“For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mk. 10:45)
 
This verse from our gospel reading this morning has long stood out to me as a poignant one. 
 
In reflecting on this passage, I was struck by what transpired. 
 
Although Jesus was thinking and speaking about His upcoming torture and terrible death, He was able to address a situation with His apostles who were thinking about honors in the coming kingdom.
 
I don’t know about you, but when I’m faced with great suffering, I don’t think I tend to be very attentive to other people.   I am not eager to patiently go beyond myself and help them in such circumstances.
 
Here, though, Jesus is patient with His followers and even teaches them an invaluable lesson about selfless service.
 
In today’s gospel, we too are reminded that our lives are about serving others more than about what others can do for us. 
 
May we be touched by Jesus’ example of love and selflessness and strive, with His help, to put it into practice. 
 
May we strive always to serve and give our lives back to Him in thanksgiving.

It’s been a while since I last flew in an airplane, but not so long that I’ve forgotten the benefit of a nice smooth, soft landing on the runway. 
 
Strange as it may seem, this time after Pentecost made me think of this. 
 
Each year I am grateful for the wisdom (and charity) of the Church in giving us a nice, soft landing from the exhilaration and exuberant joy of the Easter season. 
 
We are not crash-landed back onto the green grass of Ordinary Time.  Thankfully, we are allowed a number of wonderful feasts to help ease us back into the ordinary-ness of the remainder of the liturgical year. 
 
Next Sunday, we will have Trinity Sunday, with all of its wonder and mystery.  Then, we celebrate Corpus Christi (my favorite), in which we especially honor and give thanks for the great gift of Our Lord’s Body and Blood.  After that, we honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus, followed by the memorial of Mary’s Immaculate Heart. 
 
There are other extensions of this paschal joy for us, too.  For example, the Regina Coeli is traditionally prayed until next Saturday night.  Also, one’s “Easter Duty” may be fulfilled yet during this time (by Trinity Sunday). 
 
It's wonderful that we have this sort of post-Easter gradual descent to earth.  There should be no ear-popping or disturbance in our equilibrium.

Today’s reading from Acts continues the theme from last week’s reflection here about unlocked doors. 

St. Luke’s description here is quite vivid. 

As I read it, I find myself picturing the scene in that Philippian prison two-thousand years ago. 

I can almost see Paul and Silas there, singing hymns at night. 

I imagine the scene of the jail shaking and the doors flying open. 

I almost cringe as I read the words about the soldier, as the picture of a uniformed man unsheathing his sword in despair, comes before my mind’s eye. 

Thankfully, Paul’s voice catches him in time, and the story takes a positive turn as we learn of the soldier’s subsequent hospitality, care, and conversion. 

What started in the darkness and uncertainty of that night ends in a bright new day of hope, joy, and new faith. 

A lot happened within the course of the night!

As the days of this beautiful Easter season speed so quickly past us, I pray that our faith, which has been thus renewed, may bear fruit in our lives in the world today. 

You and I probably won’t convert a soldier or be miraculously released from prison, but I suspect that Our Lord has a mission today for each of us. 

As we pray for the coming of the Holy Spirit, perhaps one of our intentions might be that He would help us to be open to that mission and attentive to His promptings.