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This past Easter, as we celebrated the Lord's resurrection and victory over Satan, sin and death, the following verse was very much on my mind: "Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David has conquered" (Rev. 5:5).   This verse, referring to the Lord Jesus, has captivated me for some time now. To speak of Jesus as the Lion of Judah is a strong and forceful image. He has indeed conquered Satan, sin and death and is victorious forevermore - not only for himself but for all of us who are his followers. Jesus is called the Lion of Judah to display his absolute authority and power over all creation.

There is an author who writes about de-cluttering your life and only keeping "what brings you joy." Today we are told what should bring us real joy from a spiritual perspective. The first reading tells us to "Rejoice with Jerusalem." The Responsorial, Psalm 66, is a great song of joy and praise to the Lord. St. Paul talks about boasting in the cross, that is, finding his joy in being crucified to the world. The gospel tells us that true joy is having our names "written in heaven."

Someone has said that if we are not truly shocked by some of the sayings in the gospels then we are probably not reading them carefully enough. I think today's gospel might be one of those times. Consider this: "Let the dead bury their dead."

When I was in grammar school in the late fifties, I was in some kind of program or presentation that had to do with explaining the Mass. I don't remember much about it except that I had to read something with the name "Melchizedek" in it. Some names just stick with you and that one stuck with me! His offering of bread, wine, and a blessing prefigured the Eucharist some 1900 years before Christ. Today, on Corpus Christi, we read about Melchizedek as we honor the gift of the Lord to us in the Holy Eucharist, the Sacrament of the Lord's own Body and Blood.

The Trinity is a mystery which our finite minds cannot understand. You have probably heard the story of St. Augustine meditating on the Trinity while walking by the seashore. He comes upon a small boy digging furiously in the sand and running to the water and back with a bucket. Augustine asked what he was doing and the boy replied, "I'm trying to fit the great sea into this hole." When Augustine laughed and gently told him that was impossible, the child responded, "And so you could never possibly understand the Holy Trinity." Then the boy disappeared. All we can do in the face of this tremendous mystery is believe, adore, and love.

Last Fall Patti and I had some of our older grandchildren for a weekend sleepover. We all had a great time, talking and playing board games. Just before it was time for them to leave for home, we had a time of prayer with them, laying hands on them and praying especially for the Lord's blessing and guidance for the coming school year. I had planned to share a few thoughts with them by way of a teaching, but wanted it to be "short, significant, and memorable."

Most Catholics would probably identify Christmas and Easter as great feasts of the Church. Perhaps not as many would think of Pentecost in that way. But indeed it is! Pentecost is called the “birthday of the Church.”