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As we celebrate Valentine's Day and the life of Saint Valentine, we are reminded of the importance of love and compassion in our lives. Whether we are in a romantic relationship or not, we can all strive to love and care for others, just as Saint Valentine did. So, as we reflect on the legacy of Saint Valentine and the central role of love in our faith, let us strive to embody the love and compassion that he embodied, and that is so beautifully expressed in the Bible. Let us show love and kindness to those around us, and let us celebrate the power of love to transform and heal our world.

The Thanksgiving Holiday is one of the most celebrated in our country, not only because it is not attached to any religious practice but because families come together to feast and be grateful for the blessings received throughout the year. It is a joyful celebration where we all share generously with others our gifts. May this Thanksgiving day be a joyful one! 

Catholics have celebrated Divine Mercy Sunday since the year 2000. However, this was already a solemnity on the Octave Day of Easter. The title "Divine Mercy Sunday" does, however, highlight the meaning of the day. This day was instituted by St. John Paul the II on April 30th, 2000, at the canonization of Saint Faustina prompted by the writings on her diary where God revealed to the mystic his wish to dedicate the Octave Day of Easter to the contemplation of His Divine Mercy.

October 5th, was instituted as the feast of St. Faustina Kowalska on April 30th, 2000 by St. John Paul II. Only 20 years ago this Polish nun to who we attribute the devotion to The Divine Mercy, officially became a Saint. 

St. Faustina had mystical encounters with Our Lord at the Blessed Sacrament. The Lord asked to record these revelations in a notebook.  These entries were compiled as the Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska - Divine Mercy in My Soul

The Lord appeared to her as the King of Divine Mercy, the following is an excerpt from her diary describing her vision. 

"In the evening, when I was in my cell, I became aware of the Lord Jesus clothed in a white garment. One hand was raised in blessing, the other was touching the garment at the breast. From the opening of the garment at the breast, there came forth two large rays, one red and the other pale. In silence, I gazed intently at the Lord; my soul was overwhelmed with fear, but also with great joy. After a while Jesus said to me, 'paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the inscription: Jesus, I trust in You.'"

In response to a 2019 Pew Study that showed only 30 percent of Catholics believe in the Real Presence, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is launching a three-year long Eucharistic Revival, which starts on the Feast of Corpus Christi June 19. 

The first pillar of the Revival is: Foster encounters with Jesus through kerygmatic proclamation and experiences of Eucharistic devotion.

Which leads to the questions: What is the kerygma and what does it have to do with the Eucharist?

The kerygma is the Gospel as proclaimed by Jesus. The word means “proclamation” in Greek. In a nutshell it is as follows: We are sinners. Because we are sinners we will die an eternal death unless we are saved. Jesus died for our sins to save us from eternal death. If we repent and give our lives to him we will receive eternal life. Are you ready to turn away from sin and believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

Plato, Aristotle, and Thomas Aquinas taught that God is truth, goodness and beauty. To seek what is true, what is good, or what is beautiful is to search for God. Contrary to popular belief, as we search for truth, for goodness, and for beauty, God does not elude us. He leaves a trail of hints that lead to him if we are interested enough to seek him. He does this because he knows we love to explore and discover.

The truth is: Life is a game and God is the game designer. Francis Thompson, in his poem Hound of Heaven says he fled him . . . He fled God, that is, the Hound that chased him. Evidently, that’s how the game is played. We run after him, he runs after us–like hide and seek–and whether we admit it or not, we are often thrilled by the suspense of hiding and then seeking. We hide from God in some place we think he won’t find us (of course, he plays along). He finds us, and we’re startled when he does. Then he goes and hides, but only just enough to make it a little bit of a challenge for us, to keep the game interesting. Fools that we are, we pass right by him again and again not noticing he is so close to us.

The Third Pillar of the USCCB Eucharistic Revival is “Empower grassroots creativity by partnering with movements, apostolates, parishes, and educational institutions.”

The soul is the soil of a person–it is where life is nourished and cultivated. Just as the yield of a crop depends on the quality of the soil within which it was planted, the fruit a soul bears depends upon the condition of that soul. There is a reason why so many farmers have faith in God: working with the local soil is a way to work on your soul. The connections between the two are abundant. Jesus knew this, so he often connected the spiritual life to agrarian concepts. 

When the bishops say to reach out to small groups and families, they’re talking about people like you and me: readers of Catholic publications and blogs who are–more likely than not–involved in a Catholic community. They’re not only reaching out to us though. They’re also relying on us to reach out to others.

Parish small groups and families are often where a person’s faith is born and sustained. Before the age of multimedia, the religious customs of the family, parish missions and similar engagements helped build a culture where faith was a natural part of life. This is practical. Sometimes it seems we’ve become so caught up in trying to find innovative ways to evangelize that we often look past the tried and true way that has worked for centuries: interactions within natural relationships in our families and those we meet at our church.