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.

Today’s Gospel speaks of our Shepherd, Jesus, and what he offers us. We are called first to recognize him and then to receive his gifts of saving love. Let’s look at both parts. Recognize Your Shepherd: Jesus says, “The shepherd of the sheep … calls his own sheep by name and leads them out … and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. But they will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.” So the question for us is this: “Are you smarter than a sheep?” Sheep have the remarkable ability to know their master’s voice and instinctively flee from others. Now that’s pretty smart! Sheep may not know how to go to the moon and back, but they do know their master’s voice.

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?

Amidst all of the post-resurrection accounts, we cannot help but understand that Jesus is out to make a point, appearing behind locked doors, telling St. Thomas the Apostle to place his fingers inside his wounds. I can imagine, though it was not stated, Jesus telling St. Thomas, While you’re at it, go deep enough inside so you may touch my heart. After all, Jesus, who had been telling his Apostles everything all along, told Peter he could walk on water, it was best to cast the net on the other side of the boat, and even asking them “will you be my disciple” Wow and yet as humanness goes they still struggled to see him or even recognize him as they once did.

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.

On Sunday, April 30, 2000, in celebration of the New Millennium, St. John Paul II canonized Bl. Faustina is a saint of mercy for the world. He also established by proclamation the Feast of Divine Mercy Sunday. St. John Paul II lived his priesthood in hope of The Divine Mercy, well before he became Pope, and dedicated his papacy to the Divine Mercy as well. Much of his love of the mercy of God was inspired by the belief found in the heart of Jesus, with which the suffrage of humanity at the hands of Nazi control over Poland could find divine relief. St. John Paul II lived the mercy of God as a remedy because he knew first-hand what the evils of communism and oppression could do.

Dear Parish Family,

We have arrived once again in the holy season of Easter. We have not just one day, but 50 days of Easter to celebrate. How important it is to remember that we have these days to commemorate the heights of the liturgical year. We do so with the greatest of reverence, hope, love, and joy knowing that Jesus is triumphant over the grave! Eastertime brings out the joy of the Lord in our hearts, as we contemplate the profound meaning of the Resurrection, and our desire to seek only the things of heaven.

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.