Radiant with Joy

How to Find Jesus Everywhere

I will not leave you desolate; I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world will see me no more, but you will see me; because I live, you will live also.
John 14:18-19

I mentioned in a few previous blog posts that it can be hard to feel Jesus’s presence. Especially during the Coronavirus Pandemic, when life is especially uncertain and stressful, it can be hard to feel him near. Jesus promised that he’ll never forsake us or leave us orphan. Right before he ascended into Heaven, he assured us that he’ll be with us until the end of the age. While all of this is true, it can still be hard to recognize Jesus when he’s making his presence known to us.

This is where faith comes in. God doesn’t ever want us to feel alone or forgotten, so when we’re tempted to feel this way, it’s important to turn to the Lord. Throughout this pandemic, I constantly prayed to see the Lord’s blessings during this time and to acknowledge the good that’s still here. I needed the grace to continue to grow closer to Jesus, but I also needed to find him first. Without public Masses or Adoration chapels, I felt distant from him, but I held onto his promise “I am with you always.” As I pondered and repeated it in my heart, I quickly began to find Jesus and recognize his presence.

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A few weeks into the pandemic, I realized that I would have to pray at home. My prayer life was starting to slip because I couldn’t concentrate on praying in my room. I made a small home altar in my room to set aside a place to work on my relationship with God. It started out a little bare, but when I moved out of my college apartment, I added more things to it to make it more useful and beautiful. I arranged my Bible, a box of prayer cards, some small crosses, and more on my nightstand, and I surrounded it with a rosary holder and sacred art on the walls. (I plan to write another post in the future to show you what it looks like and how I’m using it!) Every time I wake up I see my home altar, so the first thing that I think of in the morning is Jesus. I like to imagine him telling me “Talitha koum,” or “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” My home altar reminds me to put the Lord first throughout my day and take time to pray.

After I get ready for the day, I go downstairs into the kitchen. I’m greeted with the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and a copy of the morning offering prayer, all attached to the fridge with magnets. I turn and find The Last Supper hanging on the wall, and “Give us this day our daily bread” lettered in gold above it. The kitchen is filled decorations that remind me that Jesus is near. Whether I make breakfast, work at the kitchen table, or have dinner with my family, I can see and remember Jesus everywhere I look. I think my Mom did this intentionally so that she could offer everything she does in the kitchen to the Lord, and when I have a house of my own, I want to do the same thing.

Now that I’m out of college (oh my goodness I can’t believe I just said that!) I spend less time at my desk in the dining room. We put it there when I moved out of my apartment to give me a space to finish my classes. I placed my letter board on it and wrote HE IS RISEN for the Easter season. While I worked, I would set a few prayer cards beside me to remind me to take time to pray and offer up my work. I’d even place a prayer card of Mary on my phone to remind myself that scrolling through social media isn’t important at that time. When I found myself feeling overwhelmed, I’d pause to pray the Litany of Trust or the Angelus. It was a tough semester with everything online, but I felt Jesus guiding me through it.

Whether I take dance classes online or in person, I learned to find the Lord in them. This started in college when a few of my friends led a Rock Catholic meeting about finding Jesus everywhere. I challenged myself to find him in my ballet class the next day, and I certainly did. He revealed himself to me in the structure of the class. Pliés led to tendus which led to degagés and then rond de jambes. The barre prepared us for adagio which prepared us for petite allegro which prepared us for grand allegro. The format of a ballet class isn’t random. Everything builds upon itself as one exercise prepares the dance for the next. In other words, the class increases in complexity, kind of like creation. After this, I approached not only ballet, but my other technique classes differently, finding connections between dance and faith. Although I’ve never done liturgical dance, I understand that the Lord delights in dancing. Psalm 149:3-4 says “Let them praise his name with dancing and make music with timbrel and harp. For the Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory.” Because he’s given me dance as a gift, I always strive to glorify him in dance. Whether I’m performing or just taking class, I keep Jesus in mind, remembering that all that I do is for him, including every facet of my life in dance.

Even the simplest and most unexpected places can remind us of the Lord. We just have to look from his perspective and soften our hearts to recognize his presence. We can see him even in the flowers that we pass by every day. How can the tulips in the cover of this blog post remind you of Jesus? Their white and red flowers remind me of his divinity and humanity. I think of his purity and his Passion, and the blood and water that he shed to envelop us in his Divine Mercy.

Jesus really is with us always, and he’s always making his presence known to us. We might have to look a little harder or pray a little more, but we can always find him. Psalm 139:7 reads “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” and it still holds true today. No matter where we are and what we do, we can always find Jesus and feel his everlasting, unconditional love.

Where have you been finding Jesus lately? Where does he make his presence known to you? Let me know in the comments below!

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3 Reasons Why I Veil at Mass

The covering of the head with a veil symbolizes the reality of woman sheltered in the side of her Source and becoming one with Him. She becomes covered and hidden in her Divine Spouse.
St. John Chrysostom

In the months prior to SLS 20, the FOCUS conference I attended in January, I kept thinking about veiling at Mass. I wondered what it would be like, if it would improve my faith, and if it was for me. I felt called to try veiling at Mass, so when I found a booth for Veil By Tradition at SLS, I bought two veils and a pouch to keep them in. I veiled for the first time that night when I went to the Adoration chapel with a few friends, and I knew that veiling was right for me. There are so many reasons why I veil at Mass, but I’ll tell you about the three biggest ones here.

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1 Veiling is beautiful.

We praise God all the time with beautiful Churches filled with paintings and statues that remind us of his glory. We praise and worship him through music that makes our hearts rejoice. Veiling is another way to praise God with beauty. Along with goodness and truth, beauty is a transcendental, something that allows our thoughts to shift from earthly things to heavenly things.

Sometimes we go to Mass or Adoration preoccupied with distractions and thoughts of our daily life. The sacred art and other beautiful things that surround us remind us to focus on the Lord. Wearing one of my long lace veils helps me to transcend my mentality to worshiping God. When I genuflect, enter a pew, and put my veil on as I kneel, I remind myself to forget about myself for an hour and be fully present with my Savior, who is truly present in the Eucharist.

Click here to read How to Deal with Distractions During Prayer

2 Mary wore a veil.

If you’re like me, then every time you think of Mary, you picture her wearing a long veil. In fact, she’s rarely depicted in art without one. Mary is the only person who followed God’s plan for her perfectly and wholeheartedly. She always put her own will aside for God’s will, and she always thought of her Son instead of herself. She always points us towards him. My favorite example of this is the Magnificat. During the Visitation, when Elizabeth said “Blessed are you among women,” Mary responded with “My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” (Luke 1:42-47).

All of this is represented in the veil that she wears. Her veil is an outward sign of her devotion to the Lord. It expresses her humility and love for God as she hides herself to redirect attention to God. Our Blessed Mother does the will of God perfectly, so we emulate her as we wear our veils to show our reverence and submission to God.

Click here to read How I Started to Love Mary as My Mother

3 Veiling helps us to be hidden with God.

In our faith, we veil things that are sacred. This began in Biblical times when the Holy of Holies was kept behind a thick curtain, only for the high priest to see. Of course, this veil was torn when Jesus was crucified as a sign that we’re now reunited with God and we can be with him in Heaven. We continue the tradition of veiling sacred things as a way to protect them and as an outward sign of their holiness. For example, we keep the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle when we’re not adoring it or receiving it.

Veiling something shows that what is hidden is holy. As we veil our heads, we recognize ourselves as beloved daughters of God. While we wear them in worship, they help us to focus on the Mass or the Blessed Sacrament in Adoration. In a world where everything is fighting for your attention, veiling gives us a way to center our sights on God. It’s also a way to recognize Jesus’ True Presence hidden in the humble form of bread and wine. In a similar way, we hide ourselves to show humility in his presence.

Ladies, if you’re interested in veiling, there are several veil shops out there! I got mine from Veil by Tradition, but there are seriously. so. many. If you feel a tugging at your heart to veil, one to Adoration a few times. If you’re looking for a way to deepen your devotion to the Eucharist and be hidden with the Blessed Sacrament, try wearing the veil. You’ll find yourself falling more in love with the Lord. When he sees his precious daughter wearing the veil, he’ll transform your heart to look to him and depend on him more.

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This Sunday’s Gospel: May 24, 2020

Matthew 28:16-20

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.”

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There were two options for readings for This Sunday’s Gospel, one for the seventh Sunday of Easter, and one for the Ascension, which is this one. The Ascension reminds me that there’s a time for everything. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” There was a time for Jesus to dwell with us on earth, and there was a time for him to return to our Father in Heaven. The Ascension definitely marked the end of an era, but it also began a new one. The end of Jesus’ earthly ministry allowed his disciples to preach in his name. He gave us the Great Commission for this specific reason. The Twelve had followed Jesus so closely and became so much like him. After the Ascension, the Twelve became more active in their ministry as they baptized, healed, and forgave sins in Jesus’ name. Jesus gave his disciples the authority and mission to share the Gospel, and because we’re also his disciples, we continue this ministry. At first it might look like Jesus left us to our own devices, but he never left us alone because sent the Holy Spirit to dwell with us. The Holy Spirit gave the Twelve his gifts to make Christ known, and like he descended upon them on Pentecost, he descends on us when we’re Confirmed. Especially during times of suffering and uncertainty, we can always lean on the Holy Spirit to guide us closer to Jesus and to remind us of our mission. We can always soften our hearts to draw closer to the Lord, and walk with our neighbors to make Christ known to them.

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With You Always: A Reflection on the Ascension of Our Lord

And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.
Matthew 28:20

I love to imagine what it would be like to witness events like these firsthand. When I meditate on the Transfiguration, the Resurrection, and the Ascension, I like to picture myself there and think of what I would see and feel. I imagine that the disciples were sad that Jesus was leaving, knowing that they would miss him. As they watched him ascend into Heaven, I’m sure they were awestruck, fixing their gaze on their Lord until they could no longer see him. If I were there, I’d find myself meditating on the words that Jesus left us with, repeating them in my heart. “I am with you always.”

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It was necessary that Jesus ascended into Heaven so that the Holy Spirit could come to be with us. Referring to him as “the Advocate,” Jesus told his disciples that when he returned to his Father, he’d send the Holy Spirit to be with them. Ten days after the Ascension, the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples on Pentecost, as Jesus had promised. The Holy Spirit helped the Twelve to evangelize and share the Gospel. He’s still with us today to share his gifts with us. Because we’re Jesus’ disciples too, the Holy Spirit still helps us to stay rooted in Christ.

However, this doesn’t mean that Jesus no longer abides with us. He promised to be with us always, and we can still find him even though he doesn’t physically walk with us. The most obvious place where we can find him is in the Eucharist. In the Blessed Sacrament, we find his true presence as he gives us the gift of his Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. More than this, we can still feel him with us at home, at work, at school, and wherever we go. We might not be able to see him, but this is where faith comes in.

At first, the Ascension might seem like Jesus is leaving us to stay in Heaven, but this isn’t the case. He returned to his Father to give us the grace to continue his ministry. By sending us the Holy Spirit and imparting the Great Commission, we continue to know, love, and serve him while helping others to do the same. Disciples eventually resemble their discipler, so by following Jesus, we become like him. In this way, he’s still with us even after the Ascension, and he abides with us even more closely than before.

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Fiat 90 Follow-Up

Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.
Luke 1:38

Many Small Sacrifices
As many of you know, I did Fiat 90 this year. I mentioned facets of it in several blog posts, but to refresh your memory, I’ll explain it again. Fiat 90 is a 90-day retreat for young Catholic women. It offers us a radical way of growing in virtue, especially detachment, which helps us to live in the world and not of it. Fiat 90 is a beautiful way to grow in holiness as we emulate Mary’s fiat, her “yes” to let God’s will be done. It involves intentionally praising the Lord through body, mind, and soul as many small sacrifices and ways of choosing God become one big sacrifice for him.

Click here to read “Let it Be Done: Why I’m Doing Fiat 90.”

Fiat 90 ended on May 13, the Feast Day of Our Lady of Fatima. Now that it’s over, I want to follow up with all of you and let you know how Fiat went.

Following Fiat
Fiat started off well. No one does Fiat 90 perfectly, but I was pretty close for the first few weeks of it. I did all of the things mostly well. It was hard at first to not snack between meals and not eat sweets, but I did it. I woke up at my first alarm and went to bed by midnight. I wasn’t gossiping, complaining, or making unnecessary purchases, and I listened to a lot of praise and worship music and Catholic podcasts. What came as second nature to me was all of the prayer that Fiat 90 required. I loved going to Mass and Confession often, and I had already formed a routine of praying in the Newman Center chapel every morning.

However, when the Coronavirus Pandemic began, I dropped the ball on my Fiat 90 journey. What broke my heart the most was that I couldn’t receive the sacraments. I felt so separated from our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament that I fell into a prayer slump. I got comfortable at home, so I started snacking in between meals, eating sweets, and watching a lot of TV. As you can see, there were times that I felt like I wasn’t even doing Fiat 90 anymore.

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The Beauty of New Beginnings
I considered giving up a few times, but for some reason I never did. Maybe it’s because I don’t like giving up and I always try to finish what I start. I think persevering with Fiat was my way of trying to find consistency. With public Masses being cancelled and life being uncertain because of the pandemic, Fiat (or what I could still do of it) was how I continued my walk with the Lord and how I continued to grow closer to God.

Doing Fiat 90 in the middle of a pandemic wasn’t just difficult. At least for me, it was nearly impossible. There were times that I really stunk at Fiat. I would barely do the things and I’d feel like I wasn’t doing Fiat at all. I’m grateful that God gave me the will to persist in Fiat 90. Regardless, the last thing that I wanted to do was give up. I’m glad I kept going and realized the goodness of new beginnings. Along with a deeper love for God and Mary, I finished Fiat with an appreciation for the new start that tomorrow brings. I might have failed yesterday, but I can still start again today and be better.

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This Sunday’s Gospel: May 17, 2020

John 14:15-21

Jesus said to his disciples:
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
And I will ask the Father,
and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always,
the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept,
because it neither sees nor knows him.
But you know him, because he remains with you,
and will be in you.
I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
In a little while the world will no longer see me,
but you will see me, because I live and you will live.
On that day you will realize that I am in my Father
and you are in me and I in you.
Whoever has my commandments and observes them
is the one who loves me.
And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father,
and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”

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Jesus affirms his constant presence in this Sunday’s Gospel. He reminds us that he’s always with us, saying that although the world can’t see him, we see him because he abides in us. One way that we can stay close to Jesus is by keeping his commandments. He makes it clear that we have to keep his commandments if we love him. This might come off as demanding, but it’s his loving way of embracing us. He doesn’t treat us like servants or workers, but as beloved friends. They’re not established to exclude, but into include. Keeping the Lord’s commandments allows us to enter into a deeper relationship with him, or what he describes as abiding together. Because of this, to uphold the Lord’s commandments is to love him. Jesus is still with us, and the closer we follow his commandments, the closer we’ll abide with him.

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A Saint for Mental Health Awareness Month

Saint Dymphna, martyr of purity, patroness of those who suffer with nervous and mental afflictions, beloved child of Jesus and Mary, pray to Them for me and obtain my request.
St. Dymphna Prayer

I think it’s awesome that St. Dymphna’s Feast day falls during Mental Health Awareness Month. I first heard about St. Dymphna out of curiosity. I Googled who the patron Saint of mental illnesses is, and I found St. Dymphna and started reading about her. It wasn’t long until I began asking for her intercession.

Throughout college, I would feel anxious and restless. When I would break down from overwhelming stress, I’d remember St. Dymphna. I’d ask for her help and intercession, and she would guide me to my Heavenly Father. Eventually, I’d find myself resting in his peace. St. Dymphna is one of my Tiny Saints that I keep on my key chain to remind myself that she’s looking out for me.

St. Dymphna lived in Ireland during the 7th century. Her father was a pagan king, and her mother was a Christian. Dymphna was baptized secretly and made a vow of chastity, consecrating herself to Christ. Unfortunately, her mother died shortly afterwards. In his grief, Dymphna’s father’s mental health worsened. He became obsessed with remarrying a woman as beautiful as his wife was. His crooked advisors suggested that he marry his own daughter. His perspective of Dymphna warped so that he saw his wife when he looked at her.

She escaped her father’s advances by fleeing with a priest, two servants, and a jester to Gheel, Belgium. There, she used her wealth to build a hospital and help the sick. Eventually, her father found her in Gheel. Dymphna still refused to marry him, upholding her vow of chastity, so her father beheaded her himself. St. Dymphna, virgin and martyr, is the patron Saint of mental illnesses, neurological diseases, and incest victims.

In 1349, a church was built in her honor. Although it burned down in 1489, it was rebuilt in 1532. Pilgrims have traveled to the Church of St. Dymphna for centuries to pray for their mental and spiritual illnesses. This church and the homes for mental health patients that accompany it are sanctuaries of healing and even miracles.

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Although St. Dymphna isn’t known for having mental health issues herself, she’s still a beautiful intercessor for mental health. Because she cared for the sick so generously during her life, I like to imagine her gently caring for us as we tell her what’s wrong. She’s like a patient, understanding friend who sits with us as we cry and talk about our anxieties. If you wanted to start a conversation with her, check out the free printable at the end of the article for a prayer to St. Dymphna. Anytime you’re feeling alone, scared, anxious, or depressed, St. Dymphna will lead you to our Heavenly Father, and he’ll bring you the peace that only he can give.

Click below for a FREE printable of a prayer to St. Dymphna!

St. Dymphna Prayer Download

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What Happened in Fatima? A Reflection on Our Lady of Fatima

Will you offer yourselves to God, and bear all the sufferings He sends you? In atonement for all the sins that offend Him? And for the conversion of sinners?
Our Lady of Fatima

Our Lady of Fatima is one of the most recent and significant series of Marian apparitions. Our Lady appeared in 1917, just over a hundred years ago, to three Portuguese children. On the 13th of six consecutive months, she visited Jacinta Marto, Francisco Marto, and Lucia dos Santos in a village called Fatima, imparting wisdom on them and sharing secrets with them. The messages and secrets of Fatima have slowly been revealed to the rest of the world for its conversion.

With every apparition, our Lady encouraged the children to pray the rosary every day to end the war. The war that she spoke of referred not only to World War I, but also spiritual warfare. She encouraged praying the rosary for the conversion of sinners, explaining that many souls go to Hell because no one prayed for them or made sacrifices for them. Our Lady taught told the children to pray O my Jesus, forgive us our sins. Save us from the fires of Hell. Lead all souls to Heaven, especially those in most need of thy mercy. This prayer became known as the Fatima prayer, and was added to the rosary.

During one apparition, our Lady opened up the earth to show Jactina, Francisco, and Lucia Hell. They saw tortured souls engulfed in flames and smoke. The souls screamed in pain as they were tormented by demons. After showing them Hell, our Lady said that devotion to her Immaculate Heart would save souls. She explained that God desired for the world to be devoted to her Immaculate Heart. This devotion will bring salvation to souls, peace to the world and grace to those who ask her for it. Jesus longs for Mary’s heart to be venerated alongside of his. The children of Fatima spent the rest of their lives devoted to her Immaculate Heart and Lucia in particular spread the devotion throughout the world.

Of course, the people wanted proof that the children were really seeing Mary. She promised that on October 13, 1917, she would show them a miracle. On that day, 70,000 people came to Fatima, stood in the rain, and waited impatiently for the miracle. When the sun was at its zenith, it “danced” in the sky, making zig-zag and spiral patterns and drying up the rain. When they saw or heard about the Miracle of the Sun, countless people changed their hearts to believe the children and to believe in God.

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Our Lady of Fatima is a beautiful example of how the Mother brings us to the Father. Our Lady came to innocent children gently so that they in their purity could share her messages and ignite the world for love of God. Through these apparitions, the hearts of atheists and anti-Catholics were softened to return to the Father’s embrace. During her first apparition, our Lady asked the children if they would offer themselves to God and bear sufferings in atonement for sins and for the conversion of sinners. The brave children said yes, and amidst criticism, harassment, and threats, they remained steadfast and clung to the truth. They never denied that they saw our Lady and the messages that she told them. Like Jacinta, Francisco, and Lucia, we should also be willing to suffer. We should also deny ourselves to sacrifice and pray for the conversion of souls.

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Blessings of a Pandemic Graduate

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.
Ecclesiastes 3:1

My college graduation, the day that I dreamed of for four years, was supposed to be May 9. Of course, the Coronavirus pandemic changed that, and and the commencement ceremony is now postponed indefinitely. I could dwell on everything that Covid ruined and let myself be bitter. I admit that I gave into my bitterness from time to time, but this never satisfied me. I remembered to keep turning to the Lord, which helped me to keep radiating joy during this time. There are things that haven’t been the same because of Covid, and it hurts and it’s okay to feel sad about it. While I let myself feel those emotions when I needed to, I learned to recognize the blessings that the Lord has given me through Covid, particularly on my graduation day.

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Not having graduation the way that I wanted it was a lesson in humility. Something that I learned from Fiat 90 was detachment. I’ve been learning how to let go of earthly things to seek the kingdom of God. Growing in detachment has helped me put my will aside to follow God’s will. It hurt to have to let go of my plans and dreams for graduation, but I’m glad that I did. He doesn’t take away something good from us only to give us something mediocre. God had plans for my graduation day that were still so good, and spending my graduation day at home was better than I ever could have imagined.

I’ve heard that you don’t know what you have til it’s gone, and I’ve heard that absence makes the heart grow fonder. Everything about this pandemic has taught me to appreciate blessings as they come. I talked on the phone with one of my best friends from college a few weeks ago. We caught up and talked about a few of our favorite memories together, like getting together in our dorms to do homework and listen to music, our heart-to-hearts, and bouncing artistic ideas off of each other. We certainly didn’t take those moments for granted, but we agreed that we would have cherished them a little more. I’m looking back on college more fondly now that my time at SRU was cut short.

At first, I didn’t understand how something good could come from something as distressing as a global pandemic. I kept praying to recognize the Lord’s goodness during this time. Slowly but surely, he softened my heart so I could see the blessings that came from this less-than-ideal situation. This is probably how I was able to enjoy my graduation day so much.

I celebrated my graduation with a beautiful day at home and then at my aunt and uncle’s house. I started my day with a holy hour and logged into to a heartfelt dance department Zoom call where my dance faculty shared some beautiful words with me and the other seniors. Nathan came to visit and we took beautiful graduation pictures. (My Mama should really be a photographer because the pictures turned out gorgeous.) We got together with some family to have dinner and play board games and card games. The whole day was filled with joy. Everything about it was lovely as I was surrounded by loved ones who made every moment special. It wasn’t the day that I expected, but it was a day that I’ll cherish forever.

I can’t exactly say that I’m glad that my commencement ceremony is postponed indefinitely. I still want to walk and see my friends in their caps and gowns. I’m glad that this was the alternative. The Lord gave me countless blessings that made my graduation day better than I ever could have imagined. It was filled with so many people and things that I love. I know prior to graduating I was heartbroken that my plans had been shattered, but looking back on how beautiful that day really was, I wouldn’t change a thing.

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This Sunday’s Gospel: May 10, 2020

John 14:1-12

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not let your hearts be troubled.
You have faith in God; have faith also in me.
In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.
If there were not,
would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?
And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come back again and take you to myself,
so that where I am you also may be.
Where I am going you know the way.”
Thomas said to him,
“Master, we do not know where you are going;
how can we know the way?”
Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.
If you know me, then you will also know my Father.
From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Philip said to him,
“Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”
Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time
and you still do not know me, Philip?
Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.
How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?
The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own.
The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.
Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me,
or else, believe because of the works themselves.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever believes in me will do the works that I do,
and will do greater ones than these,
because I am going to the Father.”

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When people are important to us, we make space for them. We make them feel welcome and show them that we love them. In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus tells us that the Father does this for us. He cares about you so much that he makes room for you. He prepares a place for you because he longs for relationship with you. He wants you close to him, and Jesus affirms this when he says “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.” His Father is so good, and he desires to bring us to him, because through our relationship with Jesus, we come to know our Heavenly Father. Jesus wants us to share in his Father’s love, so he tells us about his love and calls us to know him.

Jesus begins this passage with “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” In this fitting verse for these times, he tells us not to worry about anything. He encourages us to let go of our anxieties and know that the Father will provide for us. Let’s rest in his embrace, knowing that he has a plan for us and he has a place prepared for us.

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