For as long as there have been people, there has been difficulty in trusting in God. We are always looking for another sign, irrefutable proof we have found God. The thing about faith is, that it requires us to place our trust constantly in God, however He manifests Himself. 

For Thomas and Philip in the Gospel today, they are asking for a roadmap and a sight of the Father. Jesus reminds them He, Himself, is the presence of God for today. Abundant life invites us to let God be enough for us, in whatever form He shows Himself today. Sometimes it is a neighbour’s kindness or the words in a devotional. Sometimes it might be the way the light pours in the window, and sometimes we may not feel like we saw Him at all. It takes a lifetime of practice to keep allowing God to be enough for us, on God’s terms. 

Prayer of the Faithful: For faith that allows God to be enough for us, however He shows up today, we pray to the Lord.

Taken from the CCCB – National Pastoral Initiative for Life and The Family.

When we fall short of what God asks of us, we can be overwhelmed by shame, hide in fear, plagued by guilt. We have all kinds of coping mechanisms to deal with these feelings: justification, avoidance, indifference, selfrighteousness, and hardening, just to name a few! The way Jesus has taught is repentance: to turn back to Him with love and simply say we are sorry, allowing ourselves to be loved precisely where we feel the most vulnerable. It’s a narrow gate, not because God wants to limit those who come, but because it requires so much courage to choose repentance and forgiveness. It is the only response that offers us true life. We can trust our broken hearts to the One who loves us and wants to set us free.

For the courage to repent and let ourselves be loved, we pray to the Lord.

Jesus, the Good Shepherd, you offer us forgiveness as soon as we ask. Help us to turn toward you when we have failed, and to receive your mercy with gratitude. Amen. Alleluia!

Reflection: CCCB
#CatholicYYC #SundayMass

Taken from the Facebook page of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary

Renewal Ministries’ Annual Gathering

It’s not too late to watch this year’s Gathering! The recording is available here!

Saturday, April 25, 2020

Speakers Ralph Martin and Peter Herbeck answer the questions: What is God saying? And how can I respond? The event also features times of praise and worship and intercessory prayer.

Circumstances don’t have to control us—no matter how difficult or scary things might seem. We can find confidence, hope, and joy in Jesus’ words:

“I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (Jn 8:12).

The theme of this year’s free, livestream-only Gathering, “Jesus, Light in the Darkness,” focuses on the hope and encouragement so needed today!

In this time when the coronavirus dominates headlines and is affecting individual’s health and livelihood around the world, people feel like they’re losing control. They’re scared, but the Lord says to them, “Be not afraid. Don’t be anxious about anything, but seek first the kingdom of God”—which means seek first the king. He’s the light the world needs now, and following Him closely is the key to everything moving forward. He wants to help us understand his purposes in the midst of this trial. 

That’s what this Gathering is about: What is the Lord saying to us? What does He want from us? And how can we respond in a way that’s pleasing to Him?

**This event was live-streamed only and adhered to social distancing guidelines.

https://www.cccrs.com/1079-2/

The road to Emmaus has so many beautiful moments. This year, consider expanding on the last line of the Gospel reading. After all the suffering, desolation, confusion, Jesus appears on the road to be with His friends. He helps them to understand, and then He is gone. When it is all over, they tell the story to everyone who will listen. What are the stories you tell over and over? Are you proclaiming the resurrections Christ has worked in your life, retellings of the one great story? Or do you tell the stories of your suffering and confusion? The disciples on the road are lost in their misunderstanding, stuck in the desolation of not seeing what is right in front of them. Look for Christ in your stories, and allow Him to give you new eyes to see His new life unfolding right where you are.

Prayer: For eyes to see the Resurrection and hearts to recognize Jesus, we pray to the Lord. Risen Jesus, meet us on the roads of our travels and help us to see your glory in the stories you are writing in our lives. As we recognize your life in ours, send us out to tell the story of all you have done. Amen. Alleluia!

Reflection: CCCB
#CatholicYYC #SundayMass

Taken from the Facebook page of Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary

Diocese of Calgary has launched an initiative to express our gratitude for today’s heroes – the men, women and children who are making time to serve others during these challenging weeks of the global pandemic.

When: From Divine Mercy Sunday, April 19 to Pentecost Sunday, May 31, the Diocese will be thanking the people who are making sacrifices to provide the essential services that help to create stability in our homes and country during this difficult and unstable time.

Below you will find links with more information about this campaign

https://www.catholicyyc.ca/heartofjesus.html
Poster I Am Grateful to You posters

NEW VIDEO! 
Here is the new video for #HeartofJesus. Special thanks to Fr. Mariusz Sztuk (video) & Lance Dixon (voice) for making this happen! Kindly share this with everyone who have been working hard in critical infrastructure and education industries, those who courageously help others in their daily lives. 

• View video on Youtube: https://youtu.be/tKNMeCbsRvA 
• Download video here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1YkHGkMcERSVhzwxrmFY_b9uwcygfQJpF

https://www.cccrs.com/1070-2/