Fr. Mike's Gospel Reflection for - Sunday, May 31, 2026

Today is Holy Trinity Sunday. When we studied the Trinity in seminary, our instructor said that the Father could not be the Father without the Son and the Son could not be the Son without the Father. He described the Spirit as the love between the Father and the Son. He then reminded us that the Father was not the Son, the Son was not the Father, and neither the Father nor the Son was the Holy Spirit. The Trinity is all about the loving relationships between the three distinct persons in our one God.

In our Sacred Heart Adoration Chapel, there are a series of icons on the back wall that depict major events in salvation history. The icon farthest to the left is based on a 15th-century painting by Andrei Rublev. Widely considered the most famous Russian icon, it depicts the biblical story from Genesis in which three men visited Abraham and Sarah. Often, the men are seen as angels, but Rublev interpreted the men as the three persons of the Holy Trinity. The three identical angels represent the Father (left), the Son (center), and the Holy Spirit (right). They sit in a circular arrangement, symbolizing eternity and equality. The visit of the Holy Trinity is the first event in salvation history because it reveals, for the first time, the presence of Jesus and the Holy Spirit in relationship with God the Father.

Relationships build on each other. Being a good son helps a man to be a good husband. Being a good husband helps a man to be a good father. My loving relationships with Rosemary and John taught me to be a better man, shaped me in a particular way, and enriched my priesthood. Without the influence of those relationships, there would have been no reason for God to call me to the priesthood. Nearly 30 years with Rosemary and more than 30 years with John, have provided the Holy Spirit with an excellent foundation upon which to build, shape, and refine my priesthood.

In our families, our careers, and our faith journeys, relationships are everything. Our Church is built on the loving relationship of the Holy Trinity and upon all of the relationships that enable us to hear and follow the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Fr. Mike

Fr. Mike's Gospel Reflection for - Sunday, May 24, 2026

Pentecost is the day that the apostles receive the great gift of the Holy Spirit. Ever since Easter Sunday, they have been trying to figure things out. They knew that Jesus had given them a vitally important job.  Yet, they were unsure about how to do it and were afraid that they might fail. During the Ascension, they stood staring at the sky as Jesus, and the life they had with Him, disappeared into Heaven. They wanted to cling to that past, but the “two men” reminded them that they had to let go so that they could move forward to perform the work that He asked them to do.Even though He told them that he would be with them “always,” they doubted that they would accomplish anything without Him physically by their side.

He also told them that He would send them an “advocate,” but they did not understand what that meant. Finally, on the day of Pentecost, the enormous power of the Holy Spirit eliminated all of their doubts and fears. Jesus caused the Holy Spirit to enter into them and transform them into men who were filled with courage, who could speak in tongues, and who could preach the Good News of Jesus and inspire people. Simply put, with the help of the Holy Spirit, they were on fire for the Lord!

If we believe in the Holy Spirit, then we believe that God is always with us and is always at work in our lives.  We are not left alone to fight the evil within us and around us.  Instead, through the Holy Spirit, the living God of heaven and earth, is with us. This is particularly true when we receive the Eucharist. In two very special ways, the Holy Spirit makes His presence known and transforms us through the Eucharist. First, the presence of Holy Spirit in each mass allows the priest to consecrate the bread and wine – to transform it into the Body and Blood of our Lord. Second, when we receive the Eucharist, the power of the Holy Spirit inspires us to become what we receive.

At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit set the disciples on fire so that they could start and grow the Church. Come Holy Spirit! Set our hearts on fire so that we may continue that mission.

Fr. Mike

Fr. Mike's Gospel Reflection for - Sunday, May 17, 2026

In this weekend’s passage from Acts, Jesus ascends into Heaven. The apostles stand there, watching Him disappear. Then, an angel asks the apostles why they are simply standing there, staring at the sky. In other words, he seems to be saying, “It is time for you guys to get moving – go start doing the work that Jesus asked you to do.” In the Gospel, we hear what that work entails: “go make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”

This is the Gospel passage that I often read at Baptisms. It contains the two most important instructions that Jesus gave to the apostles as they went forth to start the Church. They needed to baptize people and to teach them. Generally, baptizing folks was relatively simple: water + words = Baptism. While Baptism is indeed a highly significant moment, with life-long implications, it is accomplished rather easily.

The second task, teaching, is much more difficult to accomplish. Teaching is rarely accomplished quickly. In fact, the more complex the topic, the longer and more difficult teaching can be. A teacher must not only have a great grasp of the topic that she is teaching, but she must also be able to communicate that knowledge in a way that makes the subject “come alive” for the students so that they are both excited to learn and able to understand the topic.

Parents and grandparents are often the most important teachers of the Catholic faith to our children and grandchildren. We buy them “Jesus” dolls, read them books, sing them songs, and tell them stories about Jesus. We are trying to help them to see Jesus as a real person who loves them and who invites them into relationship with Him.

From the time that children are very young, it is important to help them to recognize that Jesus always loves us and is always with us, even though we cannot see Him, or hear Him, or even feel His presence. It’s a hard concept to explain. But we can point them to the promise that He makes to all of us right after the above passage: “I will be with you always, until the end of the age.”

Fr. Mike