Easter Reflections: May 15, 2016 Pentecost, Wind Surfers of the Spirit

Visiting our missionaries serving in Berkeley, I took a walk around the Emeryville Marina. It was a warm but very windy day. The strong winds whipped up white caps on the water as the waves crashed into the shore. It was a perfect day for windsurfing. As I watched the surfers ride the winds at breathtaking speeds, today’s first reading came to mind: “And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind.” This gale-like force of the Spirit sparked a wildfire as “tongues of fire” appeared that became like lasers to unleash a new language of love.
The Holy Spirit surrounds us, is all around us, and abounds in each of us. Like those windsurfers working hard to ride the wind, there will be harsh waves of rejection and indifference that cause us to crash at times. But the Spirit cannot be contained in sanctuaries; she must be lived out in the streets and from shore to shore. She cannot be imprisoned in small rooms, small minds, or small hearts, but released in the larger world, expanding minds and hearts, and calling us to a greater and deeper love for one another.
Pentecost invites us to ride the wind of the Spirit that moves out into the world to be ministers of mercy, shapers and makers of peace, as we seek to live with courage and compassion, justice and love.
-Fr. Joe Nassal, 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.

Easter Reflections: May 14, 2016 St. Matthias, Apostle

Who is like the LORD, our God, who is enthroned on high and looks upon the heavens and the earth below?
(Psalm. 113:6)
As we celebrate the feast of St. Matthias today we focus on the commandments of God. And in particular to ask ourselves the question, “Do I keep them?” That is the litmus test that Jesus gave us. If we want to abide in Christ’s love, mercy, grace, we need to keep the commandments, and for us a Catholics the teachings of the Church. Even those we may not understand fully. St. Matthias can be a powerful example for us in doing that. He was a simple man, but he knew to trust in Christ’s words and wanted more than anything to abide in God’s love. If he could do it, why not me?
-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.

Easter Reflections: May 13, 2016 Friday of the Seventh Week of Easter

It is not the custom of the Romans to hand over a man without giving him an opportunity to defend himself in front of his accusers. (Acts. 25:16)
Today’s reading about Paul’s right to a fair trial is still upheld in our U. S. Constitution. No matter how horrible the crime, the accused is guaranteed the right to trial by a jury of peers. We don’t usually have to deal with criminal activity. However, how easily we seem to get our moral hackles up and become judge and jury in day-to-day circumstances. Pope Francis urges us to refrain from judgement and condemnation, “to accept the good in every person and to spare him any suffering that might be caused by our partial judgement, our presumption to know everything about him.” Therein lies the challenge.
-Sr. Barbara Jean Franklin, ASC
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.

Easter Reflections: May 12, 2016 Thursday of the Seventh Week of Easter, Oneness with God

No other religion, except Christianity, can have a situation where God prays to God. The Blessed Holy Trinity permits the second person of the Trinity- Jesus – to pray to the first part of the Trinity – God the creator. Jesus prays for all believers, may all be one as Jesus , God, and Spirit are one. There is more going on here than praying so that we may go to heaven when we die. This Easter Gospel passage invites us to reflect on a revelation of an intrinsic unity, not sameness, between humanity, God, and all of God’s creation. All of creation exists to praise God by simply being that which God created. We who are united to the divine through baptism praise God by living in union and harmony with God, humanity, and creation. Jesus came to live with us to show us the way. He shed his blood on the cross to make our oneness with God a reality.
-Fr. Timothy Guthridge, 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.

Easter Reflections: May 11, 2016 Wednesday of the Seventh Week of Easter

Holy Father! Keep them safe by the power of your name,… so they may be one just as you and I are one. (John 17:11)
In the reading for today we hear Jesus pray, “Holy Father! Keep them safe by the power of your name,… so they may be one just as you and I are one.” As we wait for the coming the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, we are invited by Jesus to become one with Him, His Father and each other. How can we respond to this invitation when there are so many differences that separate us? God, in His mercy, has created a kaleidoscope of beauty among us. Jesus who invites us to recognize everyone as brothers and sisters with the diversity of race, religion, color, culture or language shed His Precious Blood for all. Through our Precious Blood charism how can we be an instrument of unity today?
-Sr. Bela Mis, CPPS (Dayton)
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.

Easter Reflections: May 10, 2016 Tuesday of the Seventh Week of Easter

And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world… (John 17:11)
As the Easter Season draws to a close, we are reminded of our awesome responsibility to be Jesus’ presence in the world; to glorify God and to bear witness to the Good News. This is no small responsibility, but it is ours through Baptism. We are the hand God extends to those who need Him. Ours is smile that shows the world God’s loving face. Fidelity to our mission may bring hardships, but we know that we are united with the saints and our founders who have walked this way before us. Fidelity to Jesus and to the charism of our community demands our courageous response. To follow Jesus is to reach out into a world that may not want our help. Yet we continue to reach out, because the Blood that was shed on the Cross was shed, not just for a select few, but for the whole world.
-Fr. Steve Dos Santos, 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.