Daily Prayer & Reflection

In just a few days we will be honoring our mothers on Sunday, as we do every second Sunday of May.  This is a beautiful day on which we can really celebrate all of the women in our lives who have filled that 'mothering role' at any point in our lives.  Each person's story may be different but the presence of that influencer has been critical to us in some way. Coincidentally, the feast of Ascension Thursday is also celebrated this Sunday...yes, Thursday has moved to Sunday in order to help us celebrate the feast with attendance at Mass more easily.

Ascension Thursday marks 40 days AFTER the Easter resurrection of Jesus Christ...During this time, many things have been happening. Jesus has visited His apostles and disciples and many followers, He has instructed them further about their role in spreading the gift of faith they have been given, the challenges they will face,  the many other cultures, religions, and politics that will either welcome or challenge them, etc. The future is not going to be easy for them! but with conviction and joy they are to set out on this mission. That is also our challenge to this very day.  WE are now the disciples and followers of Jesus; two centuries later, all Christians are to live directives that are exactly the same.  LIVE THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST AS JESUS CHRIST LIVED IT...no small thing.

The very next Sunday, May 19^th this year, is Pentecost Sunday... quite an important day for us.  It was roughly ten days after Ascension THURSDAY that Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to open the eyes of all followers to the full message of Jesus to each and every believer.  This feast is often referred to as the 'birthday of the church' because of the immense gift of the Holy Spirit.The very prefix of the word, 'penta', is Latin for 5, referring to fifty days after the Resurrection.  Jesus knew his friends and followers were well-meaning, but in need of support and encouragement so a wisdom source was gifted to us.  Our job is to listen, to ponder and meditate on the teachings of Jesus, and to live them.  The message is, of course, TO LIVE IN LOVE with and for ourselves and all others.

 

We are fortunate here at TCHS in not only learning of the wealth of examples from Jesus and His followers in His day, but also the lives of the many saints who have come since, especially including our own patrons, St. Francis and St. Clare. These two are amazing examples of the love and generosity of our God being lived out by ordinary humans with extraordinary love.  It is our job to follow and become an extension of Jesus in our troubled world today.

We honor all of our mothers this coming weekend and thank God for the gift they have been to us.  We also thank God for the gift of the Holy Spirit and the opportunity to practice what we learn and hear each day.: GOD IS LOVE...we should strive for no less than that in our lives and remember that love is most visible when seen as a VERB!

 

The TCHS Community wishes all a very enjoyable weekend and a thoughtful week as we approach Pentecost.