The readings for this Sunday tells us the story of Jesus' departure and the promise (and necessity) of the Holy Spirit. In the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 1:15-17, 20a, 20c-26), we witness the early Christian community grappling with the vacancy left by Judas Iscariot. However, they don't despair but turn to prayer and discernment, seeking guidance from the Holy Spirit to choose a replacement. This narrative underscores the importance of communal discernment and the reliance on God's wisdom in making significant decisions.

Why the month of May for Mary? May is often the season of the year when spring is in full bloom and we see the height of nature's beauty. Spring is an example of nature renewing itself. God renewed humanity and all of creation when Mary gave new life to the world in giving birth to Jesus. Without Mary giving birth to Jesus, all the events that followed: Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, and ascension, would not have happened. The month of May is when nature is showing signs of life - the ideal month to honor the woman who gave life to our Savior.

I am not a gardener, so I went to Google and searched “Why is it important to prune branches of a vine?” I learned a lot from the articles I read and that particularly for grape vines, the vine grower prunes the branches of the vine that have reproduced fruit already because grapes produce fruit on a branch only once. The branch of the new year's growth grew from the branches of last year's harvest. So, when a branch bears fruit one year, the vine grower must trim that branch, being aware that buds left on that branch are where the new shoots will grow for the following year.

Every year on the Fourth Sunday of Easter, the Church invites us to reflect on the tenth chapter of John’s Gospel and the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. Jesus underscores the fact that the sheep of His flock recognize and respond to His voice. The Good Shepherd calls His sheep to Himself and loves and protects them. We may not realize it, but we are called to imitate Jesus in His role as Good Shepherd.

Have you noticed how we human beings get caught up in all the events we think are so important? But are these things really that important? Did our lives change dramatically because we experienced a solar eclipse or felt the aftershock of the earthquake? Probably not, although the doomsday peddlers among us wanted everyone to rush to gas stations and grocery stores in anticipation of the end times.

As a Church we put much emphasis on our need for penance and conversion but we also need to emphasize our need to celebrate and share the good news that Christ is Risen from the dead. On that first Easter Sunday over 2000 years ago, the tomb of Jesus was empty, he had conquered death, defeated Satan, and rose from the dead. I think that is pretty awesome!

“He (the young man) said to them, ‘Do not be amazed! You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. He has been raised; He is not here. But go and tell…” (Mark 16)

In these few short sentences, Mark the Evangelist captures the essence of the Christian vocation. Do not be amazed: Why? Because from the beginning of His ministry, Jesus promised that He would be crucified and raised on the third day. He is not here: Look, see and believe everything He told you about Himself, His Father, and His salvific mission. But go and tell: Share the faith that we have received. Share a faith that is filled with conviction and joy.

Happy Holy Week! Our Lenten journey truly is just the Beginning as we enter into the holiest of weeks in the liturgical calendar with today Palm Sunday and to come Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Sunday, and the entire Easter season.

We hear in the Gospel before the blessing of the palms,
“Hosanna!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come!
Hosanna in the highest!”

Happy Lent! We are over halfway through Lenten journey and ever closer to the Solemn celebrations of Holy Week, Easter and the entire Easter Season (which last for 50 days).

Last week we were reminded of God’s love for us in John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.”

At the heart of this passage lies a poignant analogy drawn from the Old Testament. Jesus refers to the story of Moses lifting up the serpent in the wilderness, a symbol of healing and redemption for the Israelites. By drawing this parallel, Jesus foreshadows His own sacrificial death on the cross - His own lifting up - which will become the ultimate source of healing and salvation for all who believe.

In this week’s gospel, we witness a powerful moment when Jesus enters the temple in Jerusalem. Instead of finding a sacred space for prayer and worship, He encounters a scene of financial exploitation. The temple, meant to be a house of prayer, had been transformed into a marketplace where the sacred was overshadowed by the pursuit of dishonest profits

This week, as we continue our Lenten journey, we find ourselves on the threshold of transformation, standing at the intersection of our earthly realities and the divine call to be transfigured. What is revealed in both Genesis and Mark’s Gospel are called: theophany – that is, an extraordinary encounter with God or a manifestation of God’s presence.

We often say Happy Advent, Merry Christmas, and Happy Easter, why not say Happy Lent!; afterall the season of Lent which we begin this weekend is a gift from God. A gift and moment in our liturgical year to pause, reflect, and act.

The three traditional ways to prepare for the joyful season of Easter is to pray, fast and give alms during Lent. This week we enter the Lenten Season on Ash Wednesday - February 14th. This is a day we are asked to fast (2 small meals and one regular meal) and to abstain from meat the entire day. People who have reached the age of 60 are excused from the requirement to fast but may do so if their health permits.

One of my favorite memories of my life as a Franciscan friar was during my very first year of formation. It was my 21st birthday, my first birthday with friars, my first birthday without my family. After we prayed morning prayer and participated in Mass, I noticed one of the friars leaving the chapel before we were finished. The next thing I knew was that this friar was waiting outside of the chapel doors with tall champagne glasses of mimosas and they sang me Happy Birthday. I felt the love of my Franciscan community, I experienced Franciscan joy, and I understood a little more Franciscan hospitality.

In this week’s gospel, we are presented with a powerful account of Jesus' authority over the spiritual realm. This passage holds profound significance, reminding us of the divine power and transformative nature of Christ's teachings. Let us delve into the key themes of this passage and reflect on their implications for our faith journey.

Mark 1:14-20 captures a pivotal moment in the early ministry of Jesus Christ, where He calls His first disciples. This passage not only narrates the beginning of the Gospel but also serves as an invitation for us, as Catholic believers, to reflect on our own response to the call of Christ in our lives.

This month following the season of Christmas has always been an important time of the year for me. Although the days are getting longer, it appears that darkness still has the upper hand with the overcast sky and the piling snow. It is a time when the temperature keeps me inside and the wind seems to make even my bones cold!

In today's Gospel reading from John 1:35-42, we find ourselves standing with John the Baptist as he points out Jesus, declaring, "Behold the Lamb of God!" This powerful proclamation encapsulates the essence of Christ's mission—a mission of sacrificial love and redemption. As we enter this Ordinary Time, we are reminded that the Lamb of God walks among us, inviting us to witness His presence and respond to His call.

As we joyfully step into the celebration of the Epiphany, we are invited to witness and celebrate the manifestation of God's glory through the awe-inspiring event of the Magi's visit to the infant Jesus. The Epiphany of the Lord is a revelation, a divine unveiling that beckons us to recognize the profound significance of this encounter.