Grassroots Empowerment

We stand once again on the threshold of the Easter celebration, and today is Good Friday. Earlier in the week, a colleague shared a poster on treachery and betrayal, pointing to Judas Iscariot’s betrayal of Jesus centuries ago. In reflecting on that poster, the message was clear about betrayal not being a relic of the […]

Several highlights stood out to me during the Holy Thursday Mass with Pope Leo XIV (4/2/2026). First, he continues to challenge many entrenched practices in our Christian lives that do not foster genuine fraternal harmony. He has spoken of true love as something not to be guarded or controlled, but as something to be open

My central theme for the week is the ministry of Jesus Christ as the one who lifts us from death to life. As the week unfolds, we see this divine pattern reflected in the lives of many, and today it appears in God’s covenant with Abraham (Genesis 17:3-9). In that covenant, God establishes a relationship

At the beginning of this weekend’s first reading (Ezekiel 37:12-14), one line stood out and shaped the theme of this reflection: from death to life. That line emerges from God’s promise to open our graves and raise us (Ezekiel 37:12). Though originally spoken as a message of restoration and renewal for the exiled people of

In today’s Gospel reading from the Gospel of John (John 5:17-30), Jesus speaks words that echo the mystery of creation itself. He responds to the Jews by saying, “My Father is at work until now, so I am at work.” In this statement, Jesus reveals that God’s creative activity did not end with the first

During Lent, and indeed at all times, we speak often about repentance and even more about forgiveness. In Christ Jesus, God reconciled us to Himself and entrusted to us the ministry of reconciliation with one another. In today’s Gospel reading (Matthew 18:21-35), Peter asks Jesus how many times he must forgive, and Jesus’ response becomes

All living things, especially humans, need water to survive. We drink water when we need hydration. Even in our bodies, most of what flows in our blood is water, with research showing that human blood is almost 85% water. When we think about this, we realize how essential water truly is. That said, many of

One of the primary ways the Church guides us in discernment and decision-making is through the Sacred Scriptures. Two other essential parts of the tripod are the Sacred Traditions of the Church and the Magisterium. The Scripture provides moral instruction but is also the theological foundation upon which we anchor our existence. In today’s first

Essentially, we are all called to ultimate transfiguration. Matthew’s gospel today says: “and he was transfigured before them” (Matthew 17:1-9), a destiny that flows from a holy life rooted in authentic humanity. As St. Paul would reiterate in the second reading, God “has saved us and called us to a holy life” just as we

I do not know if you have reflected on this point before, but I often wonder why many breakthroughs emerge only after a season of trial. Consider the story of Joseph and his brothers before he rose to greatness and was appointed prime minister in Egypt. He was hated by his siblings (Genesis 37:23-28), falsely

The ability to choose lies at the heart of human autonomy. When Moses declares that he has “set before you life and prosperity, death and doom” (Deuteronomy 30:15-20), he presents us with a decisive invitation to choose. Likewise, when Jesus says, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself, take up his

I was reading a post about a few days ago attributed to “The Catholic Dailies” about Ash Wednesday, which made a powerful impression on me. After reading the piece and the strong instructions it contains, I reframed it to capture all the essential aspects I will share with you at this Mass. To start with,