Dear Fellow Disciples, peace.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus gives us a beautiful promise: if we love Him and keep His word, God will come and dwell with us. Imagine that—God making His home in our hearts. This is not a distant God, but one who desires to live close to us, to guide us with His peace.

Dear Fellow Disciples, peace.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus gives His disciples a new commandment: “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.”

This is not just a general encouragement to be kind—it’s a call to a deeper, self-giving love, modeled on Jesus’ own sacrificial love.

Dear Fellow Disciples, peace.

Today, on this Fourth Sunday of Easter, we hear one of the most comforting images in all of Scripture—Jesus, the Good Shepherd. He says: “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”

In a world filled with noise, confusion, and countless voices calling for our attention, Jesus reminds us that we belong to Him. He knows us personally, and when we listen, we can recognize His voice—one that speaks peace, truth, and love.

Dear Fellow Disciples, peace.

Today’s Gospel brings us to the shores of the Sea of Tiberias, where the Risen Christ meets His disciples once again. After a long night of fishing without success, Jesus appears and directs them to cast their nets differently—and they are overwhelmed with a great catch.

This moment reminds us: when we listen to the voice of Christ, even in our tiredness and failures, He brings fruitfulness.

But even more moving is what happens next. Around a simple breakfast, Jesus turns to Peter and asks three times: “Do you love me?” Each time Peter says yes, and each time Jesus entrusts him with a mission: “Feed my sheep.”

Dear Fellow Disciples, peace.

Today, on this 2nd Sunday of Easter—Divine Mercy Sunday—we are reminded of the depth of God’s love and forgiveness. In the Gospel (John 20:19-31), we see the Risen Christ appearing to His disciples, offering them peace and breathing the Holy Spirit upon them, giving them the power to forgive sins.

This is the heart of Divine Mercy: that even in our weakness, Christ meets us with peace, not condemnation.

Dear Fellow Disciples, Peace.

Today is the greatest day in our faith—Jesus is risen! The tomb is empty. Death is defeated. Love has won.

The disciples came to the tomb expecting to find a body, but instead they found a surprise—a new beginning. At first, they were confused. But slowly, joy broke through. That same joy is offered to us today.

Dear Fellow Disciples, peace.

Today we begin Holy Week with Palm Sunday, a day of striking contrast. We start by waving palms and shouting “Hosanna!” welcoming Jesus as King. But not long after, we listen to the Passion narrative, and we hear another cry: “Crucify Him!”

How quickly the crowds turned. How quickly hearts can shift—from praise to rejection, from loyalty to betrayal. It’s easy to judge them, but if we’re honest, we see ourselves in them. We, too, can welcome Jesus when life is going well, but struggle to stay with Him in the trials.

In today’s Gospel, we encounter a powerful moment of mercy. The scribes and Pharisees bring a woman caught in adultery before Jesus, hoping to trap Him with the Law of Moses. But instead of condemning her, Jesus responds with wisdom and compassion: “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” One by one, they leave, and Jesus says to the woman, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.”

Dear Fellow Disciples, Peace,

Today’s Gospel presents one of the most powerful parables of Jesus—the story of the Prodigal Son. It is a story of mercy, repentance, and the boundless love of God the Father.

Dear Fellow disciples, peace.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus speaks about repentance using two powerful images: the tragedies that befell certain people and the parable of the barren fig tree. When people inform Jesus about the tragic deaths of some Galileans, He warns them, “Unless you repent, you will all perish as they did” (Luke 13:3). He then shares a parable about a fig tree that has not borne fruit for three years. The owner wants to cut it down, but the gardener pleads for one more year to care for it, hoping it will bear fruit.

Dear Fellow Disciples, Peace.

I'm writing this reflection from a kind of mountaintop, the Monastery of the Father of Mercy in Auburn, KY, where I'm spending some days in retreat.

Today’s Gospel takes us to the mountain where Jesus is transfigured before Peter, James, and John. His face shines like the sun, and His clothes become dazzling white. Moses and Elijah appear, speaking with Him, and the voice of the Father declares, “This is my chosen Son; listen to Him.”

Dear Fellow disciples, peace.

As we begin our Lenten journey, today’s Gospel presents Jesus facing temptation in the desert. After fasting for forty days, He is tempted by the devil with food, power, and security. Yet, Jesus does not give in. Instead, He responds with the Word of God, showing us that true strength comes not from earthly desires but from trust in God.

Dear Fellow Disciples, peace.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus uses simple but profound images to teach us about discipleship and integrity. He warns against hypocrisy, asking, “Can a blind person guide a blind person?” and urging us to first remove the “beam” from our own eye before judging others. Jesus reminds us that our words and actions flow from our hearts.