There is a Longing

  As a child, there were probably about three different manners with which I could answer my parents whenever they called me: first, I could have responded with obedience; second, I could pretend to not have heard and ignore them; and third, if there were enough distractions, I could have really not heard them or been able to distinguish their voices. If I responded, it would likely be rewarding and at the very least, I would have made an act of obedience. But if I ignored or failed to hear their call, I would have lost that opportunity. Similarly, God our Father calls us each individually, knocking at our heart in every moment. Our Lord, the Good Shepherd, desires to lead us to the Father, and breathes forth the Holy Spirit to guide us. The Blessed Trinity takes delight in the soul surrendered to love and pours forth the abundance of life within her.  But so often, we do not love…we do not follow our Shepherd! We ignore God’s call when the life He wishes for us does not...

Luke 24: 13-35 Two weeks have passed since we celebrated the glorious solemnity of the Resurrection and we now enter into the third week of Eastertide. But perhaps, with the two disciples destined for Emmaus, we are already departing from Jerusalem. As time goes on, it is an easy temptation to leave Easter behind us, as though it were separate from our lives. Especially in our secularized culture, the beauty of the Resurrection is obscured and detached from our “everyday life,” which, in reality, this great mystery encompasses.  We can imagine ourselves in the situation of the two disciples whom we hear about today. At an unexpected moment, a man appears by our side and engages in conversation with us. Do we recognize this stranger? That which occupies our heart is most likely to come up in the course of this conversation, for we find that this stranger has a mysterious way of speaking to our very depths. What is it that surfaces? Perhaps we believe that we understand, but this...

Catherine Cosie was born November 25, 1493 to Greek Orthodox parents in Komani, Montenegro. During her early years, she was a shepherdess, common in that area. She was also a visionary. Visions of the Child Jesus & Jesus on the cross appeared to her while she was shepherding.  Catherine later took a job with a Catholic family in Kotor (Cattaro). Inspired by her visions & all she learned, she converted to Catholicism & after a few years became an anchoress (a female who withdraws from society for prayer & contemplation). In her case, her cell was next to the Church of St. Paolo where she could still participate in the Mass without leaving her cell. She became a Third Order Dominican & took the name Osanna, still living as an anchoress. People from all over & from all walks of life sought her advice & intercessions for peace.  More visions appeared to her, various mysteries of Christ's life. She was also plagued with demonic manifestations which she w...

A s we are still in the season of Easter, let us turn to the saints & what they have to say about this blessed time... “Throughout the Easter season the Church will make the joyful announcement resound:  Surrexit Dominus vere!  The Lord is truly risen! … Our prayer rises fervently to the Divine Savior for all and for each of you: for priests and for the souls consecrated to God; for the bold and thoughtful youth, the future hope of the Church; for Christian families, especially for those who in their wombs keep the precious deposit of a numerous sonship with greater fidelity and sacrifice; for those whose advanced age makes the heavenly homeland look with firm hope; for those who study, who teach, who work; especially for workers who do heavy work during the day and night; for the sick, who are so dear to us. We want to assure everyone that not only our particular predilection constantly follows them, but also that their life, even if hidden and humble, is so precious befo...

Esther Blondin was born on April 18, 1809 into a farming family in Quebec. Her Christian family instilled a great love of Divine Providence & the Eucharist, as well as faith in suffering patiently. Unfortunately, many of the French Canadians in this 19th century were illiterate due to a Church ruling…girls could not be taught by men & boys could not be taught by women. Rather than open two separate schools, many parishes chose to have neither. Because of this, by the age of 22, Esther was still illiterate. She worked at the Convent of the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame as a domestic. She later registered as a boarder so that she could learn to read & write, then became a novice. Ill health prevented her from going further within the congregation. As a teacher in a Vaudreuil parochial school, she gradually learned the reason behind the illiteracy & in 1848 felt a call to found a religious congregation to educate boys & girls in the same schools. Her bishop...

John 20:19-31 “It’s alright, I’m okay…I’m here,” or in more modern terms, “It’s all good.” These aren’t the words Jesus addresses to the Apostles on the occasion of their first meeting after His death. At this point, they were still living in fear, not knowing or believing the Resurrection had taken place. After having spent the last three years in companionship, they now suffered the pain and confusion, the inconsolable grief, at the death of their Teacher. Perhaps they were even beginning to feel a sense of shame and sorrow for abandoning Him in His darkest hour.  But Jesus does not condemn them. He doesn’t make reference to their failure. Rather, He offers them peace. He gives to them, in person, the merits of His passion. “ Peace be with you. ” If the Apostles doubted their ability to meet Jesus’ call, perhaps feeling, more than ever, a great unworthiness, He encouraged them and called them afresh. “ As the Father has sent me, so I send you. ”  It is an invitation to...

As winter quietly gives way to spring, flowers softly lift their heads, the sun silently rises and a warm breeze begins to whisper. Quietly also does Our Lord arise and emerge from the tomb, clothed in glory after His victory over death. But where are the trumpet blasts, the triumphant cries, the great crowds? While heaven rings with rejoicing, Christ receives only the infant blossom, the morning sun, and the gentle breeze to share in the first moments of His great victory.  In His infinite wisdom, our glorious King preferred these quiet hours to be the heralds of His splendor on earth. The most beautiful things seem to be enclosed in silence…so on this most beautiful of days, let us take a quiet moment to behold the grandeur of such a King…our King!

Blessed Angelo of Chivasso was born in Italy into a wealthy & pious family in 1411. He, himself, was pious even as a child. Frequently, his mother would find him on his knees in the middle of the night, praying & venerating his crucifix.  As an adult, he kept his prayerful devotion to the Passion of Christ & the Blessed Virgin Mary, a devotion which he believed protected him in his endeavors. He was a magistrate & became of Doctor of Theology & of Canon & Civil Law. When his mother passed away, he became an Observant Franciscan priest (now known as the Order of the Friars Minor). As a priest, he dedicated himself to helping those in the remote villages of the Piedmont region of Italy. He authored numerous books, including Summa Angelica, a dictionary of moral theology. At the age of 80, he preached to the Waldensians, heretics who denied papal authority over the Church & purgatory. His preaching led many of them to convert.  He requested leave of hi...

"Through the stark and solemn Liturgy of the Friday we call 'Good', we stand at the Altar of the Cross where heaven is rejoined to earth and earth to heaven, along with the Mother of the Lord. We enter into the moment what changed forever - and still changes - all human history, the great self gift of the Son of God who did for us what we could never do for ourselves by in the words of the ancient Exultet, ' trampling on death by death'. We wait at the tomb and witness the Glory of the Resurrection and the beginning of the New Creation." - Deacon Keith Fournier

A martyr is traditionally depicted carrying a palm branch, which serves to symbolize the victory of spirit over flesh. As our Lord entered Jerusalem, the crowds gathered palm branches, like a pledge of their life to Christ. They saw in Him their King and they were willing to die for Him. But what do they do with their palms? They throw them before Jesus' path. No, martyrdom is not for them. The hardships of Christian life, which fertilize our souls that God might plant choicest virtues, was too difficult. So instead, they lay the branches before Jesus…let Him win the glorious token of martyrdom hidden under the guise of a branch; let Him carry the burden of this life. When the hour arrived for Christ to mount the cross, we know the crowds had indeed abandoned their palms. Only the Gospel of John explicitly describes palm branches; nonetheless, it serves for reflection.  At the very end of Matthew’s Passion narrative, we hear, “‘ The guard is yours; go, secure it as b...

St. Isidore of Seville was born around the year 560 in Cartagena, Spain. He was born into a family of saints & leaders (two of his brothers were bishops & one sister was an abbess - all three became saints). His parents died when he was young, so he was educated by older brother, Leander, who, despite being a leader, was not a patient teacher. Isidore’s education was led by force, including physical punishment. He felt rejected & that he was a failure, so he ran away. While sitting alone, he observed water drops, that while slow & small, had worn holes in a rock over time. Inspired, he realized that perseverance even at a slow pace could benefit him in his education. He returned to his exasperated brother, who placed him in a cell (perhaps a monastery?) to finish studies & keep him from running away again (which he did not). Isidore discovered that he had a love of learning & went on to become a great teacher. Isidore started seminaries all over Spain. These sem...