Christ the Good Shepherd Church

06/03/2026

MEMORIAL OF SAINT CHARLES LWANGA AND COMPANIONS: Beatitude consists of seeing and possessing God. On earth we do not see God; we know that he exists, but we do not see him. The vision of God in heaven will be immediate. On earth, we would like to love with all our heart, but we do not succeed. Why? Because we do not see God.

In heaven, our souls will be silent, perfectly docile, and transparent to the light. The soul will be immobile. Man’s perpetual restlessness on earth leads him to pursue fleeting appearances. In heaven we will possess being. The promise of a transformation and a resurrection does not cease to astonish even after more than two thousand years. It is certainly difficult to prepare on this earth for the true happiness of heaven. The only sure method is to remain united with God, who is present in our hearts.

Christians know that at the end of time Christ will come again in glory. We are born to take a great journey toward the city of God and to become "fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God." On earth we have the treasure of prayer, which is the language of heaven. In this language, all the words translate only one thought, one truth that soon invades the soul and thoroughly imbues it so as to direct and ennoble it; Christ himself proclaims this truth: I am infinite love; all that is mine I give to you so that we may be one as the Father and the Son are one.

-- Cardinal Robert Sarah

06/02/2026

MEMORIAL OF SAINTS MARCELLINUS AND PETER: Only in the school of the greatest suffering can we really experience what we have only learned in theory before. By this I mean the sort of prayer which pierces the soul like a sword, the sort of faith in God which forges the soul on God’s own hand, the final giving of one’s whole being to God, an unconditional surrender, a blind submission to the Divine Will. Happiness is never determined by outward things and circumstances -- true happiness comes from within, from the harmony of the soul with God.

-- Fr. John M. Lenz

06/02/2026

The Path to True Unity
June 2, 2026
Tuesday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

Some Pharisees and Herodians were sent to Jesus to ensnare him in his speech. They came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man and that you are not concerned with anyone’s opinion. You do not regard a person’s status but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not? Should we pay or should we not pay?” Mark 12:13–14

Just prior to today’s Gospel, the chief priests, scribes, and elders confronted Jesus in the Temple area while He taught, challenging His authority to drive out the moneychangers and merchants. Though they withdrew out of fear of opposition from the crowds, they sent the Pharisees and Herodians to trap Him (cf. Mark 11:27–33). The alliance of these five groups, who were often opposed to one another—especially the Pharisees and the Herodians—well illustrates the old adage: “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”

The Pharisees were known for their strict adherence to oral traditions derived from the Mosaic Law. They frequently clashed with the chief priests and elders, who focused on Temple worship and ceremonial rites.

The Herodians were despised by both the Pharisees and the other leaders for their support of Herod and Roman occupation. Their allegiance to Rome enabled them to maintain political influence under Herod’s rule. Despite their usual animosity, these groups united in their shared opposition to Jesus. His ongoing influence among the people, His teachings that exposed their hypocrisy, and His actions in the Temple all threatened their authority and control.

Though all five of these groups are less than inspirational, we can learn from them. They depict fallen human tendencies—such as pride, fear, and self-interest—that we all struggle with. First, true unity only comes from aligning ourselves with God and His Truth, which fosters humility, charity, and a desire to seek God’s will above our own interests. By contrast, the “unity” shared by this coalition of factions was grounded in malice. Hatred can so blind us that we turn from our core values and seek ways to fuel our resentment. This is precisely what these normally divided groups did: Their mutual hatred for Jesus and fear of losing influence over the community drove them to unite in a shared mission of opposition—something we, too, can fall into if we let malice guide us.

In today’s Gospel, we can also learn from the questioning of the Pharisees and Herodians. They begin with flattery, which is always deceptive and manipulative. Their insincere praise was not meant to honor Jesus but to disarm Him and lure Him into their trap. Perhaps they failed to recall the wisdom found in Proverbs: “Those who speak flattery to their neighbor cast a net at their feet” (29:5) or “Charm is deceptive…” (31:30). Flattery not only deceives others but often ensnares those who use it, leading them into sin, as seen in today’s Gospel.

Second, the question they ask is a carefully constructed trap. If Jesus said, “Yes, it is lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar,” the Pharisees could accuse Him of disregarding Jewish law and collaborating with Roman oppressors. If He said, “No,” the Herodians could report Him to Herod as a revolutionary opposing Roman authority. Their malice was cunning, but Jesus’ wisdom transcends theirs, and He escapes their trap. His response not only avoids their deceit but also exposes their hypocrisy, turning their malicious scheme into an opportunity to teach eternal truths.

Reflect today on these fallen human tendencies vividly illustrated by these five groups who were aligned in their opposition to our Lord. When you look at your own “alliances,” what is it that unites you? Shared hate and resentment? A common fear or opposition to something? Bonds formed over shared negativity or resentment are fleeting and destructive. True and lasting unity is found only in aligning ourselves with the Truth of the Word of God, striving together for holiness, and building relationships grounded in Christ. Reflect on whether your relationships draw you closer to Christ or distract you from Him, and seek to realign them with His Truth.

05/31/2026

Here’s The Most Trinity Mass from Utrecht, Netherlands.

Welkom bij deze viering die (sub conditione Jacobi) op 31 mei 2026 live gestreamd zal worden vanuit de Gertrudiskathedraal te Utrecht. De liturgiewijzer is te openen via de link onderaan deze tekst.

voorganger pastoor Henk Schoon, en ass. priester Louis Runhaar

Welcome to this celebration (sub conditione Jacobi) that will be live streamed from Utrecht's Gertrudiskathedraal on May 31, 2026. The liturgical guide can be accessed via the link at the bottom of this text.

Welkom bij deze viering die (sub conditione Jacobi) op 31 mei 2026 ...

05/31/2026

The Most Holy Trinity – Year A
May 31, 2026
Christ the Good Shepherd Church
Presider/Homilist - Father Michael G Cadotte

Reading I: Exodus 34:4b-6, 8-9
Psalm: Dan 3:52, 53, 54, 55
Reading II: 2 Corinthians 13:11-13
Gospel: John 3:16-18

Welcome home to Christ the Good Shepherd Church – “A Progressive Faith Community in the Catholic Tradition” where all are welcome to hear God’s Word and feast at the Eucharistic Table where there is no partiality. We Welcome all to share in the mission of Jesus as we love, serve, and worship together.

To “Enduring Parishioners” and “New-Found Friends” present, in person and connected through the digital media platforms, (e.g., in Alpena, Michigan; Hendersonville, North Carolina; San Francisco, California; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Las Vegas, Nevada; Hyannis, Nebraska; Dearborn, Michigan; Boca Raton, Florida; Cincinnati, Ohio; Merritt Island, Florida & so many other locations), today we celebrate the Most Holy Trinity.

05/31/2026

Exodus 34:4b-6, 8-9
Daniel 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56
2 Corinthians 13:11-13
John 3:16-18

THE TRINITY FOR US

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you. (2 Cor. 11:13)

The apostle Paul’s prayer-benediction to the Corinthians, assigned as it is as the second reading for the Church’s liturgical celebration of the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, may easily be interpreted as expressing Trinitarian doctrine. Strictly speaking, it does not (for one, the text mentions the “love of God, not specifically “the love of God the Father.”). The New Testament does not contain a formal doctrine of God as Triune, in fact, the term “Trinity” is attributed to the Church Father Tertullian of Carthage who lived more than a century later. That said, the trinitarian pattern in the way the disciples and the early Church experienced the economy of God’s salvation is unmistakable. Elizabeth Johnson offers an illuminating way to describe this: “In shorthand, we might say that they experienced the saving God in a threefold way as beyond them, with them, and within them, that is, as utterly transcendent, as present historically in the person of Jesus, and as present in the Spirit within their community.”[1] Thus, the Scripture reading is grafted onto Trinity Sunday for a very good reason. It anticipates the further development of the Tri-unity of God as a doctrine, thus far, as a kind of proto-Trinitarian understanding of faith experience.

What the Scripture reference communicates eloquently is the super-abounding grace of God who will stop at nothing to offer saving love to the entire eco-human community. Today’s gospel reading (John 3:16-18) attests to this divine self-giving in the person of Jesus Christ.

The birthing of Trinitarian doctrine was a protracted theological journey freighted with disputes and speculative thinking. To get into the historical timeline is simply beyond scope, it is enough to say for our purpose that both Greek-Eastern and Latin-Western thinkers wrestled with the mystery of the intra-trinitarian relations to such an abstract and speculative degree — “complex celestial mathematics,” as Johnson notes — that by the period prior to the second Vatican Council, a contemporary retrieval of Trinitarian doctrine had become a critical imperative. Otherwise, the Trinity, which early Christian communities experienced as Deus pro nobis, “God for us,” ironically, would have continued to be hidden and detached from us.

Contemporary Catholic theologians such as Karl Rahner, Walter Kasper, and Catherine Mowry LaCugna, drawing inspiration from the legacy of the last of the Church Fathers John of Damascus or “Damascene” (675-750 AD), contributed greatly in restoring, almost brick-by-brick, the mutual relationship between Trinitarian doctrine and the faith life of the Church. The liberation theologian Leonardo Boff, inspirited by a preferential option for the poor in the Latin American context, specifically builds a bridge between the saving Trinity and the praxis for social equality and inclusion. In his groundbreaking work Trinity and Society, Boff clarifies this vital correlation: “The community of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit becomes the prototype of the human community dreamed of by those who wish to improve society.”[2] Thus, in a moving prophetic-liberating message, he concludes: “To the extent that anyone creates communion, that person becomes a sacrament of the Holy Trinity.”[3]

Does this Trinitarian theological reflection have referents in faith life or does it remain on the level of beautiful phraseology? Allow me to bring this into the context of my birth country the Philippines. For over 60 days from October to December of 2007, 166 poor farmers from Sumilao in the Southern Philippines, marched a total of 1,035 miles to the capital Manila to fight for their right to ancestral lands that were questionably sequestered and purchased without their consent by a major corporation with government approval. For the farmers, this represented a decade-long battle to maintain ownership of the land they had been cultivating for generations. Moved by their plight, then Archbishop of Manila Gaudencio Rosales met to greet them and, in a powerful witness to servant leadership, stepped forward on their behalf to mediate an agreement. In what may be called a Trinitarian conspiracy of grace, the parties involved agreed to a fair settlement. “All protagonists have won,” bannered the official report. The corporation abided by its social responsibility and gave back a good portion of the original land with the remainder compensated from another property, the government remained committed to its land reform program, and, as noted in the report, “the Church, led by Cardinal Rosales, also played its role as a Church of the poor and peacemaker on earth.” Serendipitously, the name “Sumilao,” the hometown of the farmers, translates in the vernacular as “when light comes again.”

The accompanying photo shows a tearful middle-aged woman farmer, the years of hard labor etched on her sun-beaten skin, hugging Cardinal Rosales, who had a wooden cross hanging around his neck. The report did not mention exactly what the Cardinal told her and the farmers. Either way, the synodal communion that was brought closer to home that day already bespoke the wordless depths of the Trinitarian benediction — The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.

Antonio D. Sison, CPPS
Professor of Systematic Theology and Culture
Vatican II Chair of Theology

[1] Elizabeth Johnson, Quest for the Living God: Mapping Frontiers in the Theology of God (New York: Continuum, 2007), 204.

[2] Leonardo Boff, Trinity and Society (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1988), 205.

[3] Leonardo Boff, “Trinity,” in Systematic Theology: Perspectives from Liberation Theology, eds. John Sobirno and Ignacio Ellacuría (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2015), 86.

05/30/2026

Facing Hostility and Evil
May 30, 2026
Saturday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

Jesus and his disciples returned once more to Jerusalem. As he was walking in the temple area, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders approached him and said to him, “By what authority are you doing these things? Or who gave you this authority to do them?” Mark 11:27–28

Jesus and His disciples were in Jerusalem for Passover, which would culminate in His death. In the preceding months, Jesus prepared His disciples for this final journey, telling them three times that He would be handed over in Jerusalem, suffer, die, and rise again. Each time, the disciples failed to grasp the full meaning of His words.

The week began with Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. The next day, Jesus drove the money changers, merchants, and others out of the Temple. As the week progressed, hostilities grew. Today, Jesus is confronted by the chief priests, scribes, and elders. Later in the week, He will face opposition from the Herodians, Pharisees, and Sadducees. Each of these groups held significant civil and religious authority within the Jewish community.

The chief priests oversaw Temple worship. The scribes were experts in Jewish Law. The elders were respected lay leaders within the community. The Herodians were politically motivated supporters of Herod and Roman rule. The Pharisees focused on strict observance of the Law and oral traditions. The Sadducees denied beliefs, such as the resurrection and angels, and cooperated with Roman authorities to protect their positions.

While Roman authorities governed Jerusalem civilly, the religious leaders held significant influence over the Temple and the enforcement of Jewish laws, matters that were of little concern to the Romans. The religious leaders could arrest people, but they lacked the authority to execute anyone—an authority they ultimately sought to use against Jesus. Tragically, they became icons of hostility and evil as they persecuted the Son of God.

In today’s Gospel, the chief priests, scribes, and elders confronted Jesus: “By what authority are You doing these things?” This challenge was likely in response to Jesus’ actions the previous day when He cleansed the Temple. The tension and hostility were palpable. The disciples were fearful, and those observing took sides—some angry at Jesus, others concerned for what might happen to Him.

Jesus’ disposition and response to these icons of hostility and evil offer insight into how we must confront every diabolical attack and temptation in our own lives. Jesus was calm, firm, and fearless. He revealed their dishonesty, trickery, and evil intent when He said to them, “I shall ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was John’s baptism of heavenly or human origin? Answer me.”

The religious leaders didn’t know what to say. Any answer they gave would have revealed their malice and dishonesty, so they said, “We do not know.” Jesus responded, “Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things” (Mark 11:33). Jesus was not intimidated and exposed their dishonesty.

Evil is always irrational and hostile. When we encounter the wrath of others or witness it from a distance, we often find ourselves thinking, “This doesn’t make sense!” And indeed, it doesn’t. Jesus unmasked this irrationality and refused to be oppressed by it. Though it led to further persecution, He faced it without fear. His witness serves as the ideal model for us whenever we encounter irrational anger, persecution, or hostility.

Reflect today on any hostility you might encounter. If it seems senseless and leaves you feeling oppressed or fearful, turn to Jesus as your guide. Hostile irrationality can arise from many sources, even those close to us. We must resist the temptation to return hostility with hostility, but neither should we give in to fear. Our response must be rational, calm, and firm, just as Jesus demonstrated. Our Lord’s witness should not only result in our admiration and praise, but also in our imitation, relying on His grace to confront evil as He did.

05/29/2026

Barren Spirituality or Fruitfulness
May 29, 2026
Friday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

Early in the morning, as they were walking along, they saw the fig tree withered to its roots. Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.” Mark 11:20–21

The prophets often used the image of a barren fig tree to symbolize Israel’s fruitless spirituality (cf. Hosea 9:10; Jeremiah 8:13). Though they were God’s chosen people, with whom God established His Covenant, time and moral decay led to a fruitless spirituality. Despite their outward observance of the Law, their hearts were far from God.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus was hungry as He left Bethany and journeyed toward Jerusalem. Along the way, He saw a fig tree from a distance with leaves, so He went to it to pick a fig to eat, but He found none. He immediately said to the tree, “May no one ever eat of your fruit again!” (Mark 11:14). This was a prophetic action. The green tree symbolized the outward appearance of the people of Israel and especially the religious leaders, who appeared righteous but bore no fruit of genuine faith, repentance, or divinely inspired charity.

After arriving at the Temple in Jerusalem, Jesus drove out those buying and selling, overturning the tables of the moneychangers who were desecrating the sacredness of the Temple. As He did so, He recalled the prophecies of Isaiah and Jeremiah: “Is it not written: ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples’? But you have made it a den of thieves” (Mark 11:17; cf. Isaiah 56:7; Jeremiah 7:11). Just as the barren fig tree symbolized fruitless spirituality, the cleansing of the temple revealed the corruption of worship that failed to honor God. Both acts were prophetic judgments against the emptiness of external religiosity, warning that God desires not outward appearances but true worship and spiritual fruitfulness from the heart.

The next morning, on their way back to Jerusalem, Jesus and His disciples passed by the fig tree Jesus had cursed. To their amazement, it had “withered to its roots.” This sign of judgment sparked a conversation between Jesus and His disciples in which He taught them about the connection between faith, prayer, and forgiveness: “Have faith in God…I tell you, all that you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours…When you stand to pray, forgive anyone against whom you have a grievance…” (Mark 11:22; 24–25). Faith in God, combined with humble prayer and forgiveness, is the key to spiritual fruitfulness.

Jesus’ prophetic action and teaching on prayer and forgiveness ring as true for us today as they did for the people of Israel. Like a green fig tree that bears no fruit, we can fall into the trap of being more concerned about our outward appearance of religiosity than about true prayer and worship that is fruitful for the Kingdom of God.

We are the temples Jesus wants to cleanse today. Just as Jesus cast out corruption from the temple, so must we allow Him to cast out the sin and spiritual barriers within us that hinder true worship. Forgiveness is an essential part of this cleansing, as it removes the obstacles that block our prayers and relationships with God. True prayer flows from faith that trusts completely in God’s power and from hearts that forgive without reservation. When our focus shifts from self-interest to the love of God and service of others, our lives become fruitful for the Kingdom.

Reflect today on your soul as the new temple Jesus wants to cleanse. There is incredible potential for each one of us to bear an abundance of good fruit for His Kingdom. Begin by forgiving everyone from your heart. Then, approach prayer with faith that trusts God’s providence and seeks His will. Let your worship be sincere—not for appearances or routine, but out of love for God and a desire for His Kingdom to grow. Fidelity to prayer and forgiveness will transform your life into one of fruitfulness and grace, leading you to the abundant life of His Kingdom.

05/29/2026

Undeterred in Faith and Prayer
May 28, 2026
Thursday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus, sat by the roadside begging. On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.” And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he kept calling out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me.” Mark 10:46–48

Though the Torah commanded kindness and justice toward the blind, they were often treated poorly by the wider community. Unable to work or provide for themselves, the blind were typically reduced to begging. They also bore the stigma of being seen as suffering God’s judgment, whether for their own sins or the sins of their parents. While today’s story about Bartimaeus vividly illustrates the pitiful social and economic position of the blind at that time, it even more powerfully presents him as an ideal model to imitate.

First, we should humbly see ourselves in Bartimaeus. On a spiritual level, we are all blind and in need of God’s mercy. Like Bartimaeus, we must identify as people who are poor, ostracized, and incapable of seeing all that God wants to reveal to us. Pride gives us a false sense of who we are and blinds us to the truth of our spiritual poverty. Humility, on the other hand, opens the eyes of faith, enabling us to recognize our need for God’s mercy and His healing grace so that we may see and understand life as He wishes to reveal it.

Bartimaeus is not only a model of the humility we need; he is also a model of faith and prayer. In his humility, as soon as he heard that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by, he cried out in a twofold way. First, he called Jesus the “Son of David.” This was a profession of faith in Jesus as the Messiah. “Son of David” was a messianic title rooted in Nathan’s prophecy, in which God promised King David that his descendant would establish an everlasting kingdom (cf. 2 Samuel 7:12–16). By calling Jesus the “Son of David,” Bartimaeus professed his belief that Jesus was the fulfillment of that prophecy.

With his profession of faith, Bartimaeus also prayed the ideal prayer: “Have pity on me.” The word “pity” is a translation of the Greek eleison, which is also rendered as “have mercy.” For example, at Mass, we pray in Greek, “Kyrie eleison,” or “Lord, have mercy.” This prayer is ideal because every gift from God is an act of mercy. We do not earn or deserve His grace; it is a freely bestowed gift, and our prayer should reflect this profound truth.

As Bartimaeus prayed, many people told him to be silent. Despite their rebukes, Bartimaeus intensified his prayer, “calling out all the more.” This persistence serves as another model for the ideals of prayer. The “many” who rebuked him and tried to silence him symbolize the numerous obstacles we face in our pursuit of God’s mercy.

Though the greatest obstacles we face are our own sins, which discourage us from approaching God in prayer, we also encounter challenges in the form of temptations. These temptations, like the “many” who sought to silence Bartimaeus, try to lead us away from prayer. They urge us to give up, doubt God’s care for us, or remain complacent in our spiritual lives. Bartimaeus’ response—to pray even louder and more fervently—teaches us the importance of perseverance in prayer, even in the face of discouragement or opposition.

Reflect today on this poor blind man, Bartimaeus, sitting on the roadside. With him, profess your faith in Jesus as the Messiah and cry out for mercy. When sin hinders you, have the courage to admit it, confess it, and plead for forgiveness. When temptations try to silence you, resist them and cry out all the louder. In the end, Jesus called Bartimaeus to Himself and healed him. Jesus desires to do the same for us. He will, if we humbly identify with Bartimaeus, see ourselves in his condition, and imitate his unwavering faith and persistent prayer.

05/27/2026

The Love of Human Empathy
May 27, 2026
Wednesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and hand him over to the Gentiles who will mock him, spit upon him, scourge him, and put him to death, but after three days he will rise.” Mark 10:33–34

How often do we fail to grasp the suffering of others, consumed instead by our own concerns? This was the struggle of the Twelve as Jesus prepared to endure His Passion. Today’s Gospel presents the third time Jesus clearly told them about His Passion and Death, yet they still didn’t get it.

After Jesus revealed His Passion for the first time, “Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.” In the presence of the other disciples, Jesus responded, “Get behind me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do” (cf. Mark 8:31–33). The second time Jesus revealed His Passion they “did not understand the saying, and they were afraid to question him.” Instead, they engaged in a childish conversation, “discussing among themselves on the way who was the greatest” (cf. Mark 9:30–37).

Today’s Gospel, presenting the third time Jesus revealed His Passion, depicts a similar scenario. Jesus is very explicit: In Jerusalem, He “will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and hand him over to the Gentiles who will mock him, spit upon him, scourge him, and put him to death, but after three days he will rise.” Once again, despite the seriousness of Jesus’ revelation, James and John immediately ask Jesus, “Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left” (Mark 10:37). The Apostles were so consumed with their own ambitions that they failed to grasp the gravity of Jesus’ words and were unable to offer Him the charity of empathy.

Fortunately for them—and for us—Jesus had perfect patience. He understood their weaknesses and showed mercy. Humanly speaking, the disciples could have offered Him the charity of human empathy and compassion, walking more firmly with Jesus toward His agony and death, but they were unprepared and unable to do so.

While the Apostles failed to console Jesus, His mother consoled His Sacred Heart. With her Immaculate Heart in perfect union with His, the Blessed Mother modeled perfect empathy as she pondered her Son’s life in her heart and stood faithfully at the foot of the Cross. She walked with Jesus every step of the way. Her love consoled Him even as the Twelve failed to do so. The Blessed Mother teaches us how to accompany, with love and presence, those who suffer.

We must see ourselves in the Apostles, listening to Jesus share news of His Passion. As we consider their apathy and lack of understanding, we should seek the grace of a loving and empathetic heart by seeing our Lord present in those around us, especially family, who carry heavy burdens. This grace will enable us to be attentive to those burdens and better imitate our Blessed Mother who consoled the heart of her Son. Though the Apostles initially failed in this mission, they were learning and growing. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, they would later console others by sharing Christ’s love and proclaiming His Passion with courage, especially as they lived it.

Reflect today on Jesus’ interaction with His Apostles. Learn from their shortcomings and be grateful for Jesus’ patience. Pray for the grace of an empathetic heart, for this virtue enables us to console the Heart of Christ by sharing in His Passion with attentiveness and compassion. In doing so, we imitate the perfect love of the Blessed Mother, who teaches us how to truly love.