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Today’s Gospel is a very well-known verse. Preachers and teachers like to quote this verse. And we like to hear it because it gives so much comfort to our souls as we live in a world that doesn’t give us much rest. How do we come to that rest? What are the conditions? Jesus makes this promise: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

We should be capable of taking up our cross and following Jesus. In the social unrest of today, can we hear the prophet’s voice? Are we centered enough on God to hear the still, small voice through all the anger, fear, and hate?

We all have fears. Some of these fears are worse than others. Then there are the things that we fear for no reason at all. There are some things that we don’t fear that we should. There’s a paradox in today’s Gospel. On the one hand, Jesus tells us not to be afraid, because our Father in heaven loves us more than all the sparrows in the world and knows us intimately down to the last strand of hair.

We are given many gifts and one great gift leads us into today’s readings on this Solemnity of The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. By gifting us with an ongoing reminder of Himself in the Eucharist, Jesus physically lets us know He is still with us. He did and will continue to feed us.

he nature of the Trinity (or Holy Trinity) has caused centuries of argument and division within the Christian faith. The word doesn’t actually appear in the Bible itself, but the New Testament does speak of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit together. The Merriam -Webster Dictionary defines the Trinity as “the unity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three persons in one Godhead according to Christian Dogma.” We acknowledge the Trinity, holy and perfect, to consist of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. This is not a blend of creativity.

Pentecost will not be about an arrival on the 50th day of Easter, but rather the journey toward it and beyond. Anxiety, separation, questions about our future as a society, have consumed our days. We grieve our losses—people, jobs, ceremonies, community and Mass.

We celebrate the Solemnity of the Ascension of Our Lord as it replaces the Seventh Sunday of Easter this year. In this time of pandemic, so many are crying out with deep concerns of being “orphaned.” We feel that sense of loneliness that come with not being able to be around friends and being involved in social activities. If the Apostles were among us now, I wonder what they would be feeling.

Even in these uncertain times, one thing we can be sure of is that Jesus will never abandon us. This Sunday, we hear the Gospel passage that tells us that we are not alone: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments; and I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you always.” Knowing that Jesus was about to depart from them, the disciples had to have been feeling a great deal of anxiety. Christ’s words, “I will not leave you orphans, I will come to you,“ must have sent waves of reassurance to their hearts and minds.

What does it mean to be a Christian? What does it mean to be a part of the Church? St. Peter in the Second Reading today provides us with a beautiful, inspiring, and challenging definition. “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. As the Easter Season continues, Christians everywhere rejoice that the risen Christ has called us out of darkness into His wonderful light.”

What a comfort knowing our voice is known and listened to by our Good Shepherd. Our worship and fellowship has come to a screeching halt. In these weeks of isolation, the better question may be how well we know our Shepherd’s voice. Hopefully we have found avenues to redirect our talents for the good of our community. We need to stay within the flock and be good followers.

As we continue to practice social distancing and are separated from each other due to this Coronavirus pandemic, it is likely that we can identify with these two disciples who were on the road to Emmaus. We are experiencing times of despair and disappointment.

Today the Church celebrates Divine Mercy Sunday. The central focus is our celebration of the Resurrection of Christ and the floodgates of God’s mercy being opened upon us, and is based both on Scripture and the revelations of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska.

On this Easter Sunday, we celebrate the new creation. He is risen, Alleluia! At dawn in the garden of the Resurrection, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb grieving over the death of her beloved Lord.

Today we celebrate the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem and we begin Holy Week in which we commemorate the last hours of Christ’s life on earth and His glorious Resurrection. This passion account from Matthew reminds us how important it is that we keep this week holy in honor of our Savior who gave His life for our sakes.

We suddenly find ourselves in very uncertain times. As the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic increasingly affects us, I ask you to join me, Deacon Mike, our Religious and our staff in praying for those who are ill, their loved ones, the healthcare professionals caring for them, and all who are working tirelessly to reduce the suffering caused by this virus.

We get a glimpse into the ways of God and the contrast between darkness and light. This sets the stage for today’s Gospel. Rather than rejoicing that the blind man has been given the gift of sight, he is accused of sin as if he was to blame for his blindness. Many in Jesus’ time considered blindness to be God’s curse.

Why is water so important to us? Your body uses water in all its cells, organs, and tissues to help regulate its temperature and maintain other bodily functions. Because your body loses water through breathing, sweating, and digestion, it’s important to rehydrate by drinking fluids and eating foods that contain water. One of the enlightenments of our journey through Lent is the recognition of Christ’s humanity. When we see Christ tired and thirsty, human as we are, we also see our salvation and Savior and are thus empowered to seek forgiveness for our weaknesses, failures and sins.

As we are all aware, the Coronavirus (COVID-19) has been making headlines as an increasing health scare throughout the world these past two months. As a result, the Diocese has received calls and e-mails regarding specific guidelines for how a parish should respond.

We have now begun the season where discipline plays a role in our journey. Lent, Holy week, and the Easter Triduum can sometimes drain us emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Jesus’ temptation in the desert strengthened Him for His ministry. I am sure Jesus was tired, hungry, and worn out during His forty days of prayer and fasting. Sound familiar?

This weekend is PLEDGE SUNDAY for the Annual Catholic Appeal throughout the Diocese of Trenton. Each year the Bishop seeks the support of all members of the Diocese to further the work of our ministries.