Today, April 13th, is the 29th anniversary of my baptism, which calls for donuts or something because our baptism dates are worth celebrating!  I thank God for this gift and am grateful for my parents having me baptized in the Catholic Church as a baby.  In today’s Gospel, we read about the importance of baptism.  Through Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus, we are reminded that baptism is the beginning of a lifelong journey of faith.

Have you ever had anyone ask you if you’ve accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and savior or if you’re saved?  These questions, which typically come from Christians from different Protestant denominations, indicate a belief of “once saved, always saved”, from one specific moment of accepting Christ and of being born again.  But Catholic theology regarding being “born again” teaches that this happens within the sacrament of baptism, which is what Jesus is referring to in today’s Gospel.  In the passage, Jesus says “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless one is born of water and Spirit he cannot enter the Kingdom of God” (John 3:5).  Through this sacrament, we are initiated into the Church, we receive sanctifying grace, and we are made new creations.  As Jesus tells Nicodemus, baptism is necessary to enter the Kingdom.  Baptism is vital for our lives, but it is just the start of our faith journeys.

Our faith is a life-long journey of growing closer to Christ.  It requires commitment, dedication, and renewal.  The concept of “once saved always saved” gives the impression that we can live our lives however we want, carelessly and without repenting of sin.  But we are called to a continual transformation of our hearts and minds.  We must live out our baptism daily.  Our lives should be evidence of spiritual growth and deeper faith.  If we claim Jesus as our Lord and savior, our lives should bear fruit that reflects a life that is lived for Him.  And when we fail, we should turn towards Jesus in confession.

In the last part of today’s Gospel, Jesus says, “The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know what it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit” (John 3:8).  This is a reminder for us to allow our lives to be led by the Spirit, to not be passive in our faith lives, to not stand still.  He is in control and we cannot know the depths of where He will take us.  If we are not growing in our faith and relationship with the Lord, we are likely drifting further away.  Are we allowing the Holy Spirit to direct our lives, renew our faith, and to help us choose what is good and true?

The sacrament of baptism that we have received was the start of a beautiful journey that the Lord has for us.  Take time to thank God for the grace He has given you from the start to now.  As I think about my own baptism and faith journey, I am reflecting on a few questions.  Am I cooperating with God working in my life?  Am I allowing myself to be led by the Holy Spirit?  Where do I need to let Jesus transform me so that I can become a greater image of Him?

In today’s Gospel, Mary Magdalene encounters the risen Jesus.  At first she doesn’t recognize Him.  It’s not until Jesus says her name that she knows that it’s Him.  Mary goes and announces to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord” (John 20:18).  This story reminds us that this is what the Christian life is about.  Do we too recognize Christ in our lives and share Him with others? 

Jesus is always working in our lives.  Whether it’s through different events in our days, or through other people, He is there.  Yet, how often do we fail to recognize Him?

We can be blind to Jesus in front of us so easily.  Mary was blinded by her grief and thought Jesus was the gardener (John 20:15).  Distraction, our own struggles and suffering, doubt, and our weaknesses can all blind us to recognizing Jesus.  But He is there.  Are we looking for Him? 

When we have an encounter with Jesus and recognize Him in our daily lives, we should share that with others.  We must share how He has impacted our lives and how He is working in our lives.  Hearing people’s witnesses of Christ is powerful and can help give hope and may help others to seek Him more deeply in their lives.

Mary’s encounter with Jesus reminds us that He is right in front of us, even if we don’t always recognize Him at first.  My prayer for each of us today is that we would seek Jesus daily, recognizing Him in the people around us and the moments of our days, so that we too can share with others, “I have seen the Lord!” 

At Palm Sunday mass, the gospel we hear on Jesus’ passion is always powerful and profound.  Even though we’ve all heard it countless times, hopefully there is something that catches your attention, strikes you in a new way, or causes you to reflect.  Jesus tells Peter, James, and John, “Remain here and keep watch with me” (Matthew 26:38).  Will we too stay with Jesus and accompany Him throughout this Holy Week?

When the people in our lives who we love and care about ask us to do something for them, I think most of us would not hesitate to do whatever it is they are asking.  Is it the same when Jesus asks us to do something?  Jesus’s command to His disciples in the Garden of Gethsamane is an invitation to all of us.  Jesus has been with us from the beginning, walking with us, supporting us, carrying us.  How will we respond to that love, especially in the most significant week of the year as Catholic Christians?

It is easy to become distracted, to find ourselves too busy.  How often do we live our lives spiritually asleep?  How often do we allow spiritual laziness to seep into our lives?  Jesus calls us to overcome the temptation to fall asleep, and to overcome the weakness of the flesh.  Jesus never leaves us, so we too must never leave Him.

Throughout this Holy Week, we must fully enter in and walk closely with Jesus in His journey to the cross.  This week, the Church offers us the opportunity to participate in moving liturgies, reflecting on all that Jesus did for us.  This week gives us the opportunity to pray more, reflect often, and to have our hearts transformed by Christ’s sacrifice.

Will we remain with Jesus and keep watch with Him?  Giving our time, spending it with Jesus in prayer, is the least we can do for the One who gave us everything.  My prayer for each of us this week is that we can remain close to Jesus, watching and praying with Him. 

Today’s responsorial Psalm comes from Psalm 23.  There is a lot to think about and reflect on from this Psalm.  But the line that stood out to me today is, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1).  This reminds us that we have everything we need and that the Lord is enough.  We all have different wants and desires in our lives, but we must pray to desire God’s will for us for each day. 

Many saints provide great examples of desiring what God wanted for them.  But two saints (one not yet officially declared a saint) that I have been particularly inspired by in the words they were known for are St. Gianna Molla and Blessed Chiara Luce Badano.  St. Gianna was known for saying and living the phrase, “whatever God wants.”  Blessed Chiara was known for the phrase, “if you want it Jesus, I want it too.”  These are two beautiful statements that truly inspire me and they point back to Psalm 23, acknowledging that God alone provides.  These were two holy women who truly desired what the Lord desired for them.

Isn’t that what much of prayer is about?  Praying so that our desires and wants align with what God wants for us?  We all want different things at times throughout our lives.  Maybe your life looks different than you thought it would.  Maybe you desire something that may not be for you.  Maybe it’s something small that you really want.  In whatever it is, can we release the grip we may have on those wants, and turn to God?  It’s not always easy and it is a lifelong process, but we must aim to desire what God wants to give us, acknowledging that He is enough.

Reflecting on Psalm 23 reminds me that God will lead us where He wants us to go, and give us what we need.  Let us live with this in mind always, so that we can say, “whatever God wants” and “if you want it Jesus, I want it too.” 

On Thursday morning, flying into Charlotte, one of the flight attendants made the announcement about luggage, as they always do.  The statement she shared was, “if Charlotte is your final destination, you can pick up your luggage at carousel one and if it’s not your final destination, it will be at your next stop.”  Hearing this reminded me of the journey we take through our lives.  How many people live like earth is the final destination, like eternal life doesn’t exist?

The human experience for many people consists simply of focusing on the next big achievement.  People are constantly looking to fill the hole in their lives with a higher-paying job, a fancier car, a bigger house, and more.  It can become a race to the top, a comparison of who can become richer, more successful, more popular.  People so often find their meaning and purpose in status and material possessions, making them their God.  How much time do we spend stressing about things that really don’t matter, about things that are temporary? 

At mass Sunday morning, the priest gave a great homily, reminding us that we are called to a higher way of living.  One thing he mentioned was that we are called to imitate Jesus, working to advance the Kingdom here on earth through the way we live and interact with others.  This was a reminder that if we are followers of Christ, our lives should bear fruit that is a reflection of our belief and faith in Him.

Accomplishing great achievements is not bad.  But we should not get wrapped up in worrying about what we do for our own benefit, living as if that’s all there is to life.  Rather, we should focus on what we are doing for Jesus, keeping our eyes fixed on Him and His kingdom.

Our greatest desire should be to hear Jesus say to us, “well done, good and faithful servant.”  We must always remember that this life is not our final destination, but rather that it is the journey we must take to grow in our faith and love for Jesus and others.  My prayer for each of us today is that we would travel well, so that we can arrive at the final destination we were made for! 

Friday evening during Stations of the Cross, I was struck by one particular line in the booklet.  The third station referenced the Gospel of John when Jesus says, “if they persecuted me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20).  I’ve heard this countless times, yet it was a profound reminder that being a Christian means we will face opposition.  In the US, we likely will not physically lose our lives or experience physical harm because of our beliefs, but we will experience difficulty due to our faith.  Are we willing to follow Christ to the cross? 

On Friday afternoon, my brother was sharing with me an experience he had in one of his classes earlier in the week.  He was in a communication class where, each class period, they have discussions about different topics and portrayal in the media.  The topic of the class for the day was LGBTQ and he had been dreading this day of class since seeing it on the syllabus.  Naturally, the conversation turned towards religion, and specifically the Catholic Church.  Several of his classmates began bashing the Catholic Church and attacking Catholic beliefs, turning the conversation away from the original topic.  My brother shared that his heart was pounding and his mind was racing but he knew he had to say something.  It was apparent no one else in the room was a practicing Catholic or even seemed to be in support of faith.  He raised his hand, all eyes on him, and made a statement of his Catholic faith and the truth of what the Church teaches.  He stood up for Jesus and His Church in the midst of a room filled with people who were totally against faith, specifically Catholics.  And that greatly inspires me. 

Are we willing to share the truth, even if our hearts are pounding and our voice shakes?  Are we willing to stand up for our faith, even when we are the only one in a group or room, alone in our beliefs?  Jesus did not promise us that following Him would be easy and comfortable.  In fact, he promised us the opposite.  And we are never truly alone, because Jesus is with us every step of the way.  Jesus suffered immensely, was beaten brutally and tortured, dying on the cross for you and for me because of his love for us.  Can we die to ourselves in small ways because of our love for Him?

As we continue to journey through Lent, there is no better time to reflect on the cross than in this season.  What small crosses are we being asked to carry regarding sharing our faith?  Will we let the Lord work in us and increase our desire to share the truth? Will we be open to the moments we are being asked to share our faith and the opportunities to speak up? My prayer for each of us today is that we would grow in the gift of fortitude, having the courage to stand up for Jesus and the Church, ready and willing to face whatever comes our way! 

This past weekend, I had one of the most amazing and powerful experiences of my life.  It’s something I never imagined I would have the opportunity to do.  As I reflect, I am reminded that every “yes” that we give to God leads us to have experiences and adventures that only He can make possible.  From one small “yes” to attending a CEW retreat, to other “yeses” to giving talks and having other roles, each one has opened up the door and led to the mountaintop experience of being a rector for a CEW.  Answering God’s invitations leads us to experiences and opportunities that we could’ve never imagined.

Over the past year of praying, planning, and preparing, it was a journey to get to this point.  It was like a long and steady hike up a mountain, slowly making my way up.  And Friday night before the retreat started, I was given a blessing and prayed over in the presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.  In those moments, I was quickly and immediately, lifted up to the highest point of the mountain by the Lord through the prayers of others.  And this reminded me that I had been being carried up the mountain by the prayers of other community members for the past year.  I have never experienced and been aware of so many people praying specifically for me in my life.  The Holy Spirit used those prayers so powerfully, allowing me to feel the effects many times throughout the journey.

As the retreat started Friday night, it truly felt like Jesus led each and every candidate and team member up a mountain.  And He allowed me to have the best and highest view.  To stand at the front of the room and be able to see Jesus in each and every person was unbelievable.  To be able to watch how the Holy Spirit was working, moving through the conversations among tables, through the speakers and team members, through the tears and laughter of everyone there, and in every moment throughout the weekend was a real gift and blessing. 

 In the Gospel from Sunday, Jesus leads Peter, James, and John up a mountain.  And Peter says to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here” (Matthew 17:4).  Hearing this In the closing mass of the retreat, I was struck by this line.  It truly seemed to capture the spirit of the whole weekend.  From early on in the weekend, it appeared the group was embracing just that: recognizing how good it was to be there, up on the mountain of CEW. 

There will be a lot of graces and blessings to unpack from this for a long time.  To have been entrusted with this role by the community and the Lord was an honor.  It was something I never thought possible and something that I never would have imagined doing.  But Jesus leads us on adventures in our lives that we would’ve never come up with on our own.  So, say yes to promptings and invitations from the Holy Spirit.  The adventure will be greater than you could’ve imagined, the views will be amazing, and it may just be the one of the best experiences you ever have! 

The season of Lent calls us to prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.  It is a time for growth and discipline.  It is a time of repentance and renewal.  Recently, I read something that really struck me.  It said Lent is a time to become recognizable.  We should be recognizable as people who have spent time with Jesus.  Do others recognize us as people who have spent time with Jesus?

There are different ways we can aim to become more like Jesus.  Spending time reading scripture, especially the Gospels, allowing the words to permeate our minds and allowing Jesus to speak to us is essential.  Diving into scripture allows us to learn who Jesus is, and to understand and know what He would do, so that we can strive to do the same.  Today’s gospel passage from Matthew tells us that we need to serve Him in the people we encounter and that we will be judged based on this.  Matthew 25:40 says “And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’”  Serving others is one way we become recognizable as someone who follows Christ.

Sitting in Jesus’ presence and going to mass are other ways to spend time with Him.  Letting Jesus speak to our hearts in prayer, and receiving graces from mass, receiving Him in the eucharist allow us to become more like Jesus.  We cannot know Jesus or become more like Him if we do not spend time encountering Him in the eucharist.

Whatever we are choosing to do this Lent, we must remember to continue to learn how to be more like Christ.  And this is not just the goal of Lent, but the goal of our whole lives.  My prayer for each of us today is that we would become recognizable as people who know and love Jesus.    

Over the weekend, this is a phrase I spent time praying with: “through the deserts where our souls starve for your presence- lead us in your ways, O Lord.”  Now that we are in the season of Lent, it is even more fitting.  This prayer and desire is that Jesus would show us the places in our lives where our souls are starving for His presence.

Each of us has a longing for God.  For many, this longing is not yet realized.  For some, this longing has been forgotten.  There is a place within our hearts and lives that only Jesus can fill, because this is how we were made.  And each of us finds ourselves in the desert at various times, a place where we must recognize our lack of faith, trust, and love.  It is in the desert where we experience starvation and thirst, a longing and desire for more.  What matters in those moments is how we respond.  Do we satisfy the hunger and thirst with Jesus?  In our broken and weak humanity, we often try to satisfy our hunger and thirst with everything except Jesus.  But everything and everyone who is not Jesus cannot fill the place that is meant for Him.

Jesus walked through the desert for forty days.  Will we follow Him there to acknowledge the areas where we need to let Him in?  Will we take time to recognize the areas that are dry and barren?

Sitting in adoration, Jesus fully present, my soul has experienced being fed and filled by His presence.  This time spent in a chapel brings out an acknowledgement of the desert areas in my life and the ways in which I need to know and love Jesus more deeply.  As I sat there, I prayed that each of the men on the retreat, and everyone,  would walk through the desert, recognizing that their souls are starving for the presence of Jesus and allow Him to lead them.

Jesus, you make yourself fully present to us.  We have the gift of being able to sit before you, to receive you at mass, and be filled by your love.  Satisfy our starving souls and lead us to walk with you through the desert in these forty days and always.

This past weekend, there was a men’s retreat going on at my parish.  Saturday afternoon, I was dropping something off.  I walked back outside and it was so nice outside that I decided to leave my vehicle at the parish and walk home.  I knew I’d be back shortly to go the chapel, so I would just walk back then.  When I was walking, I thought to myself, “the sun is shining and it’s a beautiful day!”  44 degrees and sunny in February is unusual and it felt almost healing after a winter that has seemed long enough already.  And then I realized that yes, the Son is shining, and it’s a beautiful day and a beautiful weekend!

The CEW retreat that was going on was evidence of the Son shining.  And after I had this thought, I continued to reflect on this as I spent time in the adoration chapel late Saturday night.

In the main space where the retreat was happening, team members were allowing themselves to be used through their service and commitment, helping candidates and each other have an encounter with Jesus.  And in the opposite corner of the building, in a small chapel, Jesus was present and had been since the start of the weekend.

As I sat in the adoration chapel and reflected, this was my prayer- All of this is for you Lord, to allow You to be glorified.  Thank you Jesus for being here, for working through each of the team members, for meeting the candidates wherever they’re at, and for drawing each person here closer to yourself.  Let them feel You shining in their lives.  Holy Spirit, fill each of the men here with the warmth of your love and set their hearts on fire.

This weekend was a beautiful reminder of how the Son shines.  Just as we are drawn to and healed by warm sunshine on a February day, when the winter has seemed long, we can have this experience even more so with Jesus.  This weekend surely allowed people to be drawn to and healed by the shining of the Son!  May each one of us recognize Jesus shining in our lives today and always!