Dear Friends,
Christ is risen, alleluia! Truly risen, alleluia!
In today’s Gospel from John 14, we are given a beautiful promise and gift from the Lord’s heart to ours. Jesus says, “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him,” (John 14.23). This sublime reality, while difficult to comprehend, is a spiritual doctrine of paramount importance. Let’s take a look.
In Christian spirituality, we call this promise the indwelling of the Blessed Trinity or divine indwelling. Hear it explained elsewhere in Sacred Scripture: “God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him” (1 Jn 4:16), and again: “it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me,” (Gal 2:20), and again: “you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you” (1 Cor 3:16).
St. Elizabeth of the Trinity calls the indwelling the “little heaven” that God makes in our souls. “You want to be His, although living in the world; it is so simple. He is always with you; be with Him always yourself. Through all your actions, in all your sufferings, when your body is exhausted, remain in His sight. See Him living in your soul.”
Let us live moment to moment, grateful for and adoring God’s mysterious, intimate presence within us—personally in our heart of hearts and communally, as His family, His Church. “Thank you Lord for making Your home in my heart! Thank You Lord for being the Soul of Your Church.”
Want to know or pray on this mystery of indwelling some more?
Pentecost, June 7 & 8: This indwelling presence in our hearts and in our Church is the amazing gift we will celebrate soon on Pentecost, the birthday of the Church! God wants to renew this grace in each of us and in our Pastorate by a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit! We will ready our hearts for Pentecost by gathering from 7:15–8:30pm on June 2 at OLC, June 3 at St. Jane, June 4 at OLC, and June 5 at St. Jane. Nights will include Eucharistic adoration, praise and worship, a brief catechesis, and prayers to the Holy Spirit. On June 7, after the 5pm Vigil Mass at St. Jane, we will have a fellowship night for our Pastorate. All are welcome to celebrate the birthday of the Church!
Next Saturday May 31, we celebrate 45 fantastic years of faith on the peninsula at Our Lady of the Chesapeake! We look forward to welcoming Archbishop Lori and gathering together for the 4pm Mass and celebration afterwards!
All are welcome June 21 at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen for the priestly ordinations at 10am. If you have never been to an ordination, I encourage you to come. It is a luminous and powerful sacrament to witness.
On the eve of Memorial Day, we ask the Lord to grant eternal rest and reward to those men and women who have given their life for our country while serving in the armed forces and consolation to those who mourn them. May God bless the United States of America, the land that we love.
May Mary Our Lady of the Visitation (feast day Saturday May 31) teach us to run with haste to proclaim the Good News (Lk 1:39) and to sing her song of praise (Lk 1:46-55).
In Christ,
Father John
