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
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.
Apr 17, 2016
My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. No one can take them out of my hand. (John 10:27-30)
In the Easter season we hear about sheep. I don’t have any experience with sheep but I have grasped the hand of a friend who did not let go when I needed help.
“I know my sheep and mine know me.” Knowing Jesus is an ongoing journey of discovery and surprise. Do we really know Jesus? And, more importantly, do we hear his voice and follow when there are so many busy voices calling for our attention?
Paul grew in his understanding and knowing of Jesus. He was so convinced of the gospel message that he traveled and endured hardships to extend Jesus’ message of light and life to anyone who listened.
If, we, like the sheep listen and follow, then John’s vision of people from every nation and race standing together worshipping God comes true. Together, all people will have enough to eat and drink, will have life-giving water, and no tears or suffering.
In all three readings, Jesus, the Lamb and Paul, extend their hands to all people in an invitation to be in the light. This is not a demand but an invitation. Mercy lets people make choices, always extending the hand of invitation without blame or guilt. Can we be any less merciful?
-Sr. Fran Raia, CPPS (O’Fallon)
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 16, 2016
Jesus then said to the Twelve, ‘Do you also want to leave?’
Simon Peter answered him, ‘Master, to whom shall we go.?’
(John 6:67-68)
The disciples began to have second thoughts as Jesus promised he would give them his Body and Blood. Was the commitment to Jesus and to their mission worth the opposition it would invite? The mission we share with the disciples invites the same commitment and the same opposition. How do we remain faithful to our mission in face of the inevitable opposition? The answer lies in the very gift that Jesus left to his disciples and to us. In the gift of his Body and Blood Jesus promises his fidelity to us. It is that fidelity that empowers us to remain faithful to our mission of touching the heart of our world with the mercy of God revealed in the Blood of Jesus.
-Fr. Andy O’Reilly, 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 15, 2016
Saul still breathing threats(when)…a light flashed around him…a voice said…Why do you persecute me?…
(Paul said) Who are you?…I am Jesus. (Acts: 9:1-20)
What an unlikely person to be chosen by God to bring the Gentiles, us, to Jesus to Christianity!
What a compassionate God we have who invites us to participate in the ministry he gave Saul/ Paul/us. Inviting us to come as we are. We are invited to be a Reconciling Presence in a world torn by war; injustice, prejudice, rejection, fear and loss of hope. A world where the rich and strong are honored and the poor and weak exploited. Yet a world filled with loving compassionate people if we can just let the Risen Jesus scratch our surface. If we can just help each other scratch this surface so as to recognize that I am made in the image and likeness of God, and so is the other.
-Sr. Doris Rechtiene, CPPS (O’Fallon)
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.
