05/11/2026
In today’s Gospel, Jesus promises, “I will not leave you orphaned.” He gives us the Holy Spirit—our Advocate—who abides within us and reminds us that Love remains. Even when systems fail, relationships fracture, or faith feels fragile, God does not abandon us. God abides.
Henri Nouwen captures this truth beautifully in Life of the Beloved: Spiritual Living in a Secular World:
“You are my Beloved, on you my favor rests.
I have molded you in the depths of the earth
and knitted you together in your mother’s womb.
I have carved you in the palms of my hands
and hidden you in the shadow of my embrace.
I look at you with infinite tenderness
and care for you
with a care more intimate
than that of a mother for her child.
I have counted every hair on your head
and guided you at every step.
Wherever you go, I go with you,
and wherever you rest, I keep watch.
I will give you food that will satisfy all your hunger
and drink that will quench all your thirst.
I will not hide my face from you.
You know me as your own
as I know you as my own.
You belong to me.
I am your father, your mother, your brother,
your sister, your lover, and your spouse . . .
yes, even your child . . .
wherever you are I will be.
Nothing will ever separate us.
We are one.”
—Henri J. M. Nouwen
These words speak powerfully today—when so many feel unseen or alone. God remembers us all.
Let this voice sink in:
You are heard.
You are not alone.
You are not forgotten.
You are held.
You are beloved.
Today we give thanks for mothers, grandmothers, caregivers, and all who reflect God’s maternal love—and we pray to become that nurturing presence in a beautiful yet wounded world.
~ Sister Bernie Inocencio, CSJ
