Pastor’s Blog

On the Sixth Sunday of Easter, we continue our Gospel reading from the discourses at the Last Supper, according to St. John. Today, Jesus gives us two main points: first, his commands; and second, the promise of the Holy Spirit.

The Commands of Jesus

What are the commands of Jesus, and what is the motive for obeying them? There are many commands of Jesus. Among them are: love one another as I have loved you; do this in memory of me, referring to the Eucharist; be merciful as your Father is merciful; and forgive your enemies. There are many others.

The reason we believers are commanded to obey these commandments is because we love Jesus. We are not to obey simply out of legalistic reasons, but rather because we love Jesus. This presupposes that each of us has a deep relationship with Christ in the depths of our hearts.

Jesus invites us to forgive, not because the one being forgiven deserves forgiveness, but because we love Jesus. We are being asked to come to the celebration of the Eucharist not to fulfill a law, but because we love Jesus.

There are people who say, “I do not go to Mass; I pray at home. I do my own thing.” The Eucharist calls the Church together. We are called by Christ to gather in his name. We are Catholic; we never stand alone. We always stand as a member of this body.

While praying at home is good, and while doing your own thing may be wonderful, it is not what Jesus commanded. It is what makes you happy. If we love Jesus, we do not need emotion or feelings of fervor. We need to obey these commands because we love Jesus.

We grow in the love of Jesus as we learn more about Jesus in the sacred text and in the teaching of the Church. It is in experiencing God as Holy Spirit that we are drawn to Jesus.

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

The second point of today’s Gospel is the promise of the Holy Spirit. The Easter Season began on the Second Sunday of Easter and continues until Pentecost. Pentecost is fifty days after Easter. It was on this day that the Holy Spirit was poured out on the community of the Church gathered in the upper room.

While the goal of the Easter Season is to celebrate Easter, it is also a preparation for the great feast of Pentecost, which this year is on May 24.

Msgr. Guy A. Massie
May 10, 2026
Sunday Readings

To know Jesus is different from simply knowing about the Lord. To know about Jesus is more than an academic exercise. To know the Lord is a matter of constant conversion and turning to the Lord in the very depths of our hearts.

To know the Lord is to confess in our innermost being that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. We come to know Jesus through our understanding of the Gospel passages, through the sacred texts of the New Testament, through those who have known Him throughout history—namely the saints—and through the teachings of our faith community, the Church.

As I have said time and again, the saints are not just statues who lived long ago. The saints, through their lives and writings, gave witness to Christ, and they have much to tell us about faith. Looking at the faith of parents and grandparents, and learning from them how important Jesus is to them, is another way to come to know Jesus.

Jesus Is the Way

For the disciple, Jesus is the Way to the Father. Jesus is the way of how to live here and now. Jesus is the way through darkness, confusion, and fear.

In the first reading for Sunday’s liturgy, the early Christian community is struggling with newcomers, prejudice, and change. How is Jesus the Way through their communal problem? Do we not have similar issues? In prayer, how do we discern which way to go with our fear and our unknowing?

Jesus Is the Truth

For the person of faith, Jesus is the Truth. Christ is the truth that can set us free from fear. Christ is the Truth about who God is. In this truth, we are reminded that we are made for God, and anyone or anything else will not satisfy us.

Christ is the mind of God. In Christ, we are called to face the truth, as difficult as this may be, and be freed by it. The woman at the well (Jn 4) faced the truth about herself and was freed. Can we say that Jesus is the Truth we long to hear?

Jesus Is the Life

In John 10, we read, “I came that they may have life, and life in abundance.” Jesus is the Life. In God, there does not exist death; all are alive for God.

If Jesus is our life, then eternal life has already started, and in our growth in the Spirit, we nourish the eternal life in us which began at our baptism. This leads us to say with St. Paul, “For me, life is Christ.”

Living in Christ

To live in Christ is to live in freedom, to lessen our fear, and to increase our love and mercy for one another.

Msgr. Guy A. Massie
May 3, 2026
Sunday Readings

A Blessed Good Shepherd Sunday Greeting

I wish you a blessed and happy Fourth Sunday of Easter. Today is also known as Good Shepherd Sunday.

The Heart of a True Shepherd

Shepherds are people who care for their sheep. They live with the sheep. They protect the sheep. They comfort the sheep. They correct the sheep. They are watchful and vigilant. They are always on guard over their sheep. The foundation for their dedication to the sheep is their love for their flock. It was from the sheep that the shepherd obtained the wool for his clothing and milk for his nourishment. The shepherd served the sheep.

Jesus: The Good Shepherd

Jesus self-identifies as the Good Shepherd. He applies all the requirements of the shepherd to himself. Jesus gathers his flock, calls his sheep by name, and even lays down his life for his sheep. We are his flock. Jesus corrects, is watchful, and protects his sheep.

Called to Shepherd in Christ’s Place

Jesus accomplishes his shepherding by calling shepherds to act in his place. These shepherds are our bishops, pastors, priests, religious, and dedicated lay people who serve us. Those who act in the place of the Good Shepherd must know the Good Shepherd, learn from the Good Shepherd, be dedicated to the spiritual and temporal welfare of the congregation, correct firmly but kindly, and always serve the flock. At times the shepherd may even have to lay down his life for his flock or congregation.

Christ Calls Us By Name

In Sunday’s Gospel, we are told that Christ calls us by name. We are invited to hear the voice of the Shepherd in our hearts. Jesus knows us by name. He knows us individually and as a member of the community.

Discerning the Shepherd’s Voice

How do we know that voice? In a world of many voices found on the internet, Facebook, television, newspapers, and all social media, how do we discern the voice of the Good Shepherd? With the advice and expectations placed on us by friends and family, how do we recognize the voice of the Good Shepherd in our lives? Who helps us to hear the voice of Christ in our hearts and souls?

Where to Find Christ’s Voice

We are invited to hear the voice of the Lord through contemplating the Gospel and other sacred texts. The voice of the Lord is spoken in the Tradition of the Church, especially in the writings of the Fathers. The voice of God is found in being involved in our local parish community. It is found in the cry of the poor and the joy of the young. The voice of God is discerned for us by good and spiritually minded priests, sisters and bishops, parents and teachers, and it is found in the depths of our innermost being.

Msgr. Guy A. Massie
April 24, 2026

Sunday is the Third Sunday of Easter. We are now in the Easter Season, which will continue until Pentecost—May 24 this year. Sunday’s readings are inspiring and uplifting. We shall focus on the Gospel and relate the other readings to this great Gospel message. This is my favorite Easter story.

In the Gospel, we meet two dejected, sad, mournful, and disillusioned disciples leaving Jerusalem. They are discussing all that happened to Jesus as they walk. In the midst of their discussion, Jesus approaches but is not recognized by the sad disciples. He inquires about the topic of their discussion. The two, surprised that he does not know about all that happened to Jesus, fill him in. Jesus then addresses some questions to the disciples. Ascertaining their answers, he begins to teach them, explaining the scriptures regarding the Messiah.

Lessons from the Road

They reach an inn and invite Jesus to stay. He does, and while they are eating, he takes bread, blesses it, and gives it to them. With this gesture, they recognize the stranger, whereupon Jesus vanishes.

There are many lessons we can take from this story. First, the disciples perhaps had a narrow understanding of the term Messiah. Jesus explains the redemptive role of the Messiah. He uses the sacred text, known to the two men, to reveal his identity. Is this not similar to the first part of the liturgy in the Catholic Church? We read the Word. We seek to understand the text so that we may find meaning in our own lives here and now.

Jesus draws near as they are discussing. When we study sacred scripture from the Acts of the Apostles, Peter is explaining the sacred text to his own people. It is most important that we understand the scripture. Understanding the text helps our faith to grow.

Recognizing Christ in the Breaking of the Bread

Second, as the three are walking, they come to an inn and seat themselves at a table. Jesus takes bread, blesses it, and gives it to them. In this action, they recognize Jesus. (The term “breaking of the bread” is an ancient term referring to the Eucharist.) Upon recognizing Jesus, with burning hearts they get up and return to Jerusalem to share the good news of having encountered Jesus on the road to Emmaus.

Is this not similar to our experience of Mass? After hearing the Word, we celebrate the Eucharist. It is during the celebration of the Eucharist that Jesus becomes visibly and really present under the appearances of bread and wine. We Catholics believe that Jesus is really present, not symbolically present. In the Eucharist, we celebrate, receive, and adore Christ present. In the Eucharist, we encounter the Risen Christ.

So when the two recognize Jesus in the breaking of the bread, it emphasizes the real presence of Christ. We meet the Risen Christ in the Sacraments, in the Word, in the gathering of the people, and most especially in the Eucharist

Prayers from Emmaus

Third, the Emmaus Gospel gives us two prayers. The first is said by the disciples, who think their traveling companion is going on further. They say, “Stay with us.” We can say the same prayer when evening approaches, when some darkness is surrounding us, when we are confused, when we are sad. This prayer inspired the Italian hymn “Resta Con Noi.”

Second, the Gospel teaches us to be open to the lessons of scripture. The disciples confess that their hearts were burning within them. When we are moved by the sacred text, we know it. This happens when the text seems to speak directly to you.

Lastly, when the disciples recognize Jesus in the breaking of the bread, Jesus vanishes from their sight. While they may not see him, he has vanished into them. They are on fire with the Good News of the Resurrection. This is a big change. When we met them, they were running away. Jesus found them, healed them, and changed them for the better. He can do the same for you if we allow him.

Now they are running to Jerusalem to share the Good News. When was the last time your faith made you excited enough to share it? In the end, one never knows who one will meet on our life journey. Some we meet can fill our lives with joy and hope. Some we meet can teach us how to attain that joy and hope. Perhaps one day we will meet the one who is joy and hope.

Msgr. Guy A. Massie
April 19, 2026
Sunday Readings

Divine Mercy Sunday: Healing Through Christ’s Wounds

The Sunday after Easter has been designated by St. John Paul II as Divine Mercy Sunday. In today’s Gospel, Thomas is healed by touching the wounds of Christ. Christ redeems us through his passion.

It is in facing our wounded nature—both as a community and as individuals—that we can find healing. Seeing our wounded nature can be painful. Healing that nature can be difficult, yet Christ is our hope and strength. Even the worst of sins can be forgiven and healed.

The Heart of Mercy

Mercy is a word that comes from Latin: misericordia. This word means to suffer pain in one’s heart for another. In asking God for mercy, we are asking God to have suffering in his heart for us.

Likewise, we are asked by God to have pain in our hearts for the pain of others. Mercy is active—it does what it can to relieve the suffering of others through prayer and actions (the corporal and spiritual works of mercy).

Mercy for the Broken

There are people who feel that their lives are so mixed up, or that they have sinned most grievously, that forgiveness or reconciliation for them is impossible. Today the readings remind us that this is not true. Mercy is available. Lives can change for the better.

We as individuals, and we as the Body of Christ, are always in need of mercy. No one is so perfect as not to need mercy—either from God or from each other.

A Call to Share Mercy

Today, on Divine Mercy Sunday, forgive someone with whom you are angry. Mercy is given to us to be shared among us. Think about what really is important.

Msgr. Guy A. Massie
April 12, 2026