As we continue our celebration of the Ascension, I offer this version of "Do Not Stand and Stare in Wonder":
Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord. The assigned readings are Acts 1:1-11, Ephesians 1:17-23, and Matthew 28:16-20. The Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 47 (Psalm 47:2-3, 6-9).
For one version of the Responsorial Psalm set to music, please visit:
YouTube: Spirit & Psalm 2025 – Ascension – Psalm
Today's Gospel reading is as follows:
Reflection on these readings and on this celebration:
Crossroads Initiative: Ascension of Christ & the New Evangelization
uCatholic: The Solemnity Of The Ascension
Aleteia: Philip Kosloski: Jesus ascends and the devil descends on the Ascension (8 MAY 24)
"It was such a relief when my spiritual mentor told me, 'A balanced life is a myth.'
"Maybe you know this myth well. It tells us that life can be neatly divided into compartments, and that we can give the right amount of energy, attention, and productivity to each one. Nothing falls behind. Nothing becomes chaotic. Nothing is strained. Nothing spills over. Nothing costs too much.
"If one is looking for balance, do not read the Gospel."
In a recent commentary, Father Joe Newman, OSFS, reflected on the importance of faithfully loving and living God-s will in this moment/
To access Fr. Newman's complete post, please visit:
De Sales Weekly: Provincial Reflection: Balanced? (a4 MAY 26)
"God's blessings flow continuously, but unless we make ourselves into a vessel for them, they will flow elsewhere. Prayer is the act of turning ourselves into a vehicle for the Divine. Prayer changes the world because it changes us." - Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
As we celebrate Mother's Day (Happy Mother's Day to all mothers, grandmothers, godmothers, and others who serve in the role of a mother!), I offer this presentation of "Sing of Mary" to offer Mother's Day greetings to our Blessed Mother, Mary
Today the Church celebrates the Sixth Sunday of Easter. The assigned readings are Acts 8:5-8, 14-17; 1 Peter 3:15-18; and John 14:15-21. The Responsorial Psalm is from Psalm 66 (Psalm 66:1-7, 16, 20).
For one version of the Responsorial Psalm set to music, please visit:
YouTube: Respond & Acclaim 2026 - Easter 6 - Psalm
The Gospel reading is as follows:
Jesus said to his disciples: "If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father,
and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows him. But you know him, because he remains with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me, because I live and you will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him."
Reflections related to these readings:
Community in Mission: Lessons of Love - A Homily for the 6th Sunday of Easter (9 MAY 26)
Benedictine College: This Sunday, Your Baptism Is for Others, Not Just You (7 MAY 26)
Word on Fire: Five Signs of the Holy Spirit (Cycle A * Easter * 6th Week)
The Pilot: Echoes: Scott Hahn: Alive in the Spirit (8 MAY 26)
The Quiet Corner: Monasticism in Transition: A 900-Year Legacy Faces a New Horizon (8 MAY 26)
"At first glance, the story of Scott Borba sounds almost too cinematic to
be true. A former model, actor, beauty entrepreneur, and co-founder of e.l.f. Cosmetics,
he spent years immersed in the world of image, luxury, and success
before walking away from it all to become a Catholic priest. Yet what
makes his story so compelling is not the dramatic change itself, but the
quiet realization that beauty, on its own, was never enough."
In a recent commentary, writer Cerith Gardiner
reflected on Deacon Scott Borbal and his call to the priesthood.
To access Ms. Gardiner's complete post, please visit:
Aleteia: Cerith Gardiner: The millionaire beauty entrepreneur becoming a priest (8 MAY 26)
"The Lord commands us to love one another as He has loved us (cf. Jn 13:34): it is the love of Jesus that gives birth to love in us. Christ Himself is the criterion of true love: love that is faithful forever, pure and unconditional, love that gives without wanting to possess." - Pope Leo XIV
It’s time for some classical music. This is a presentation of Joseph Haydn’s String Quartet in C Major, Op. 20, No. 2, as presented by the Isidore String Quartet:
"Many years ago, while on a visit to America, a wealthy businessman was fascinated by a powerful microscope. Looking through its lens to study crystals and flower petals, he was amazed at their beauty and detail. So he decided to purchase one of these instruments of marvels and take it back to his country.
"He thoroughly enjoyed using it until one day he examined a few grains of rice he was planning to eat for dinner. Much to his dismay, he discovered that tiny living creatures were crawling on the grains. Since he was especially fond of this staple food in his daily diet, he wondered what to do. Finally, he concluded that there was only one way out of this dilemma - he would destroy the instrument that caused him to discover this distasteful fact! So he smashed the microscope to pieces.
"'How foolish!' you say, 'those little critters are still there even if he chooses not to see them.' But how many people do the same thing with the Word of God? They try to rid themselves of it because it reveals their sinful nature." - Source Unknown; shared in "Apple Seeds," May 2020
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