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  Friday - 6 th Week of Easter Gospel – John 16:20 - 23 I’ve Got Joy, Joy, Joy Down in My Heart Outside the Old City of Jerusalem This is a rather short Gospel today but it actually has 2 different threads running through it. The first is a continuation of yesterday’s theme – in the midst of our pain, there will come joy.   Jesus uses the image of a woman going through the pain of giving birth which transforms into the joy of a new life.   While I was there right by Ginger’s side for the entire process of bringing our daughter Jaime into the world, my only remembrance of pain was Ginger’s crushing grip as I held her hand throughout the contractions.   But the emotion of holding Jaime in my arms for the first time – indescribably joyful and beyond words!   And the joy that awaits us in the Kingdom?   Way beyond anything we can imagine! The second thread reminds us of the importance of prayer.   “Whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He will give you.”   People are
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  Thursday - 6 th Week of Easter Gospel – John 16: 16-20 In A Little While Along The Via Dolorosa Revisiting that tragic day in Uvalde, Texas when 19 students and 2 teachers were killed and the scores of young lives cut short by violence in the 2 years since! I am tired!   Tired of non-stop newscasts with endless stories of violence and bloodshed!   Tired of hearing gunshots in the middle of the night!   Tired of seeing processions of families and friends   on their way to lay a loved one to rest! Tired of lighting candles for young lives cut short by violence when we should be celebrating and cherishing the living!   Just tired!   How many young lives have to be lost to violence, how many families torn apart by unfathomable grief, before we all agree that this is wrong! Jesus talks about ‘a little while’ in today’s Gospel.   A little while and you will not see Me and again a little while and you will see Me.   As parents, we know from experience that our adult defi
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  Wednesday - 6 th Week of Easter Gospel – John 16: 12-15 Make Me Proud! St. Joseph Church, Nazareth Over the years since my Dad’s passing, there have been a number of events in my life (Ordination, a heartfelt homily or just being a good husband, son or grandfather) where Ginger would say to me “Your Dad would be so proud of you.” I’d like to think that was true; I hope it is!   Many are the times when I would look up into the heavens and wonder – did you see that, Dad?   Am I making you proud?   There are certainly moments when I realize I sound/act just like my Dad, especially my corny punny sense of humor.   And that makes me smile!   And so I wonder how much of my Dad is in me!   His compassion, his sense of humor, his love of family, his self-sacrifice and his calm in the midst of the storm!   And now I guess I have a couple more ‘parents’ looking out for me from above.   And I certainly hope I am making them proud as well.   I certainly hope that there is a good
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  Tuesday - 6 th Week of Easter Gospel – John 16:5-11 Good Grief Entrance to the Tomb, Church of Holy Sepulchre 30 years ago, I was standing by the bedside of my dear friend, Don.   He had been waging a long-term battle with cancer and today was the day I gathered with his wife and 3 little girls to say our last goodbye.   There are no words possible to encompass all the conflicting emotions we felt as we stood there holding hands.   Tears were abundant and words were few!   But the grief, the sadness, the loss and the very real pain of realization that this was his last moments here on earth – that was almost unbearable!   I would not wish that experience on anyone.   And yet most of us have probably had that memory and still carry the sorrow with us even today.   And then, barely 2 weeks ago, we faced the unimaginable – the passing of Ginger’s Mom and then, 6 days later, her Dad!   Again, there are no words for such a crushing loss!   The pain continues, the sorrow con
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  Monday - 6 th Week of Easter Gospel – John 15:26 – 16:4 This is Gonna Hurt Storms over Mt. Carmel Nobody likes going to the dentist.   Even worse, nobody likes hearing the dentist say “This may hurt a bit.”   A bit?   Right, that’s dentist code for grab the armrests and hold on; it’s gonna be a bumpy ride. That is what we hear in today’s Gospel.   This is gonna hurt!   You are going to feel pain, to suffer.   People will toss you out of the synagogue, torture you, and even kill you for your faith.   The world is full of anger and violence and you are going to feel it because of your faith in Me.   But because of that faith, I am sending you the Spirit, the Advocate to guide and support you.   Keep the faith!   Storms are coming but you are not alone. Nobody likes hearing bad news; we tend to avoid it at all costs.   Nobody wants to hear that we could die for our Christian faith.   It begs the question – What are you willing to die for?   Who are you willing to die
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