Easter, 5th Sunday (A) How can every vocation be special? Each rock that makes up St. Hyacinth Church is a unique shape, size, and color. The whole church is built of unique, unrepeatable stones. Every stone is special! In a similar way, each and every person has a special vocation.

These vocations all have something in common. Every Christian shares in the Priesthood of Jesus Christ, which means we offer sacrifice, sanctify the world, and connect heaven and earth. You bring the offering of your life to the altar, I offer it to God, receive Jesus, and give Jesus back to you. Then bring Jesus out with you into the world.

The one big obstacle to all our vocations is egoism, that is, believing that my life is all about me. It prevents me from accepting the shape that God has created me to be and from giving myself away.

How do you find your vocation? Practice listening to the voice of God today. Learn to live with Jesus and for Jesus each and every day. If you are really living your Christian life well, whoever has seen you has seen Jesus.

(3 May 2026)

Going Deeper: Pray to be freed from egoism, so that you can live each day with Jesus and for Jesus.

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Easter, 4th Sunday (A) Happy Good Shepherd Sunday, which could have also been called "Sheep Gate Sunday." Today is also the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. I think we often associate the word "vocation" with recruiting people to be priests and nuns. But the first vocation, the first "call" we receive, is the call of Baptism.

I was recently listening to a podcast on the idea that Judaism is about love. Mr. Shai Held says that love is an orientation, that is, a choice to engage the world with a particular stance or attitude. Through Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Communion, every Christian is called to love God and incarnate God's love in our attitude towards others. Our Baptism is a call to a life of self-giving love. Through Baptism, I learn to lay down my life for others.

All the secondary vocations are calls to particular ways of self-giving love. Marriage is the call to give yourself to your spouse. Single people can serve others in their family and community. Religious life is a call to self-giving love in and through a community. Priesthood is a call to self-giving love after the model of the Good Shepherd. Each of us is called to that stance, posture, or orientation of self-giving love after the model of Jesus Christ. Are you following the call?

(26 Apr 2026)

Going Deeper: How would you describe in your own words what the stance, posture, or orientation of self-giving love means? In what ways are you living this well, and where do you need to improve?

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Easter, 3rd Sunday • The Road to Emmaus is one of my favorite stories. It's possible that a married couple, Cleopas and his wife, are walking together. They are feeling discouraged and have been walking away from the church. Seeing Jesus in the Eucharist causes them to come back to the church.

Do you want to see the risen Jesus? Then follow these three steps from today's Gospel:

1. Be really honest with Jesus. Put your burdens in front of him.
2. Receive what Jesus wants to say to you. Are you making time each day to read the Word of God?
3. Invite Jesus deeper into your life.

When we realize the Risen Jesus really is walking with us, we can say, as St. Peter does: I saw the Lord ever before me, with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.... You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.

(19 Apr 2026)

Going Deeper: How is the Holy Spirit calling you to invite Jesus more deeply into your life?

DUCCIO di Buoninsegna, Road to Emmaus (scene 26) 1308-11 Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, Siena | Thank you to those who come to our services in person. | Over 15 years of homily episodes available at PilgrimPriest.us/podcast | Like, subscribe, and share us with your enemies. | Find me on Facebook | Powered by Patrons | give through PayPal or leave a nice review on your favorite podcast platform.

Easter, 2nd Sunday (Divine Mercy) This weekend the Diocese of Green Bay made public the new priest assignments. Today I read a letter from the Diocese informing the people of our parishes that our current assistant, Fr. Kamal Gopu, will be leaving us on May 4th. Our new assistant, Fr. Michael Thiel, will be starting on July 1, 2026.

The Diocese does not usually tell the story behind the decisions, which can cause confusion, doubt, and hurt feelings. St. Peter says, "In this you rejoice, although now for a little while you may have to suffer through various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire, may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." I don't enjoy trials, but as they often expose our weaknesses. They can also prove us and purify us.

The Risen Jesus brought great peace, strength, and unity to the early Christian community. With Jesus, they could face every trial. Transitions bring grieving and new opportunities. The same Risen Jesus stands in our midst and offers us peace when we are ready to receive it.

(12 Apr 2026)

Going Deeper: How do the trials you are facing look or feel different if you know that Jesus is with you?

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Easter Sunday, the Resurrection of the Lord • If Easter Sunday were just a one-day celebration, our current wintry weather would really dampen the celebration. But we began preparing for this celebration 40 days ago with the start of Lent. And Easter Sunday itself is the final day of a three-day journey, beginning with Holy Thursday and continuing on Good Friday.

The Shroud of Turin testifies to the brutality of the crucifixion, all that Jesus would have suffered. It also testifies to something else... you would have needed 34 trillion watts of energy to create this image. Was that the moment of the Resurrection?

The Holy Fire miracle happens every Holy Saturday at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Easter reminds us that Jesus is with us and his light will always conquer the darkness.

I think most of us want to get to the end of our life and look back and say, "That was worth it!" How can we guarantee that our life can be successful? Easter reveals Jesus's secret for success: We are God's children, and doing our Father's will will lead to the most successful life possible. The Resurrection is an invitation to new life right here and right now.

(5 Apr 2026)

Going Deeper: How would my life look different if I let go of the need to be strong, smart or successful, and chose to follow the will of God in my life?

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Good Friday • We experience many different forms of suffering: illness, tragedy, the death of loved ones. But the worst kind of suffering is to have no sense of our purpose. Each one of us is a gift, hand-made by God and given to the world. But the world often does not receive us as a gift. On Good Friday, Jesus is completely and totally rejected. Even though the world rejects him, he knows that his gift is safe in the Father's hands. No one can take away his gift; he gives it freely and generously.

You are worth it. Jesus died for you. No matter where you have been or what you have done, Jesus still sees you as a gift. Your gift is meant to be given back to God. When we unite our sufferings back to God, they find their meaning and purpose in the cross of Jesus Christ.

(2 Apr 2026)

Going Deeper: How can each of the kinds of suffering you experience be united to Jesus on the cross?

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Holy Thursday • The Paschal Lamb was a sacrifice and a sacred meal. It's blood saved the Israelites from the Angel of Death. It died for them, so that they could live. Then the people then consumed the sacrifice with bitter herbs and unleavened bread. We give people we love mementos of our love. Jesus reminds us of his love by giving us his very self.

Before you consume this meal, ask yourself: "Am I willing to give in the same measure?" We must love others as we have been loved. We wash feet, and then we invite those whose feet were washed to wash the feet of their loved ones. We love because he first loved us.

(2 Apr 2026)

Going Deeper: Have a family Last Supper moment by the husband washing his wife's feet, then the parents can wash their children's feet.

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Palm Sunday (A) Today, Jesus looks like a king. He fulfills the prophecy of Zachariah 9:9. Following Jesus, and accepting his kingdom, gives us freedom from all the kingdoms of this world. Even donkeys are marked with a cross! It's easy to follow Jesus when everyone is cheering for him. But will you keep following Jesus when things get hard? If we follow Jesus and accept his kingship, then our lives will also be marked with the cross.

After the reading of the Passion

How can God be a good Father if he lets us suffer? How could God be a good Father when he lets Jesus die on the cross? Jesus believes that his Father is a good Father. He believes that if he's doing his Father's will, God will be with him, he will have the strength to accomplish it, and it will be worth it in the end.

Peter wants to do God's will, but he is relying on his own strength. Judas thinks he has everything figured out; he knows better than God. Peter falls back on Jesus' love for him, while Judas has nothing to fall back on. Whenever we are suffering, Jesus suffers with us and for us. We can unite our sufferings to Jesus on the cross. Here in Holy Week, let us turn our sufferings into sacrifices.

(29 Mar 2026)

Going Deeper: How do the sufferings you experience in your life look differently if you know that God is with you, he will give you the strength you need, and those sufferings will be worth it?

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