The unity of the disciples through gratitude, love and peace offers us an example of how we draw together today with the people God puts in our lives. This is is not easy work…but it is worth it!
Mass Readings – 2nd Sunday of Easter
***************
Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
Study: Where have I experienced profound moments of unity with others?
Pray: Where do I see signs of disunity in my life? Call upon the Lord for grace and strength.
Serve: How can I help others grow closer together? How can I foster unity?
Mass Readings – 2nd Sunday of Easter
“The community of believers was of one heart and mind…” (Acts 4:32)
I marvel at the transformation of the disciples. Before the resurrection of Jesus they were filled with fear, paralyzed by their own weakness and doubt; after the resurrection they are changed, as evidenced in even the basic ways they lived and worked together.
One heart and mind!
Unity can be challenging in even the best circumstances: we see things differently, hold our own unique values and principles, as well as personal tastes and interests. Working together is tough, yet it is a common sign of holiness – the practical proof that we are doing our part to build the Lord’s kingdom here on earth.
What supports unity? Jesus Christ! Unity with Christ provides the grace for unity with Christ’s brothers and sisters; this clear sign of faith draws others to the Good News and fosters our community with one another. Take a look at a few of the patterns that emerge in today’s readings:
Another way to say it: Sharing, Gratitude, Love, Peace – which find their source in Jesus and flow through us to the those we meet. I would suggest that the disciples used these building blocks to form the first elements of the Church, working together in unity with the grace of Christ to proclaim the Good News.
This work continues today. We all know firsthand the effects of discord – where lives are broken and fragmented by selfishness, fear, hate, and a hardness of heart – yet we believe in something greater…Christ is triumphant! Our response can mirror the disciples:
May we bring these powerful blessings of the resurrection to our world today:
One heart and mind!
***************
Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
***************
Note: This post was first published on April 12, 2015.
Suffering affects our lives on many levels – body, mind, heart and soul – and it can weaken and wound our relationships with one another. When we respond with compassion, help, unity and God’s grace we can restore what was broken with the healing power of Christ.
Mass Readings – 6th Sunday of the Year
***************
Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
Mass Readings – 28th Sunday of the Year
The Eucharist is a banquet that nourishes, celebrates and unites our lives. Christ himself feeds us with his Body and Blood so that we might grow in grace. Two simple questions follow from this great gift:
For always remember that one day we will stand before the One who is the source of all grace…and what then will we say?
***************
Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
Mass Readings – The Solemnity of the Holy Trinity
A central aspect of the mystery of the Holy Trinity is the sense of communion. Communion can thus serve as a measure showing just how far we have progressed in our journey as disciples. Simply put, are we striving to build unity with one another in all aspects of our lives? Do we foster our connections with the Lord and one another? For in the end, if we are going to enter into Heaven, then we have today to remove the obstacles that keep us from communion.
***************
Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
Study: Reflect on the strongest relationships in our lives. What qualities and characteristics are present?
Pray: Ask the Lord for the guidance to see where we can build and renew our relationships.
Serve: Are there people around us that we need to forgive or assist? What steps can we take right now to start this process?
One God…Three Persons.
That’s the Trinity, and when you get right down to it, this central mystery of the Christian faith is just that – mystery. I have heard and used many images as illustrations to aid in understanding the Trinity:
These examples (and many like them) try to get at the notion of how something can be the same and different at the same time. How unity and diversity can be present at the same time; how the individual and the communal are manifested simultaneously.
It’s a mystery.
And at the heart of the mystery we have a communion of Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – a revelation that God comes to us in communion and invites us to be communion with others. We are not alone! God (in communion) invites us into this communion to create communion with one another.
Where do we find communion in our lives? Some obvious places:
You get the idea. Wherever two or more are present, the opportunity for communion is possible. The point: How strong is the communion we have have with God and one another? How united are we in faith, hope, and love?
May we reflect on the current state of our relationships today and renew them, allowing the grace of God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – to bless the communion we have with those around us.
**********
Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
**********
Trinity, Andrei Rublev; 1411-1427 (est.), Tempera, 142 cm x 114 cm, Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow.
This post was originally published on May 26, 2015.
Mass Readings – Thursday of the 7th Week of Easter (Justin Martyr)
The Lord prays for the unity of the disciples, and how pertinent that prayer remains today! May we work tirelessly to promote our connections and relationships, building up our community at all levels in life.
***************
Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
Study: Consider one thing you can do today to live your faith. What would it be?
Pray: Do you have any unfinished business that you need to complete? Ask the Lord for the strength and conviction to finish it.
Serve: Is there someone in your life who struggles with depression, fear, or doubt? How can you help them?
Mass Readings – 1st Sunday of Advent
We start a new liturgical year in the Church (that’s “Year A” if you need to use the Lectionary for Sunday readings and “Cycle I” for daily Mass) with a vision of the end of time when the Son of Man comes in glory.
Several key points emerge:
Advent gives us a rich – but very short – opportunity to prepare our hearts for Christmas. All of these points listed above serve as excellent reminders regarding how we live each day fully invested in the present moment. We live for the Lord, following his commands, so as to be ready whenever and wherever our lives will take the next turn in the road.
For when God calls us into eternity we hear that the unity, peace, and joy we glimpse in precious moments in this life will come to fulfillment. United in the Lord, we will join the heavenly host when this world passes away.
I invite us all to consider how we might do one thing better each day – to be more focused, more aware, more present – so that we can give glory and honor to Jesus Christ. We follow the Lord with all our hearts; may we make the most of every day to live our faith to the fullest.
May this Advent be a time of blessing for us all!
Fr. Andrew’s Homily Podcast – Pentecost
Pentecost Mass of the Day Readings
Filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, the Apostles are filled with grace to go out into the world and proclaim the Good News of Christ. The Spirit continues to touch our hearts today – giving strength to our souls and uniting us with one another. Come Holy Spirit!
Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily Podcast – Thursday of the 7th Week of Easter
The prayer that Jesus offers in the Gospel today is not only for the disciples…it is for us! God’s love, manifest in the saving death and resurrection of his Son, transforms our lives with grace – for this life and the next. May we take hold of that grace today, drawing closer to the Lord and one another.
Catholic Inspiration – Podcast Archives of Homilies & Talks
Three Great Things 