We ask Mother Mary to pray with us and for us.
The 6th Sunday of Easter continues the celebration of Christ’s Resurrection
and opens the doors to a month dedicated to honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary.
In May, the Church focuses on Mary’s role as the Mother of God and our spiritual
mother, who intercedes for us with her tender care. I invite each of us to give a
small part of our day, perhaps five or ten minutes, to pray the Rosary together as
a family. This prayer unites us, not only with each other but also with Mary, who
brings our petitions before her Son, our Lord. Through the Rosary, we recount
the mysteries of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, and in doing so, we ask
Mary to pray with us and for us.
This Sunday’s readings prompt us to reflect on love as the very essence of
God. In the second reading, St. John urges the early Christians and us: “Let us
love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by
God and knows God. Whoever is without love does not know God.” This truth
should deeply move us. It is all too easy for us to fall into patterns of selfishness,
to exploit others, and to express discontent when things don’t go our way;
however, as followers of Christ, we are called to a higher standard, one that
seeks the good of others before our own.
In the Gospel, we receive the comforting and challenging words of
Jesus: “As the Father loves me, so I have loved you. Remain in my love.” Jesus
is inviting us to accept and rest in the love that the Father has for Him – a love
that He extends to each of us. He chose to love us, not because we are worthy,
but because love is God’s nature. Jesus loves us with the same intensity and
purity as the Father loves Him. Jesus shares this message of love with us so that
we might experience the joy that His love brings. This joy is not contingent on
external circumstances; it is a joy that springs from the very heart of God. When
we understand and accept that Jesus chose to love us, our response is to remain
in that love, which is both a privilege and a responsibility. It is a call to live out
this love in our daily lives, to see everyone we encounter as a child of God,
deserving of our love and respect.Fr. Dominic Toan Tran, Pastor
Dear brothers and sisters, as we continue to walk in the light of the Easter
season and honor our Mother Mary in May, let us pray the Rosary and meditate
on the mysteries of our faith and allow Mary to guide us closer to her Son. Let us
love one another with the love that comes from God and show the world the
transformative power of His love. Through the prayers of the Blessed Virgin
Mary, let us find the grace to live out His love in all that we do so that His joy may
be complete in us and in those around us.