April 2022 Continued

He is risen – Alleluia

Could the Easter message of Jesus’s Resurrection really be that simple?  Is that all that needs to be said in an Easter reflection?  

I pondered writing today’s reflection while driving.Radio playing, a song caught my attention whose lyrics not only filled the air, but touched me as if they were coming right from God.

Go tell the world about me
I was dead but now I live
I've gotta go now for a little while
But goodbye is not the end

Don't forget the things that I taught you
I've conquered death and I hold the keys
Where I go you will go too, someday
But there's much to do here before you leave
…Go tell the world about me

As believers, we celebrate today assured Christ’s death was not the end. But do we take for granted what it is to be Easter people?  Do we live in the Resurrection?

Go tell the world about me… St. Francis inspires, “Preach the Gospel at all times, when necessary, use words”! God offers us as many ways to “tell about him” as each unique person….some preach or heal or teach. Some cook to feed the hungry, some hold with the gentle touch of compassion, some visit the lonely, imprisoned, forgotten with tender comfort…Much to do before we leave!

Easter arrives in Joyful Excitement ~ in Breathtaking, Blooming colors, with Trumpets resounding and Alleluias sung! When we remember what Jesus has taught us and we live with Resurrection’s Joyful Excitement we are Telling the world about Him, as He asks of us.

Goodbye is not the end. The tomb is empty…He Lives!   May we be the Easter people that Go, Show and Tell the world about Him.

In Mercy with Easter Joy,

Donna McCabe

When I try to understand whom God is, it always boils down to one word:  LOVE
I suppose that love comes in many shapes and forms.  Some think of love as a physical attraction that is associated with feelings.  Mathew Kelly insists that love is a verb and therefore requires action on the part of the lover.  Recently, Richard Rohr shared the definition of love that was taught to him by his seminary professor, Dr. James E Loder, who defined love as “a non-possessive delight in the particularity of the other.” 

I had little knowledge of the creatures hidden in the sea until I watched a documentary on Netflix called My Octopus Teacher.  It opened my eyes to the beautiful world that exists beneath the sea, and it also expanded my perception of the intricate under sea world that God has created, which I would not have fully experienced had I not watched this film.  It may seem odd to equate this documentary to a love story, but I found it to be a beautiful metaphor for love. 

In the film, Craig Foster, follows his longing to explore the underwater creatures that live in the South African kelp forest in the deep canyons of the sea.  Each day for a full year, he encounters the world of the sea and films his underwater adventures.  He did not wear a wet suit nor carry oxygen with him. He learned to withstand the cold, and worked up to being able to hold his breath for 6 minutes before coming up for air so as to be inconspicuous and to not scare off the sea creatures.  

His initial intent was to become better acquainted with the creatures that live in the sea.  He was unprepared for what would happen.  Early on, he became totally attracted to a small female octopus.  In their early encounters with one  another, she would carefully observe him to be sure that this strange and very large human would not be a danger to her and he was very careful as to not frighten her as well by respecting her space.  It took some time for her to build up her trust. After a while, she allowed him to touch one of her tentacles.  I was moved to tears by the relationship that developed between a man and an octopus.  Whenever she was in danger he was devastated, knowing his limitations as a man in the world of the sea. His overwhelming tenderness toward her was heartfelt.  At one point the little octopus actually lays her body over Craig’s chest to show her affection for him.  It was deeply emotional to witness the delight and wonder that Craig displayed toward this creature, while at the same time endangering his own life by spending so much time in the frigid waters in the Cape of Storms.  It amazed me as to what lengths he would go to to show his care and love toward her. 

 It showed me that love comes in many forms.  I asked myself how well do I love people who are different than me?  Do I take delight in the particularity of others? 

Lovingly,

Nancy Dowd

Mass readings: Acts of the Apostles 3:11 – 26, Psalm 8:2b and 55, 6 – 7, 8 – 9; Luke 24:35 – 48

In these weeks of the Easter Season, we have opportunities to reflect on and be aware of the joy that flows from Christ and His resurrection. I see this as a much-needed invitation in these troubled and anxious times.

Christ the “Anointed One” comes forth to show us the way as exemplified by His life. In the Acts of the Apostles, people were amazed at the Spirit’s outpouring to the Apostles. We were all anointed at our baptism and as such are intimately connected to the “Anointed One”. This invitation to such an intimate relationship is one that requires our full attention and commitment. As the Psalm says: “You have given him rule over the works of your hands”.

Christ carried His wounds beyond the grave. The joy of seeing Christ after the resurrection must have been awe inspiring. Yet, those who saw Him were troubled as we read in scripture. 

We know Jesus the Christ of God by his actions. We know that we belong to Him when our actions are in sync with His actions. Jesus teaches us through sacred scripture and through the graces we experience in our own life’s journey. 
The people in Jesus’s life believed in him by the works that he did. He lived in such a way as to embrace each moment’s need.

Many of the titles or names given to Jesus relate to his actions. Some examples are Savior, Healer, Miracle Worker, and Counselor to name a few. Jesus invites us to live the grace of being open to the needs around us. When we find opportunities to live for others, our own actions show the way in which Christ lives within us. 

Sometimes my invitation to be more Christlike comes alive when I look at the places and circumstances that increase the peace in my heart.

What is God’s invitation to you?

In Mercy,

Ed Reitter

It has been a week now that the universal Church has been singing: “Alleluia! Christ is risen from the dead!” Today, the Second Sunday of Easter and “Divine Mercy Sunday” we rejoice that Jesus lived among us, revealed who God is, died, and is now the Lord of heaven and earth. In addition, he has given us his Spirit to be with us forever. This is great news!  

In John’s Gospel for today, we listen to Jesus greeting his fearful disciples with a message of peace. Peace was one of the gifts Jesus promised at the Last Supper right before he died. What about this peace that Jesus promised us? As I listen to the news each day, it appears wars, violence, divisions in our families, our communities, and the world have the upper hand. The war in Ukraine has revealed just how brutal we humans can be to one another.  Many people doubt that we as a human family will ever learn the message of how to be peaceful and live in a peaceful manner. 

For me, this only confirms my belief that we need to take Jesus’ words seriously, to take in God’s peace and let it fill our whole being, convinced that peace is possible. I am reminded of that wonderful hymn, “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.” Only if I am committed to being a person of peace will peace reign in our world. In the Gospel reading, immediately after Jesus greets his disciples with the message of peace, he speaks of forgiveness. For me, peace and forgiveness go together. It is so easy to harbor a lack of forgiveness which prevents real peace from happening.

I encourage you to pray for peace today - to ask God to reveal if you need to forgive anyone in your life who has offended you and/or to ask for forgiveness from someone whom you have offended. I invite you to pray especially for the difficult people in your life, the ones who irk you or who need peace in their lives. God wants us to have peace! We need to want it also!

In Mercy,

Eileen P. Smith, RSM

You lost your way
You think you have things figured out 
Then things change
The loss of a parent
The kids moving out
Isolation
Quiet days
Faith questioned
Time speeding up
Time slowing down
You wonder and wander
You search
Asking questions
Listening for answers
Drawing closer to God
Stepping back
Leaping forward
Seeking
Praying
You go deeper into your thoughts
Looking up and around
Going forward each day
And realize you are not lost at all
Faith

In Mercy,

Jennifer Sparrow

Today’s readings have inspired me to expand my thinking about the early Church. In the first reading of Acts, Peter and the disciples are brought before the Sanhendrin for disobeying their order to stop preaching. They respond boldly that they must obey God. Such a simple answer yet they remain firm in their resolve to disobey the Sanhedrin’s order. How do they find the courage to continue? 
 
The Psalmist provides one of the answers in Psalm 34:2,“The Lord hears the cry of the poor.” “The Poor” are considered those who are defenseless but trust in God alone knowing God alone can make them powerful in His name. The title of Psalm 34 is “Thanksgiving to God who Delivers the Just.”  In last Saturday’s readings, Peter, John, and the disciples were “perceived as uneducated” and ordinary men” by the elders and scribes. (Acts 4:13-14) Yet, they could not deny their amazement with the disciples miracles. Peter, John, and the disciples are appropriately “the poor” relying solely on the power of God through the Holy Spirit. They can persevere and be bold for God to deliver justice.
 
The Gospel of John produces the second answer. Peter, John, and the disciples have imprinted on their hearts that Jesus is the Messiah. As the Gospel proclaims, “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.” (John 3:31-35) The disciples knowing their true mission can continue preaching at all humanly costs. 

In rereading the beginnings of the Early church, I can clearly see Peter, John, and the disciples transformed into men of strength, courage, and boldness by being “the poor”. They relied solely on God and God’s power to be true proclaimers of the good news. I can only hope that I deliver the good news by trusting solely on God. 

Alleluia, Alleluia. He is Risen!

Happy Easter!

Anne Mendez