“And behold I am with you always, until the end of the age.”

Matthew 28:20

Jesus had one mission in mind for his apostles—and for us:  Transform the world as you have been transformed.

This is what we celebrate today on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity:  our calling to go out into the world in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Just as the Father sent his Son to redeem the world, Jesus sent the Spirit to fortify us in proclaiming the Good News of salvation.  With the gift of the Spirit—our personal Pentecost—we have all the tools we need to witness Christ’s compassion and God’s eternal love.

At the same time, Jesus understood that the apostles would have moments of doubt.  That’s why he reassured them—and now us—with words of comfort.  He said he will be in our presence always, an endless reservoir of strength and good will.

Matthew’s gospel reminds us that living our faith happens in relationships…  how well we care for one another… how well we live our baptismal call to serve… and how well we teach others by modeling the Gospel.  Acts of compassion beget more acts of compassion.  That is the nature of the divine impulse:  to transform the world by reaching out, over and again, through prayer and good works.  Being called… being sent… gifting the Spirit to everyone we know.  This is the “trinity of our faith” that we can have only in community with God and one another.  We live our lives in relationships, and we live the most rewarding ones in the presence of God.

Friend, as you celebrate today’s feast day and the infinite gift of the Holy Trinity, let your love spill over the way God’s gifts do—reshaping the world and transforming the soul within you.

Prayer for Trinity Sunday

All praise, honor and glory to You, Lord God,

most blessed and Holy Trinity

source of life, love, wisdom and truth

Creator, Sanctifier and Sustainer

of all that is, was, or ever will be.

You created humans in Your divine image

and breathed into us Your life-giving Spirit

and in the fullness of time You became one

with us in our humanity that we might

become one with You in Your divinity.

O Trinity of holy relationships help us empty

ourselves in loving service to one another

and to the world. Be our dynamic force of faith

to overcome mountains of hope to conquer

obstacles and of love to transform our world

into a living tabernacle of Your abiding presence.

Amen.

Prayer by Father Joe Veneroso, M.M.

I hope today’s reflection has special meaning for you.  This is Father Ray Finch, sending you a blessing for the week, and an invitation to listen in again next Sunday.   

“Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” John 20:19

We think of the apostles as great men—and they were.  But like us they had their fears, which is one of the reasons they were behind locked doors on that first Pentecost Sunday. 

As it happened, the Holy Spirit had other plans for these men of faith, and ultimately for us as well.  Today, on Pentecost Sunday, we celebrate the courage the apostles showed by accepting their call to mission, and in the process, enriching our lives.  We are the inheritors of their courage—their passionate desire—to proclaim salvation in Christ.  All of which begs the question:  How fearless are we in witnessing our own gift of faith?

With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can be the missioners who build God’s kingdom on earth with as steady a hand as the apostles did.  Our Church is born anew each day that we release our fears and give ourselves over to living the Gospel.  Our mission is not to focus on our own happiness or personal concerns, but in spreading the Word of God beginning with the here and now.

On that first Pentecost, you could say the apostles were baptized with the fire of the Holy Spirit, a gift they shared with the disciples we have come to know as Paul, Timothy, Titus and all those who followed.  Imbued with the Holy Spirit, these early missioners overcame their fears.  They moved beyond their culture and comfort zone to proclaim the Good News of our faith. 

Friend, you may not think of yourself as a Peter or Thomas, much less a Paul or Timothy.  But you are.  You have all the gifts you need to witness Christ’s compassion and God’s love.  Your calling comes directly from the Holy Spirit and Pentecost itself, the birthday of our Church.  So, on Pentecost Sunday, be brave and proclaim the Good News with the greatest joy… in ways that only you can.   

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Father Raymond J. Finch, M.M.

Pentecost Sunday

Come, Holy Spirit, and unlock the door

of my heart which fear and hurt

have sealed shut and held tightly closed.

Open my soul to the peace of Christ

and empower me to forgive and ask forgiveness.

Transform my physical and emotional wounds

into a wellspring of health and healing.

Cast from my heart all hurtful thoughts

that my mind and soul may become

a fitting tabernacle of Your presence.

Fill me with the spiritual gifts of

wisdom, understanding, counsel,

fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.

Above all grant me the light of Christ

to lead me through the heat of day

and the silence of night with the

blessed assurance You are ever

by my side.

Amen.

Prayer by Maryknoll Missioner, Father Joseph Veneroso

“Why are you standing there, looking at the sky?”  Acts 1:11

The apostles needed to know more.  Would their Risen Lord restore the kingdom to Israel?  Would they finally be in control?  Obviously, that was their idea of heaven—being in charge of their own fate at long last.  That’s when Jesus told them they would receive another kind of power—from the Holy Spirit—“And you will be my witnesses… to the ends of the earth.”  And with that Jesus was lifted up and a cloud took him from their sight.

On the Solemnity of the Ascension, we are reminded that while it’s tempting to look up at the sky in awe, it’s far better to fix our gaze back down on earth… where the path to salvation is ours for the taking.  And as Our Lord tells us today, we will have all the support we need, a promise to be fulfilled soon enough on Pentecost Sunday with the gift of the Holy Spirit.

This past week we celebrated the Ascension of Our Lord into heaven—a sign that our ultimate destination is union with God our Father after we complete our work on earth.  So better to remember the tasks that will help us reach our goal—witnessing the compassion of Our Lord in all we do, and granting forgiveness as well as seeking it.  Are there things we can do better now to prepare ourselves later for eternal life?  That’s worth a moment of prayer time today.

Living out our call to mission can be challenging at times.  In difficult moments, we may look for ways to skip over the hard work ahead of us, assuming that we will just “qualify” for a seat at the table.  The only way that will happen is by raising our thoughts to heaven, yes… but keeping our gaze on those who need us right here on earth.

Friend, finding the risen Christ is easy.  He’s with us among the poor, the marginalized, the lonely, and the forgotten.  Maybe he’s living right next door to you.  Wherever you fix your gaze, serving Christ by serving others is how we prepare for our own ascension into heaven—one glorious day.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Father Raymond J. Finch, M.M.

Ascension of the Lord

We lift up our eyes to heaven

as we await Your return, O Lord,

yet You instructed us to seek and find

You here below among the oppressed

and poor of the earth.

Grant us, therefore O Lord, patience

to know the best time to speak and act,

perseverance to continue the task at hand

and the power to do Your Will on earth

even as You do it in heaven.

Send us, O risen and ascended Lord,

Your spirit of courage, kindness and mercy

to follow Your commands and lead others

to seek and find You here below the better

to be with You in heaven forever.

Amen.

Prayer by Maryknoll Missioner, Father Joseph Veneroso

“It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you…” John 15:16

Remembering and celebrating her on Mother’s Day…  That’s how I will honor my mother today—remembering how kind she was and celebrating her many gifts, especially the faith she gave me.

Some of us are fortunate to have our Moms with us today.  Some of us have entrusted her to God and the saints.  However you remember your mother today, I will pray for you both at Mass, asking our Blessed Mother in particular to hold you close.

We all have special memories of Mother’s Day growing up and I certainly have mine.  My mother is the one who first modeled prayer and the Sacraments.  She taught me the virtues of respect and compassion, and also forgiveness.

Later as an adult and young missioner in Bolivia, I learned new lessons about motherhood.  When Bolivians observe Mother’s Day, the world might as well come to a complete stop.  You just spend time with your mother—no excuses!  Watching their joyous family celebrations, I learned something new.  Central to the Bolivians’ understanding of a mother’s love is the connection to their other provider, the earth—a spirit they call Pachamama or Mother Earth.  How extraordinary… The homage they give to the woman who gave them life is a reflection of the homage they give to the earth itself.

Friend, when you were a child, you probably bought your mother flowers or made her breakfast on Mother’s Day.  Now we can still do special things to honor our mother—and all the women we know who are generous life-givers and nurturers.  Model their devotion to the Gospel… share their compassion with someone in need… find a new way to care for Creation itself.  These are all great ways to say, “Thank you, Mom.”

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Father Raymond J. Finch, M.M.

Mother’s Day

Lord Jesus, from the cross

You entrusted Your Mother

into the care of Your Beloved Disciple,

in whose place we now stand today.

May Your Mother stand in for mine

in teaching me about prayer, faith and life.

Encircle my mother with Your loving embrace,

most blessed and glorious Virgin Mary.

May she know her efforts and tears

found favor in Your immaculate heart.

Lord Jesus,

into Your hands I commend all the women

who brought me closer to You

through their examples of prayer,

compassion, and loving service.

May they enjoy Your blessings forever.

Amen

Prayer by Maryknoll Missioner, Father Joseph Veneroso

“Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth.”  1 John 3:18

The journey is as important as the destination—an adage that rings ever more true after our past year of enormous sacrifice.  So many heroes, caregivers, and prayer—givers dedicated themselves to the healing.  Their work has been a special calling, and we are grateful for all they do.  They exemplify for me the value and dignity of all work—by the sung and unsung, the known and the unknown.     

Yesterday was the feast day of St. Joseph the Worker, our steadfast model of the man who understood the dignity of work.  He underscores by example the contribution we can each make to the well-being of our communities when we use our God-given skills for the greater good. 

Some call Joseph the Silent Saint.  But through his work he was more than eloquent.  Joseph provided for his family with the skills of a carpenter and the devotion of a husband and father who understood he had a noble role to fulfill.  In recognition of Joseph’s special calling, the Church celebrates the dignity of all work on May 1. 

Joseph taught us that work is the way we participate in the creative life of God our Father. Through our work-offering, whatever and wherever that might be… in an office, in our homes, caring for a loved one, tutoring a child… we are cooperating with God in bringing about the fullness of creation.

Friend, work-offerings in union with the Gospel are the way we build God’s kingdom on earth—the very deeds that St. Paul talks about.  Whether you are an active worker or retiree, the dignity of your mission work is the real centerpiece of your life:  witnessing the Gospel in all you do—in words and deeds—to strengthen the vine and branches of our faith.  On the feast day of the Silent Saint, may St. Joseph the Worker bless your journey. 

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Father Raymond J. Finch, M.M.

Fifth Sunday of Easter

Almighty God, you chose St. Joseph

as the foster father to Your Son Jesus

and the loving spouse of the Virgin Mary.

With silent strength he supported

the Holy Family and bravely led them

through dangers and trials.

Through his intercession bless all families

especially those undergoing difficulties,

hardships, and misunderstandings.

Like Him, may we seek to do Your will

even when the road is long and the way

is difficult or dangerous.

Above all, may St. Joseph cover our homes

with his mantle of love and instill in our hearts

with his love for God’s Word and commands

that we, too, might always seek Your holy

presence in our lives.

Amen

Prayer by Maryknoll Missioner, Father Joseph Veneroso

“I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me…”. John 10:14

Not many of us have ever owned sheep let alone taken care of sheep—but I have.  At one point during my mission days in Peru, I was asked to serve as director of a seminary.  As was the custom, when a seminarian arrived to begin his studies, the families would each give a sheep as a gift.  Before long, our grounds had become something more than a petting zoo!  This city boy had to learn on the fly how to care for his flock.

One day I needed to corral the sheep but they just would not respond.  The more I tried to move them together, the more they scattered in all directions.  “They’re not very smart,” I thought.  Seeing my frustration, a wonderful woman who worked in our kitchen and usually took care of the sheep, came out to rescue me.  With a deft call to attention, she brought all the sheep back in what seemed like seconds, including the ones who had jumped the wall and were in danger of getting lost.

I think our relationship with God needs to be like that—responding to the voice we know and the presence we trust.  This is what helps us move where we need to go, and to serve where we are being called.  Otherwise, sheep scatter and become lost.  Without the Gospel and the promise of the Resurrection, we lose our connection to home.

Friend, I think Jesus became the Good Shepherd because sheep need a lot of guidance and a gentle hand.  The more we read scripture, celebrate the Sacraments, and strive to witness God’s love, the stronger we become in our faith.  And the more we recognize God’s voice of encouragement.  We know without a doubt who is calling us home to the safety of greener pastures.  It’s the Good Shepherd, the gatherer of souls who says “I know mine, and mine know me…”   difficult moments.

Friend, the words of today’s Gospel are a comfort and a consolation.  Receive the gift of our Risen Christ knowing that you are never alone, never without the strength you need to love and serve the Lord… just like the disciples who found Christ on the road to Emmaus.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Father Raymond J. Finch, M.M.

Fourth Sunday of Easter

Good Shepherd

When I was lost and couldn’t find my way,

You came looking for me, Good Shepherd,

to gently lead me home again.

Protect the flock given You by the Father,

lead us to rest in green pastures and guide

us along the right paths.

You who are shepherd and Lamb of God,

grant that we might never follow

any voice but Yours. Call us by

name and soothe our hearts

when we panic or are confused.

Grant us blessed assurance that

we need not fear nor face dangers alone.

Lord, you told us there are other sheep

not of this fold that You must also lead.

Help us recognize our brothers and sisters

no matter what flock they may belong to

till at length there will be one flock and one shepherd,

You, Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen

Prayer by Maryknoll Missioner, Father Joseph Veneroso

“The two disciples recounted what had taken place on the way, and how Jesus was made known to them in the breaking of bread.”  Luke 24:35

Have you ever stopped to notice where people encountered Jesus? 

It’s often in the humble, ordinary moments of life… while people are at work—maybe fishing; while they’re gathered with family and friends—remember the wedding feast of Cana? Even while they’re traveling from one town to another—as in the story of the Good Samaritan.  Then there’s the story of the Walk to Emmaus… the resurrected Christ meeting two of his disciples and changing their lives, and ours, forever.

The two men were saddened by the loss of Jesus. Where was God’s purpose in the Crucifixion?  As they walked to Emmaus, Jesus appeared in their midst.  When they arrived in Emmaus, Jesus took bread, blessed it, and gave it to the disciples.  At that moment, they recognized him as their risen Lord.  Their spirits were renewed.  They returned to Jerusalem filled with a desire to witness the Gospel and the living presence of Christ.

Emmaus is a reminder of the many pathways to God.  In the ordinary activity of everyday life, Jesus is always present if we are open to receiving him and sharing him with a world anxious for healing.  That ordinary activity of ours could be anything from shopping and running errands to waiting on line or saying the Rosary on Zoom with a parish prayer group.   

Finding Christ in the simple journeys of everyday life is especially comforting right now.  Who hasn’t experienced isolation in the past year?  It’s been so much harder to attend Mass and receive the Sacraments, harder to get together with family and friends.  But that doesn’t mean that Jesus has abandoned us.  Quite the opposite.  What the disciples experienced on the road to Emmaus was the enduring presence of our God, always at hand, especially in the most

difficult moments. 

Friend, the words of today’s Gospel are a comfort and a consolation.  Receive the gift of our Risen Christ knowing that you are never alone, never without the strength you need to love and serve the Lord… just like the disciples who found Christ on the road to Emmaus.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Father Raymond J. Finch, M.M.

Third Sunday of Easter

When all hope had vanished and

all our dreams destroyed,

you came to us, Lord Jesus,

as a stranger on the road

who opened the scriptures to us.

How our hearts burned within us

as You taught us it was necessary

for the Messiah to suffer and die!

At table after giving thanks to God

you broke bread and bid us take and eat

and our eyes were opened and

our spirits soared with the Good News:

You are risen! Your presence and perfect love

cast out all fear from our hearts

as we ran to share the Good News.

Help us, Risen Lord, to seek and find

You in the ordinary places and events of life.

Come to us in our everyday activities

so we might see there is no work so small,

no task so insignificant that it cannot be dedicated

to Your kingdom when performed with love.

Amen

Prayer by Maryknoll Missioner, Father Joseph Veneroso

“But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name.” John 20:31

We thank Saint Pope John Paul II for reminding us today of God’s love for all people—no matter their station, no matter their sins. 

This is Divine Mercy Sunday, a celebration begun by our beloved Pope in 2000.  On the Sunday after Easter that year he canonized Blessed Faustina Kowalska, a devoted religious, designating the second Sunday of Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday.  Mindful of St. Faustina’s gift to the Church at Easter, our Holy Father proclaimed:

“Jesus said to St. Faustina one day, ‘Humanity will never find peace until

it turns with trust to Divine Mercy.’  Divine Mercy!  This is the Easter gift

that the Church receives from the risen Christ and offers to humanity.”

What our Holy Father is saying is that personal transformation—the passage into new life that we celebrated at Easter—is only possible because of God’s mercy.  Each time we witness mercy, we transform ourselves in God’s image and offer the gift of new life to the world.  We become creators in a worldly way and in a spiritual way, too.

God’s mercy opens the door to a deeper practice of our faith, never failing to forgive and transform.  So, think of mercy as your starting point.  Know that mercy is God’s personal gift to you.  Then share the bounty.  Reach out to all of Creation, to everyone you encounter, and offer them the example of transformation that God has called you to be.  Mercy is a chance to heal divisions, overcome the hurts, set aside the misunderstandings, and start over.  With God’s blessing.

Friend, accept God’s divine mercy as the gift that that never stops giving back.  The more we practice being merciful, the more complete we become, and the stronger we are for the journey home.  Think big, practice small… an act of mercy a day.  More when you can.  I know God will bless and reward you. 

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Father Raymond J. Finch, M.M.

Divine Mercy Sunday

Pour out Your mercy upon me,

O divine Savior and Lord

who from the cross blessed the world

with salvation and grace.

Wash away my sins and cleanse me

from all transgressions against

Your most Sacred Heart.

More than water covers the earth

let Your mercy cover the world

freeing the captive, healing the

broken-hearted, and lifting

up the downtrodden.

You who prayed to the Father

to forgive Your executioners

help me to let go of past grievances

and turn over to You any thoughts

of vengeance or retribution

that I might worthily walk in Your ways.

Amen

Prayer by Maryknoll Missioner, Father Joseph Veneroso

“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.” Psalm 118:24

Truly, this is the day the Lord has made.  Rejoice with me in celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and the gift of eternal life.  There is no greater love than the sacrifice of the Cross.  We are a blessed people.

As you celebrate Easter Sunday—at home or safely in the company of family and friends—remember that our calling as missioners is to share in the life of Christ and the promise of salvation.  We know the past year has been challenging.  But whatever our circumstance may be—rich in blessings or blessings tempered by hardship—be assured… We are exactly where we need to be to reach our destination in Christ. 

How we accept and learn from every life experience is how we will complete the journey home to new life and our personal Easter.  With God’s grace, we will use every moment God gives us to deepen our faith, and to find solace in scripture and the sacraments.  As Easter celebrants, we have the conviction that life always overcomes death.  We know that expressions of new life can come at any time, usually with some sacrifice, and sometimes when we least expect them.  The Resurrection we celebrate today is our assurance that what we believe is so.

On this most sacred of holy days, I will remember you at a special Easter Sunday Mass to honor all of our missioners and co-missioners, our supporters and friends, and our prayer partners all over the world.  You are among them.  I will remember as well the richness of the Easter celebrations our Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers will offer today—beginning at dawn—in English, Korean, Chinese, Spanish, Swahili, Nepalese, and more.  The universality of our faith is reflected in the diversity of our faithful, the Kingdom of God on earth.  Celebrating the Resurrection is our common language.

Friend, may the blessings of Easter provide light and life for the journey that will take you home one day into the radiant splendor of eternal life.  That’s the promise of the Resurrection.  Yes, let us rejoice and be glad.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Father Raymond J. Finch, M.M.

Easter Sunday Reflection

April 4, 2021 

O blessed dawn, O radiant light

that shattered the darkness of death

and scattered the shadows of sorrow!

Rise in our hearts with that same splendor

which greeting the mourning women

that first Easter morning.

Risen Savior! Grant us Your peace

a peace the world cannot give

and breathe on us Your Holy Spirit

to proclaim Your name and empower us

to be apostles of Your gospel to the world.

Lord, let Your Easter glory permeate

and penetrate every aspect of our life,

so that the Reign of God be established

in our hearts, in our homes,

in our lives and in our world.

Amen! Alleluia!

Prayer by Maryknoll Missioner, Father Joseph Veneroso

“Morning after morning he opens my ear that I may hear.” Isaiah 50:4

After all the weeks of Lent and preparation, we come to the heart of who we are and what it means to be a Christian.  This is Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion.

Today’s events, and the events of Holy Week soon to follow, are as meaningful now as they were 2,000 years ago.  We recognize that God is inviting us to be transformed:  to pass from death to new life.  This is the week we say “Yes, Lord.  I am ready.”

I know that for some of us the traditional liturgies and celebrations of Holy Week will be compromised.  Whether we express our faith privately at home or in safe groups, Holy Week represents the core of our faith.  What we remember is Christ giving himself up totally for us—and calling us to give ourselves up for one another.

Today we receive the palm, which the crowds waved as they welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem.  Later this week we will celebrate the Last Supper and the gift of the Eucharist, the lasting presence of God among us.  Then on Good Friday we will recite the Stations of the Cross, remembering the suffering and death of Our Lord.  As we experience the promise of Holy Week, now is a good time to focus on forgiveness—for ourselves and one another—and on acts of charity that heal.  We do both by responding to God’s call to love and serve one another freely and without measure.  As missioners, there is no holding back.

Friend, when we turn to God for help, it will be as Isaiah says:  The Lord will open our ears, we will be called, and we will hear.  May you have a blessed Holy Week in preparation for the greatest feast day of all, Easter Sunday.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Father Raymond J. Finch, M.M.

Reflection for Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion

With joy we proclaim you Messiah,

anointed Savior and son of David.

With blessed palm branches we hail You

King who comes in the name of the Lord.

With reverence and awe we gather

around the table of Your Passover supper

and with sorrow we mourn Your death

on the Cross for love of us.

Lord, we can never appreciate, much less

comprehend the depth of Your mercy

nor the full meaning of Your sacrifice.

We stand with Mary Magdalene and

Your Blessed Mother at the foot of the Cross

and in place of Your Beloved Disciple.

With sorrow beyond measure

we help Joseph of Arimathea

take down Your bruised body

and lay it in a tomb meant for us.

With broken hearts we take Mary,

Your mother, to our homes and

into our hearts as You instructed us.

As darkness falls over the earth

we keep holy this holiest of Sabbaths

as we mourn in silence and wait

for the dawn of a new day.

Amen.

Prayer by Maryknoll Missioner, Father Joseph Veneroso