More Wisdom from Francis Cardinal Arinze

Old age is a gift and treasure that both Church and State need to appreciate and for which both the old and the young should be grateful.

—Francis Cardinal Arinze from The Evangelizing Parish

Wisdom from Francis Cardinal Arinze

While there is no suggestion here that all such situations of poverty can be resolved by the parish, there is no doubt that an evangelizing Catholiccommunity can be tested by its attitude to the poor and by the measures it takes to meet them and show them Christian love.

—Francis Cardinal Arinze from The Evangelizing Parish

Best-Selling Catholic Strategy Game Delights Kids and Adults

The Best-Selling New Strategy Game for Catholics Have your kids ever played a table top game that strengthened their knowledge and love of the Catholic Faith? Now they can!   "With The Road to Bethlehem, families can journey closer to Jesus Christ and to each other as they leave the noise of our world and engage each other in conversations that matter." Fr. Mitch Pacwa, S.J. Here's a fast-moving strategy game that skillfully weaves biblical themes into gripping action, offering hours of wholesome fun for all ages. This game will get your family moving and having fun all summer long! Families will enjoy a fun strategy game that reinforces the value of Christian culture, virtues, skills, and knowledge. And because The Road to Bethlehem is a table top session game rather than a traditional board game . . .   . . . it can be easily boxed up and resumed at a later time, making it perfect for families with children of all ages. Watch your children discover the beauty of our Catholic faith. Your family will rediscover the beauty of our Christian faith while reconnecting with the Holy Family and the saints. It all starts when the Archangel Raphael transports you back 2,000 years to the time Christ was born. St. Raphael will guide your quest, taking you across eight thrilling environments including deserts, mountains, and great cities. Learn how our Christian culture came to be. Along the way you’ll meet real characters from 2,000 years ago and experience their tricks, cunning . . . and kindness. It was a runaway bestseller in Europe, and now it is the bestselling Catholic table-top game in the United States! Now’s the time to take your family on an adventure-filled journey to experience together a biblical world you’ve only read about – until now. Game Information:  Age: 8+    Players: 3‐8+ Time: 10 minutes per round and 4-6 hours to complete the journey The Road to Bethlehem by Jacek and Ewa Malkowski Tabletop game List price: $64.95  Today's Sale Price: $59.95! BUY NOW Game includes: 1 Book of Adventures (170 pages, full color, leather binding)   8 Encounter Cards   40 Decision Cards   24 Special Cards   55 Archangel Raphael Cards   106 Equipment Tokens   30 Surprise Tokens 8 Personal Progress Bars   1 Time Bar   40 Wooden markers (2 colors)   1 Wheel of TAU   1 Bag of Surprises (cloth bag)   1 Manual (including Quick Start) Order online above, or call 1-800-888-9344 www.SophiaInstitute.com   Invite friends to receive our newsletters and get FREE books! LEARN MORE Get one book a month for only $15? Learn more:

More Wisdom from Fr. Dave Pivonka

The greatest gift of the Holy Spirit is the Holy Spirit. The living God gives the gift of himself to those who are baptized.

—FR. DAVE PIVONKA from The Wild Goose (Episode 10)

Wisdom from Fr. Dave Pivonka

Many of the gifts of the Holy Spirit are very familiar to us (wisdom, counsel, love) while others are somewhat foreign (healing, prophecy, tongues). Whatever our experience, the gifts of the Holy Spirit are for all Christians, and no one should think that the gifts are not for them.

—FR. DAVE PIVONKA from The Wild Goose (Episode 6)

Wisdom from G.K. Chesterton

It is impossible to be just to the Catholic Church. The moment men cease to pull against it they feel a tug towards it. The moment they cease to shout it down they begin to listen to it with pleasure. The moment they try to be fair to it they begin to be fond of it.

—G.K. Chesterton from The Catholic Church and Conversion

Sixth Sunday of Easter, Cycle C May 26, 2019

First Reading
Acts of the Apostles 15:1-2,22-29
The early Church community determines, with the help of the Holy Spirit, not to impose the requirement of circumcision on Gentile Christians.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 67:2-3,5,6,8
A prayer that all the nations sing praise to God.

Second Reading
Revelation 21:10-14,22-23
The vision of the splendor of the heavenly Jerusalem is described.

Gospel Reading
John 14:23-29
Jesus promises his disciples that the Father will send the Advocate, the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said to his disciples:
"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.
Whoever does not love me does not keep my words;
yet the word you hear is not mine
but that of the Father who sent me.

"I have told you this while I am with you.
The Advocate, the Holy Spirit,
whom the Father will send in my name,
will teach you everything
and remind you of all that I told you.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
Not as the world gives do I give it to you.
Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.

You heard me tell you,
'I am going away and I will come back to you.'
If you loved me,
you would rejoice that I am going to the Father;
for the Father is greater than I.
And now I have told you this before it happens,
so that when it happens you may believe."


Background on the Gospel Reading

This portion of John's Gospel comes near the end of the first of four chapters that make up Jesus' long farewell discourse at the Last Supper. This section of chapter 14 actually sums up the themes of the opening of the discourse: the Christian's life is not shaped by Jesus' absence but by God's abiding presence; God's presence overcomes anxiety about God's absence; and the present holds in it the seeds of a fresh future shaped by love, not fear.

These verses also contain a glimpse of some of the other themes of the farewell discourse: Jesus' relationship with the Father and the disciples' relationship to Jesus connect the disciples to the Father as well. Jesus promises to send an Advocate or intercessor who will remind the disciples of everything that Jesus taught them and bring them peace.

Jesus is preparing his disciples in advance for his absence so that they will continue to believe in him and not feel all alone after his return to the Father. After the initial excitement of his Easter appearances, Jesus will remain with his followers in a very different way throughout the centuries.

As our celebration of the Easter season is coming to an end, the liturgy reminds us that Jesus remains with us through the Holy Spirit, who teaches us everything we need to know, reminds us of all that Jesus taught, and brings us peace.


Family Connection

Parents are always helping their children prepare for something, whether that consists of getting ready for school, preparing for an exam, or making preparations to go on vacation. In today's Gospel, Jesus prepares his disciples for his Passion, death, and Resurrection. He promises his Holy Spirit, gives them the gift of his peace, and tells them not to be troubled.

As a family, talk about the kinds of events that you have prepared for together; surgeries, funerals, vacations, and first days of school are some examples. Talk about why it is important to prepare for important events in our lives. Then read aloud this Sunday's Gospel: John 14:23-29. Talk about how Jesus prepared his disciples for his Death and Resurrection and how he wanted them to be prepared for what would happen so that they would be able to believe.

Talk about how, as a family, you can prepare for Pentecost (only 2 weeks away), when we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit, our Advocate.


Sources: Loyola Press; Sunday Readings

More Wisdom from Sam Guzman

And yet, even in our imitation of Christ, we will discover a startling paradox—the more we become like him, the more we become fully ourselves. The more fully Christ lives in us, the more fully we will discover our uniqueness. Our talents and gifts will shine forth the clearer and we will understand, perhaps for the first time, the truths that there are many gifts, but one Spirit, and we, though different members, are one body in Christ.

—Sam Guzman from The Catholic Gentleman

Wisdom from Sam Guzman

Virtue is critical to a happy life because it makes us truly free, not a slave to the impulse of the moment. Virtue is peak performance of all our abilities. A virtuous man functions at his highest, in the way he was meant to function. He is a man of integrity, in the sense that he is integrated. His mind, body, and soul fit together in an integrated whole.

—Sam Guzman from The Catholic Gentleman

More Wisdom from Dan Burke

As we pursue God and the Church, the sacraments, prayer, Scripture, study, and spiritual reading, we begin to understand Him better. We discover how much He loves us and we discover what He’s done specifically for us as individuals.

—DAN BURKE from Navigating the Interior Life

NEW! A cookbook for Catholics

Transform meal time into an effortless celebration of Catholic saints! In this gorgeous hardcover book, we present five saints each month along with brief biographies and accompanying dishes from their homelands. You can celebrate each saint on their feast day . . . . . . or honor St. Patrick when you want traditional Cottage Pie, or St. Ignatius when you want Basque Lamb Stew! At the end of each month, we present a full meal with recipes for all side dishes — even desert! Soon you'll present your family with authentic meals from Ethiopia, Spain, Poland, Hungary, Korea, Scotland, France, Greece, and Sweden. We even included a handy index and a carefully categorized shopping list to save you time in the store. Guaranteed to delight, each recipe has been home-tested by our team of Christian mothers and their families. Don't just take our word for it, Look Inside!   CLICK HERE TO LOOK INSIDE Open these pages and celebrate . . . St. Aloysius Gonzaga St. Anselm of Canterbury St. Basil the Great St. Brigid of Kildare St. Catherine of Siena St. Damien of Molokai St. Isidore the Farmer St. Joan of Arc St. John Neumann St. Josemaria Escriva   St. Junipero Serra   St. Justin Martyr St. Kateri Tekawitha St. Mark the Evangelist St. Mary of Egypt St. Padre Pio St. Paul Miki St. Simon Stock St. Teresa of Calcutta St. Therese of Lisieux St. Thomas Aquinas And more! Cooking with the Saints by Alexandra Greeley and Fernando Flores 352 pages — Hardback List price: $34.95   Today's Sale price: $29.99 ORDER NOW WATCH NOW Praise for Cooking with the Saints: "Cooking with the Saints is a must have for every kitchen and a heavenly treat in every way. YUM!" Johnnette Williams  Host, EWTN Television and Radio "Cooking with the Saints helps us live out feasts by connecting us with centuries of Catholic tradition. And so, though I don’t need more reasons to celebrate, this book encourages me to do so!" Lino Rulli The Catholic Guy, Sirius XM Satellite Radio "With lively photos of enticing dishes to inspire families to live in union with the Church and her Saints throughout the year, Cooking with the Saints is a delightful celebration of food from around the world and through time." Leila Lawler Publisher, Like Mother, Like Daughter "Eating the right food and sharing the meal with the right company, can truly make us Saints! May this book help us hunger for that heavenly meal!"" Fr. Leo Patalinghug TV & Radio Host, Author, Speaker, Founder of Plating Grace & The Table Foundation "Cooking with Saints helps us celebrate many days of the Church year with distinctive foods and exceptional reflections from our rich Catholic heritage." Bishop Dominick Lagonegro Retired Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of New York ORDER NOW Order online above, or call 1-800-888-9344 www.SophiaInstitute.com   Invite friends to receive our newsletters and get this book for FREE! LEARN MORE Save up to 40% when you join