HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL OF US!

All of us are those that are baptized into the Church. Yes, today is the birthday of the Church because Pentecost is when the Apostles began sharing the message of Jesus with the world, and since we are the Church, it is our birthday too.

Today we celebrate the return of Jesus to the Father in heaven as He completes His mission here on earth and leaves His followers with a task to continue His work. Jesus is no longer physically present with His people, but He will be with them through the Holy Spirit.

The readings today remind us that God stays close to His people. The Holy Spirit is given to guide and strengthen believers. Jesus calls us to love Him and live out that love through our actions. Our challenge is to trust that we are not alone in our faith. We need to let our actions show our love for Jesus each day. We should always be ready to share our hope with others and to do it in a calm and kind way. If we do one small act of kindness it can be a way of living out our faith. We should not hold on to our faith but instead we need to help it spread to our family, our neighbors and our friends both near us and those farther away. We need to encourage others to trust that God is with us in every moment. We hear in the first reading that the Word of God is reaching out to new people, and the Spirit is moving among them.

This Sunday we are invited to trust in Jesus, serve others, and to live as part of God’s plan for His people. The early Christians faced many challenges, but they worked together in faith, and we are called to do the same. Faith is not just a belief but should be a way of life for each of us. It is not just about knowing the truth but living it and what better example do we have than when we follow Jesus because through Him, we find strength, purpose and the way to God the Father. In the second reading we hear that believers are described as living stones in God’s house, so each person has a role in building up the Church by living and helping others to also follow with trust and love. We need to serve and not be served.

This week, we hear in the readings that Peter is asking the people to turn away from a life of sin and to be baptized and start a new life by accepting Jesus and His teachings. They are told to endure their hardships without complaining but know that God is with them. Like the people of Peter’s time, we are called to have the same patience and trust in God’s plan for us. How many times have you suffered without complaining? Look around, and you would be surprised how many people that you encounter daily that you wouldn’t know were suffering in constant pain because they offer it up instead of complaining. Then, of course, you do have those who let you know every ache and pain they feel, and they make sure everyone knows. When we offer up our sufferings in silence to God, we sometimes forget about our pain and can function through the day.

Today, we are reminded that Jesus is alive and is with us. We are reminded that the followers of Jesus, the apostles, and the many crowds that wanted to hear His preaching now believed in the resurrection, and they learned to live with hope and trust in what He promised. Peter explains to the people that the death and resurrection of Jesus were all part of God’s plan. Peter does this with a lot of courage and strength from the Holy Spirit. Like Peter, we too need to share the Good News. We need to let people know that Jesus is always with us through the Word and the Sacraments. Maybe we need to take the time and have the courage to look for Jesus in our daily lives. Do you feel Him when you pray, when you are at Mass, or in the people that you meet each day?

Today is the Second Sunday of Easter also known as Divine Mercy Sunday. This day we remember that God’s mercy is for all people not just some. We should have faith, hope and joy because we have with us the risen Jesus that reminds us that believing in Him brings new life. The early Christians lived together, shared what they had and cared for those in need. Their lives were filled with prayers, worship, and love for one another. Faith can change the way we live each day. We are asked this week to trust and not be a doubting Thomas.

Today we begin the Easter Octave, eight days of unbroken celebration, each treated as though they are one and the same day. During this time, we are invited into a deep reflection and joy over the life-giving mysteries of Christ’s triumph over death. Easter and the Octave are not just remembrances of a past event but give us a more profound, personal encounter with the Risen Christ. This is a time of new beginnings and divine grace that offers spiritual renewal and deeper connection with our faith. On Holy Saturday, at the Easter Vigil we here about the creation of the world by God in six days.