Easter

Fr. Dave reminds us that every time we receive Holy Communion, no matter what age we are, Jesus is saying directly to each of us: "Everything's okay, because I am with you." 

More than a few of us are likely often tempted to ask the Lord if He's really there. While He isn't likely to appear to us as He did with the apostles, you can be assured that He is calling out to each and every one of us. Take your doubt to Jesus and begin a conversation with Him. Just as He did with Thomas, He'll meet us where we are at any given time - even (and perhaps especially) in our doubt and unbelief.

To be Eastered means that we accept and expect that our lives will have frustrations, setbacks, difficulties, and loss - along with many rich blessings - and that we accept and expect that we won't be exempted from any of that, any more than Jesus Himself wasn't exempted from that. That means that we must learn to live with the unknown and what we don't understand, trusting in God that He is actively present in the midst of everything that happens in our lives, the good stuff and the bad. Because of the Resurrection, it is our conviction that God's doors are never shut to us; that His mercy is never exhausted; that He always gives us another chance; that He will never, ever give up on us or on our world.

Continue to pray the words from Fr. Hans last week: "Come, Holy Spirit. Come, Holy Spirit." We need a renewal of the Holy Spirit in each of our lives in order to be everything that God needs us to be.

As we prepare for the celebration of Pentecost next Sunday, here are three simple words to say over and over again: "Come, Holy Spirit!" When I am comfortable: "Come, Holy Spirit!" When I am afraid: "Come, Holy Spirit!" When I don’t know what to say: "Come, Holy Spirit!"
This is how we will be a Faithful Presence and Influencers for Jesus: through the courage and wisdom of the Holy Spirit. I encourage you to say that prayer hundreds of times this week! "Come, Holy Spirit!"

We often think of faith as a comfort and a refuge, and it is. But that’s not the goal of faith. It’s more the by-product. Faith, first and foremost, calls us not to comfort, but to courage. To dare. Sometimes even to risk. And in all of that to trust.
God’s love doesn’t protect us from difficulties or shield us from suffering. What it does do is encourage us – literally put the courage into us – to embrace life with hope, painful or frightening as it may be sometimes; to seek out the lost and heal the hurting; to serve God in whatever way He gives us, with the gifts He gives us.
 
Deacon Brett reads a portion of the poem below at the end of his homily; it is attributed to Sir Francis Drake.

Even though we know absolutely that Jesus loves and knows each of us by name, we also know that he loves everyone throughout the world. Communion is not just about each of us individually and Jesus - it is about Jesus and every person, all of God's people. Communion reminds us that life isn't just about "me" - we see life from God's perspective, as all of creation is connected together in God's grand design.

Say the following out loud: "God has a special place in His heart for me." It’s true. God also has a special place in His heart for each of our family members and friends and so on, but let’s not lose sight of how He loves each of us individually, because He’s able to love all of us that way. Each of us is the most important thing in the world to God, and that’s possible because He’s God.
For today, I just want to leave you with this truth: Jesus loves you. Jesus values you more than he values his own life. Jesus treasures you in his heart. Jesus cherishes you. You are the most important thing in the world to Jesus.