Dear sisters and brothers in Christ Jesus, Our Gospel today shows the connection between peace, mercy, and the Holy Spirit. Jesus first greets the disciples by saying twice: “Peace be with you.” He then breathes on them and says: “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” Peace, forgiveness of sins, and the gift of the Holy Spirit all go together. This connection is reinforced when Thomas is present for Jesus’ second appearance. Jesus again greets them with “Peace be with you.” He then reminds Thomas that “Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” We are able to believe without seeing because the Holy Spiri
Dear sisters and brothers in Christ Jesus, Happy Easter! This season of joy centers on Christ’s Resurrection—the opening of heaven to us who believe. As we hear in the beautiful Sequence read before our Gospel, Victimae Paschali Laudes: “Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining. Have mercy, victor King, ever reigning!” By His victory over sin and death Jesus has given us new life. He is the victorious King who frees us from slavery to sin in His Mercy. “Christ, who only is sinless, Reconciles sinners to the Father.” Mary Magdalene is the appropriate first witness to Jesus’ Resurrection because she represents the sinner who is reconciled to God by Jesus’ Passion and Dea
Dear sisters and brothers in Christ Jesus, Before getting into the readings, I want to invite you all to join us for the Triduum liturgies this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday are unique moments in our Church year that bear unbelievable fruits in the souls of those who attend. Christ gave us Himself in His Passion, Death, and Resurrection. We can give Him the gift of our time on these three most sacred days. ‘Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples." He said in reply, "I tell you, if they keep silent, the stones will cry out!"’ (Lk 19:40) Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem was a r
Dear sisters and brothers in Christ Jesus, In our Gospel this Sunday Jesus is confronted by a group of men who bring a woman to Him to be judged. They expect Jesus to be caught between dismissing the woman’s sin, which would set Jesus against the Commandments, and condemning her for her sin, which would set Jesus against His own message of mercy. What the mob of angry men do not seem to realize is that they have entered into the ritual act of condemnation under the Law of Moses by bringing a sinner before the priest to be judged. The judge would then write on the ground the commandment that had been broken and the name of the accused. When Jesus leaned down to write, they must have recog
