In this Sunday's Gospel, Jesus tells us: “Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” (Matthew 10:38)

At first, these words may sound difficult, but Jesus is inviting us to something beautiful: to become true disciples who follow Him with love, courage, and trust. Being a disciple is more than coming to Mass on Sundays. It means choosing Jesus every day—in our homes, at work, at school, and in our community.

Parish Family,

Our office is undergoing some necessary reorganization as we move toward building an effective team. Many of you have been getting to know Zoraya Garcia, who is a great support to our parish community. Zoraya has been with the parish office for several months now and, in that short time, has taken her role to heart and applied her knowledge well, helping us elevate the parish office's role as a key means of support for the many ministerial needs that come our way.

Living for greater things, that is the call for us all in Christ. We aspire to move beyond worldly perspectives, trading them for heavenly ones. The problem with keeping this perspective is our tunnel vision. When we fail to expand our view, we often cannot see the forest for the trees. Our faith gives us perspective, our walk in the Lord gives us focus. How focused are you? is the question.

The readings for this weekend bring us words of courage and trust. Have you noticed that the theme for the past few weeks has been about trust? Hopefully, by now, we should know that we need to place our trust in God. Have you looked at the back of even a one-dollar bill for the United States? Even that small denomination of money conveys the message “In God we Trust”. Faith is not easy, but God’s care never fails.

Last week, we heard how God provides for His people; this week, God shows us that He loves us and calls us to follow Him by trusting Him. We are also asked to go out and to serve rather than to be served. The disciples were given the task of sharing His message and caring for others, and we are called to do the same. We are chosen, loved, and sent to bring hope to the world.

Dear St. Catherine Laboure Family,

What does it really mean to belong to God? The Book of Exodus shows how God’s love is for those who seek Him from on high Moses sought the Lord God on top of Mount Sinai. Seeking God requires us to move to the highest heights; it is there that we aspire to seek Him out and listen to him, because He has called each of us by name.

Today, the readings tell us that God takes care of His people. When the Israelites were in the desert, God fed them and led them, showing us to trust that God will guide and provide for us, too. When God gave the people the manna in the desert, it showed them that He was their source of life. This food helped them so they would not go hungry, but He also wanted them to rely on His word and trust Him. Material things are good, but we shouldn’t overdo it by getting everything we see or want, because those things will not get us to heaven; God’s guidance and truth will.

Today marks the second of two catechetical Sundays that the Church honors. The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity last week, and the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, Corpus Christi, today. These catechetical Sundays are teaching Sundays because they allow us to contemplate the richness of our Catholic Faith and certain dogmatic truths most profoundly. The Eucharist is the center of our faith and a dogmatic truth. The Mass pivots upon the Word and Sacrament.

The Trinity is the belief that God is three persons; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Even though they are three, they are all one God. This is the central part of our faith even though it is a mystery that we cannot fully understand. Through the Trinity we learn how to live and love in unity in our own lives by being peaceful and loving towards others. The Trinity shows us how God works in our lives, the Father creates, the Son saves, and the Holy Spirit empowers us to live as faithful followers of Christ.

The essence of Divine Mystery is revealed through the Sacred Trinity. It's not a term associated with the Bible, but like many aspects of the Church, it's implied in how God has chosen to reveal Himself, as Jesus directed His prayer to His Father in heaven, while Jesus is also the human encounter with God and the sending forth of the Holy Spirit as the third person of this homeostatic union. The formality of the Sacred Trinity as theology began to develop in the early life of the Church around the second century.

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.

Lord Send Forth Your Spirit and Renew the Face of the Earth!

For over two thousand years, the Church has been an ever-present fixture in the world, offering hope and faith, and embodying the bold zeal of the Holy Spirit's gift. The Primitive Church laid this foundation, which is also remarkably the work of the Holy Spirit.

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 grand narrative of the Easter story keeps unfolding. We have been delving deep into the richness of John’s Gospel. I hope you have been paying attention. We have learned that John’s Gospel is much different than the other Gospels in that the message goes straight to the heart of the matter. The Gospel of John is divided into three significant components that reveal the deepest aspects of the Paschal Mystery.

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.

Dear Parish Family,

It is with renewed spirit and heart that I return to the parish, vibrant and ready to continue in the mission work of the Church. Serving on assignment for the Maritime Diocese is rewarding because a priest never hangs his priestly hat, but finds ways to renew it. Witnessing the greater church in the world at work is always an invigorating inspiration for me. I am most grateful to the parishioners who joined me on this journey, assisting me in the ministry at sea and making it fruitful as we served a few hundred Catholics at sea, who comprised passengers and crew.

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.