Month: May 2016

Jesus Physically With Us

On By Fr. David NeuschwanderIn Feasts, Ordinary Time

Corpus Christi

At the Mass we celebrate each weekend, when the priest says those words in the name of Jesus – “This is my body…this is my blood….” – bread and wine are transformed entirely into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.  How might your daily life be different if you experienced Jesus Christ with you, in you, next to you every hour of every day of your week?  When we receive Communion, Jesus is physically with us, in us, next to us…and He stays with us every hour of every day, even if we don’t realize it.  How will this change your week?

Trinitarian Love

On By Fr. David NeuschwanderIn Feasts, Ordinary Time

Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

From all eternity God has existed in a relationship of love – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  These Three Persons of the Trinity are so united in love that they are actually 1 God.  This is the amazing faith we proclaim every time we make the sign of the cross.  And we have personally experienced this life of God: every single time we experience love, we taste for a moment the Trinity – for ‘God is love’ (1 John 4:8).  That’s what we look forward to in heaven.  That’s why, when we don’t feel like we have anymore love, patience, kindness or compassion to give during the daily grind, we ask for strength from God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Then we start loving with Trinitarian love.

The Holy Spirit Prayer

On By Fr. David NeuschwanderIn Easter Season, Feasts

Pentecost

The Holy Spirit comes on this Pentecost day to strengthen us in 3 ways:

  1. In our relationship with Jesus Christ
  2. In defending the faith
  3. In spreading the faith

Every day this week, pray, “Come, Holy Spirit.  Come, Holy Spirit.  Come, Holy Spirit.”  When you’re relationship is faltering, when the Church is being looked down on, when someone needs to hear the good news of Jesus, it is the Holy Spirit who will give your His strength and His words to speak into that situation!  Come, Holy Spirit!

The Ascension is Still Happening

On By Fr. David NeuschwanderIn Easter Season, Feasts

Solemnity of the Ascension

After a brief word from Pope Francis ; ) we celebrate how Jesus ascends today into heaven. This ascension is still happening every time a faithful soul passes from this life into the next. Those who are in heaven cheer us on and assist us in our ascension to God. But even when every soul is in the presence of God, heaven will still be waiting: waiting for the resurrection of their bodies, and waiting for God to create a new heavens and a new earth. The ascension happened 2,000 years ago, it’s happening today, and it will be happening until God’s master-plan of salvation is entirely fulfilled.

The Holy Spirit, the Church and Truth

On By Fr. David NeuschwanderIn Easter Season

6th Sunday of Easter

Our 1st reading opens with a controversy: Paul and Barnabas preaching salvation in Jesus one way, another group preaching salvation in Jesus another way.  Who’s right?  What’s the true faith?  The first Christians, with a deep sense that the Holy Spirit would guide the Church to the true faith, brought their dispute to Jerusalem and the apostles.  Presently, we bring our disputes to Rome and the successors of the Apostles – the bishops and Pope – confident that it is the Holy Spirit who guides the Church to truth, as Jesus promised.