When we have eaten an amazing meal, we feel content as we linger over good conversation and a glass of wine. To be full means that nothing is lacking. It evokes a sense of satisfaction. No longing or desire for more is left. In a sense, it is completeness. If…
Dear brothers and sisters, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24). Following in the Footsteps of Jesus Christ The opening prayer (collect) of today’s liturgy reads in part, “Grant, we pray, almighty God, that putting off our old self…
Celebrating the Living Christ: Our Advocate. On this third Sunday of Easter, the Church invites us to celebrate the living Christ, who is our advocate. Through his death and resurrection, he advocates for us. Ignorance and doubt keep us in fear and darkness, while Christ illuminates and strengthens our faith.…
Acts of the Apostles paints a beautiful picture of the early Church, a community vibrant with faith and overflowing with love. (Acts 4: 32-35). However, this idyllic scene of oneness and shared possession is challenged in Acts 6: 1-7. As the number of disciples grew, so did the complexities of…
The Story of a Family: At the time of Christ, two prominent Rabbinic schools guided the people in understanding the Torah. The two founders of these schools, Hillel and Shammai, were the most influential rabbis of the day. These two academies vigorously debated ritual practices, ethics, and theology. Indeed, Jesus…
“We must obey God rather than men.” This declaration, which we find in today’s first reading taken from the book of the Acts of the Apostles (5: 27 – 33), has never been more relevant than it is today. Peter and the other Apostles conquered human fear. To the high…
Christ is Risen, Alleluia! As Christians we are heirs to the extraordinary reality of the Resurrection. We celebrate this miracle not simply on one day but throughout our lives. Jesus of Nazareth, put to death on the Cross, rose bodily from the dead, a miracle so shocking that it transformed…
Dear GVM Readers, Happy Eastertide! We wish you a very blessed Tuesday celebrating the Resurrected Lord. [Readings: Acts 4:32-37; Jn 3:7b-15]
The church celebrates today the solemnity feast of the Annunciation of the Lord. The feast announces God’s promise of a child to Mary, who will be called the son of God, and who will be a savior. This promise of salvation began even in the Old Testament promise to the…
When [the Divine Mercy Chaplet] is said by the bedside of a dying person, God’s angeris placated, unfathomable mercy envelops the soul, and the very depths of My tendermercy are moved for the sake of the sorrowful Passion of My Son. ~ St. Faustina’sDiary During the first week of Passiontide…