May 6, 2018
by Rev. Jim Betzen, C.PP.S., Kansas City Province
As we celebrate the Ascension of the Lord into heaven, I think of the role of intercessor. An intercessor is someone who speaks or requests on our behalf. There is no greater intercessor for us than Jesus Christ and His greatest intercession for us happened on the cross when He gave Himself for our salvation. Now, ascended to the right hand of the Father, He continues to intercede for us after having experienced the joys and trials of human life and given Himself fully for us. No wonder He asked us to offer our prayers and requests in His Name. When we pray in His Name, we ask Him to intercede for us.
May 5, 2018
by Rev. Sam D’Angelo, C.PP.S., Atlantic Province
Apollos began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained the Way of God to him more accurately
From this one verse, we can see something significant happening. Apollos was excited! —so much so, that he speaks boldly in the synagogue in Ephesus, even though he was not from there. He had heard of John the Baptist’s proclamation of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, and had embraced it wholeheartedly. But as we all know, it’s not just how we say something; it’s what we say that is important as well. All the boldness in the world doesn’t help us, if we don’t know the full story of what we’re trying to convey.
That’s where Priscilla and Aquila come in. They’re listening and observing this passionate speaker and rather than discouraging him or criticizing him in public for his lack of understanding of the message of Jesus, they quietly decide to help him on a personal basis.
Priscilla and Aquila are what, today, we would call a power couple, but one which sees power in the Gospel of Christ. To do this, they show hospitality to Apollos and open their doors to him. In their home, they explain to him the significance of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection and the Holy Spirit’s role in the Church today.
What Priscilla and Aquila demonstrate to us today is that both men and women can effectively collaborate in ministry without concerns of superiority entering the picture. Like them, we can also look for opportunities to help others gain what we already have—whether it’s a greater understanding of our faith, or connecting them with a network of people who can better assist them in their vocational journey. We can also open our homes and our hearts in hospitality to fellow Christians and build one another up in the faith, whenever possible. What Priscilla and Aquila proclaim to us is that all persons share in the threefold munera of Christ—sanctifying, teaching and governing.
May 4, 2018
by Br. Brian Boyle, C.PP.S., Cincinnati Province
We just cannot take short cuts. To get to the cake and ice cream we have to eat some spinach first. In the Gospel, Jesus explains to the disciples that the reality of being a believer/follower we have to embrace suffering. We have to embrace suffering even if the world around us “rejoices” or at least carries on as if nothing wrong is happening. To believe in Jesus, to believe in his teachings, healing works and miracles and then live all of that out will put us at odds with the normal world that we live and work in. As one person who founded another major religion stated….”life is suffering…….”
The good thing is that the suffering is not the end in itself, suffering is not done for it’s own sake. It leads to something else, and I am not going to sink into clichés about our rewards in heaven. Suffering leads to something good in this life. Paul experienced exactly that in the first reading. He was put in front of a local Roman authority and account for doing what God called him to do – preach the Good News and be prophetic. Paul obviously did not preach on comfortable content. He obviously stirred people up and made some powerful people mad at him. Paul did not short cut to his comfort zone.
Paul could have avoided the sticky issues and preached easy content. He would have avoided angry local authorities and Roman governors. Sure, he would experienced comfort. However, that comfort could be easily stolen away and it has no lasting joy – the joy that the Savior promises in the Gospel that nobody can take from us. If Paul would have skipped all of the hard stuff, what little comfort he would experience would be gone in time or stolen by something or someone else.
So – hey – don’t skip the spinach.
Disclaimer – I like spinach very much – but I am assuming most readers do not.
May 3, 2018
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With many months of planning and design, the renovation of Precious Blood Renewal Center is well underway. City permits were received the first of February and construction immediately began. The construction process is moving along quite well, with our anticipated construction completion for early fall and occupancy in mid fall 2018.
The project includes removing the roof, fireplace and the area surrounding, at the center of the existing Stukenborg Mission House. New construction is then inserted, which creates a large gathering area in its place. The new roof line rises to greet the visitor and the ceiling will rise and fall imitating that same movement. The design is provides adequate space, appropriate adjacencies and accessibility for our guests, programs and events. The new building design provides an architectural reflection of transformation and renewal.
The areas on either side of the new construction insert are being renovated to provide support areas, such as serving area, warming kitchen, offices, storage, toilets, library, spiritual direction rooms and a small gathering area.
The weather will continue to be a potential scheduling factor for another month or so as the new roof and enclosure are completed. The project does include additional parking and site improvement work which also may be affected by weather.
The design team and architects are feeling confident at this time that we will finish to have our grand opening, tentatively the end of October. Once the roof and walls are completed, we will issue a save the date for our grand opening event. The Renewal Center team is working on plans for a creative experience for all. We are hopeful everyone will be able to attend.
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May 3, 2018
by Sr. Paula Gero, C.PP.S., Dayton
You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
An end–and a beginning. Jesus leaves in a definitive way; the disciples understand that they are seeing him on earth for the last time. But they are not allowed to mourn or to stand around “looking up into heaven”. They are to begin a new phase of their discipleship; they are to begin the Church. “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.” Go!
Sometimes you stand, like those disciples, looking up. You want to see Jesus; you want to be with him. Perhaps you long for consolations you have received in the past. Like Mary Magdalene, you want to cling to his feet. But always you have to come back to earth again, where you have your present mission. You have been commanded to go, to be witnesses to the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Right now, you must love your neighbors and your enemies, stand up for justice, feed the hungry, reconcile the angry, comfort the bereaved, challenge sinners…spread the kingdom, in whatever form the power of the Holy Spirit takes in you. Go. Proclaim.
O God, whose Son today ascended to the heavens as the Apostles looked on, grant, we pray, that in accordance with his promise, we may be worthy for him to live with us always on earth, and we with him in heaven. (Collect of the Mass)
