11 May 2025

Belated Birthday Blessings, Steven!!!

Belated birthday greetings to nephew Steven Dymek, who recently celebrated his birthday!!! May each day of the upcoming year be filled with the Lord's choicest blessings!!!

Happy Mother's Day!!!

Happy Mother's Day to all mothers, grandmothers, godmothers, and others who serve in the role of a mother!!!

John Michael Talbot: "Come Worship the Lord"

As we continue our Sunday celebration, I offer this version of John Michael Talbot presenting "Come Worship the Lord"


 

Fourth Sunday of Easter

Today the Church celebrates the Fourth Sunday of Easter. The assigned readings are Acts 13:14, 43-52; Revelation 7:9, 14b-17; and John 10:27-30. The Responsorial Psalm is from Psalm 100 (Psalm 100:1-3, 5).

For one version of the Responsorial Psalm set to music, please visit:

YouTube: Spirit & Psalm 2025 – Easter 4 – Psalm

The Gospel reading is as follows:

Jesus said: "My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father's hand. The Father and I are one."

Reflections related to these readings:

Community in Mission: What Did Jesus Call Us? - A Homily for the 4th Sunday of Easter (10 MAY 25)

Word on Fire: The Voice in the Depths of Your Soul (Cycle C * Easter * 4th Week)

The Pilot: Echoes: Scott Hahn: Shepherd and the lamb (9 MAY 25)

The Pilot: Echoes: Deacon Greg Kandra: Scripture Reflection for May 11, 2025, Fourth Sunday of Easter (7 MAY 25)

Rhode Island Catholic: The Quiet Corner: The Good News: Redemption is on hand for mankind (8 MAY 25)


Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the mothers to whom You have entrusted us and for all the many blessings You have bestowed on them.

Fr. Joe Newman, OSFS, on St. Francis de Sales and Humility

"I eat a lot of hard boiled eggs. They are quick to make, can be taken on the go, and keep hunger away all morning. Whenever I make hard boiled eggs, I put the pot on the stove and set my phone alarm. This past Monday, I put the eggs on the stove and set my alarm for 10 minutes while I checked emails in my office. It is important to note, my office is 21 steps away from the stove. I counted! My alarm goes off, I get up, and I was distracted 12 steps away from the stove and forgot about the eggs.

"You see the picture of the kitchen disaster. . . ."

In a recent commentary, Father Joe Newman, OSFS, reflected on the teaching of St. Francis de Sales on  cultivating the present moment and its relationship to humility.

To access Fr. Newman's complete post, please visit:

De Sales Weekly: Provincial Reflection:
An Eggs-ample of Humility (8 MAY 25)


Reflection Starter

"If someone were to pay you ten cents for every kind word that you have spoken about people, and collect five cents for every unkind word, would you be rich or in debt?" - Source Unknown

04 May 2025

Rhode Island Independence Day

Today, 4 May, the State of Rhode Island is celebrating Rhode Island Independence Day, a commemoration of the state's independence from Great Britain on 4 May 1776.

This year is the 249th anniversary of the Rhode Island General Assembly's declaration of independence from the British crown. Rhode Island was the first North American colony to do so.

Fore more information about Rhode Island Independence Day, please visit:

This Day in History: May 4, 1776 - Rhode Island declares independence

New England Historical Society: May 4, 1776: Rhode Island Independence Day

Rhode Island Secretary of State: A Guide to Rhode Island Government & History

"Alleluia Sing to Jesus"

As our Sunday celebration continues, I offer this version of "Alleluia Sing to Jesus":


 

Third Sunday of Easter

Today the Church celebrates the Third Sunday of Easter. The assigned readings are Acts 5:27-32, 40b-41; Revelation 5:11-14; and John 21:1-19. The Responsorial Psalm is from Psalm 30 (Psalm 30:2, 4-6, 11-13).

For one version of the Responsorial Psalm set to music, please visit:

YouTube: Responsorial Psalm / 3rd Sunday of Easter / CBW#80/ Psalm 30

The Gospel reading is as follows:

At that time, Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself in this way. Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, Zebedee's sons, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We also will come with you." So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. 

When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore; but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, "Children, have you caught anything to eat?" They answered him, "No." So he said to them, "Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something." So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish. So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord." When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad, and jumped into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards, dragging the net with the fish.

When they climbed out on shore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread. Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish you just caught." So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore full of one hundred fifty-three large fish. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, "Come, have breakfast." And none of the disciples dared to ask him, "Who are you?" because they realized it was the Lord. Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them, and in like manner the fish. This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples after being raised from the dead.

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" Simon Peter answered him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs." He then said to Simon Peter a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Simon Peter answered him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Tend my sheep." Jesus said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was distressed that Jesus had said to him a third time, "Do you love me?" and he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep. Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when he had said this, he said to him, "Follow me."

Reflections related to these readings:

Community in Mission: Back to the Future - A Homily for the Third Sunday of Easter (3 MAY 25)

Benedictine College: This Sunday, Peter Gets 4 Do-Overs as Easter Life Begins: Takeaways for Easter Sunday III (1 MAY 25)

Word on Fire: Becoming a Disciple of Jesus(Cycle C * Easter * 3rd Week)

National Catholic Register: Commentaries: Father Raymond J. de Souza: This Question Shook John Paul II - Now Another Man Must Answer Christ's Summons (3 MAY 25)

The Pilot: Echoes: Scott Hahn: Fire of love (2 MAY 25)

The Pilot: Echoes: Father Joshua J. Whitfield: Scripture Reflection for May 4, 2025, Third Sunday of Easter (30 APR 25)

Rhode Island Catholic: The Quiet Corner: The Prominence of St. Peter (1 MAY 25)


Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of May breakfasts.

Marcel LeJeune on Fruitfulness

"When I was in college, I took several semesters of archery. I really loved shooting arrows at targets, but what ultimately won me over was the nature of archery; you immediately know your results, based on where you hit the target. Still, there was one time that I hit a bullseye, and I still scored a zero.. . . . because I was aiming at the wrong target! The problem is - too many Catholic parishes and dioceses are doing the same thing. Yet, they don't even know that they are aiming for the wrong thing and missing the right target. Then when questions arise about why the results they expected aren't happening, they are puzzled. 

"To further illustrate this problem, we need to understand that what we value, we measure and what we measure, we value. . . ."

In a recent Catholic Missionary Disciples commentary related to a quote by C. S. Lewis (
"The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time."), writer Marcel LeJeune reflected on the importance of fruitfulness in ministry being named more often than numbered.

To access the complete Catholic Missionary Disciples post, please visit:

Catholic Missionary Disciples: Fruitfulness Is Named More Than Numbered!