Today we celebrate the birthday of the Church! Come join me in celebrating this most important day, the day the Holy Spirit descended upon the people and so enabled them to go and bring the Gospel to all nations. Because of that first Pentecost Sunday we are here today. Happy birthday!

Jesus prays for us to be one just as He and the Father are one. Yet, in today’s world we see so much division and hatred. How can we strive to be one? How can unity be possible?

We celebrated Mother’s Day today and we heard the beautiful readings about God’s love for us at Sunday Mass. In many ways a mother’s love reflects God’s love, a love that isn’t dependent upon being loved back or any other factors. In other words, God’s love is unconditional. It is also eternal. There was never a time that we can imagine when God did not love. Pretty awesome. God’s love is eternal. You were always loved. You are loved right now, and you will never stop being loved. God’s love is a love that lasts.

Jesus implores us to remain in Him as He remains in us. What does it mean to remain? Does it mean to simply keep going to church and making sure the pews are filled? To remain does not mean to passively sit idle. Remaining is really an active participation. But how so?