Podcasts about Solemnity

Fr. Eric's homily on the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord.

Fr. Stephan's homily on the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord

Homily for the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord by Fr. Stephen Hamilton.Reading I Acts 1:1-11Responsorial Psalm Psalm 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9Reading II Hebrews 9:24-28; 10:19-23Alleluia Matthew 28:19a, 20bGospel Luke 24:46-53

Typically, near the Solemnity of the Ascension, Fr. Ben gets asked multiple questions about Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory. He decided to do a homily to explain what all three are and how the individual person decides what they want. Listen to better understand. Got a question you'd like to ask Fr. Ben? You can submit questions and topic ideas for the podcast through Facebook or you could email us at soulfoodpriestmemphis@gmail.com. The questions can be on faith or food! You can also follow us on Facebook and YouTube at Soul Food Priest. Thanks for listening!

Reading IActs 1:1-11In the first book, Theophilus,I dealt with all that Jesus did and taughtuntil the day he was taken up,after giving instructions through the Holy Spiritto the apostles whom he had chosen.He presented himself alive to themby many proofs after he had suffered,appearing to them during forty daysand speaking about the kingdom of God.While meeting with them,he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem,but to wait for “the promise of the Fatherabout which you have heard me speak;for John baptized with water,but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”When they had gathered together they asked him,“Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”He answered them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasonsthat the Father has established by his own authority.But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you,and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem,throughout Judea and Samaria,and to the ends of the earth.”When he had said this, as they were looking on,he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going,suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them.They said, “Men of Galilee,why are you standing there looking at the sky?This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heavenwill return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.”Reading IIEphesians 1:17-23Brothers and sisters:May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,give you a Spirit of wisdom and revelationresulting in knowledge of him.May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened,that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call,what are the riches of gloryin his inheritance among the holy ones,and what is the surpassing greatness of his powerfor us who believe,in accord with the exercise of his great might:which he worked in Christ,raising him from the deadand seating him at his right hand in the heavens,far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion,and every name that is namednot only in this age but also in the one to come.And he put all things beneath his feetand gave him as head over all things to the church,which is his body,the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.GospelLuke 24:46-53Jesus said to his disciples:“Thus it is written that the Christ would sufferand rise from the dead on the third dayand that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins,would be preached in his nameto all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.You are witnesses of these things.And behold I am sending the promise of my Father upon you;but stay in the cityuntil you are clothed with power from on high.”Then he led them out as far as Bethany,raised his hands, and blessed them.As he blessed them he parted from themand was taken up to heaven.They did him homageand then returned to Jerusalem with great joy,and they were continually in the temple praising God.

Catholic homilies and Mass readings from St. Anne Roman Catholic Parish in Gilbert, Arizona

Catholic homilies and Mass readings from St. Anne Roman Catholic Parish in Gilbert, Arizona

Catholic homilies and Mass readings from St. Anne Roman Catholic Parish in Gilbert, Arizona

Delivered by Ria from the Parish of Good Shepherd in the Diocese of Surabaya, Indonesia. Acts of the Apostles 20: 17-27; Rs psalm 68: 10-11.20-21; John 17: 1-11a.EMBRACE THE GLORY OF GOD The title for our meditation today is:Embrace The Glory Of God. Jesus has explained so much about the Holy Spirit whoteaches us everything about Him, including about the cross and suffering. If weas His followers love and accept the cross that the Lord has given us, we mustbe so loved and blessed by the Holy Spirit. For example, the Apostle Paul saidthat suffering and the cross had become his daily food. The Holy Spiritstrengthened and comforted him to accept it with pleasure, and he enjoyed it tothe end. To endure to the end with this cross, Jesus makes it the greatestchallenge for His followers. There are people who are ready for it like Paul,but there are more not yet or even not ready. So He prays for them so that theydo not need to worry about all kinds of suffering and the cross. Blessed are wefor the Lord Jesus Christ prays for us! His prayer for us and His promise ofthe Holy Spirit that helps us to carry our crosses, aim to make us always likethe cross, embrace it, and carry it. Before carrying the cross, we must embracefirst. That means we want, we like and we accept it. If we embrace something orsomeone, that means we love, also we are careful to keep it from falling. Wetry to make sure that the cross does not fall from us and can even move toanother person. This means we embrace the glory ofGod. The cross signifies victory and glory for us, which is achieved byovercoming error and sin. What does embracing God's glory mean? First, becauseJesus Himself reveals that glory to us, especially when He prays for us.Second, Jesus offers an abundance of blessings without limit and this describesreally the glory of God. The glory of the Lord refers to His abundant mercy andkindness. Third, by embracing the glory of Godthrough His cross, we are certain to know God personally. In principle, if wecan get to know someone about his situation that is most difficult, then wecome to know him deeply and personally. With the cross of Jesus, we can knowmany people who are suffering around us because of the various problems.Fourth, the glory of our Lord is also experienced through the fellowship oflove that endures to the end, precisely when love is expressed in serving thosewho suffer. The cross signifies the unity of Jesus Christ with the sinful andsuffering human beings. Let us prepare ourselves for the Solemnity of thePentecost by embracing the glory of God.Let's pray. In the name of theFather ... O Good and loving God, help us to always choose for Your glory inall our efforts and duties. May we faithfully carry our crosses in all times.Hail Mary full of grace ... In the name of the Father ...

When he had said this, as they were looking on,he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.

Send us a textFr Joe Krupp continues his Easter homily series breaking down the mass on the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord.Check out the JIBM Web site at:  https://www.joeinblackministries.com/Please use the following link if you would like to financially support Church of the Holy Family: https://pushpay.com/g/hfgrandblanc?sr...

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Friends of the Rosary,In most countries and ecclesiastical provinces in the U.S., the Seventh Sunday of Easter is today celebrated as the Solemnity of the Ascension of Christ Jesus into heaven, marking the end of His earthly life.Ascending again to His Father, Our Lord preceded us into the heavenly home. This triumphant event fills humans with immense joy as it announces what awaits us.The feast of the Ascension of the Lord in his human nature to the Father is the confirmation of our Christian faith. What we call death is not the end but rather the real beginning to an invisible dimension, with glorified bodies, enjoying a true life of eternal happiness.We are consoled and comforted with the assurance that we will live on forever with our dear ones — which is what all human beings want.Death on earth has separated us from our loved ones temporarily. This break anticipates a new life about to begin.That's what we see when we look up to heaven and observe Christ ascending to His Father and our Father.Ave Maria!Jesus, I Trust In You!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York• ⁠June 1, 2025, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ETEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play

Homily given at St. Thomas à Becket on the Solemnity of the Ascension (June 1, 2025).

Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord (in many areas) Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 6/1/25 Gospel: Luke 24:46-53

11:00 am Mass

9:00 am Mass

Homily for the Solemnity of the Ascension preached on June 1, 2025.

+ Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke 24: 46 – 53Jesus said to His disciples:"Thus it is written that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold I am sending the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high."Then he led them out as far as Bethany, raised his hands, and blessed them. As he blessed them he parted from them and was taken up to heaven. They did him homage and then returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and they were continually in the temple praising God.The Gospel of the Lord

Homily from the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord. Jesus didn't give us the Bible. He gave us the Church. And the Church gave us the Bible. All Christians believe in the 27 books of the New Testament. We all believe these books are the inspired Word of God based on the authority of the Church to recognize this truth and teach it. The same Church has the authority to declare the 46 books of the Old Testament as well. June 1, 2025: Acts 7:55-60 Psalm 97:1-2, 6-7, 9Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20 John 17:20-26

Homily for the Solemnity of the Ascension (2025) by Fr Mike Delaney, Parish Priest of the Kingston Channel Catholic Parish in the Archdiocese of Hobart, Australia

Msgr. Roger J. Landry St. Peter’s Basilica, Altar of the Tomb, Vatican Rome Experience Program for Seminarians Solemnity of the Ascension, Year C May 29, 2025 Acts 1:1-11, Ps 47, Eph 1:17-23, Lk 24:46-53   To listen to an audio recording of today’s homily, please click below:  https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/catholicpreaching/5.29.25_Homily_St._Peters_Ascension_1.mp3   The following points were attempted in […] The post The Ascension, St. Peter and Future Priests, Solemnity of the Ascension, Altar of the Tomb, St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, May 29, 2025 appeared first on Catholic Preaching.

Fr. Anthony with Tony, and Cristina gather to discuss the goings on, and people in the Parish.  Today is the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord. Father Anthony focuses on the reading of the feast day of the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord yesterday.  The group got into a discussion about the symbolism and the mysticism of the Eucharist and picked up on that discussion today. They go on to discuss changes that are occurring since Vatican II as they share thoughts on changes that move away from tradition, feeling a sense of loss of the beauty that is our Church,  St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish  

Fr. Jude DeAngelo's homily from Mass for the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord. Support Assumption by giving online: assumptionsyr.org/give.Listen to Assumption Today, our daily podcast: anchor.fm/assumptiontoday or subscribe wherever you get podcasts.

Today's Topics: 1) Gospel - Luke 24:46-53 - Jesus said to His disciples: “Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold I am sending the promise of My Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” Then He led them out as far as Bethany, raised His Hands, and blessed them. As He blessed them He parted from them and was taken up to heaven. They did Him homage and then returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and they were continually in the temple praising God. Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord O Lord Jesus, have mercy upon us! Memorial of Saint Paul VI, Pope Saint Paul, pray for us Bishop Sheen quote of the day 2) Where is AI taking us? https://www.tfp.org/where-is-ai-taking-us/ 3) Immigration is NOT an entitlement https://www.knightsrepublic.com/single-post/illegal-immigration-is-not-an-entitlement 4) Public sin requires public reparation https://onepeterfive.com/public-sin-demands-public-reparation/

Friends of the Rosary,Today is the liturgical Solemnity of the Ascension, a feast that takes place on the fortieth day after Easter Sunday. Since it falls on a Thursday, in many countries and ecclesiastical provinces in the U.S., this Solemnity is transferred to the Seventh Sunday of Easter, which is June 1.The ecclesiastical provinces of Boston, Hartford, New York, Newark, Omaha, and Philadelphia celebrate the solemnity today.With his Ascension into heaven, the presence of the “historical Christ” comes to an end, and the presence of the Body of Christ, the Church, is inaugurated.Today is also the Optional Memorial of Pope St. Paul VI (1897-1978), who presided over the completion of the Second Vatican Council.In (Mt 28:16-20) we read, “The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them. When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted. Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and 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. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” The Acts of the Apostles (1:11) indicates that Jesus “was taken up”. The disciples were “filled with joy” (see Lk. 24:52), as with Jesus now ascended, the gates of Heaven were open. The same destiny awaits us, since he is the first fruit (see 1 Cor. 15:20).Ave Maria!Jesus, I Trust In You!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play• May 29, 2025, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

Get all set for the Solemnity of the Acension of the Lord with Fr. Andy Syberg!

Preaching for the Solemnity of the Ascension, Colleen Campbell Karchunas offers a reflection on transforming struggle and pain into testimony and purpose: "When we experience suffering or confusing and complicated events in our lives, it can be easy to turn away from asking deeper questions because of the pain we have experienced. However, the Ascension calls us to consider allowing what happens to us become a part of our story and call...What will you do with what has happened to you?"Colleen Campbell Karchunas is a pastoral minister passionate about formation and accompaniment, especially as understood by Pope Francis. She has served in various Catholic settings, walking with leaders, youth, and students on their faith journeys. Colleen holds a PhD in Catechetics and currently serves as a campus minister while studying Clinical Mental Health Counseling.Visit www.catholicwomenpreach.org/preaching/06012025 to learn more about Colleen, to read her preaching text, and for more preaching from Catholic women.

The post Gospel-Homily for Solemnity of The Ascension (2025) appeared first on St. Clement Eucharistic Shrine.

Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord (for some dioceses) Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/29/25 Gospel: Luke 24:46:53

Fr. Anthony with Tony, and Cristina gather to discuss the goings on, and people in the Parish.  Today is the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord. Father Anthony focuses on the reading of the feast day today.  Father Anthony stressing that the mass is a perpetuation of the sacrifice of the cross in the sense that it offers [Jesus] anew to God, and thus commemorates the sacrifice of the cross reenacting it symbolically and mystically, and applies the fruits of Christ's death upon the cross to individual human souls.  St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish  

This episode is sponsored by The Augustine Institute. The Church needs faithful, well-formed leaders. Our sponsor, Augustine Institute, offers master's degrees in theology, Pastoral Theology, and Catholic Education—rooted in Scripture and tradition —offered online, on campus, or in a hybrid format. Be equipped to teach, lead, and evangelize clearly and confidently. Augustine Institute graduates are leading today's Church—in parishes, dioceses, schools, and apostolates. Learn more and apply at: https://www.augustineinstitute.org/graduate-school/graduate-school In this episode, we will explore ideas such as: 1. Why did Jesus leave? 2. Why are WE still here? 3. How can we know our next steps? The readings can be found here: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/060125-Ascension.cfm The Catholic Woodworker Rosary Crew Rosary is now available! Click here to order:  https://bit.ly/3Wr9ExT Use code: ROSARYCREW-FREESHIP to receive free shipping on your order.   To receive a free pocket Rosary Crew Rosary from the Catholic Woodworker become an ANNUAL supporter on Locals. Our Locals community has live streams, exclusive content, and more. https://keithnester.locals.com/  For more info about Keith, visit: https://down2earthministry.org/ Due to copywriting issues, Keith uses the RSV translation.

Starting the morning off with God is the key to strength and success in your day!Join me in praying the Catholic morning offering, as well as hear meditations, learn about the saint of the day,  and hear today's Scripture readings from Holy Mass.Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 2010, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved.The Morning Glory Consecration Prayer is excerpted from "33 Days to Morning Glory:  A Do-It-Yourself Retreat in Preparation for Marian Consecration" by Michael E. Gaitley, MIC, © 2011 Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception of the B.V.M., p. 137.If you have any comments, please email me at Deanna.pierre25@gmail.com.Support the show

Delivered by Andrew and Shendy Jost from the Parish of Saint Albert the Great in the Archdiocese of Makassar, Indonesia. Acts of the Apostles 1: 1-11; Rs psalm 47: 2-3.6-7.8-9; Ephesians 1: 17-23; Luke 24: 46-53.THE SIGNIFICANCE OF NUMBER 40  The title for our meditation of thisAscension Day is: The Significance of Number 40. People often say: "lifebegins at 40". The new and meaningful life is obtained when someonereaches the age of 40. On this Lord's Ascension Day we want to reflect on thesignificance of the number 40, when God pleases to reveal His will and mystery. In our scriptures, 40 is a veryimportant number. It means completeness and gratefulness. Moses went to themountain to have meeting with God and he spent 40 days in prayer and fasting.The Israelites wandered for 40 years in their journey to enter the promisedland. For 40 days after His resurrection, Jesus appeared several times andtaught His apostles. In His apparitions, He assured them of His resurrectionand prepared them that eventually they went out to the world to proclaim theGospel. The key word here is completeness. Itis about fully-booked appointment by God, that our tickets for pilgrimage onthis earth as followers of Christ, give us an optimistic view about heaven.Jesus ascended into heaven really gives us the meaning that we are alreadybooked. In every ticket there is a list of menus of spiritual food that makesus confident and hopeful about our pilgrimage that is under way. The first menu writes the following:"The risen Lord is always with us now and for ever". He ascended intoheaven but he will always be present with us at all times in different forms.He is with us through His Holy Spirit. The second menu writes the following:"The risen Lord strengthens us to continue His works". We carry outour duties, services and professions with the energy of Jesus Christ, the styleof Jesus Christ, the mind of Jesus Christ and the character of Jesus Christ. The third menu writes the following:"You are My witnesses to all corners of the world". Through the workof preaching the gospel which is helped by the advancement of informationtechnology today, everyone immediately and personally is able to receive thegood news of the Lord. And the fourth menu writes the following: "Each ofus is the official messenger of Jesus Christ". Our "official"status is a distictive mark that makes us different from false messengers.  All the menus are complete. It's finaland we just enjoy them. It is hoped that with the tickets already fully bookedfor the final of our journey, we will be more joyful to welcome the outpouringof the Holy Spirit on the Pentecost Day, and be always open to be guided by Himin every moment of our lives.Let's pray. In the name of theFather ... Almighty God, we thank you for this Ascension Day of our Lord JesusChrist that gives us assurance about our journey to heaven, to be in glory withYou. May we always enjoy this journery and not lose our focus on it. Hail Maryfull of grace ... In the name of the Father ...

Seventeen years ago, Ricardo da Silva, the host of this podcast, heard a homily that has stayed with him ever since. It was preached by his novice master, British Jesuit priest Paul Nicholson, and began with a simple but unforgettable image drawn from medieval art: Jesus' feet dangling in the air, his body swallowed by clouds. Preaching for the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, Year A, Paul returns to that homily, reflecting on how visual art and imagination can lead those who receive a homily beyond scriptural explanation or catechesis and into prayer. Together, he and Ricardo explore how this feast—so often understood as a moment of departure—can also reveal God's nearness and how that insight might shape preaching at funerals and help preachers speak to grief, absence and hope. Guest: Paul Nicholson, S.J., director of the Jesuit Institute in the United Kingdom. Get daily Scripture reflections and support “Preach” by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine⁠⁠⁠ “Preach” is made possible through the generous support of the Compelling Preaching Initiative, a project of Lilly Endowment Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Bible study on Luke 24:46-53, the Gospel reading for The Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord - Cycle C.

Friends of the Rosary,Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Mary Help of Christians. Throughout the ages, Mary has come to the aid of individuals, families, towns, and nations.It is the Will of God that we have the Help of Mary through the recitation of the Holy Rosary.After proving her maternal help, Our Lady has continued to appear in hundreds of places throughout the world, mainly during the 20th century, Lourdes and Fatima being the most famous apparitions.She has brought help from Heaven, and has warned her children to do prayer and penance as a formula for peace. She has stressed that her children must pray the Holy Rosary daily.Ave Maria!Jesus, I Trust In You!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will. Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York⁠• May 24, 2025, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

Delivered by Joanna from the Parish of Saint Gabriel in the Diocese of Bandung, Indonesia. Acts of the Apostles 16: 1-10; Rs psalm 100: 1-2.3.5; John 15: 18-21.THE OPPOSING SPIRITS The title for our meditation today is:The Opposing Spirits. We want to understand this meditation from two opposingdirections. From where the Lord Jesus Christ and all the components in Hismission stands, the opposing spirit is surely an evil spirit with Satan as thecommander. Whereas from where the opponent stands,that is the the spirit of this world and Satan as its commander, the opposingspirit is goodness and truth of Jesus Christ manifested through Hisself-sacrifice to save the world and mankind. The holy Church continues to bearthid goodness and truth till this day. The evil spirit had indeed been defeatedby Jesus but he always waits for the best time to conquer its target namelyhuman persons. Both the Holy Spirit and the evil spirit are againtst eachother. Which one is superior depends on the free will of every human person to choose. Let us show one example. I was calm inmy room. There were no disturbances of evil thoughts, strange intentions and evilacts. There was also at that moment the presence of an evil spirit who wasstill waiting for my unawareness or lost of self-control, then it would temptand conquer me. That's how our daily life goes. The most crucial moment we willface is when the conflict of interest comes, namely choosing between good orevil, right or wrong, humble and pride and so on. A very important point here is that asfollowers of Christ, we must be able to distinguish the opposing spirits, theopposing orientation of life. We must know and be aware of interests that arenot in line with Jesus Christ. Christ has prepared us to have the ability todistinguish. He commands us to keep to His word. The stronger sign of the power ofGod's Spirit is expressed in the words of the Lord Jesus, as He says, "Ihave chosen you from this world". We belong to Jesus. So we have theability to make sure that there is a spirit that is contrary to Jesus and we,His followers. This is also shown in the experience of the two apostles, Pauland Barnabas, while they were undergoing an extraordinary mission. Saints arealso our examples in making of this distinction. So there are many examples around us.Through advice, spiritual guidance, discipline and spiritual assistance, we arehelped to be able to distinguish the opposing spirits. We are getting closer tothe Solemnity of the Pentecost, so we should have in our hearts and minds alonging for the gift of the Holy Spirit to each one of us. Let's pray. In the name of the Father... Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us always with Your blessings, especiallywhen we are struggling and fighting against the interests of this world thatare contrary to You. You have won all the desires of this evil spirit and thewill of the world, so fill us with your Spirit. Our Father who art in heaven... In the name of the Father ...

Read Online“I have told you this while I am with you. The Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name—he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.” John 14:25–26Sometimes we forget all that God has spoken to us. For example, we may have some clear experience of God's presence in our lives, such as a powerful spiritual insight gained through prayer, a deep conviction of His voice spoken through a sermon, the transforming freedom encountered through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, or some form of unmistakable clarity imparted through the reading of the holy Scriptures. When God speaks to us, imparting His Truth, strength, forgiveness and every other form of grace, we are spiritually consoled as we sense His closeness. But when trouble comes our way, those moments of clarity can be easily lost.The disciples would have had many clarifying experiences during the three years of Jesus' public ministry. They marveled at the spiritual authority they encountered in His sermons, witnessed countless miracles, looked on as sinners were set free, saw Jesus transfigured in glory, and watched our Lord enter deeply into prayer with the Father. Each time they encountered the power of God at work, they would have grown in their conviction that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God, the Savior of the World. But Jesus also knew that these disciples would soon have their faith in Him shaken. He knew that as they looked on from a distance in fear as Jesus was arrested, beaten and killed, they would start to forget all that they previously experienced. Fear can cause confusion, and Jesus knew that His disciples would soon fall into that trap. For this reason, Jesus spoke the words above to His disciples. He promised them that the Holy Spirit would soon come upon them to teach them everything and to remind them all that He told them.How nice it would be if every lesson we ever learned from God remained front and center in our lives. How nice it would be if we never allowed fear to confuse us and cause us to forget all that God has spoken to us in varied ways. Just as Jesus knew the disciples would need the help of the Holy Spirit to remember, He also knows that we need the same help from the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the words spoken to the disciples above are also spoken to us. “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name—he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.”What lessons of faith have you learned in the past that you need to be reminded of? It is the role of the Holy Spirit to bring those lessons to mind every time we need them. Therefore, as we move closer to the glorious celebration of the Solemnity of Pentecost, it is a good time to pray to the Holy Spirit and ask for the gift of remembering the many ways that God has revealed Himself to us. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit work in perfect harmony with each other, but each has a distinct role in our lives. The Holy Spirit's role is especially to lead us day-by-day into the fulfillment of the Father's will of becoming perfectly conformed to the Person of Christ Jesus. Reflect, today, upon this powerful promise that our Lord gave to His disciples and to us. Pray to the Holy Spirit. Open yourself to the Spirit's ongoing direction in your life and never allow fear to lead to confusion. Instead, allow God to dispel all confusion and to remind you of all that He has spoken to you throughout your life. Most glorious Lord Jesus, You promised the disciples and all Your people that the Holy Spirit would be sent to us to remind us of all that You have revealed. Holy Spirit, please continuously descend upon me, teach me and guide me. Help me to never forget the many lessons I have been taught so that I will never let fear lead to confusion. Jesus, I trust in You.Image via Adobe Stock Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

The renewal and restoration of fallen humanity began with listening to God. The same holds true in our own time and in each of our own lives: listening, trusting, responding to God.

For 29 April 2025, the Solemnity of St. Catherine of Siena, based on Matthew 11:25-30 (Photo by Leo Rivas on Unsplash)

As we mourn the loss of our Holy Father, it's also inspiring to reminisce back on when Pope Francis was first elected. If you've ever wondered what it was like to be in Rome during that historic moment, Timmerie will share her personal encounter and help you live vicariously through her! You can hear Timmerie's full hour of reflections about Pope Francis and what happens when a pope dies here. Timmerie arrived in Rome on March 19th, 2013, literally hours after Pope Francis’ papal inauguration on the Solemnity of St. Joseph! The air was electric with what she called an “after-party energy,” a lingering buzz of joy and hope among the crowds. All over the streets: chants of "Papa Francesco! Papa Francesco!" The Popemobile Shocker Let’s set the scene: for decades, the popemobile was this sealed-off, bulletproof bubble of security. But Pope Francis rolled out in an open-window Popemobile and then stepped out of it! Swiss Guards = panicked. Crowd = ecstatic. Timmerie made her way to the front of the barrier, reaching out as far as she could. She didn’t manage to touch him, but it wasn't for lack of trying. A Moment of Radical Mercy Right next to her stood a young man in a wheelchair. Pope Francis had him lifted up over the crowd to be kissed and blessed. This was a direct rejection of the "culture of waste" the Pope often decried. Timmerie captured that moment on her old-school 2013 iPhone. The photos spread like wildfire, showing the world a pope who would bend the rules to raise up the lowly. She saw it firsthand... the beginning of a new papal tone: intimacy, mercy, and fierce love for the forgotten. A Shepherd Among the Sheep She wraps her story remembering those early months when we’d hear how Pope Francis would sneak out at night to minister to the poor, something unthinkable with previous popes. But that was Pope Francis: a Latin American shepherd sent by the Spirit, literally stepping off his throne to be with his flock. Timmerie was there for the birth of a new chapter in Church history. And she leaves us with a reminder to pray for the soul of Pope Francis, this bold, compassionate man chosen to lead us.