The Good Shepherd will lead them safely to eternal life.

I want to take a little time to do an imaginative exercise. Pause the podcast and come back to it if you're driving or in the middle of something. First, start by picturing a favorite image of the Good Shepherd. Then, picture yourself as one of his little sheep. Share whatever worry, concern, or anxiety you are experiencing right now. Then ask Jesus, "Is there something that you want me to know?" Receive whatever it is he wants to give you: peace, a sense that he is with you, etc. Then spend a couple minutes in gratitude.

(11 May 2025)

Going Deeper: Learn more about the John Paul II Healing Center.

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Easter, 3rd Sunday (C) This Gospel is one of my personal favorites. It was given to me on a Teens Encounter Christ retreat in 2004. John chapter 20 ends with these words:

Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.” Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.

It's a perfect ending. Roll credits. Then chapter 21 opens with one final scene, like those after-credit scenes in the MCU movies. Captained by Peter, the church is sailing into the Resurrection. Jesus is waiting there with a banquet. St. Augustine tells us that the Greeks had identified 153 species of fish and therefore people from every language, culture, and race are invited into the Kingdom.

Three times Peter confesses his love for Jesus and is given his job description as the first Pope. Peter must love Jesus and he must care for the flock. If he follows Jesus faithfully, he will eventually die for Jesus as Jesus died for him.

This Wednesday, the Cardinals will enter the Conclave to elect a new pope. They will begin by celebrating Mass at 10 AM (3 AM Central Time). Cardinal Re, the same Cardinal who celebrated Pope Francis’s funeral, will pray, "O God, eternal pastor, you who govern your people with a father's care, give your church a pontiff acceptable to you for his holiness of life and wholly consecrated to the service of your people."

Is this not the same job description that Peter was given? At the end of the Mass, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the highest-ranking member of the College of Cardinals who is under the age of 80 and eligible to enter the conclave, addresses the cardinals: "After having celebrated the divine mysteries, we now enter into conclave to elect the Roman pontiff. The whole church, united with us in prayer, invokes the grace of the Holy Spirit so that we elect a worthy pastor of the entire flock of Christ." Let us pray for a Pope who loves Jesus and will feed and tend His sheep.

(4 May 2025)

Going Deeper: Spend some time this week praying for the election. You might use this prayer, taken from the Mass for the election of a Pope:

O God, eternal shepherd,
who govern your flock with unfailing care,
grant in your boundless fatherly love
a pastor for your Church
who will please you by his holiness
and to us show watchful care.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.

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