May 15 – Fifth Sunday of Easter
On behalf of the parish family of Our Lady of Mercy, I extend our congratulations and prayerful best wishes to all the children of our parish who received their First Holy Communion May 14th and 15th. We also have some children who will be receiving their First Holy Communion during a Sunday Mass later in the month. I thank their parents, catechists, and all who helped prepare them for this special day. As they receive Eucharist for the first time, it is always a good time for us who have been receiving communion for a long time to renew our wonder and gratitude to Jesus for nourishing our spiritual life and helping keep us close to Him. I also encourage you to begin a habit of Eucharistic Adoration……spending one hour in prayer before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. We offer Eucharistic Adoration on Monday’s from 8:30am to 6:00pm. Wednesday’s from 8:00am to 12:00noon. Thursday’s from 8:30am to 6:00pm. Eucharistic Adoration is held in the church. Also, be a part of our Eucharistic Procession on the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, held on Sunday, June 19th following the 12:00 Noon Mass. More details will be forthcoming!
In the Gospel today, Jesus gives us a new commandment – to love one another as he has love us. So what’s “new” about love? We love our family (most of the time). We love our friends. So how are we to love one another as Jesus loved? Jesus’ love is unconditional. Jesus’ love was sacrificial. Jesus loved social outcasts as well as the rich. Jesus treated all as equals. Jesus’ love was compassionate. Jesus sometime broke the letter of the law to follow the law of love. Today we benefit from one of Jesus’ greatest gifts of sacrificial love: the gift of himself in the Eucharist. His spirit, alive in us, helps us now to continue loving as he did.
Have a blessed Easter season!
Father Don