May 2025

THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER; Cycle – C; May 6th, 2025

Acts 5: 27-32; Revelation 5: 11-14; John 21: 1-19

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Peace be with you! Easter continues and so does the power of the Risen Christ in our lives. We are not just remembering something that happened long ago; we are living the Resurrection now. And today's Gospel brings us to the shore of the Sea of Galilee, where the Risen Jesus comes to meet His disciples again this time not in a locked room, but at the water’s edge, while they fish.

It is a story of restoration. A story of mercy. A story that speaks right into our own hearts when we wonder: Can God still use me after I’ve failed Him?

Let’s walk through this Gospel together and discover three messages Jesus gives us today.

1. Jesus Comes to Us in Ordinary Places

The disciples had gone back to fishing. Not because they were turning away from Jesus—but because they were uncertain. They didn’t know what to do next. So they went back to something familiar. And isn’t that what we often do? When life feels uncertain—when we don’t know the next step we go back to what we know. But here’s the good news: Jesus meets us there. He doesn’t wait for us to have it all figured out. He shows up on the shore of our ordinary lives while we're working, cleaning, parenting, praying half-heartedly, or even doubting. “Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.” (John 21:4) Sometimes we don’t recognize Him either. But He’s there cooking breakfast, inviting us to cast our nets again, telling us: "I am still with you, even here." So Jesus comes to us where we are. But He doesn’t leave us there. He calls us deeper. He invites us into something more powerful, something healing.

2. Jesus Restores What Was Broken

Peter had denied Jesus three times. That wound was still fresh. Imagine how heavy Peter’s heart must have felt seeing Jesus again. And yet, Jesus doesn’t bring up Peter’s failure. He doesn’t say, “Why did you deny me?” Instead, He asks one question three times: “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” (John 21:15) Three denials. Three questions. And with each answer “Yes, Lord, you know I love you” Jesus heals what was broken. He doesn’t just forgive Peter; He restores him. He gives him a mission: “Feed my sheep.” Some of us carry the weight of our own failures. Things we wish we hadn’t said. Sins we can’t seem to shake. But the Risen Jesus asks us the same gentle question: “Do you love Me?” And if we say yes even with a trembling heart, He says to us: “Then get back up. I’m not done with you.” And that brings us to the third and most powerful part of today’s Gospel what happens next. Jesus doesn't just forgive or heal. He sends.

3. Jesus Calls Us to Follow and Feed

“Follow me.” (John 21:19) This is where it all leads. Not just to comfort or restoration but to mission. To become shepherds. To lead others to Christ. To suffer for His name, if needed. We see that boldly in our first reading today. Peter restored, empowered, no longer afraid now stands before the very same authorities who crucified Jesus, and he proclaims: “We must obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29) What happened? The Holy Spirit, yes but also mercy. The one who was once broken is now brave. Because he knows the love of the Risen Jesus.

In our second reading, we hear the worship of heaven itself: “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power and riches…” (Rev 5:12) Brothers and sisters, if heaven is praising Jesus… shouldn't we? You who have received His mercy don’t keep it to yourself. Feed His sheep. Love your family with deeper patience. Serve the poor. Speak truth. Walk in holiness.

Let me tell you about a young man named John. He struggled with addiction for years. He grew up Catholic but drifted far away from the Church. After hitting rock bottom, he found himself outside a chapel one day—he didn’t know why. He walked in. The priest was preparing for Mass and invited him to stay. He wept through the whole liturgy. That day, he didn’t just hear about mercy  he met Mercy. He went to confession. Came back to the Eucharist. Got involved in RCIA ministry. And today, he helps others find their way back. That’s the power of Divine Mercy. That’s what happens when Jesus stands on the shore and calls you by name.

He Still Stands on the Shore

Dear friends, The Risen Lord stands on the shore of your life. He is calling out to you not to shame you, but to feed you. Not to remind you of your failures, but to restore you. Not just to forgive you but to send you. Do you love Me? Then feed My sheep. So let us come to this altar today and receive the Lamb who was slain. Let us worship Him, love Him, and follow Him. Because He’s not done with us yet. And because the world still needs shepherds.

Amen. Alleluia.

4th SUNDAY OF EASTER; Cycle – C; May 11th, 2025

Acts 13: 14, 43-52; Revelation 7: 14-17; John 10: 27-30

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

The peace and joy of the Risen Lord be with you!

Today, we celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Easter, also known as Good Shepherd Sunday, a day when the Church calls us to reflect on the loving care of Jesus, our Shepherd. Providentially, it also happens to be Mother’s Day a day to honor the women who often show us what Christ’s shepherding love looks like in flesh and blood.

What a beautiful overlap: Jesus says, “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27) And isn't that the voice we often first learn to recognize in life? The voice of a mother gentle, loving, guiding, and faithful?

Today, let us reflect on three messages from the Gospel and how they are reflected in the love of Christ and in the love of our mothers.

1. The Voice of the Shepherd Is Personal and Persistent

Jesus says, “My sheep hear my voice. I know them.”  Jesus is not a distant God. He speaks. He knows us. He calls us by name. In the first reading, Paul and Barnabas are preaching in Antioch. Some accept the word, others reject it, but the Good Shepherd keeps calling. Even when people turn away, God does not give up. His voice persists. Sometimes we think God only speaks to the holy, the perfect. But that’s not the voice of the Good Shepherd. He calls sinners, doubters, the wounded, the ashamed. St. Cyril of Alexandria said: “Christ gives His own sheep the grace to recognize His voice… He calls us by the Gospel, and we answer by faith.” Let me ask you: Are you still listening for His voice? Or has the noise of this world become louder than the voice of Christ in your heart?

2. The Hand of the Shepherd Is Strong and Steady

Jesus promises: “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand.” What a promise! No one not sickness, not failure, not persecution, not even death can take you out of His hand. He doesn’t say we won’t suffer, but He does say we will never be abandoned. That’s the image we see in today’s second reading from Revelation: “The Lamb who is in the center of the throne will shepherd them… and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” (Rev 7:17)

He is both the Lamb and the Shepherd. He leads us through the valleys, and He carries us when we can’t walk on our own.

There was a little boy who was trapped under the bricks after a massive earthquake. Rescuers searched for days. On the fourth day, they heard a faint sound, it was the boy, alive, calling for help. When they finally pulled him out, weak but smiling, they asked how he survived.  He said, “I kept hearing my mother’s voice in my head. She always told me, ‘No matter how dark it is, I will find you. I will come for you.’ So, I waited. I believed someone would come.”

That is the kind of love that saves. A love that gives hope even in darkness. And it mirrors the voice of Jesus the Shepherd who comes into our darkest places and says, “I will never let you be snatched from My hand.”

3. The Call of the Shepherd Leads to Mission

After Jesus assures us of His voice and His care, we are called to follow. “My sheep hear my voice… and they follow Me.” To follow the Good Shepherd means to live differently, to love sacrificially, to lead others to Him, and to witness even when it's difficult. That’s what Paul and Barnabas did in Acts. When they were rejected, they didn’t give up, they rejoiced and moved on, proclaiming the word with boldness. Why? Because they were secure in Christ. Their confidence didn’t come from the crowd it came from the Shepherd. So, dear friends, we’re not just called to be comforted we’re called to become shepherds to others: to listen, to lead, to guide those who feel lost or forgotten.

Held and Led by the Shepherd

Dear friends, Today, let us rejoice in the voice of the Good Shepherd, who knows us, calls us, and promises us eternal life. And let us thank God for our mothers, living or departed, biological or spiritual, who have shown us what that Shepherd’s love looks like. To every mother, grandmother, godmother, and woman who has nurtured faith in a child you are a reflection of Christ’s heart. May we listen to His voice more closely. May we follow Him more faithfully. And may we trust, even in the valleys, that we are held in His hands.

Happy Mother’s Day, and may the Good Shepherd bless you all.

FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER; Cycle – C; May 18th, 2025

Acts 14: 21-27; Revelation 21:1-5; John 13: 1, 31-35

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Today, Jesus gives us something new not a new technique, not a new strategy but a new commandment: “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.” (John 13:34) This line might sound familiar. We hear it often. But let’s not miss what makes it so radical. Jesus isn’t saying, “Love others the way they love you” or “Be nice to those who are nice.” No, He says, “Love as I have loved you.” That means love when it’s inconvenient, love when it costs, love to the end, even when it hurts.

Let us reflect on this divine love through three points:

1. Love That Glorifies God

In today’s Gospel, Jesus says, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him.” Do you know when did Jesus say this? Not after a miracle. Not after a triumph. But right after Judas left the room to betray Him. Jesus knew the Cross was coming. And still, He called it glory. Do you know why? Because love was about to be poured out. And whenever we love like Christ, God is glorified. In the first reading from Acts, Paul and Barnabas return to the churches they found not with stories of ease, but with testimonies of suffering and perseverance. They said: “It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” But they didn’t stop loving each other. That’s what made their lives radiant. And that brings us to our next point love that doesn’t run from pain, but transforms it…

2. Love That Transforms Suffering

Love is not always easy. Real love is tested. And it shines brightest in dark places. St. John of the Cross said, “Where there is no love, put love and you will find love.” Let me share a story. There was a young mother who brought her little boy to the hospital every week for cancer treatment. The child was frail, often in pain. One day, a nurse asked the mother, “How do you do it? You come every week, you never complain, and you still smile.” The mother looked at her son, smiled through her tears, and said: “Because every moment with him is a gift. Love doesn’t ask if it’s easy, it just says, ‘I’m here.”

That’s the love Jesus commands. Not a love of feelings, but a love that shows up. A love that stays. A love that lifts another, even when your own heart is breaking. That kind of love transforms hospital rooms into holy ground. It turns Good Friday into Easter Sunday.

3. Love That Builds Something New

The second reading from Revelation gives us a glimpse of heaven, but it also shows what love does here on earth: “Behold, I make all things new.” (Rev 21:5) When we love as Jesus loves, we become builders of something eternal. In our homes, in our parishes, in our world—we are called to build communities where no one is forgotten, no one is judged, and no one is left behind. Jesus didn’t say they will know you are Christians because you go to Mass or say the Rosary (though both are vital). He said: “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” Imagine if someone visited your parish for the first time and said, “I felt loved here. I felt seen here. I felt Christ here.” That’s the Church Jesus died for.

The New Commandment Is Our New Identity

My dear friends, Jesus did not give us a suggestion. He gave us a commandment because love is not optional. It is the mark of who we are. Let us remember:

• We glorify God when we love like Christ.

• We transform suffering when love stays faithful.

• We build heaven on earth when we love without limits.

So today, may we not just admire the Good Shepherd. May we follow Him in love that forgives, love that serves, love that sacrifices. Because the world doesn’t just need more opinions it needs more love. “Love one another. As I have loved you.” That’s how He loved us. That’s how He wants us to love each other. That’s how the world will see Him in us. Amen.

FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER; Cycle – C; May 18th, 2025

Acts 14: 21-27; Revelation 21:1-5; John 13: 1, 31-35

Dear graduates, dear families, dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

What a joyful and meaningful day this is to honor our graduates, who stand at a sacred threshold between what has been and what will be. And into this moment, the Lord speaks. Not with a long list of instructions or accomplishments, but with one command one invitation that can shape the rest of your life: “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.” (John 13:34)

Today, let us reflect on this simple yet radical command of Jesus 

1. Love Is Our Identity

In today’s Gospel, Jesus is at the Last Supper. He has just washed His disciples’ feet. Judas has left to betray Him. The Cross is nearby. And in this intense, sacred moment, Jesus says: “This is how everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” Notice He doesn’t say, “They’ll know you are mine by your success, your talents, or even your theology.” No. It is love, selfless, humble, active love that marks us as His. St. Teresa of Calcutta put it beautifully: “We are not called to do great things, but to do small things with great love.” To our graduates: As you step into new chapters, new schools, jobs, or vocations please remember: your truest identity is not in what you achieve, but in Whose you are and whom you belong. And if you belong to Christ, love must be your language.

2. Love Strengthens Us for the Journey

In the first reading from Acts, Paul and Barnabas are strengthening the disciples after many trials. They say, “It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God.” That’s not always what we want to hear but it’s what we need. True love, like true growth, is forged through sacrifice. Graduates, life ahead won’t always be smooth. You will face uncertainty, rejection, stress, maybe even loneliness. But never forget you are never alone. In the second reading, from Revelation, we are given a vision of hope: “God will wipe every tear from their eyes… Behold, I make all things new.” (Revelation 21:4–5) When love becomes difficult, God renews us. When we feel weak, He makes us strong. And sometimes, His love reaches us in the most unexpected ways.

A young man, raised by a single mother, was about to graduate from college the first in his family to do so. But just two weeks before graduation, his mother passed away unexpectedly. Devastated, he considered skipping the ceremony. But on graduation day, he opened a letter his mother had written before she died. It was written like this: “My dearest son, I may not be there in the crowd, but I’ll be watching from a higher place. I didn’t raise you to chase applause, I raised you to be kind, to be brave, and to be faithful. Let love always be your direction. Then you’ll never be lost.” He walked that stage with tears in his eyes and love in his heart. Because he knew that what shaped him most wasn't education or praises it was love that endured. That kind of love the love of Christ is what you carry now.

3. Love Sends Us with Purpose

Jesus doesn’t just say “love one another” He says, “As I have loved you.” And how has He loved us? He humbled Himself, served, forgave, laid down His life. That love isn’t sentimental, it’s sacrificial. That’s the love that sends us outward to bring healing in a broken world, to lift up the forgotten, to defend the dignity of every person, to live not for comfort but for calling. Graduates, your future will be shaped not by how high you rise, but by how deeply you love.

Go With Love, Stay in Christ

Dear friends, especially our graduates: As you go forward, carry this with you: Let your identity be love. Let your strength come from Christ. Let your mission be rooted in service.

And no matter where life takes you whether success or failure, clarity or confusion if you remain in His love, you will never be lost. “By this all will know that you are My disciples if you love one another.” (John 13:35) Let that be your legacy. Let that be your witness. And may the Good Shepherd guide your every step.

Congratulations. God bless you. And go in love.

Amen.

Fr. Daniel Polzer

6th Sunday Easter Year C

On this sixth Sunday of Easter we continue to look back to the early church and its rapid expansion after the resurrection. Surprise, surprise there is discord. One faction says that the new gentile converts must be circumcised, that is to say, they must become Jews first before becoming Christians. The other faction says that it is possible to enter the new covenant without passing through the old covenant of the Mosaic law.  So, the apostles gather together under the leadership of St. Peter to work things out in what is called the Council of Jerusalem. After hearing the different arguments, it is decided that circumcision is not necessary and representatives are sent to Antioch with a letter explaining the decision of the council.  Peace is restored among the Christians.

All through the history of the church when problems have arisen the church has gathered together in the persons of the bishops under the leadership of the pope and invoking the light of the Holy Spirit to work things out, to discern God's will. Thus, the councils become a channel of peace and an instrument of unity. 

In the gospel today Jesus promises his disciples that he will send the holy Spirit and will give them peace. This is not the peace of a worldly nature that is a mere absence of conflict but a deep spiritual peace that has at its root God's love for us and God's concern for His Church.

In the imperfection of our fallen nature we experience discord, disagreement, animosity and struggle. There are no perfect human institutions, and the Church is no exception since we, its members, are imperfect sinners in need of purification. Resolving the disagreements and discord among the faithful is not a political exercise of trying to come to a consensus but rather looking towards Christ and striving to understand and enter into the mystery of redemption in an ever deeper way. If all of us are striving to know and do God's will then we will be brought closer and closer together. Faith in Christ brings us peace and serenity. It unites us and overcomes our differences just as it did in the early Church.

In the second reading St. John has a vision of the new Jerusalem, an image of heaven. "It gleamed with the splendor of God. Its radiance was like that of a precious stone, like jasper, clear as crystal. The city had no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gave it light, and its lamp was the Lamb." This is the destination of our earthly pilgrimage; a place of light and truth, a place without defect, without discord a place of unity and peace. 

As we journey through this imperfect world aware of our own defects and sinfulness, let us set our gaze on the heavenly Jerusalem, confident that Christ has been victorious over sin and death. If we remain close to Christ and strive always to do God's will the Blessed Trinity will dwell in our souls and the divine life will thrive and flourish in us bringing us a deep and lasting peace.