light

As we trust in Jesus not only will our faith grow, we will also radiate his light and love more.

Some Pharisees came to Jesus and said, “Go away, leave this area because Herod wants to kill you” (Lk 13:31).

Even with this warning, from some Pharisees no less, Jesus continued to teach openly and publicly as well as performed healings and cast out demons. He did not fear the threat of retribution even from the likes of Herod who had killed John the Baptist. He willingly surrendered all to his Father and would continue to do so, especially not being deterred from continuing his march toward Jerusalem.

It is interesting that there are those Pharisees that are attempting to help him. Could they have been moved by the courage of Jesus? His undeterred persistence for his mission and courage makes him a very dangerous man. He cannot be controlled, threatened, or coerced. Jesus is sure of what God has sent him to do and he is going to follow through with his Father’s plan even to the point of giving his life.

Many, even those like the centurion, who did not believe in him, after he ran his spear through his side, admired his courage, and something happened in that moment such that he came to believe that Jesus was the Messiah (cf. Mark 16:39). Many of the first-century martyrs who followed Jesus to their own deaths were a big reason for those who came to believe and also became followers of this One who died on a Cross. Tertullian, one of the early Church Fathers, living from 155 – 220 AD, went so far as to say that: “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.”

We are all called by God to be martyrs, not necessarily by shedding our blood. Martyr literally means witness. Each one of us is called by Jesus to bear witness to what we believe and the One who we believe in. Faith is a gift. If we feel that we are weak in our faith, we are in good company, because Jesus said on more than one occasion to his Apostles, the ones he would send out as his witnesses, “Oh, you of little faith.”

The Apostles continued with the little faith they had. They trusted in Jesus and continued to move forward. Trusting in and growing our relationship with Jesus gives us our strength. If we feel like our faith could use a little shoring up, let us not choose the path of Judas who isolated himself from the forgiveness of Jesus. Let us instead ask God to increase our faith, to allow the Holy Spirit to dwell within us and transform us, and be open to opportunities to follow his will.

Jesus, please help us to be still and hear our Father calling and challenging us to resist indifference and be his witnesses in our everyday lives. Help us to be more open to the stirring of the Holy Spirit and put his guidance into action. Each time we say yes to the will of God, our clarity, courage, and faith will increase. In times of trial and even in weakness, may we, with Paul, draw upon our faith firmly as with a shield “to quench all the flaming arrows of the Evil One” (Ephesians 6:16).

Photo: When we turn to the Holy Spirit, he will guide us through any darkness and storm.

Link for the Mass readings for Thursday, October 29, 2026

Small gestures of genuine love bring light into dark places and nourish hope and life to our brothers and sisters.

In today’s Gospel from Luke, Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to a mustard seed and yeast. Each of these elements is not only small but they are tiny. Though with the proper environment, resources of sustenance, water, and sunlight, this mustard seed will germinate, sprout, and grow into a large bush. Yeast, a single-celled organism, is the catalyst for assisting dough to rise, strengthen, and ferment, thus providing a more appealing and tasty bread.

Jesus offered these simple examples from everyday agrarian life that his listeners understood from experience. If we have planted seeds or made our own homemade bread, we too are in a better position to relate to these two small parables as well.

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus lives out the parables by engaging person to person. Jesus’ interactions happened concretely, through walking along the road and breaking of bread together, sharing stories, teaching with authority, healing, and exorcising demons with his touch, and he still does so today. The smallest, genuine act of kindness or love can seem insignificant and may even go unnoticed by many, but it is significant to the individual who is on the receiving end and can reveal dramatic results over time.

There is a story that expresses this point called, “A Simple Gesture” from the story collection, Chicken Soup for the Soul. The short tale describes how one day a boy named Mark was walking home from school and came upon another boy who had tripped and dropped all of his books and many other items. Mark offered to help carry some of the load of the other boy, who, as they walked home, found out was named Bill. They talked about common interests and when they approached Bill’s home, Bill invited Mark in for a Coke and to watch some T.V. They spent the afternoon together, then interacted on occasion for the rest of their time in middle school and into their high school years.

Three weeks before their graduation, Bill asked Mark if they could talk. Bill shared that the reason that he had been carrying all of that stuff home on the day they had first met was because he didn’t want to leave a mess for anyone else to clean up. Bill had planned to commit suicide that evening. Bill continued to share that, after their original encounter and afternoon together, he realized that if he had killed himself that day he would have missed more opportunities to talk and laugh. Bill finished the conversation by saying, “So you see, Mark, when you picked up my books that day, you did a lot more. You saved my life” (Canfield and Hansen, 35-36).

Personal encounters were how Jesus helped others to realize that the Kingdom of God was at hand. Just as in the example of how Mark, in making the simple effort to help Bill pick up his personal items, helped to shift the momentum away from a potential suicide attempt. This action shows how Jesus can continue to work through us today.

Like a modern-day Good Samaritan parable, “A Simple Gesture”, helps us to see that when we are aware of and engage in opportunities to help and act with genuine care, no matter how small, to resist the gesture to fix, and love and listen, we can have a dramatic effect on another’s life. We also don’t have to bear the weight of those who struggle alone. Jesus will bear that with us, when we feel overwhelmed with another’s challenges. Small acts of presence, a listening ear, being there even when we don’t but letting go of imposition, and genuine care all help us to remember we are not alone.

Many people have a lot on their plate, we may not be aware of even half of what they are going through. That is why we need to be attentive and open to the move of the Holy Spirit in our lives. He will lead us out beyond ourselves so that we notice others. In doing so, we can become like the mustard seed, or the yeast, in another’s life. Through a smile, a hello, a bent ear to listen, we can make a connection, be present, and love. What may appear to be minuscule or mundane at the moment, may, in fact, be life-changing and transforming for a lifetime.

Photo: Not exactly a mustard tree but this cabbage palm started as a small seed, survived the tornadoes of Milton, and though palms are a bit frayed from the winds, still doing quite well. We will too when we allow God to love us and love each other.

Canfield, Jack, and Mark Victor Hansen. Chicken Soup for the Soul: 101 Stories to Open the Heart and Rekindle the Spirit. Deerfield Beach, FL: Health Communications, 1993.

Link for the Mass readings for Tuesday, October 2026

Let go of the need to do something. Repent and rest in our Father’s love.

In today’s Gospel, we read about two accounts of horrific deaths. The first is at the hands of Pontius Pilate, who has not only ordered the execution of Jesus’ fellow Galileans but had their blood mixed with “the blood of their sacrifices.” In the second incident, Jesus brought up the tragic accident in which eighteen people died “when the tower of Siloam fell on them.”

In both cases, Jesus rejected the common notion of the time that these incidents were caused by God’s punishment and focused instead on the importance of repentance. Jesus stated quite emphatically: “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were greater sinners than all other Galileans? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did” (cf. Lk 13:1-5)!

Jesus consistently proclaimed repentance in the hope of helping his followers and anyone who would listen to understand the purpose of his coming. Jesus provided meaning and fulfillment in this life as well as being the way to the truth of eternal life in the next. Yet, to experience the benefits of his invitation, people needed to repent from their focus on self, misunderstandings of God, the false substitutions and disordered affections that the world offered. Jesus encouraged them and he encourages us to allow him to change our hearts and minds and turn back to his and our Father, the very source of their and our being.

To repent and surrender to Jesus is not some submissive bowing to a tyrant but an acceptance of the aid offered by the divine gardener. Our repentance gives permission for Jesus to cultivate the ground of our being to rid us of that which sickens us and instead allow him to fertilize us with his word and grace in such a way that we are nourished and renewed. Jesus tends to our growth such that we can be more aligned with the will of his Father and experience the love of the Holy Spirit. When we repent and confess, we are forgiven, healed, and begin to mature so that we will bear fruit that will last.

To repent is a good thing. As is written in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, line 1431: “Interior repentance is a radical reorientation of our whole life, a return, a conversion to God with our whole heart, an end of sin, a turning away from evil, with repugnance toward the evil actions we have committed. At the same time, it entails the desire and resolution to change one’s life, with hope in God’s mercy and trust in the help of his grace.”

When Jesus shared in his first public message: “Repent and believe in the Gospel” (Mark 1:15), he invited then and invites us today to a new way of seeing, hearing, experiencing, and living our lives. We all sin and fall short of the glory of God. As we turn back to Jesus and open our hearts and minds to him, he reveals, with his loving light, that which is preventing us from experiencing the love of God more deeply and growing in our relationship with him more intimately.

Photo: Being still is a way to repent, to turn away from distraction and back to Jesus. We can simply rest. We don’t have to do anything but breathe, let the distractions float away, and receive our Father’s light and love.

Link for the Mass readings for Saturday, October 24, 2026

Is this parable for us? Yeap.

“That servant who knew his master’s will but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will shall be beaten severely” (Lk 12:47).

Jesus, as did the prophets, spoke in ways that can be jarring. The purpose was to shake his listeners out of a dull stupor and to make clear his point. In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus addressed Peter’s question: “Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone” (Lk 12:41)? Jesus was most likely speaking to Peter and the Twelve. They are the ones he entrusted with continuing his mission. And just as he had been clear to point out those Pharisees who had abused their positions, he was being just as clear with Peter and the apostles to be sure to imitate not the Pharisees but him.

Jesus wanted to make sure that his successors were not to continue on with business as usual and going through the motions as those entrusted with the deposit of faith he had given them. What Jesus required of them was not just for themselves, but those whose care they had been entrusted with and beyond them to all the nations. His parable was for both the Twelve first and foremost, and then to their successors and all who would choose to be his followers.

Unfortunately, we have witnessed those in Church leadership who have in effect, “beat the menservants and the maidservants, to eat and drink and get drunk” (Lk 12:45) on their own power throughout different generations in Church history. Those who have: abused children, covered abuse, skimmed off the top of the donations from the blood, sweat, and tears of their parishioners’ donations, limited access to positions within the leadership of the Church to only male or clergy, been unmerciful confessors, held up the sin of one group or groups while turning a blind eye to others. These and other forms of hypocrisy do irreparable damage.

The world has been darkened by sin and it has crept into the Church. Even though all of us have been wounded we have not been destroyed by sin. The Son of God entered into the condition of our fallen nature, became one of us, one with us, in all things except sin. Yet he received our sin and the sin of the world upon himself, was crushed by it on the Cross, and he died. Jesus experienced the consequences of our sin which led to his death. Because he did not sin, and was willing to give his life for us, giving us all of himself and holding nothing back, not even his life, through the power of the Holy Spirit, he conquered sin and death.

Even when those in his name have participated in and perpetuated in that which Jesus warned his Apostles against, we are not to lose heart nor hope. I agree with Bishop Robert Barron that we are called out of “the realm of hatred, racism, sexism, violence, oppression, imperialism, what Augustine termed the libido dominandi (the lust to dominate).”

We are called out of darkness to be children of the light. We do so by following Mary’s directive to do whatever Jesus tells us to do and reject anything that is not of his love. This is just what the saints have done to counter the corruption of their generation. They were purified in the crucible of the love of the Holy Spirit and became a radiating light in the darkness. They reflected the light of Jesus in their time and place. We will be like them when we are willing to, in the words of St. John Paul II, “be taken over by the light of Christ, and spread that light wherever” we “are.”

Photo: We are called to reflect the light of Jesus in the darkness as the moon reflects the sun.

Barron, Robert. Catholicism: A Journey to the Heart of the Faith. NY: Image, 2014

Link for the Mass readings for Wednesday, October 21, 2026

We need not fear the light and law of God, but instead receive and conform our lives to his love.

Jesus continues to call out those Pharisees who follow their own will and put themselves in places of honor instead of God, and then one of the scholars of the law, feeling offended as well, interjects: “Teacher, by saying this you are insulting us too.”

Jesus did not soften his words or hold back. He went right at the scholar convicting him as well, “Woe also to you scholars of the law! You impose on people burdens hard to carry, but you yourselves do not lift one finger to touch them” (Lk 11;45-46).

Jesus is clear about his mission, about what the kingdom of God is not and what it is. Jesus is shining a light on the practices of those Pharisees and the scholars of the law that are not fulfilling the Law and the Prophets. I believe that there were those who were. Yet, for those he challenged, he did so in the hope that they would see the darkness that was blinding them. Unfortunately, unlike Bartimaeus (see Mk 10:46-52) who knew that he was blind and wanted to see, this was not true for many whom Jesus confronted.

How about us? Are we aware of our blind spots? Are we willing to allow Jesus to shine his light and love in our direction? Will we cover our eyes because the light is too bright and withdraw further into the shadows, or worse strike back in retaliation? Will we rather, close our eyes for a moment, breathe slow and steady, remain still, and then open and allow our eyes time to adjust.

When we allow ourselves to be touched by the light and love of God, resist wincing and running away, or defiantly pushing back, the brightness of the Mystery of God will reveal to us that which has kept us bound. Will we justify or rationalize our behavior or will we be transparent, repent, believe in the Gospel, and walk further into the light and the embrace of Jesus? Will we stand in the brilliance of God’s love and truth and let the fire of his love burn away all that is not of him?

Let us resist the path of those Pharisees and scholars of the Law who imposed heavy burdens without being willing to help others along the way. It is important for us to know the Catechism, the Bible, Canon Law, participate in the sacraments, and be people of prayer and service. The purpose of each of these pursuits are not for themselves only nor to gain knowledge for knowledges sake. We do so that we will come to know Jesus and the love he shares with the Father who is the Holy Spirit.

We have been created for nothing less than to participate in the very love of God, to participate in his divinity that he came to share. This love and relationship with God increases when we confess our sins, are forgiven, and then having received God’s mercy, share what we have received with others.

Jesus did not come to abolish the Law and the Prophets but to fulfill them. In fact, his interpretation and expansion of the law was much more demanding than the Pharisees or the scribes. The difference was and continues to be, that, Jesus meets us where we are and loves us where we are. He does not lower the bar but raises it. He wants us to realize that we can only follow God’s law with him. Without Jesus we won’t be able to even come close. Apart from Jesus we can do nothing, but with him, all things are possible.

In admitting our weakness and revealing to Jesus our poverty, he then gives us the strength to mature, for he is our “rock and salvation” (Psalm 62:2-23). He is the solid foundation upon which we can stand and build. “The whole aim of any person who is beginning prayer – and don’t forget this because it’s very important – should be that he work and prepare himself with determination and every possible effort to bring his will in conformity to God’s will” (St. Teresa of Avila).

In aligning our will with Jesus, we are empowered to fulfill the prescriptions and practices that God has commanded, not for God’s sake but for ours! God’s prescriptions that we receive in the Old and the New Testaments are not to restrict but to free us from our slavery to sin. The goal of the Father is to write his law not on stone, but on each of our hearts.

In identifying and renouncing our sins, we will experience freedom from the false truths, diversions, distractions, and attachments that the enemy has been poisoning us with. Through daily reading, meditating, and praying upon God’s Sacred Word and Tradition and putting them into practice we become like a tree planted near a fresh running stream that will never wither and fade. Our roots will run deep and continue to receive the nourishment and sustenance that we were created for: the eternal spring of the Holy Spirit which purifies and heals us.

Jesus beckons us to come out from the shadows and into the radiance of his light. As we experience his love and mercy, he encourages us to continue to move out of our comfort zones, attachments, and slavery which stunts our spiritual growth. Jesus calls us to experience freedom. When we trust him and walk with him, our souls will experience the rest that it is starving for, the peace that we yearn for, and the love we have been created for.

Photo: As each sun sets, may we thank God for what he has given and repent from what keeps us from growing closer to him, so that each day we may receive and radiate a little more of his light!

Link for the Mass readings for Wednesday, October 14, 2026

The light of Jesus is a properly ordered response to any darkness we experience.

“A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil; for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks” (Lk 6:45).

We can experience hardships, trials, and suffering. We may have experienced recurring anxieties, insecurities, fears, traumas, and even come face to face with evil. Yet, we are not evil because of what happens to us, nor how we are tempted. Neither are we defined by any trauma, suffering, or abuse. We have been created good by our loving God and Father.

Negativity, sin, hate, and even evil, can be seductive, can lure us to rationalize and decide that what we may think of as good in the moment, is in reality, just an apparent good, a disordered good, or not good at all. To encounter or experience a word or act of unkindness, negativity, or even violence, we may feel justified in retaliation, yet if we speak or act in this way, we perpetuate the negativity or evil we seek to stand up against. In The Strength to Love, a collection of Dr. Martin Luther King’s sermons he wrote:

“Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction.”

At the moment we can identify a thought in our mind, let us breathe and decide where and from whom this thought is coming from. Let us bring the thought to the Lord. Often times our emotions arise from unidentified thoughts. Once we are blessed to be identify the thought, then we decided with God what to do. Many thoughts come from ourselves. They arise from the past experiences as well as the anticipation of the future. Others come from external experiences, observations, and/or concupiscence – our tendency to sin, and yes even some from demonic influences.

What we listen to, read, and/or watch on a regular basis has more influence on us than we might believe. Discerning each thought or influence that comes our way is important. Being more attentive to what we are feeding on, literally and figuratively, honestly assessing our thoughts before we speak and act, thinking through and deciding on what we will say and do is different and more helpful than immediately or impulsively reacting.

Consuming the things of this world will lead to a different way of life than meditating and pondering on the things from above (cf. Colossians 3:1). Spending time in prayer and following Jesus’ commands will help us to bear the fruit of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control”(Galatians 5:22-23). Honestly examining our conscience daily will help us to be purified from that which is deadening and renew and heal us.

Violence and the worst of our humanity continue through multiple media outlets, also, they horrifically materialize in real time, and ad nauseam on 24/7 cable coverage. One way to counter evil is to resist bringing it into our homes, resist returning evil for evil even with thoughts, and instead learning and putting into practice Jesus’ teachings, which will help to expose the darkness in our own hearts. We will see more precisely how to clear out the spiritual, plaque buildup of our own fears, wounds, frustrations, disruptions, and disordered affections. Doing so will allow more room for the love of the Holy Spirit to flow. With our hearts flowing with love, we will react less, listen, think, and speak better, and choose to act in ways that promote healing, understanding, forgiveness, reconciliation, and love.

——————————

Photo: Main chapel at the Retreat and Conference Center of the Immaculate Conception, Huntington, NY.

Link for the Mass readings for September 12, 2026

How can we have enough oil to keep our torches burning all the way to the wedding feast?

“The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise ones replied, ‘No, for there may not be enough for us and you. Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves'” (Mt 25: 8-9).

The context for Jesus’ parable was the procession to the wedding feast which was the beginning of the second stage of marriage after the time of betrothal that could take up to a year. One of the roles for this procession was carrying torches to light the way to the home of the groom from the home of the bride’s family home. They needed torches as the procession began after sunset. The wise virgins were not being self-centered or stingy but truly prudent and wise. If they ran out in sharing the oil before the completion of the procession that would have been a terrible embarrassment for the bride and groom. It could also lead to injury by having to walk in the darkness.

Jesus is doing more here though in this parable than introducing prudent discipleship. The wise and foolish virgins are representative of those invited to participate in the wedding feast, an image of participating in the kingdom of heaven. They who have their lamps burning brightly do so because they are living their faith in practice and reflecting the light of Jesus as they witness their faith to others. They cannot give their oil though. Each person must receive the invitation of Jesus and decide to live their faith and put it into practice in their own lives.

No one can do this for them. The foolish virgins are those that are not prepared or ready because they lack the commitment, the discipline, and the actual living out of their life of faith. This is shown starkly when the foolish virgins come to the locked door. They are not allowed in to participate in the wedding feast because the groom, Jesus, says that he does not know them. They are members of the community but they “have offended the bridegroom by their irresponsibility and lack of preparation.” This is “a claim of disassociation, of renouncing his former ties with them” (Mitch and Sri, 192). These virgins represent those disciples that have not put their faith into practice through prayer, worship, and good works. “It is one thing to make a strong start in the Christian life, to believe in Jesus and to commit oneself to repentance (4:17). But this commitment must be sustained over time” (Mitch and Sri, 193).

We gain some insight that the wise and foolish for Jesus has a different connotation than what the world deems to be wise and foolish. St. Paul in his letter to the Church at Corinth wrote that “the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (I Cor. 1:18). The cross was not only a horrific symbol of oppression, it was a sign of the finality of death. To the world the cross showed that Jesus could not be the messiah, for he could not even save himself.

The imagery of the cross was still raw for the first few centuries and was depicted rarely in early Christian art. And yet, in one of the earliest accounts of the New Testament we have Paul not just discussing but proclaiming victory in the cross: “We proclaim Christ crucified” (I Cor. 1:22). A foolish and absurd statement in the view of the world, yet one of foundational wisdom to the disciple and apostles of Christ.

This was and continues to be the banner call of the Christian. Jesus died, and yet conquered death and rose again. This is a statement of faith that we can only make an ascent to through our belief and experience of, trust in, and deepening our relationship with, the one who died, conquered death and rose again. St. John Chrysostom (349-407) wrote that: “For the Apostles themselves came in not by wisdom, but by faith, and surpassed the heathen wisemen in wisdom and loftiness, and that so much the more, as to raise disputes is less than to receive by faith the things so far” (p. 249, The Word on Fire Bible).

Our faith is not a blind faith that we dumbly believe and follow along like lemmings. It is our reason seeking understanding and allowing God’s grace to build on our nature. Our faith grows as it did with the Apostles, through our encounter and lived experience with Jesus. Just like any other relationship, we build it with Jesus through time spent being loved by him, so we come to know him, love him, persevere in serving him through good works, such as the corporeal and spiritual works of mercy.

Jesus was clear that we do not know the time or hour of his return. We do not need to be worried about the time or the hour as long as we are faithful to and trust in him with everything and follow his will and do whatever he tells us to do. When he does return, we, like the wise virgins, will be ready to be welcomed into and enter the wedding feast.

Photo: Daily prayer, weekly Mass, participating in the sacraments, quiet time with Jesus, studying and mediating with Scripture, following the will of God, loving and serving one another, will help us to have enough oil to light out torches and keep them burning.

Link for the Mass readings for Friday, August 28, 2026

Mitch, Curtis and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2010.

Word on Fire Bible: Acts, Letters, and Revelation. Park Ridge, IL: Word on Fire Ministries, 2022.

Jesus calls us to be salt and light.

As we continue our journey in Ordinary Time, we continue to be blessed to sit at the feet of Jesus for the next few weeks as we hear, ponder, and hopefully begin to put into practice his teachings from the Sermon on the Mount. In today’s account, Jesus has just finished presenting the beatitudes and encourages his disciples to live out this empowering teaching by being “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world” (cf. Mt 5:13-16).

This call continues to ring true for us today as his disciples. We too are to be “salt” and “light”. Salt has two major properties, preservation and flavor. Jesus emphasizes the aspect of salt being seasoning that one puts on food, which enhances its flavor. Our lives are better when we put into practice Jesus’ teachings and are transformed. Not only does the life of God living in us enhance our experience of life, we enhance the lives of others. 

We are also to preserve the goodness that God has created. For all that God has created is good. The enemy, Satan and his minions seek to corrupt and disorder that which God has made good. We are to counter the effects of sin with remaining faithful in times of darkness. Allowing Jesus to shine his light in us, we experience his love in the darkness in our lives, are forgiven, experience, healing and move to wholeness. Through our transformation we then radiate the light of Jesus for others and invite them to allow the light of Jesus into places where they too may not feel loved, where they feel alone, or isolated. In experiencing God’s love and light shining through us to them, they can begin their own journey of healing.

Each morning upon awaking and experiencing our first breather of the day, let us remember that we are an Alleluia people. A people grounded in hope and joy which we experience more as we die to our old self, our sinful self, so that we become less and Jesus becomes more. Our faith is not just for us alone, we are to go out and share it with others, we are to bring Jesus to others. “Isreal was to be a light to the nations (Isa 60:1-3; Bar 4:2). Jesus calls his disciples to fulfill this role by living the beatitudes in such a way that the world may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father” (Mitch and Sri, 92). 

Pope Francis, in the very first line of his apostolic exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium, writes: “The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept his offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, emptiness, and loneliness.” The Pope is not saying that when we accept Jesus into our lives and develop a relationship with him that all will go our way and on our own terms, there will no longer be conflict or pain, and that our life will now be perfect. 

Jesus is the very embodiment of love and the light that leads us away from the darkness of our sin. His love invites us to experience a better way. Instead of path leading to death, Jesus lights the way to eternal life. Jesus is present and accompanies us in our pain and sorrow and assures us that we are not alone. Jesus is the one who fulfills the longing of our heart’s deepest desire, he reveals to us our meaning and vocation in life. Jesus offers us hope as well as his hand to lead us through our darkest nights of despair and trauma.

We who have experienced the healing balm of the presence of Jesus in our lives, have grasped his hand for strength, have leaned on his shoulder to cry on, and experienced the joy of our encounter with him, are to be present to others in the same way. We are to be salt by bringing the joy of Jesus to all those we encounter. We need to resist becoming salt that has lost their flavor, meaning that we are no different than those in the world. We are not to slip into gossip, cynicism, and relativism, but instead are to be people of integrity, understanding, and truth.

I am not extroverted or outgoing by nature. I was much more reserved and internal as a youth. In my freshman or sophomore year of college, I heard a talk on cassette given by Mother Theresa of Calcutta. She mentioned reaching out to others with a smile. I still remember the first time of risking to smile at someone after hearing Mother’s encouraging words. I was walking up the sidewalk toward the parking garage on campus. I do not remember if the person I smiled at returned the smile, yet I do remember that day as a key moment in my faith journey. 

Having heard practically how to share the light of God’s love with another, and then to follow through, filled me with joy. Smiling continues to make a difference in my life and hopefully, the lives of others. When we are living our lives as Jesus guides us, as we read, meditate, ponder and put into practice his teachings, then the people in our realm of influence then we are being salt and light. People feel better after having been in our presence, because they have had an encounter with Jesus through us. Even if they feel convicted, they are not condemned but offered a better way that leads from shadows or darkness and into light.

How can we be salt and light that Jesus invites us to be? Live our lives as he did and commit daily to spending time breathing, receiving, resting and abiding in the presence of his Father and following his will. A simple way of adding some flavor and some warmth in our interactions is offering a smile. Doing so need not only be limited to those we feel comfortable with or like. We can share a smile with those we may have had conflicts with and even those for whom we may feel a bias or prejudice toward. This is only a small beginning, but it draws us out from our own self-centered focus and directs our attention toward willing the good of another.

A simple, yet genuine smile can work wonders for someone who begins to believe that no one cares or has the time of day for them. This is true for the recipient as well as the giver. If you have felt like you have lost some of your flavor or if you are not sure how to be a light for others, next time you catch the eye of another, smile.

In this small act, we say to the person on the receiving end of our smile that we care enough to notice them, that they are loved just for being present in that moment. They have worth and dignity just for who they are. A simple, sincere smile can bring a little flavor to someone in a sour mood, as well as a little light to someone in a very dark place. 

———————————————————-

Photo: As we allow ourselves to be transformed by the love of the Holy Spirit we will radiate the love of God to others.

Mitch, Curtis. The Gospel of Matthew. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2010.

Link for the Mass readings for Tuesday, June 9, 2026

Our response to the darkness is the light, love, and joy of Jesus.

“But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you” (Jn 16:22). 

Jesus continues to prepare his disciples for his horrific death by offering hope that he will see them again. That he will see them again is not a typo. We can read about the exchanges between Jesus and his risen disciples. Jesus appeared to Mary of Magdalene at the tomb, he appeared to Cleopas and his companion on the road to Emmaus, and he appeared to the ten and then the eleven with Thomas. Jesus sought out those he commissioned to proclaim his Gospel message after his Resurrection, just as he had done during his ministry before his crucifixion.

When Jesus did appear to them again, at the moment of recognition, there was wonder and great joy! It is hard for us to even imagine these early Resurrection accounts. Although, this is a wonderful meditative practice! The disciples witnessed his brutal death, lived in fear because of the very real possibility of their own persecution and similar death, and then, they encountered the risen Jesus. St Paul would also shortly thereafter encounter Jesus on a different road, the one to Damascus en route to continue his persecution of the followers of Jesus. 

All of their hearts rejoiced when they experienced the risen Jesus, and it was this joy that they proclaimed with boldness. The Apostles, like Jesus, led with joy and love to embark on their evangelical mission. They lived a difficult and challenging life that for many ended in their own brutal deaths, yet their joy carried them through and into eternity.

Life is hard, even in the best of circumstances. There is evil present in this world, not of God’s creation, because all that he has created is good. Through the corruption of the good that God has created, bad things happen to good people, and good people do bad things. Suffering, disease, violence, natural disasters, division, corruption, hatred, and dehumanization abound. It can be easy to succumb to the overwhelming tide of negativity and assume a stance of cynicism, detachment, denial, defensiveness, and/or indifference. Yet this is not the response Jesus modeled nor has infused his followers through the ages with.

Our response to the evil and darkness of this world is to be bearers of the joy of Jesus! We are to be as lights shining in the darkness, providing hope for those in despair, accompanying those in their struggles, and being willing to receive help when we are ourselves are in need. We cannot do any of this alone and on our own, but it can be done in participation with Jesus and each other. The Apostles, disciples, and saints, those who have gone before us, have shown us that it is possible to be beacons of hope in very dark places.

Pope Francis reminded us about our mission in The Joy of the Gospel (276): “However dark things are, goodness always re-emerges and spreads. Each day in our world beauty is born anew, it rises transformed through the storms of history. Values always tend to reappear under new guises, and human beings have arisen time after time from situations that seemed doomed. Such is the power of the resurrection, and all who evangelize are instruments of that power.”

No matter how bumpy our lives get or how much we are tossed about, we can trust that Jesus is with us, closer than we can ever imagine. He readily offers us his love and joy. Are we willing to receive each? May seem like a silly question, but we can refuse to receive the joy and love of Jesus when our hearts are constricted or closed. 

When we choose to allow his light to enter and dwell within us, even though the light may reveal some darkness and deep suffering, we can experience forgiveness and healing. Once experiencing his healing and love — joy! And when the joy wells up and radiates through us and outward, no matter how small or insignificant, the darkness in our realm of influence will begin to fade away. For, within or without, darkness cannot remain in the presence of the light of Christ.

Photo: May the light of Jesus shine through us for others to see!

Link for the Mass readings for Friday, May 15, 2026

May we allow the light of Jesus to shine in our darkness.

“I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness” (Jn 12:46).
What might be the darkness that Jesus refers to? It could be anything that turns us within ourselves, that turns us away from that which is True, Good, and Beautiful. Anyone or anything that turns us away from God. God has created humanity and all of creation out of the abundance of his love. Through sin, suffering and the good God has created, has been corrupted and darkened. We as well as the world has been wounded but not destroyed, nor is the damage so far gone that we are doomed. Prejudice, ignorance, cynicism, sin, violence, hatred, war, division, dehumanization, and destruction reign, but the darkness cannot stand up to the light. The darkness has not nor ever will overcome the light. Jesus invites us to make a choice to feed on the darkness or the receive the light.
Jesus has come and continues to be present in our lives to invite us to heal. Each and every one of us is important to him. Jesus knows us better than we know ourselves and he knows the darkness that is within, the places we may not want to even face. The wounds, the hurt, the grief and suffering, the pain, and our sin. Jesus invites us gently to trust him and allow his light to shine into these places, not to shame and condemn us, but to love us there and lead us to freedom.
Jesus encourages us to leave our self imposed imprisonment by loving us as we are, more than we can imagine, and more than we can ever mess up. Christianity is not just a set of moral principles, a set of doctrines, a philosophy, or a theology. Christianity is about an encounter with a person, the Son of God, Jesus the Christ, who invites us to be loved and to love in return. When we allow ourselves to feel safe with Jesus as a person who cares and has our best interest in mind, we can begin to trust him and experience his love and healing. The wonder of his gentle light is that we can see more clearly where we buy into the lies and deceptions of the enemy.
When we allow the light of Jesus into our hearts and minds, we can choose between the darkness and the light, evil and good, pride and humility. The light of Jesus leads and invites us to experience that which we have been created and are restless for – an intimate relationship with God the Father and each other. Through the light of his love, Jesus reveals to us those apparent goods, false substitutes, and idols that distract us and keep us separated from deepening our relationship with God. As we grow in our relationship with Jesus and his Father, we experience the love of the Holy Spirit and are moved to share his love with each other.
Jesus, in this moment, help us to take some slow deep breaths. Help us to be still. Help us to receive and experience your love. Help us to see where we are reactive, where triggers are engaging past wounds in need of healing, and what are the apparent goods we are attached to that are leading us away from spending time to be able to be still right now, right here with you. May we rest and abide here in your love so to experience the reality of your presence, and help us to come back to spend time with you tomorrow as well so that we come to believe that your light is greater than any darkness we may face, that you are with us, and that we know we are loved.
Photo: Breathing, receiving, resting, and abiding in God’s love.
Link for the Mass readings for Wednesday, April 29, 2026