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Jesus is the Good Shepherd who guides us---the sheep.  As we celebrate the Easter season we rejoice in the gift of the resurrection and as faithful sheep, turn down the noise around us and tune into the voice of Christ.  We do this so we can be faithful disciples sharing the JOY OF THE GOSPEL!!

As we celebrate Easter and the Resurrection---Jesus appears for the third time to the disciples showing them the reality that He is alive!!  What does Easter mean for us and do we find the Risen Lord in our daily life?  We need to fall in love with Him and follow Him sharing the joy of eternal life that we can experience even now!!

Today we celebrate Christ's death on the cross for our salvation.  We come to hear the Passion according to John, adore the cross of salvation and receive Holy Communion at the Solemn Good Friday liturgy.  May this day of prayer and reflection transform us as faithful messengers of the Good News today!!

As we enter the Easter Triduum with Holy Thursday, we are embarking on a spiritual journey of grace where we encounter Christ and His eternal love for us.  Jesus washes the feet of the disciples as we hear from the Gospel of John today---may we be open and allow Christ to cleanse us with His love and may we serve others with that same compassion and hope!!

Fr. John reads the shorter version of the Passion according to Luke and offers some reflections that can help us journey through Holy Week to Easter.  This is the beginning of the most powerful time in the liturgical year---may we be attentive to the grace and strength of the season!!

This coming weekend we have the story of the woman caught in adultery from the Gospel of John.  This powerful moment in Christ's ministry beckons us to change our perspective from condemnation and judgment to compassion, mercy and forgiveness.  Lent is all about changing our ways and follow God's way.  Will we allow that to happen in our lives?

The parable that we hear this weekend reminds us of how the Gospel is unfair----in a good way.  The Story of the Prodigal Son is really a story of the wasteful Father who brings compassion, mercy and life back to his younger son.  Lent helps us be wasteful or generously unfair with compassion and love to those who need God's grace, bringing hope. joy and love to those in greatest need.

Lent is a time for us to reflect on whether we are being faithful disciples that bear good fruit for the world.  If not, then we need to change and if not enough, we need to do more.  Our God offers us many many chances to change and return to him---but there is an urgency on our part to do this quickly and without delay.  Let' also help others draw close to the love of Christ!!

As we celebrate the Second Sunday of Lent, we experience in the gospel another epiphany moment on a mountain top realizing who Jesus really is as the Son of God.  We need mountain top encouragement and perspective to be true missionaries in our world.  Where do we find them in our lives today?

This coming weekend we celebrate the First Sunday of Lent.  This holy season is a journey and pilgrimage that has us travel from sin, death and selfishness to peace, service and life by embracing Christ in our lives.  Are we on the move or are we staying still?  Is Lent a time of change for us?  Do we think we need change?  Listen for more!