Meet Michael, a parishioner of Our Lady of the Assumption in Turlock, credits his home parish's strong community with helping him encounter our Risen Lord more deeply.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Every Sunday and Solemnity, after listening to the Word of God, we stand and profess our faith together: I believe in one God, the Father almighty … I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God … I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life.

“The harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few.”

This excerpt from Matthew’s Gospel has become a catchphrase in the modern Church. We give ourselves vertigo with the amount of head-shaking we do over the much-lamented “decline in numbers.”

This weekend we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ-Corpus Christi, as it was once known.

From the gospel of John, which we hear this weekend, Jesus tells us: "I am the living bread that came down from heaven...Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day."

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. We are definitely a Trinitarian Church: we make the sign of the cross, we bless, we baptize, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit; in other words, the Holy Trinity is in our DNA as Catholics.

Last week we celebrated the coming of the Holy Spirit; about eight weeks ago we celebrated the resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ; and today the readings talk to us about the love of God the Father, “for God so loved the world…”

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

May the peace of the Risen Lord, Jesus, be with you!

As we welcome the month of May, the month dedicated to the Blessed Mother, we turn to her as Mother of the Lord, the Mother of the Son of God, and ask her for her powerful intercession. Under the popular titles of Our Lady of Peace and Our Lady of the Rosary, we turn to her during these troubling times for protection and for the grace of conversion of mind and heart.

The Ascension of the Lord recalls how Jesus ascended to heaven forty days after his glorious resurrection. The mystery has more to it than a mere remembrance of an event. Our Lord’s Ascension invites us to reflect on those forty days He spent with his disciples before ascending to heaven.

Upon starting his mission of leading God’s people, Moses spent forty days on Mount Horeb. It was a time of preparation for receiving God’s Law. Before His ascension into heaven Jesus prepares his disciples to continue his mission. He could have ascended when he rose from the dead, but he chose to spend time with his disciples.

As we reflect on this Sunday’s Gospel from John, we hear Jesus speak with tenderness: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” These words are not meant as a burden, but as an invitation to live in relationship with Him through love expressed in our daily actions.

In our Catholic school community, we see this Gospel lived out each day in simple yet meaningful ways. When our students choose kindness over cruelty, honesty over shortcuts, and service over self -interest, they are responding to Christ’s call. They are learning that love is not just a feeling, but a commitment expressed through action.

We commonly hear this Gospel reading at funerals, as it reminds us of Jesus’ promise to prepare a place for us for the time when we go to Him.

In truth, while it certainly serves as a reminder, it is meant more for all of us—urging us to remain attentive—for, much like Thomas, we too harbor certain questions as we walk our journey of faith. Jesus is clear and concrete in reminding us that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life; and that the dwelling place He is preparing for us in the Father’s house can be reached only through Him.

Greetings of Peace and joy in the name of Christ,

Dear brothers and Sisters, on this Fourth Sunday of Easter, often called Good Shepherd Sunday, we listen to the voice of Jesus Christ in the Gospel of John (10:1 –10). He speaks not only as the shepherd, but strikingly as “the gate.” This image invites us into a deeper trust: He is both the one who leads and the very way by which we enter into life.

Brothers and sisters in Christ,

As we continue to celebrate the Easter season, we are reminded of Jesus’ victory of life over death and light over darkness. Let us never forget that the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is indeed the foundation of our hope and the true source of peace.

Even in this season of hope, we find our hearts are heavy, and we must not close our eyes as we witness ongoing violence and suffering in the Middle East and beyond. Living in fear and mourning the loss of loved ones, many across the world long for stability and peace.

“Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.’” (John 20:27)

In my early 20s, I volunteered at a parish youth group. I witnessed teens encountering Jesus with a fresh, romantic wonder that reminded me of my own teenage conversion. But something had changed in me. I was quietly jaded and cynical. When teens shared stories of encountering Christ, I’d want to sarcastically murmur, “Well, good for you.” I had grown suspicious of the zeal I once knew.

Happy Easter to you!

This weekend we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus. It is a big celebration for us. Why? Because “as we have shared in a death like his so too will we share in His Resurrection.” This is taken from one of the preface prayers for a funeral Mass. This is what gives us hope. When life becomes too heavy for us, when we are overwhelmed, when we feel like no one sees us, we trust that Jesus is with us to make it through this life.