Y’all………..Here lately there has been a lot of folks saying things like, “Play stupid games, win stupid prizes,” and “Hang with the dogs, yer gonna get fleas.”  And ya know, that sentiment has been around since time began.  Long about 406 BC, Euripides said, “Every man is like the company he is wont to keep.”  Aesop, that teller of fantastic fables said, “A man is known by the company he keeps.”  And from the Book of Proverbs we have, “He that walketh with wise [men] shall be wise. (Prov 13:20).  And then, from good ol’ Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company corrupts good morals.” (1 Cor. 15:33)

So who ya hangin’ with?   I know in my heart of hearts that all of us want to be accepted by those around us.  It’s just who we are, and we are a social bunch.  I figure that’s why the Social Media industry is a multi-billion dollar thing.  But how far are we willing to go to be a part of this or that group?  Whatcha gotta do to be accepted into the “it” group, the most popular clique?

And maybe the group said to you, “Well, this is what you gotta do to be accepted,” and gave you a list of things you needed to work on. And, surprising as it may be, even God is like that.  It’s a pretty rare thing for me to skip the Gospel reading appointed for the day and jump into the Psalm, but today we are experiencing that rare thing and so here we are.  Today we get to get up close and personal with Psalm 15, written by everyone’s favorite shepherd turned king, David. 

A psalm of David

LORD, who may abide in your tent?^*

Who may dwell on your holy mountain?^*

Whoever walks without blame,

doing what is right, speaking truth from the heart;
Who does not slander with his tongue, does no harm to a friend, never defames a neighbor;
Who disdains the wicked, but honors those who fear the LORD;
Who keeps an oath despite the cost,
Who lends no money at interest, accepts no bribe against the innocent. Whoever acts like this shall never be shaken.

It takes no brilliant mind (which is a good thing, coz we know I ain’t that smart) to figure out what good ol’ Dave is sayin’ to us here.  If you wanna hang out in God’s tent/house/mansion/before the throne, then you gotta “straighten up and fly right,” as my momma used to say.  David explores the qualities of someone worthy to dwell in God’s presence. He outlines a path of integrity, truthfulness, and righteous conduct, emphasizing actions like speaking truthfully, treating neighbors well, and upholding commitments. Ultimately, he suggests that those who live by these principles will be steadfast and secure in their relationship with God, not easily moved by life’s challenges.

From the Hebrew scriptures to the Epistles we are told, over and over again, just how we should conduct ourselves.  We are taught in Paul’s letter to the Galatians that  things like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control are the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). 

And from his letter to the Ephesians: Brothers and sisters:  Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were sealed for the day of redemption.  All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling must be removed from you, along with all malice.
And be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.  So be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma.  (Eph 4:30—5:2)

I know, believe me do I know, in this age and period in our lives, how very difficult this is.  But we must persevere.  In the past few weeks, how many of us have said/posted/read/agreed with things that would most definitely not be considered Christ-like?   How many of us have let ourselves believe political statements that get in the way of acting like the “little Christ” we are called to be?  How many of us support, often  vehemently, opinions  and people are the antithesis of everything a Christian is called to be?  How many of us hang out with those kinda people?

It is up to us to see the Jesus in everyone, regardless of political belief, race, creed, color, sexual orientation, nationality, legal status, or anything thing else that can be used to divide us.  It is our job/duty/responsibility to remember that we are all of us HIS people, the sheep of HIS pasture, and we have far more in common than we do the things that divide us, if we truly identify as HIS.  We are to remain focused on the one thing that really matters in this world and the next:  Spreading and sharing the love of and for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.   We are called to love and to serve the Lord with gladness and singleness of heart.  We are called to care of each other, regardless of our politics.  We are commanded to ‘bless those who persecute us’ and we are called to ‘pray for our enemies.’  We are called to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, house the homeless. (Matthew 25:31-46). 

It’s been said, “When people show you who they are, believe them,”  and “What you see is what you get.”

What do folks see when they look at you?  Who are you showing folks that you are?  And so, I gotta ask, who ya hangin’ with?

Amen

Today’s Gospel reading, Luke 10:25-37, presents us with one of the most powerful and
enduring parables Jesus ever told: the story of the Good Samaritan. As we reflect on
this passage here at St. Michael’s Catholic Parish, a part of the Unified Old Catholic
Church, let us consider how this ancient narrative speaks profoundly to our lives in
today’s complex world.
The passage begins with a seemingly innocent question from a lawyer: “Teacher, what
shall I do to inherit eternal life?” It’s a question many of us might ask, seeking the surest
path to salvation. Jesus, ever the master teacher, turns the question back to the lawyer,
“What is written in the law? How do you read?” The lawyer correctly answers, quoting
Deuteronomy and Leviticus: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and
with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor
as yourself.”
“You have answered correctly,” Jesus affirms. “Do this, and you will live.” But the lawyer,
perhaps wanting to justify himself, or to find a loophole, presses further: “And who is my
neighbor?”
This is the pivotal question, and it’s as relevant today as it was two thousand years ago.
In a world increasingly defined by divisions – political, social, economic, racial, and
religious – the question of “who is my neighbor?” is at the forefront of many hearts. Do
we limit our definition of “neighbor” to those who look like us, think like us, or worship
like us?
To answer this, Jesus tells the parable. A man is going down from Jerusalem to Jericho,
a dangerous road prone to robbers. He is attacked, stripped, beaten, and left half-dead.
Along comes a priest, a man of God, whose duty it would seem, is to show compassion.
But he passes by on the other side. Then a Levite, another religious official, also passes
by on the other side. Perhaps they feared ritual impurity, or perhaps they simply didn’t
want to get involved. Their priorities, whatever they were, overshadowed the immediate
human need before them.
But then, a Samaritan appears. Now, it’s crucial to remember the context: Samaritans
and Jews were bitter enemies. They despised each other. Yet, it is this Samaritan, this
outsider, this “other,” who sees the wounded man and is “moved with compassion.” He
doesn’t ask about man’s religion, his ethnicity, or his social status. He doesn’t debate
whether the man is truly his “neighbor.” He simply acts.
He bandages the man’s wounds, pouring oil and wine on them – acts of healing and
comfort. He puts the man on his own animal, takes him to an inn, and cares for him.
The next day, he gives the innkeeper two denarii, a significant sum, and tells him, “Take
care of him; and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.”

After telling this story, Jesus asks the lawyer, “Which of these three, do you think,
proved neighbor to the man who fell among robbers?” The lawyer, unable to even utter
the word “Samaritan,” admits, “The one who showed mercy to him.” And Jesus’ final
instruction echoes through the ages: “Go and do likewise.”
What does this profound story tell us about today’s world?
First, it redefines “neighbor.” Our neighbor is not just the person next door, or in our
pew, or in our social circle. Our neighbor is anyone, anywhere, who is in need. It
challenges us to look beyond the labels, the prejudices, and the divisions that humanity
constantly creates. In a world of increasing global connectivity, our “neighborhood” has
expanded dramatically. News of suffering, injustice, and poverty reaches us from every
corner of the globe. The parable compels us to consider how we respond to these
distant cries, as well as to the needs right in front of us.
Second, it calls us to radical compassion. The Samaritan didn’t just feel bad for the
man; he acted. Compassion moved him to inconvenience himself, to spend his
resources, and to risk his own safety. In a society that can often encourage
individualism and self-preservation, Jesus calls us to a selfless love that prioritizes the
well-being of others, even strangers, even enemies. This is particularly poignant today,
when many are quick to judge or dismiss those in need, rather than extending a helping
hand.
Third, it challenges our own prejudices. The priest and the Levite, figures of religious
authority, failed. The despised Samaritan excelled. This reminds us that true
righteousness is not found in religious titles, or in strict adherence to ritual, but in the
practical outworking of love and mercy. It pushes us to confront our own biases and ask
ourselves if we, like the priest and Levite, are sometimes passing by those in need
because of ingrained prejudices or a fear of stepping out of our comfort zones.
Finally, “Go and do likewise” is a direct and unambiguous command. It is not an
invitation for theological debate, but a call to action. It means getting involved, reaching
out, and actively participating in alleviating suffering and bringing healing to a broken
world. As followers of Christ, this parable
is our marching orders. It means volunteering, donating, advocating for justice, and
simply being present for those who are hurting.
My brothers and sisters, in a world often marked by indifference, division, and
selfishness, the parable of the Good Samaritan is a beacon of hope and a powerful
challenge. May we always remember that our “neighbor” is anyone in need, and may
we have the courage, the compassion, and the unwavering commitment to “go and do
likewise.”

Amen.

Y’all………..

It would seem that we are living in dark and discouraging times.  It would seem that it’s always a fight and back and forth between conservative and liberal, Democrat and Republican, right vs. left, this religious denomination vs. that religious denomination back and forth, my way or the highway.  It would seem that this fight has become a “good vs. bad” type thing.   It would seem that there are folks whom some of us respected, admired, and dare I say loved, who have shown themselves to be far different from what our perceptions of them have been.

Sometimes I just wanna scream STOP It!  Other times it’s a quiet “Why can’t we all just get along?”  More recently, my thoughts have been more like, “What the hell is wrong with you?”  I find it exhausting, this push and pull and continuous descension, and I find myself wondering, “What if?  Why?   How can we stop this madness?”

Well, Imma tell ya.  We can’t.  We simply can’t stop folks from doing what they’re gonna do and being who they’ve shown to us they actually are.  But, as he so often did, Jesus gives us a bit of direction that we can apply here.  In the Gospel reading appointed for today,   (Luke 10:1-12, 17-20, often called “The Great Commission,”)  Jesus is telling the twelve disciples what’s up, just how they’re supposed to proceed with the actually being disciples thing, and what they can expect.  And in the middle of this oral handbook he’s delivering, he includes this little zinger:  “Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words—go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet.”  To put a more modern spin on it, in the film “Frozen,” Elsa sings, “Let It Go.”

And that’s a hard thing to do and it goes against everything that those of us who are/were educators believe.  We try desperately to never, ever, give up on our students.  We find new and different ways to try to reach them.  And sometimes, we find new and different people (specialists) who have a better chance at getting whatever point across to some of these kids.  But sometimes, sometimes there are students/kids/folks who are just never gonna get it.  Never.  And that hurts.  But we persevere and keep working with the next batch of folks who are given to us to try to reach.  It’s what we do.

And going right along with that, it’s the same with those of us who preach and teach love continually.  Some folks are never gonna get it.  Some folks just refuse to be reached.  And that’s heartbreaking.  Even Jesus had to learn this lesson the hard way.  In Luke 19:41-44, Jesus wept over Jerusalem as He approached the city, knowing that its inhabitants would soon reject Him and face destruction.   His weeping highlights Jesus’s sorrow for the spiritual blindness and hardness of heart that would lead to their downfall. It also reveals His deep love and concern for the people of Jerusalem, despite their rejection of Him.

Ugh.  But Jesus kept right on doing what he was doing, and so do we.  But I’m gonna let ya in on a little secret.  Sometimes, no, actually ALL the time whilst I’m talking about this love stuff that Jesus was so adamant about, I’m also, in many ways, preaching to myself.  I have to continually police myself to not fall to the temptation to be a wee bit nasty, mean, hateful, or rude.  I love the story Anne Lamott relates “Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith.”

She writes about A.J. Muste, a life-long pacifist who, during the Vietnam War, stood in front of the White House night after night, for years, holding a lighted candle.  A one person protest, conducted near the end of his life.  One very rainy night, a reporter asked him, “Mr. Muste, do you really think you are going to change the policies of this country by standing out here alone at night with a candle?”

“Oh,” Muste replied, “I don’t do it to change the country, I do it so the country won’t change me.”

So we “shake the dust from our sandals” when we have to, and keep going, trying remind ourselves along with everyone else, to spread Jesus’s  message of love, of inclusiveness, of joy, of trying to be the (say it with me) the only Jesus some folks will ever see; the only Bible some folks will ever read.  And maybe, just maybe, to be that candle in the darkness for someone.

Today, we come together as the Church to commemorate the Feast of St Thomas the Apostle, who is often referred to by the nickname of ‘Doubting Thomas’. This is because on Easter Sunday after Mary had seen Jesus, he went to the room where the disciples were gathered and suddenly he appears to them despite the doors being locked. Also, they could clearly see the wounds to His hands and side. Jesus tells them, “Peace be with you”. All of The disciples believed.

Thomas however, wasn’t with the other Apostles when Jesus had appeared to them, and when Thomas arrived after Jesus had left them, the other disciples informed Thomas about Jesus visiting them, but Thomas didn’t believe what he had been told, he told them, “Unless I see Jesus for myself, and that I can touch His wounds, I won’t believe.” I can easily imagine that Thomas may have thought the other apostles were teasing him; or why wouldn’t Jesus have stayed long enough until he had managed to arrive to be able to see him?

The next week however, the disciples are gathered together again, this time Thomas was with them. Jesus suddenly appeared and said to Thomas to put his hands on Him and to feel his wounds. Thomas does so, and Jesus asked Thomas, “Do you believe because you have seen me?” and he tells him, “Blessed are those who do not see yet believe.”

Can you imagine what it would be like to be mainly remembered by many because of our greatest moment of doubt? Haven’t we all doubted something at one time or another? I can tell you that I have once or twice. Thomas therefore, is the disciple to whom all of us can relate. Most of us have experienced what it is to live between faith and doubt at some point.

Most people tend to think that Faith and doubt are opposites, but in true fact, it is often a part of our faith journey. It is a stop, or a bump in the road of faith that most of us would’ve made more than once on our journey. This doesn’t make us bad Christians or bad believers. Indeed, rather, it can be seen as a sign that we take our relationship with God seriously that we allow ourselves to walk the journey of faith without knowing for certain through what situations we shall be travelling upon our journey.

Christian tradition tells us that Thomas set sail for India and indeed was the first to spread Christianity there. He is the Patron Saint of India.

The doubt that Thomas previously had, was what brought him faith and that faith was such that he brought the message of Christ to many.

We all have times of doubt, at least all of us that see faith as a true journey, not merely as a one=time stop gap. Doubt can actually propel us towards faith, and can be what gives us the shake up we may at times need. It can be what sends us out of our comfort zones and into a new and better world. Doubt can act like a ticket that starts us truly on our journey to a whole new life of faith. It can be a sign of not the absence of God as many may think, but rather one of God working within us to do something new.

Let us pray:

O Glorious St Thomas, your grief for Jesus was such that it wouldn’t allow you to to believe that he had risen until you saw him and touched his wounds. But your love for Jesus was equally great and it led you to give up your life for Him.

Pray for us, that we may grieve for our sins which were the cause of Christ’s sufferings. Help us to spend our lives in His service and so to be Blessed, which Our Lord Jesus applied to those who would believe in Him without seeing Him. Amen.

Y’all…..Those of you who know me well, or have just hung around with me for more than a hot minute, know that I’m easily confused and not always the sharpest knife in the drawer….  And here lately, I’ve become more befuddled, baffled, and bewildered than I think I ever have.

Ya see, June is the month the catholic (yes, little “c” coz there are more catholic churches than the Roman one)  churches of the world dedicate to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  In fact, 27 June is the Feast Day thereof.  (That’s today, y’all.)  The feast of the Sacred Heart is a day of devotion that especially emphasizes the unmitigated love, compassion, and long-suffering of the heart of Christ towards humanity.  In other words, it’s a day when we recognize, be thankful for, emulate, and show the world what Jesus and His love is all about.  And y’all know how often I preach and teach and rant about those of us who proport to be Christians who are supposed to be showing love….and this confuses me.

Now, I know y’all have seen those pictures of Jesus with his heart hanging out of his chest, complete with arteries and blood and stuff.  Or the ones where his heart is kinda glowing like some super religious valentine.  The bloody yucky ones always creeped me out as a kid, but anyway…………

Fun fact:  Did you know the phrase “bleeding heart” stems directly from this feast?  Atlas Obscura teaches us that before the 20th century, the phrase “bleeding heart” was popular in the religious-tinged oratory of 19th century America. Throughout the 1860s, it comes up often in poetry, essays, and political speeches, as an expression of empathy and emotion. “I come to you with a bleeding heart, honest and sincere motives, desiring to give you some plain thoughts,” said one politician in an 1862 speech. The phrase comes from the religious image of Christ’s wounded heart, which symbolizes his compassion and love.

Today, according to the dictionary, a person who is a “bleeding heart” is a person considered to be dangerously softhearted, typically someone considered too liberal in political beliefs. (Woke, anyone?)  In the 1930s a dude named Westbrook Pegler (Google him) was the first to use the term “bleeding heart” in reference to folks who were protesting lynching…coz he felt there was certainly nothing wrong with hanging random black folks.  Then in the 50s, Joe McCarthy hopped on the “bleeding heart liberal” name calling bandwagon and that’s kinda when the phrase came into common use as a way to crack on, denigrate, and make fun of folks WHO ACTUALLY TRY TO FOLLOW JESUS’S COMMANDMENTS TO LOVE.

And that’s the whole entire reason for my befuddlement.  We hear and read all these “good Christian folks” talking about the evils of immigrants, not helping the homeless, demanding the rights to discriminate against anyone they don’t particularly agree with, outlawing medical care for women and trans folk.  These “good Christian folk” think breaking the law is a good thing as long as it gets them what they want, and they whoop and holler, and celebrate when one of their good Christian politicians say something diametrically opposed to what Jesus stands for.  And then, they use the Bible as a basis for whatever-it-is that they believe, using any scripture they can find EXCEPT the words of Jesus to prove their point.  This makes them even more “Christian.” 

Now, I, personally, don’t believe any of that.  I believe that the words of Jesus (y’all remember those “red letter bibles?) supersedes any other words in da Bible.  I believe that anyone who wrote anything before or after Jesus, no matter what the circumstance, has to be read through the lens of what Jesus taught and did and if it doesn’t follow what Christ taught and did, then it doesn’t count.  And according to those good Christians, things like the Beatitudes no longer apply in the world today coz only “bleeding heart liberals” believe what Jesus said.  I believe that if we are truly followers of Jesus, then we must, most certainly, believe and live and breathe his commandments to love, love, and when yer finished loving, love some more, even if it’s hard, even if we don’t want to, even if it’s not popular, even if it’s dangerous (I mean, Jesus was crucified by the religious people of the day coz they didn’t agree with what he taught.  So there’s that.)

SO…..does this mean that I, and others who believe like me, aren’t Christian?  In its most basic definition, a Christian is someone who is a follower of Jesus Christ.  Now, I know better than most that words and phrases and language itself changes and evolves.  (It was drummed into my head in elementary school that the word “too” is ALWAYS offset with a comma before it.  Today not so much, but that’s a whole ‘nother rant…sorry.)  So, if “Christian” no longer means what it meant when it meant that a Christian follows what Jesus taught, then what the heck am I posta be called regarding my faith?  Is there some new label ain’t nobody told me about? 

Today, I believe more than any other time in recent history, we all of us need to focus on what it means to be truly Christian, to follow that Sacred, Bleeding Heart of Jesus.  Amen.

Have y’all seen those signs in front of many churches?  The one’s that say, “All Are Welcome,” or “We love everyone,” or “Come as you are!”   They’re pretty great, huh?

Not so much.

I continue to be amazed and appalled at some of the things that our “good Christian” brothers and sisters are saying and doing in our country, in our churches today.  No immigrants.  No Democrats.  No Trans folks.  No gay folks.  No black folks.  No Native American folks.  If you do not fit this exact profile, if you are not this exact kind of person, you are not allowed. 

Exclude.  Exclude.  Exclude.  Exclude. 

Today is a great Feast Day in the life of the liturgical church throughout Christendom:  The Solemnity of Corpus Christi.  This day is celebrated in recognition of the Eucharist, and everything the Eucharist is and means.  Today we celebrate, literally, the Body of Christ.  We all know that the Eucharist was instituted by Christ at the Last Supper.  We all know that Catholics believe that the bread and the wine become the body and blood of Our Lord.  We all know that our Protestant brothers and sisters believe that the bread and the wine are symbolic of the body and blood of our Lord.  We all know that wars have been fought over these two basic, yet entirely different, beliefs.  We also know that from many, if not most, of the liturgical pulpits in the world, today the Word will be proclaimed concerning the Eucharist. 

Today, however, I would like to put a different spin on Corpus Christi.  I would like for us to leave the upper room of Christ and the disciples, and jump ahead a few years to Corinth, and to listen to what the Apostle Paul had to say about “the body of Christ” in his first letter to the Corinthians:

12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into[c] one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many. 

We, the Church, we, the people of God, we, those of us who confess Christ as our Lord, puny imperfect people that we are, WE are the body of Christ.  Some of us dress funny.  Some of us talk funny.  Some of us have emotional issues.  Some of us just have issues.  But we, ALL of us, together, make up the body of Christ.  Warts and all.  Some of us are wildly and multiply talented.  Some of us are incredibly intelligent.  Some of us have been blessed with physical beauty.  Some of us have none of those things.  Some of us have been blessed with spiritual beauty.  Be we, ALL of us together, make up the body of Christ.

Because we are all of us different, it can be said that we make up different parts of the body of Christ.  We each of us have different gifts.  Some make up the head, some the heart.  Others are the feet and the hands of the body of Christ.  Granted there are parts of the body of Christ that we would rather keep hidden, under wraps (oh I want to be snarky here…  I’m really trying, y’all.)  But are these parts any less important?  Do these parts not serve a major and important function in the working of the body?  I believe that they do.

My point, here, folks, if I haven’t made it already is simply this:  WE, all of us, make up the body of Christ.  What one person brings to the table may not be of particular interest or value to another person, but there is someone at that table who needs just that.  Perhaps we feel that this person or that person isn’t quite what we would like to see in our church, or in our family, or in our lives, but to someone, somewhere, that person is exactly who is needed.  The very person whom we consider to be “less than worthy” to represent Christ and His church may just be the exact one who is needed in certain situations.

Can you imagine Jesus saying to anyone, “You’re not a member of the club.  You don’t belong here.” 

So, that drag queen you’re hating on?  That transman or transwoman?  That politician?  That bigot down the street?  That news anchor?  Those immigrants?  Yep.  God loves ‘em.  They are part of the body of Christ.

The music artist, John Michael Talbot, sums it up nicely:

One bread, one body, one Lord of all, one cup of blessing which we bless.

And we, though many, throughout the earth, we are one body in this one Lord.

Gentile or Jew, woman or man, no more.   Many the gifts, many the works, one in the Lord of all.

Grain for the fields, scattered and grown, gathered to one, for all.

One bread, one body, one Lord of all, one cup of blessing which we bless.  And we, though many, throughout the earth, we are one body in this one Lord.

So….who are you excluding?  Should you be?  Would Jesus tell ‘em no?

As we go along in our daily lives, let us remember the lessons of today, this Feast of Corpus Christi, that we all of us make up the One Bread, the One Body, the One Cup, that is the Body of Christ.  Amen.

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ and fellow seekers of Truth,

Grace and peace be with you this radiant Pentecost Sunday!

As a Dominican priest, one called to a life of study, contemplation, and preaching, there is no more vibrant feast for the soul than this one. Fifty days ago, we celebrated the glorious Resurrection of our Lord, and then His Ascension, leaving His disciples with a promise: “I will send you another Advocate.” Today, that promise explodes into reality.

Just as we heard in our first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, the disciples were gathered, perhaps still a little bewildered, certainly anxious, locked away for fear. Then, suddenly, there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, filling the entire house. And tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.

What an extraordinary moment! This isn’t just a historical event; it’s the very birth of the Church, the moment when God’s Spirit transforms a fearful huddle of followers into a courageous, outward-looking community. It’s the reversal of Babel, where instead of division, the Spirit brings understanding. People from every nation, every language, heard the Good News in their own tongue. This is a profound truth for us in the Unified Old Catholic Church, a Church committed to bridging divides, to embracing the glorious diversity of God’s creation, and to seeking unity in Christ.

The Spirit that descended on that first Pentecost is not a historical relic, but a living, breathing, active presence in our world, and most profoundly, within each one of us. As our Gospel from John reminds us, Jesus promised the Spirit of Truth, who “will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.” The Spirit is our constant guide, our divine teacher, our Advocate in a world often confused and disheartened.

So, how does this Pentecost, this ancient outpouring, apply to our lives today?

Firstly, the Spirit empowers us to overcome fear. Look at the Apostles: timid, hiding. After Pentecost, they are bold, proclaiming the Risen Christ even unto martyrdom. In our own lives, we often face fear: fear of failure, fear of judgment, fear of uncertainty, fear of speaking truth to power. The Holy Spirit instills fortitude, courage, and a holy boldness. It’s strength to stand up for justice, to speak out against injustice, to forgive when it’s hard, to love when it feels impossible.

Secondly, the Spirit calls us to unity in diversity. In a world increasingly fragmented by politics, ideologies, and even religious differences, Pentecost reminds us that the Spirit unites without erasing our distinctiveness. We don’t have to be uniform to be united. The Spirit allows us to hear and understand one another, even across seemingly insurmountable barriers. This is a core calling for us as Old Catholics: to be a bridge, to foster understanding, and to exemplify a Church where all are welcome and all gifts are honored, regardless of gender, orientation, or marital status. We are called to be a visible sign of God’s unifying love in a divided world.

Thirdly, the Spirit ignites our mission. The disciples weren’t just filled with the Spirit to feel good; they were filled to go forth. Each one of us, through our Baptism and Confirmation, has received the same Holy Spirit. We have been endowed with gifts: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. And beyond these, charismatic gifts for the building up of the Body of Christ. You might think, “I’m just a layperson,” but Pentecost reminds us that the Spirit falls on all flesh. Your unique talents, your compassionate heart, your discerning mind, these are tools for the Kingdom. Are you called to serve the poor? To teach? To console? To bring beauty into the world? To advocate for change? The Spirit is your guide and your strength.

Finally, as Dominicans, we speak of Veritas – Truth. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth, leading us deeper into the mysteries of God and the reality of creation. In a world awash with misinformation and conflicting narratives, the Spirit empowers us to discern, to seek what is truly good and true, and to proclaim it not with arrogance, but with conviction born of love and rigorous inquiry.

My friends, Pentecost is not merely a commemoration of what happened long ago. It is a vibrant, ongoing reality. The same Holy Spirit who descended upon the Apostles is waiting to fill us anew today. Open your hearts, pray for a fresh outpouring of grace. Let your fears be transformed into fortitude. Let your divisions be healed into authentic communion. And let your lives become living homilies, proclaiming the boundless love and truth of God, empowered by the very breath of God.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and kindle in us the fire of your love. Renew the face of the earth, and through us, renew the face of your Church.

Amen.