Apr 22, 2016
I am the way and the truth and the life, says the Lord;
no one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)
Jesus is the way, the channel of radical forgiveness and mercy. He is the truth which sets us free; we are His people and He is our God. Jesus is the fullness of life; He gives us his Body and Blood for the journey, lifting us up in loving mercy to eternal life.
Jesus came to teach us about forgiveness and love. A love stronger than death. A merciful love expressed in the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. We go to the Father by dying to self and living for God alone. Our God is a God of forgiveness and hospitality, a companion on the journey here on earth and in heaven.
-Sr. Josephine Pelster, SSMO
This reflection comes from the Easter Reflections, prepared by the Precious Blood Family of communities:
Adorers of the Blood of Christ (US Region)
Missionaries of the Precious Blood (Atlantic, Cincinnati & Kansas City Provinces)
Sisters of the Most Precious Blood (O’Fallon, MO)
Sisters of the Precious Blood (Dayton, OH)
Sisters of Saint Mary of Oregon
Easter Reflections is available for printing here.
Apr 21, 2016
Whoever receives the one I send receives me. (John 13:20)
The most difficult thing for us to grasp is the mystery of the incarnation. In Jesus, God has taken flesh and pitched his tent among us. He has so invested himself in us, that whatever we may do to the least of humanity, we do to him.
How useful a lesson of humility it teaches you, and how, directly this virtue leads to God. Because serving God is as close as the person next to you. “If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it.” Even if you do not understand it, it is a blessing. We are not commanded to understand our neighbor, but to love them.
And this service of God in our neighbor will bring opposition and suffering. “The one who ate my food has raised his heel against me.” We are not social workers. We do not serve the poor and the sinner because it is a good thing to do. We do it because they are the Lord in “His most distressing disguise” as Blessed Theresa of Calcutta used to say often.
-Fr. Jeffrey Keyes, CPPS (Cincinnati)
This reflection comes from the Easter Reflections, prepared by the Precious Blood Family of communities:
Adorers of the Blood of Christ (US Region)
Missionaries of the Precious Blood (Atlantic, Cincinnati & Kansas City Provinces)
Sisters of the Most Precious Blood (O’Fallon, MO)
Sisters of the Precious Blood (Dayton, OH)
Sisters of Saint Mary of Oregon
Easter Reflections is available for printing here.
Apr 20, 2016
by Br. Daryl Charron, C.PP.S.
Sr. Simone Campbell (the featured speaker at our upcoming Provincial Assembly) and her NETWORK staff joined thousands of immigrants, advocates, and allies on the steps of the Supreme Court recently in support of U.S. v. Texas. This case will determine whether or not President Obama’s executive actions on immigration will stand. Sister Simone led thousands of activists in prayer as the Supreme Court heard the case. President Obama’s executive actions expanded eligibility for DREAMers under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and created new protections for undocumented parents of U.S. citizen children called Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA). Unfortunately, the actions have been caught up in courts and implementation has been delayed for the last year and a half.
The Supreme Court seemed sharply divided during an extended argument over a challenge to President Obama’s plan that would shield millions of undocumented immigrants from deportation and allow them to work in the country legally. A 4-4 deadlock seemed a real possibility, one that would leave in place an appeals court ruling that blocks the plan and deny the chance to revive it while Obama remains in office. This is a heated debate that we all need to pay close attention to as we prepare for Assembly and our corporate stance on immigration reform. Those of you who were unable to attend any of the workshops that were offered in November, February and April throughout the province can still pursue a makeup session. This will be conducted by RSVP only at Precious Blood Center on May 1st from 2-4 p.m. Contact Br. Daryl Charron, C.PP.S. to attend this makeup session at daryl.charron@yahoo.com or call 816-835-0344.
Apr 20, 2016
I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness. (John. 12:46)
One of the joys of the Easter season is that we reminder that we have been created for eternal life. That death is not the end. As Jesus was raised from the dead, we too shall one day rise to meet God. Reminding ourselves of that and reflecting on that helps us to enter more deeply into God’s mercy and love. That we have Christ as the light to guide us, to lead us, to strengthen us, to keep us warm with the flame of his love. But we have to want to follow it. We have to want with all our hearts to obey that commandment to eternal life, and be open to letting that light of Christ bring us back to God.
-Fr. Michael Mateyk, C.PP.S. (Atlantic)
This reflection comes from the Easter Reflections, prepared by the Precious Blood Family of communities:
Adorers of the Blood of Christ (US Region)
Missionaries of the Precious Blood (Atlantic, Cincinnati & Kansas City Provinces)
Sisters of the Most Precious Blood (O’Fallon, MO)
Sisters of the Precious Blood (Dayton, OH)
Sisters of Saint Mary of Oregon
Easter Reflections is available for printing here.
Apr 18, 2016
You entered the house of the uncircumcised
and ate with them. (Acts 11:3)
We want to hang with our friends. People who are safe, people like us. Peter was no different, and Jewish kosher laws kept him away from undesirables, from socializing and eating with Gentiles. But God gave him another vision, sent him to a Gentile house to break bread and open the Word of God with them.
Pope Francis calls us to accompany the marginalized, the Gentiles of our day. To walk with them as equals, to share table and open hearts with them. It’s difficult, and our desire is usually to stay with safe people we know, people of our social class. Christ calls us to be like Peter, to find God in places we would not usually go.
-Fr. Keith Branson CPPS(KC)
This reflection comes from the Easter Reflections, prepared by the Precious Blood Family of communities:
Adorers of the Blood of Christ (US Region)
Missionaries of the Precious Blood (Atlantic, Cincinnati & Kansas City Provinces)
Sisters of the Most Precious Blood (O’Fallon, MO)
Sisters of the Precious Blood (Dayton, OH)
Sisters of Saint Mary of Oregon
Easter Reflections is available for printing here.
