On the Road With Christ

Readings 041926  

Blessed be God. Praise be to Jesus Christ forever and ever. Amen.
Come, Holy Spirit. Fill us with joy. Set our hearts ablaze with Your presence.

I’ve got a GPS on my phone.
I type in where I want to go,
and it maps out the best direction.
When I traveled for work, I depended on that little voice—
warning me when I was speeding,
when something was in my path,
when danger was ahead.
It kept me from getting lost.
It showed me the way.

Lately, I’ve been laughing at myself.
I connected that app to my new truck,
and now—everywhere I drive around Monroe—
I hear the same message:
“Approaching a railroad crossing ahead.”
No hazards. No police.
Just railroad crossings… again and again.

But as I prayed with today’s Scriptures,
that little voice echoed in my heart.
Because the Psalm says,
“Lord, You will show us the path of life.”
God’s law isn’t a burden—
it’s a light for our steps.

We all need guidance.
We all need Someone to warn us
when we’re drifting,
when we’re going too fast,
when something is blocking the road.

The disciples on the road to Emmaus
were walking with their own warning lights flashing—
grief, confusion, disappointment, fear.
They thought the story was over.
And then Jesus comes alongside them—
quietly, gently, patiently—
even when they don’t recognize Him.

He opens the Scriptures.
He opens their hearts.
And they say,
“Were not our hearts burning within us?”

That’s the moment—
the burning, the recognition—
that the One who died for us
is alive and walking beside us.

And He still does it.
Every Mass.
Every time the Word is proclaimed.
Every time the Bread is broken.
Christ is truly, really, substantially present—
the living God placed in our hands.

He shows us the path of life.
He slows us down when we’re speeding past grace.
He stands in our way when sin is about to derail us.
He puts Himself right in our path
so we cannot miss Him.

So maybe that little warning in my truck
isn’t so silly after all.
Maybe it’s God whispering:
“Crossing ahead.
Pay attention.
Grace is coming.
I am here.”

Friends, be good. Be holy.
On the roads you travel,
preach the Good News of Jesus Christ
in the way you live, forgive, and love.

Praise be to Jesus Christ forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer

 Lord Jesus, walk with me on every road I travel.
Open my eyes when Your presence feels hidden.
Steady my heart when fear and confusion rise.
Let Your Word burn within me like holy fire.
Guide my steps when the path grows uncertain.
Feed me with Your Body, the Bread of Life.
Keep me close until I recognize You in all things.

Amen

When God Asks You to Step Up

 

Readings  041826 

A quiet tug begins the call—
a small stirring in the heart,
a whisper that stays,
a gentle pull toward something holy.

The apostles once asked the community
to choose seven good men—
men filled with the Spirit,
men ready to serve.
And somehow, in God’s own way,
my call grew in that same pattern.

Through people who noticed something in me
before I ever noticed it in myself.
Through moments of helping the poor,
visiting the sick,
standing beside those who felt unseen.
Through a growing desire
not just to hear God’s Word,
but to live it
and share it.

I never thought I was smart enough,
holy enough,
or worthy enough to be a deacon.
I always feared I’d be asked to step down.
But God—
God asked me to step up.

Then came the laying on of hands—
that ancient sign,
that quiet blessing,
that moment when I knew
I was joining a long line of servants.

And the Word of God continued to spread.

That is the heart of the diaconate:
when a deacon serves, the Word spreads.
When he teaches, the Word spreads.
When he prays with the grieving,
or lifts up the needs of the people,
or simply shows up with love—
the Word spreads.

And that is my hope:
that through my hands,
my voice,
and my presence,
God’s Word keeps finding new places
to take root.

Prayer
Lord, 

Let my heart stay open to Your call.
Fill my hands with gentleness and strength.
Let my steps move toward those who feel unseen.
Let my voice carry Your comfort and Your truth.
Shape my service with simple, steady love.
Plant Your Word wherever You send me.
And let Your Spirit guide every act of my day.

Amen