Each of us is called for a mission, for a purpose. Fr. Ethan Moore expounds upon this idea as he reflects on the feast of Pentecost. “We are a Pentecostal people,” he says, adding: “That’s not just a moment in history that we remember or read about in the scriptures…those flames of the fire of God’s love are supposed to rest in us in a way that burns within us, so that we, too, churn with a desire to do God’s work.”

Who is the Holy Spirit? What does Pentecost have to do with my life? As the Easter season comes to an end on its 50th day — the feast of Pentecost — Fr. Joseph Kindel asks and answers these essential questions. “The Holy Spirit,” he says, “is God’s own spirit of love.”

Just how important is the moment of Christ’s Ascension into Heaven? Fr. Tony Cutcher reflects on this question. Of the Apostles and their mission, he says: “It’s only after Jesus is physically gone that they’re going to step up and proclaim the gospel to the world as he tells them to do. It’s almost a necessity that he go.”

Why do we go to Mass? What do we pray for? How do we preach the gospel? Fr. Ethan Moore touches on these topics as he reflects on Christ’s Ascension. He says: “May we live our faith in love as we acknowledge that the Lord has ascended to bring us up with him to the Father. May we bring our hearts and our praise up to the glory of God…”

Jesus calls us to be his friends. But what does a good friend look like? What does it mean to be a true friend? Fr. Tony Cutcher ponders the notion of friendship, acknowledging its end as the fullness of joy. “A true friend,” he says, “is someone who feels like family.”

We all long to be loved. But what does it mean to love someone? To be loved by someone? Do we let others in? Do we really let ourselves be known? Fr. Joseph Kindel reflects on all these questions, saying: “To love someone means first to know someone. And that’s why God reveals Himself to us…so that we can know Him intimately, so that we can love Him.”

Reflecting on Christ’s words “I am the vine; you are the branches,” Fr. Tony Cutcher explores the nature of that relationship. He says: “The vine is responsible for getting the branches everything they need to stay alive — all of the nutrients and all of the things that are needed for them to thrive. What are the branches supposed to be doing? Bearing fruit…Do we give Jesus the opportunity to feed us what we need to be good Christians?”

Addressing a group of children about to receive Holy Communion for the first time, Fr. Tony Cutcher reflects on growing up, on leaving the “kid’s table” and joining the adults at the “big table.” On receiving the sacrament of Holy Communion, he says: “Jesus becomes part of us and that makes us all part of each other, and we call that the Body of Christ. And that is awesome. So: welcome to the big table.”

Have you ever experienced a turning point in your walk of faith? Fr. Ethan Moore reflects on conversion stories, challenging us to transcend what is “comfortable” and actively invite others to encounter Christ with us: “I invite us this week to talk to one other person about a time when we experienced the power of God and His presence in our lives, so that we too are answering the call of Christ to be witnesses — witnesses of his resurrection.”

The beauty and abundance of God’s divine mercy is celebrated every year on the Sunday following Easter. In this homily, Fr. Joseph Kindel reflects: “The divine mercy is what God’s love looks like in the face of sin. Had it not been for the sin of Adam, God’s mercy would have never been known. It took our disobedience to reveal something more about God — that He is merciful.”