Podcasts – deacon rudy's notes

The message for all of us, I believe, is that we should be more willing than ever to share the light of our faith – to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with our family and friends who have fallen away from the faith or those who have never known Jesus.

Happy Mother's Day!

Pope Francis said, “Bishops are the pastors of the People of God. Follow them with trust and courage.”

My brothers and sisters, those feelings which are often associated with the “midlife crisis” are a telltale sign of spiritual desolation. But it’s not too late! Christ offers us the hope of true spiritual consolation.

Why do Catholics pray for the dead? We pray to thank God for the gift this person was in life. We pray to help console ourselves in our grief. And we pray for the soul of our deceased that God show them mercy for any unresolved sins in their life.

Jesus left us His church and He empowered the Church with the sacraments to help draw us deeper into that beautifully divine light. But like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, he will not force us to accept him. We have to open ourselves to the possibility of an encounter with the risen Jesus Christ.

What's in a kiss? It’s a reminder that I am not the center of the universe and the world does not revolve around me. It’s a reminder that I am not alone and even more importantly a reminder of my call to serve – a call to serve the Church and a call to serve my spouse.

The Christianity we find in Scripture and tradition teaches repentance, self-sacrificial love, and purity of heart. It commends joining our suffering to Jesus – carry your cross to follow the Way of the Cross – as the path to God.

Prostration is symbolic of us laying everything down for the Kingdom – and I mean everything. We remind ourselves that everything we are and everything we have is a blessing meant to serve Jesus Christ, His Church, and the people of God – including our very lives.

Let this Easter be the moment when we recommit ourselves to our baptismal promises and put Jesus in the center of our lives. And may we have the renewed sense of courage to share our faith with those we encounter.