Radiant with Joy

3 Reasons Why I Love Flowers

If a little flower could speak, it seems to me that it would tell us quite simply all that God has done for it.
St Therese of Lisieux

May is here, and I love the flowers that come with this lovely spring season. Everywhere I look, I see vibrant tulips and playful dandelions. The world is so much more colorful and cheerful now that flowers are blooming. Anyone who knows me knows that I love flowers. I love giving them, getting them, planting them, taking pictures of them, and holding them. Flowers make me smile and warm my heart for a few big reasons.

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1 Mom and Dad taught me to love flowers.

Mom and Dad passed down their love of flowers to me as I grew up watching and helping them plant flowers. My Dad had a miniature rose garden in the front yard when I was little. At three years old, walking around the garden and looking at all the different colors was an adventure. Our backyard overflowed with flowers. Annuals lined the perimeter of our yard, and a garden of various flowers bloomed in the corner. At 9 years old, I picked them and arranged them in lovely bouquets for the kitchen table. I learned from my Mom and Dad to value flowers. They taught me to take care of them and to appreciate their beauty.

2 Their beauty reminds me of God.

The transcendental that I relate to the most is beauty. This means that beautiful things help me think of God. Flowers are such a lovely part of his creation. They open my eyes to his creativity and his gentleness. He creates such gorgeous masterpieces out of such small little things. When I see a flower, no matter what kind it is, I remember God’s generosity as he shares his art with us.

3 They help me encounter God.

When you see a work of art, you want to know the artist. You see a painting and want to know who painted it. You see a dance and want to know the choreographer. I see flowers and I long to know their creator. I look at flowers that are so different, like roses, lilies, daisies, sunflowers, and forget-me-nots, and I remember how creative our Lord is to make an array flowers so beautiful in their own way. I think if the Lord made every kind of flower differently beautiful, then as his most precious flowers, we’re our own kind of beautiful as well. I remember Luke 12:27, which mentions how the Lord provides for us just as much as he provides for the flowers. There are so many parables that include nature or agriculture, like the Sower and the Seed and the Vine and the Branches. Because of this, I like to imagine God as a gardener who takes care of us like his flowers. He’s patient with us and helps us to grow. He meets our needs and helps us to bear fruit. He loves us ceaselessly without us having to earn his love. Every flower that I encounter is a bouquet from the love of my life, my Heavenly Father.

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My Confirmation Journey

“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.”
Acts 1:8

Today, I’ve been a full member of the Catholic Church for five years. On May 5, 2015, I made my Confirmation at St. John Gaulbert Cathedral. With my cousin, Karli as my sponsor, I chose the name St. Catherine of Alexandria, and was sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit. I felt so joyful at that exact moment when Bishop Bartchak Confirmed me, especially because the journey to that moment was beautiful, sometimes challenging, but so worthwhile.

From my very first Confirmation class, I knew I had to take this sacrament seriously as I prepared for it. I mentioned in a previous blog post that one of our priests said if we don’t want to get Confirmed, we shouldn’t get Confirmed. That was the moment that I knew I had to be responsible for growing in my faith. I truly wanted to get Confirmed, and everyone knew it from how involved I was in the Parish and how much I participated in class.

(Click here to read Why I’m Still Catholic!)

Throughout my three years of preparing for Confirmation, I wasn’t always surrounded by people who were strong in their Catholic faith. Don’t get me wrong, several of my closest friends aren’t Catholic, and we still love each other so much. It’s not a bad thing to be around people of different beliefs, and while my friends never made me feel bad for being Catholic, a few individuals and a few circumstances did. I was never directly confronted about my faith, but I from time to time I felt judged. I witnessed a few classmates question and even challenge the Church’s teachings. I could only pay attention to how my teachers answered so that I could remember their responses in case I was ever in their shoes.

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It might have seemed like I was blindly following the Church, but I thirsted to know her teachings. I longed to know everything my faith encompassed so that I could understand it inside and out. This might be why St. Catherine of Alexandria picked me to take her name, because she intercedes for me as I study, teach, and defend the faith. Some were harder than others, but I always chose the Church instead of the world. I couldn’t imagine leaving the faith that I’ve been growing in since I was baptized. I remembered what Peter said when Jesus turned to the twelve and asked if they wanted to leave after learning about the Eucharist. “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68). I felt like him, knowing that the Church that Christ himself established is the truth and the way to Eternal Life. No matter what anyone else told me, I wasn’t going to miss out on it.

A few days before my Confirmation, I went to confession so that my soul would be white as snow when I got Confirmed. This helped me to prepare myself for this sacrament and fully participate in it. On May 5, 2015, my parents gave me a beautiful St. Catherine of Alexandria medal to wear with my crucifix. It reminds me of the Saint whose name I took and to ask for her intercession. I approached the Bishop knowing that in just a moment I would be a full member of the Church. I made myself be fully present, taking everything in to make sure I remember the exact moment. I remember the smell of the Chrism oil and feeling the Bishop trace a cross on my forehead with his thumb. I remember him saying “Catherine, be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit,” and me saying “Amen.” I remember the joy of being filled with the Holy Spirit, and I’ve never felt his absence since that moment.

In many ways I feel like my Confirmation is ongoing. I’m still experiencing the gifts of the Holy Spirit each day. As I navigate my way through life and discern the Lord’s will for me, the Holy Spirit guides me. He helped me to strengthen my faith in college and live my vocation in the moment. I don’t think I’ll ever stop discerning God’s plan for me because it’ll look different no matter where I am. In college as I served as a Rock Catholic leader and helped other students grow in their faith, as I started Radiant with Joy, as I start my next job after I graduate, and whatever comes next, the Holy Spirit will be with me, leading me ever closer to God and allowing me to help all I encounter fall more in love with God. All of this is because I didn’t treat Confirmation as “graduation” from the Church. Nothing really ended when I got Confirmed. This sacrament only began a new life.

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This Sunday’s Gospel: May 3, 2020

John 10:1-10

Jesus said:
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate
but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber.
But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice,
as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
When he has driven out all his own,
he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him,
because they recognize his voice.
But they will not follow a stranger;
they will run away from him,
because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.”
Although Jesus used this figure of speech,
the Pharisees did not realize what he was trying to tell them.

So Jesus said again, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
I am the gate for the sheep.
All who came before me are thieves and robbers,
but the sheep did not listen to them.
I am the gate.
Whoever enters through me will be saved,
and will come in and go out and find pasture.
A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy;
I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”

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Something that FOCUS, the Fellowship of Catholic University Students, does so beautifully is discipleship. FOCUS missionaries follow Jesus closely so that they can make their students disciples by helping them follow Jesus closer. In turn, their disciples eventually become disciple makers. They have disciples of their own who they help to follow Jesus more closely, and the spiritual multiplication cycle continues. This Sunday’s Gospel reminds me of discipleship. A FOCUS missionary named Courtney has been my discipler since my junior year, and my life has changed in so many ways since then. Discipleship has helped me to continually choose Christ and make him the heart of each decision I make. I learned how to grow in virtue, how to deepen my prayer life, and how to find my identity as a daughter of the Lord. Courtney persistently fought for me, seeing how much I could grow and always encouraging me to be a closer disciple of Christ. After becoming so rooted in Christ, I was entrusted with a disciple of my own. I became close with Morghan through the dance department and the Newman Center. As dance majors, became close not only through dance, but also through Bible Studies, women’s nights, Rock Catholic, and even just doing homework at the Newman Center. I watched her grow in her faith as she began seeking Christ more. When she entered into discipleship, our friendship became more Christ-centered as we talked about virtue, prayer, and spiritual multiplication. This Sunday’s Gospel is a model of discipleship and moral authority. It reminds us to follow Christ so closely that we resemble him. This way, the sheep will recognize Christ’s voice in us and we’ll lead them in their walk with the Lord.

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Why I’m Still Catholic

And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
John 20:22

It’s been almost 5 years since I made my Confirmation, and it’s honestly one of my fondest memories. Getting Confirmed was something I looked forward to since I made my first Holy Communion. I knew that after getting Confirmed, I would be a full member of the Church. I’d be an adult who’d have to take her faith into her own hands. Consequently, I took my Confirmation classes seriously.

I remember on the very first day of class, one of our priests gave us a word of advice and said something that I’ll never forget. “If you don’t want to get Confirmed, don’t get Confirmed.” He explained to us that Confirmation was a big deal, and we shouldn’t get Confirmed because someone else, like our parents, wants us to. For three years, I participated in class, went on retreats, and did service hours, as we were required to do. I also started praying more often, and I went to Confession a few days prior to my Confirmation. I did all of these things because I took Confirmation seriously. I wanted to be open to receiving the Holy Spirit, and I wanted to be the best soldier of Christ as possible.

I could go on and on about the struggles that I overcame and the joys that I experienced throughout those three years of classes. I could go into detail about the beautiful Mass and how it felt to be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit, but I’ll write more about that in another blog post.

In hindsight, I’m glad that I took my Confirmation so seriously. I’m glad that I realized the gravity of this Sacrament of Initiation. If I had treated it as “graduation” from the Church, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

When I went to college, I knew that it would shake my faith if I wasn’t proactive about it. I knew that I had to be responsible and independent enough to stay active in my faith because no one else would do it for me. If you’ve been keeping up with Radiant with Joy for a while, you know how the story goes. If you’re new, (Welcome!) I found a thriving faith community through SRU’s Newman Center. There, I not only received the Sacraments regularly, but I also improved my prayer life and grew in virtue with several other college students on fire for their faith. These people not only became some of my best friends, but also my family

(Click here to read My Second Home, The Newman Center!)

Of course, my faith journey hasn’t always been easy. There have been dry periods and times where I’ve failed. I’ve had my share of struggles, including frequent prayer slumps and spiritual comparison that ate me alive, but the Lord helped me through them all. He continually, gently, guided me back to him and kept making his presence known. He never let me forget how beloved I am to him, which helped me persevere in my relationship with him. As the widely quoted Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” He helped me to stay faithful to him, especially when it was hardest.

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I look around and see young adults who were Confirmed and no longer practice. I talk to students who say they were “raised Catholic,” as if it was so long ago. My heart breaks a little more with every story of falling away that I hear. I can’t help but look at myself and the person I’m talking to, and wonder what the difference was. Why am I still Catholic while so many people aren’t Catholic anymore?

I think the reasons why I’m still Catholic are slightly different than the reasons why I am Catholic. I’m Catholic because I was born, Baptized, and raised Catholic, and I’m still Catholic because I’m Confirmed and I’m still growing in my faith. I’m Catholic because I believe in the True Presence of the Eucharist, and I’m still Catholic because I long for the intimacy with Christ that the Eucharist offers. I’m Catholic because I was learned Scripture and the Church’s teachings, and I’m still Catholic because I believe them and I live them out. I’m Catholic because I believe Christ is my Savior, and I’m still Catholic because I live every day for him.

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4 Ways to Prepare for Your Vocation

Many people confuse our work for our vocation. Our vocation is the love of Jesus.
St. Teresa of Calcutta

Preparing While You Wait
I often dream about what my vocation will be like. I wonder all the time when it will start, as if the more I think about it, the quicker it’ll begin. I sometimes think that when I start living my vocation, life will be perfect. Of course, all of this is far from the truth.

At the heart of every vocation is being an instrument of God’s love, which is something that we can easily live right now. We can be so anxious to get to a chapter of our lives that hasn’t begun yet. We can’t wait to skip ahead and find out what’ll happen. It’s hard to be patient, but God is working in His perfect timing to reveal your vocation to you. He’s taking His time to write your story according to His will. While we wait to learn what our vocation will be, we can still prepare for it now. Of course, there are countless ways to prepare for your vocation, but I’ve listed four to get you started.

1. Embrace the season of waiting
God has you exactly where He wants you. It’s so tempting to wish this time away, to rush through it, and to continually look forward to what’s coming next. Approach this season of waiting joyfully as you prepare for what God has planned for you. Having this perspective will help you stay open to the blessings and graces that God is trying to give you during this time.

2. Pray often and intentionally
When we love someone, we spend time with them. Prayer and the sacraments are how we spend time with God and grow closer to Him. Having an active prayer life will help you recognize His plan for your life. If you’ve hit a prayer slump or if daily prayer is new to you, designate a time, a place, and a way to pray, and get started on your relationship with God. Through daily prayer, He’ll soften your heart and fill you with graces. As a word of advice, don’t only pray about your vocation. Without making your entire Holy Hour about your vocation, you can easily pray for the wisdom and the courage to say “yes” to God’s plan for your life.

3. Find a community
It isn’t good for man to be alone (Genesis 2:18). Because of this, it’s so important to surround ourselves with like-minded friends and build community with one another. I was blessed to find my community in the Newman Center at Slippery Rock, and four years later, my faith has strengthened immensely and my friends and I are still running towards Heaven together. Your community should uplift each other and encourage one another to grow in faith. Without giving in to spiritual comparison, when you look at your community, you should feel called to grow in holiness. It’s true what they say about hot coals, they stay hot and get hotter when you keep them together. To stay on fire for the Lord, stay close to your community and keep them close to you.

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4. Be open to God’s blessings
If we’re too caught up in what’s to come, we’ll miss what’s going on here and now. Moving too fast in life makes us miss the moments that we won’t treasure until they’re gone. This last practical goes hand-in-hand with the first one. Taking life day by day opens us up to God’s blessings. Taking time for Him and finding peace in the present, where He has us for a reason, allows us to appreciate what He’s doing for us right now. We’re more aware of His presence and the graces that He’s outpouring on us constantly. When we’re open to God’s blessings, we make it easier for Him to work in our lives and reveal His plans for us.

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This Sunday’s Gospel: April 26, 2020

Luke 24:13-35

That very day, the first day of the week,
two of Jesus’ disciples were going
to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus,
and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred.
And it happened that while they were conversing and debating,
Jesus himself drew near and walked with them,
but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.
He asked them,
“What are you discussing as you walk along?”
They stopped, looking downcast.
One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply,
“Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem
who does not know of the things
that have taken place there in these days?”
And he replied to them, “What sort of things?”
They said to him,
“The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene,
who was a prophet mighty in deed and word
before God and all the people,
how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over
to a sentence of death and crucified him.
But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel;
and besides all this,
it is now the third day since this took place.
Some women from our group, however, have astounded us:
they were at the tomb early in the morning
and did not find his body;
they came back and reported
that they had indeed seen a vision of angels
who announced that he was alive.
Then some of those with us went to the tomb
and found things just as the women had described,
but him they did not see.”
And he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are!
How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke!
Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things
and enter into his glory?”
Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets,
he interpreted to them what referred to him
in all the Scriptures.
As they approached the village to which they were going,
he gave the impression that he was going on farther.
But they urged him, “Stay with us,
for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.”
So he went in to stay with them.
And it happened that, while he was with them at table,
he took bread, said the blessing,
broke it, and gave it to them.
With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him,
but he vanished from their sight.
Then they said to each other,
“Were not our hearts burning within us
while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?”
So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem
where they found gathered together
the eleven and those with them who were saying,
“The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!”
Then the two recounted
what had taken place on the way
and how he was made known to them in the breaking of bread.

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This Gospel is another reminder that Jesus meets us where we are. He doesn’t just come to His disciples in their upper room. Just as He went to His disciples on the road in this Gospel reading, He meets us as His disciples where we are today. We can encounter Him on the road, in the grocery store, in class, or at work. Out of His reckless love for us, He longs to be with us and make His presence known to us.

Speaking of his presence, Jesus doesn’t immediately reveal to His disciples that He’s the risen Christ. He reveals His identity to them with something He hasn’t done since the Last Supper. When He gives them the Eucharist, they know He’s their Lord. Although Jesus is always with us, we don’t always recognize Him. However, we always see Him in the Eucharist. We know He’s always truly present there as He gives the gift of Himself to be with us. We’re longing to encounter Him in the Eucharist right now, and He knows that. He wants to embrace us in the Eucharist just as much as we do. Until we’re able to do so, take comfort in knowing that He comes to us where we are. In your home, at work, in the hospital, remember that Jesus isn’t far away.

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How Have We Been Prodigal?

Because this son of mine was dead, but has and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.
Luke 15:24

The Wasteful Son
Have you ever wondered what the word prodigal means? The Parable of the Prodigal Son is one that I’ve heard since my Catholic elementary school days, but it took me until my senior year of college to learn what prodigal means. One evening, I went to Mass at the Newman Center, and the Parable of the Prodigal Son was the Gospel Reading. I listened to Fr. Adam’s homily and learned that to be prodigal means to be wasteful.

Understanding this adjective given to its main character has helped me to understand this parable so much more. First, the son rejects his Father, asking for his inheritance early. He basically tells his Father that he wishes he were dead already so he could have the money he’d bequeath to him. After this, he doesn’t invest his money or spend it on something useful or valuable. He squanders it as he lives a scandalous life. Humbling himself to tend swine just to scrape by, he realizes his wastefulness. Most of all, he wasted his identity as a beloved son. He lost sight of how good his Father has always been to him and how much he loved him and provided for him.

Returning to the Father
How have we been prodigal? Maybe we’ve squandered the gifts and the talents that the Lord gave us. Sometimes we neglect our relationship with our Father and choose not to pray. We can take for granted the Sacraments and fail to appreciate the gift of the Eucharist. Perhaps most often, we forget our worth and our identity as a child of God. Like the Prodigal Son, we might find ourselves feeling empty and alone because of our wastefulness, and when we have no where else to go, we return to the Father.

We know how the Parable of the Prodigal Son ends. He returns to his Father, ready to live the rest of his life as a servant because he doesn’t think he deserves to be loved as a son anymore. But the Father has other plans. He disregards his son’s wastefulness and remembers the love that he has for him. He’s filled with relief that his son is home and alive. He calls for a celebration and embraces his son, overjoyed that he returned to him.

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He Welcomes Us Home
Knowing this, why would we think the Father would react any differently to us? Would He be any less merciful or any less loving when we return to Him? Would He not embrace us and rejoice that we’ve come back to Him? Our Heavenly Father is slow to anger and quick to forgive contrite hearts. It’s easy to think that we have to serve our Father and work hard to earn His love, like the older brother in the parable, but we learn that this isn’t the case. He loves us endlessly and is ready to provide for our needs. No matter what we’ve wasted, He welcomes us home when we return to Him with all of our hearts. Whatever your relationship with the Father is like, if you’ve been wasteful or faithful, if you’ve been home or if you left, you’re His beloved child. He longs to make His love known to you, to embrace you, and never let you go.

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When You’re in a Prayer Slump…

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

Disheartened Dwelling
So how has prayer been lately?

For me, it hasn’t been that great. In the planner that I use for Radiant with Joy, I like to track my prayer habits. As if I didn’t need to feel myself slipping, I can see it too. As this pandemic began, I had a great prayer life. I was praying a daily Rosary, I’d spend a lot of time doing intercessory prayer, and while I still could, I would go to daily Mass often. When I couldn’t go to Mass, I’d read the Mass readings and make an act of Spiritual Communion.

Having classes online and grieving my senior moments at SRU has me feeling disheartened lately. It’s hard to concentrate on homework and even get out of bed in the morning. When I feel downtrodden like this, it’s hard for me to pray. It’s easy to lay around and remain in a bad mood, so I stay there. I get in the habit of dwelling in that sad, dark place when I get there, which makes it harder to get out.

Getting Out of the Slump
If the FOCUS missionaries at Slippery Rock hadn’t encouraged us to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet Novena, I probably wouldn’t have prayed at all this week. They asked several of us students to pray for an important intention, and because I love the missionaries, I had a good reason to pray the novena.

Even though praying only the Divine Mercy Chaplet every day didn’t make for a very fruitful prayer life, it was better than not praying at all. I learned to give myself credit for what I can do instead of beating myself up for what I could be doing. Yes, it would be ideal to not have gotten in this slump, but given the circumstances, this was unavoidable. Yes, I could try to dive right back into my prayer routine, but that would have overwhelmed me and pushed me deeper into my slump. I know I’ll be better this week because I didn’t give up on prayer. From here, I’ll take baby steps to get back to where I was. Little by little, my prayer life will be beautiful and fruitful again.

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He’s Still Here
What do you do when you get in a prayer slump? Do you push through? Do you let yourself feel the way you feel? Do you pull yourself back up on your feet bit by bit? No matter what route you choose, the Lord is there amidst it all. As the perfect gentleman, He’s patient and doesn’t pursue you uninvited. Even though He waits for you to lean on Him, He’s still there.

He promised to be with us always, and He still upholds this promise. I know it can be hard to feel His presence. When I watch the Mass, I long to be there and receive Him in the Eucharist. Understandably, the Lord feels distant right now as we’re forced to separate ourselves from the sacraments, but the wonderful thing about Him is that we don’t have to go to Him to be near Him. He comes to us. He’s here in our homes as we stay safe and protect others. He’s waiting for us to turn to Him, to lean on Him, to trust in Him. He’s ready to embrace us and remind us of His love.

Life is uncertain, overwhelming, and scary right now, but that’s all the more reason to get out of your prayer slump. Take the smallest step that you might need and the Lord will meet you on your walk. Reach out your hand and He’ll take it and tell you “I am with you always.”

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How to Receive Divine Mercy this Sunday

Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of your dearly beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.
Diary, 476

A New Yet Powerful Devotion
When Jesus appeared to St. Faustina, He told her that He desired the Sunday following Easter Sunday to be dedicated to His Divine Mercy. He chose this specific day to show the connection between His Resurrection and His Divine Mercy. The Church celebrated Divine Mercy Sunday for the first time after St. Faustina was canonized in the year 2000, meaning this devotion is relatively new. Regardless, this powerful devotion has changed lives.

Receiving Divine Mercy
On Divine Mercy Sunday, we have a special opportunity to obtain Jesus’s mercy so that He’ll make our souls as pure as snow. Jesus promises that those who go to confession and receive the Eucharist on Divine Mercy Sunday will receive His Divine Mercy, and He’ll grant abundant graces and complete forgiveness of sins.

Unfortunately, because we’re in the middle of a pandemic, this might not be possible for everyone. However, we can still participate in Divine Mercy Sunday and obtain the graces that come with it!

Accommodating for Covid
If you can’t make it to Mass, live stream it or watch it on TV. Be sure to pray the Spiritual Communion prayer, which is a way to receive the Eucharist spiritually when you can’t make it to Mass. The Spiritual Communion prayer is a way to recognize Jesus’ true presence in the Eucharist, invite Him into your soul, and avoid temptation.

If you can’t make it to confession, Pope Francis says that during these extenuating circumstances, you can confess your sins directly to God. At first, this didn’t sit right with me because as Catholics, we know the importance of confessing our sins to priests in the sacrament of confession. However, these are incredibly rare and unusual circumstances and priests aren’t available. Our Holy Father says, “Do what the Catechism (of the Catholic Church) says. It is very clear: If you cannot find a priest to confess to, speak directly with God, your father, and tell Him the truth. Say, ‘Lord, I did this, this, this. Forgive me,’ and ask for pardon with all your heart.” Make an act of contrition, the Pope said, and promise God, “‘I will go to confession afterward, but forgive me now.’ And immediately you will return to a state of grace with God.” When we go to Confession, we have to confess our sins by name and wholeheartedly ask forgiveness. Although this isn’t the same, it’s what will work for now if we’re intentional with our confession. Don’t forget to make an examination of conscience beforehand to prepare your heart for confession.

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The Chaplet of Divine Mercy
I highly recommend praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy today. Praying this chaplet offers our Heavenly Father the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus, which is the next best thing to the Mass. The Divine Mercy Chaplet is basically an act of Spiritual Communion! The Chaplet of Divine Mercy will deepen your devotion to Jesus’ Divine Mercy, and during these uncertain times, you can intercede for the whole world and implore the Lord for His mercy.

(Read Why Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy?)

Still Surrounded by Mercy
On this unusual but still beautiful Divine Mercy Sunday, don’t let separation from the sacraments prevent you from receiving Divine Mercy. Jesus longs to give it. All we have to do is ask. No matter what disasters and pandemics occur in this world, Jesus is always near and there’s nothing that His Divine Mercy can’t overcome. My prayer is that on this Divine Mercy Sunday, you can increase your trust in our Savior and feel His Divine Mercy surround you.

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This Sunday’s Gospel: April 19, 2020

John 20:19-31

On the evening of that first day of the week,
when the doors were locked, where the disciples were,
for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood in their midst
and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
“Receive the Holy Spirit.
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,
and whose sins you retain are retained.”

Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve,
was not with them when Jesus came.
So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”
But he said to them,
“Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands
and put my finger into the nailmarks
and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

Now a week later his disciples were again inside
and Thomas was with them.
Jesus came, although the doors were locked,
and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.”
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.”
Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me?
Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

Now, Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples
that are not written in this book.
But these are written that you may come to believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,
and that through this belief you may have life in his name.

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Even though the disciples should have known Jesus was alive, Jesus appeared to them anyway. In His goodness, He allowed them to see Him and touch Him and be with Him. They longed to be with their Lord whom they loved, so He went to them. Jesus revealed Himself to His disciples, but He also reveals Himself to us. Jesus said “Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” We might not get to see or touch Jesus like the Twelve did, but we still encounter Him. We might find Him in a friend who does a random act of kindness for us or gives us someone to talk to when we’re upset. We might see Him in someone in need which prompts us to help. We encounter Him in the Eucharist when we receive His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. Before Jesus ascended into Heaven, He promised His disciples that He would be with them always. If we believe in Him and take a look around, we’ll find Him everywhere we look.

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