“Please take a moment to tell us how we are doing by completing the attached survey.”

We often receive such emails and text messages after visiting a doctor’s office, taking our car for service, having work done in our home, spending time on the phone with tech support, dealing with an insurance agent, or doing business with any firm that serves the public.

Such professionals and businesses want to know how we would evaluate their quality of service or their product. They are concerned about how many stars we would award them on Google, Yelp, or other rating services.

Imagine for a moment if we received a survey request that began in the usual way, “Please take a moment to tell us how we are doing by completing the attached survey.” However, imagine if the request came not from any business, but from Almighty God himself.

After getting over our astonishment, our immediate reaction would be to give God FIVE STARS.

After all, among his many acts, God created us, gave us life, blessed us with the gift of faith, revealed himself as loving Father, sent his Son to free us from the power of sin and death, gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit to empower us to live the Gospel, and made us part of the Church where we encounter him in Word and Sacrament. FIVE STARS—no question!

However, not everyone would agree to such a rating. We have a world where millions of people die in endless wars motivated by greed, hate, and a desire for power; where people starve and others take pills to overcome obesity; where moral codes have been replaced by personal preferences; where there is increasing polarization and suspicion; and where money, pleasure, success, and fame are seen as the path to happiness and fulfillment. In many ways, it seems the world is going in the wrong direction. Some people might conclude that God is doing a ONE STAR job in caring for this world.

In this Sunday’s Gospel (Matthew 13:24-43), Jesus tells a parable that may give us another perspective. Jesus speaks of a man who sowed good seed in his field. At night, an enemy came and scattered weeds throughout the field. When the weeds started sprouting among the growing wheat, the man’s workers asked the owner of the field if they should pull out the weeds. The master decided to let the weeds remain, lest in pulling them out the wheat might be uprooted. At harvest time, the wheat would be saved and stored in a barn, while weeds would be collected and burned.

Like the owner of the field, God allows evil to sprout in our world. He permits the people he created to use their free will, even if to make bad choices that harm the beauty of the world and allow evil to grow in the human heart.

God waits until the harvest, the “end of the age,” to separate the bad from the good. In the meantime, we might say God puts up with a ONE STAR rating from those people not aware of his final plan.

© 2026 Rev. Thomas Iwanowski

“Tom, be patient with your body.” This was the advice given to me by the pastor of the parish where I was assigned after ordination. I had a case of the flu that was not improving, but I continued working. Maybe the elderly pastor had to be patient with his body, I thought, but not me. I was strong. I was young, I was not going to slow down and let what I considered to be just a cold keep me from my parish responsibilities.

Over the years, I've often thought of that guidance from my first pastor. The older I get, the more I appreciate, and follow, the wisdom of his advice that I dismissed so easily when I was young. When you are sick, you need to stop and let your body heal.

Words that we ignore can be the ones that we most need to hear and follow. This conclusion relates to this Sunday’s Gospel (Matthew 13:1-23).

There Jesus tells a parable about a farmer who sows seed in all sorts of places. Some seed ends up on a pathway, some on rocky ground, some among thorns, and some on good ground.

We can understand this seed as referring to the word of God that we are to spread as freely and indiscriminately as the farmer sows his seed.

However, when Jesus explains the parable, he refers to the seed not as the word of God, but rather as people and their response to the word of God.

Jesus says the seed sown on the path are people who hear the word but do not understand it.

The seed sown on rocky ground are those who quickly accept the word but do not let it take root in their lives.

The seed sown among thorns are those who allow worldly concerns and wealth to overcome the power of the word.

The seed sown on good soil are the people who hear the word, understand it, take it to heart, and bear fruit!

However, rather than seeing the parable as explaining how different people react to the word, we can understand the parable as referring to ways in which we respond to the word of God at different times in our lives.

There are occasions when the word of God touches our hearts and gives us comfort, moments when a scripture passage that we have heard before helps us make sense out of our lives, certain Sundays when we think a Gospel read at Mass was meant just for us, and instances when the words of Jesus bring light and hope to our lives. And there are times when we can ignore these very same words of God, see them as unrelated to our lives, or twist their meaning to suit ourselves.

How we hear and respond to the word depends upon what is occurring in our lives, our willingness to listen to what God is saying, and our openness to the Holy Spirit.

Just as it took time for me to appreciate the advice given to me by my first pastor, so it takes time and wisdom for us to fully appreciate the word of God that has been sown in our lives. Be patient with the word!

© 2026 Rev. Thomas Iwanowski

What does it mean to be an American? This is an appropriate question to ask as we celebrate the 250^th Anniversary of the United States of America.

There are various possible responses. To be an American means to be a native born or naturalized citizen. It means to cherish life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It means to pledge allegiance to the flag and to the republic for which it stands. It means voting, paying taxes, and being ready to defend the country against its enemies.

To be an American means being part of a culture that values individualism, creativity, hard work, and sets no limits to personal ambition. It means viewing fireworks on July 4 and Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in November, watching the Super Bowl, eating a burger at McDonald’s, and never being without your cell phone.

But the most common answer might be: to be an American means to be free. It means to be free to express your opinions and ideas, to worship as you choose, to live where you want, and to raise your children as you think proper. Or as many people might put it, to be an American means being free to do what you want, when you want.

Yet on this weekend that celebrates our being free to decide the course of our lives, Sunday’s Gospel (Matthew 11:25-30) speaks about following directions and limits to freedom.

Jesus tells us, "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."

Jesus tells us that we find rest, contentment, fulfillment, and peace in our lives by using the freedom we enjoy to grow in our relationship with him, to learn from him, and to let his example and words guide us. If we allow Jesus to direct our lives, we avoid using our freedom in ways that lead us into sinful behaviors that diminish our dignity as children of God.

This weekend, as we celebrate the freedom that is ours as Americans, we are reminded that true freedom is found not in doing whatever we want, but rather by doing what Jesus has taught – by loving God and loving our neighbor. "Come to me…learn from me…and you will find rest for ourselves.”

© 2026 Rev. Thomas Iwanowski

How we understand the word “love” will determine our reaction to the statement that Jesus makes in this Sunday's Gospel (Matthew 10:37-42). There Jesus says, “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”

If we understand “love” as an emotion characterized by deep affection, attachment, and care, these words can sound harsh or even cruel.

How can Jesus expect children to love him more than they do their parents who gave them birth, raised them, cared for them when they were sick, comforted them when they were hurt or afraid, sacrificed to provide for their needs, worried about them, encouraged them, and stood by them when no one else would?

How can Jesus expect parents to love him more than they love the children whom they brought into the world, the children who taught them what it is to truly care for another human being, the children whom they watched with pride as they grew and in whom they placed their hopes and dreams, the children who gave them homemade cards for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, and the children they hope will one day make them grandparents?

It is hard to imagine us as parents or children having an even greater depth of emotional love for Jesus, whom we know by faith.

However, if we understand “love” not as an emotional response to someone but rather as a decision to give someone a significant place in our lives, then what Jesus asks is possible.

The people who are worthy of Jesus are those who decide to make his words and example the guide for their lives. They are the ones who realize that in following Jesus we find the meaning and purpose of our lives and the way to eternal life. Those worthy of Jesus are the people who decide to take up the cross that comes with being faithful to him and the Gospel.

There is no contradiction between loving Jesus and loving parents and children. Loving Jesus requires a decision while loving our parents or children is a matter of the heart.

© 2026 Rev. Thomas Iwanowski

Sports fans throughout the world are enthusiastically focused on the FIFA World Cup Tournament. Soccer teams from 48 nations are competing in 104 matches that will determine the two teams that will face each other in the championship match scheduled for Sunday, July 19, at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

The media is concentrating its attention on the world-class soccer players who are competing. Attention is also centered on the coaches of the 48 national teams vying for the World Cup, as they play a critical role in a team’s performance.

Coaches train players, help them sharpen their talents, improve their teamwork, drill them in various offensive and defensive strategies, alert them to the weaknesses of their opponents, etc.

Coaches are also there to motivate, encourage, and inspire their players. A coach’s pep talk before a critical game can fire up his players and spur them on to victory.

In this Sunday’s Gospel (Matthew 10:26-33), we have a portion of the tenth chapter of Matthew’s Gospel. In that chapter, Jesus chooses his twelve apostles. He then instructs them to teach, to heal, to drive out demons, and to proclaim the coming of God’s kingdom. He also tells them to be prepared for persecution and even death.

The verses that we hear this Sunday sound like a coach’s pep talk. As the “team” of apostles is about to take the field to carry out Jesus’ instructions, he warns them to “fear no one.” He then emphasizes this message as he urges them “not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.” Jesus repeats his message a third time: “Do not be afraid.” He tells them that the God who knows when a single sparrow falls to the ground also cares for them, as they are each “worth more than many sparrows.”

Jesus urges his apostles to put aside their fears, to openly proclaim what they have heard him teach, and to boldly acknowledge him before others.

These motivational words, this pep talk, that Jesus first spoke to his 12 Apostles are also meant for us today. We are the current team that Jesus has chosen to announce the message of the Gospel in our world and to acknowledge him as Savior and Lord.

Jesus, our coach, is telling us to go forth and as we do, “not to be afraid” for the ultimate victory is certain!

© 2026 Rev. Thomas Iwanowski

Imagine for a moment you are the owner of a successful vineyard in Napa, California. At harvest time your manager reports a bumper crop of grapes. The vines have produced such an abundance of fruit that it is necessary to hire additional workers to bring in the harvest. In response to that good news, you happily authorize your manager to hire as many people as needed. You certainly would not let the grapes rot on the vine because you refuse to increase the number of harvesters.

In this Sunday’s Gospel (Matthew 9:36-10:8), Jesus speaks about an abundant harvest—not of grapes but of people. As he went from town to town and saw the large crowds attracted to his message, “Jesus’ heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd.”

In response to this need, Jesus summoned twelve disciples to assist him. After instructing them, Jesus told them to go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel: “As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”

In our day, there is a need for more people to continue that work of proclaiming the Good News of the Gospel and inviting people into a relationship with Jesus Christ. As Jesus told his disciples, “The harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.”

As we are aware, in our day the number of priests and religious continues to decrease, and to decrease dramatically in certain dioceses. At the same time, the number of people in need of hearing the saving message of the Gospel increases. The Church continually urges us to pray for an increase of vocations so there will be more priests, deacons, and religious to gather in the harvest.

But despite our prayers, there seems to be little to no increase in vocations. Can it be that the Lord, the master of the harvest, is not interested in increasing the number of those sent to gather his harvest? Can the Lord be like a vineyard owner who lets an abundant crop of grapes remain on the vine, rather than hire more harvesters?

Or it may be that our prayers are being heard. The Lord is sending sufficient workers to bring in his harvest: he is sending us. At our Baptism and Confirmation, we were called to share the Good News of the Gospel with others and make the Kingdom of God present in our world by our way of living.

As we pray for an increase in the number of priests and religious, we cannot overlook the fact that we are among the additional workers the Lord has “hired” to gather his harvest.

© 2026 Rev. Thomas Iwanowski

MAHA, most Americans know these letters stand for Make America Healthy Again, a movement led by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr, the current Secretary of Health and Human Services.

MAHA’s overarching aim is to improve the health of all Americans. This begins with urging us to consider what we are putting into our bodies. As the saying goes, “We are what we eat.” Sugary drinks, processed meats, candies, pastries, white flour, fast food, packaged snacks, etc. will not make America healthy again.

This emphasis on health and diet is already showing results. Americans are becoming more health conscious and more discerning in their food choices. There are even biblically based diets being proposed whose nutritional choices are based on the foods mentioned in the scriptures.

This Sunday, the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, the Church directs our attention to the true biblical diet that we need to follow if we are to be spiritually healthy and to grow in our relationship with Christ and his Church.

In the First Reading (Deuteronomy 8:2-3,14b-16a), Moses reminds the Chosen People of the diet that God provided them during their journey through the desert to the Promised Land. God fed them with manna from heaven, gave them water to drink from the flinty rock, and instructed them by the “word that comes forth from the mouth of the Lord.”

In the Gospel (John 6:51-58), Jesus tells his disciples that the food he will give them would be far greater than the manna given their ancestors. This food would be his very body and blood. As he proclaimed, “For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him…the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.”

In our Second Reading (1 Corinthians 10:16-17), Paul tells the Corinthians that they are united as the body of Christ as they partake of the diet the Lord provides for them. “We, though many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.”

As we receive Holy Communion, we might thank the Lord for the life-giving food and drink that he provides by making the words of the following prayer our own:

Jesus, my Lord and my God, I thank you for taking on flesh and coming into this world to reveal the Father’s love, to save us from the power of sin and death, and to show us how to live as faithful children of God so that one day we might be welcomed to the everlasting joy of your kingdom.

Thank you for coming to me in the Eucharist that I have just received. Thank you for allowing me to share your life-giving Body and Blood that unites me with you, and with all those who share at your Holy Table. United with them, and with all the members of your Church, we are what we receive—we are a Holy Communion, we are the Body of Christ.

Through the power of this Sacrament, help me to reveal your presence in my life by the mercy, love, kindness, and compassion that I show to others. Jesus, my Lord and my God, you who sacramentally dwell within me, truly live and act in me. Amen!

MAHA reminds us of the importance of making good choices about what we eat and drink. In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us of that same thing: “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.”

© 2026 Rev. Thomas Iwanowski

Imagine you were filling out a job application and besides the expected questions seeking basic personal information and past work experience, there was an unanticipated question: you were asked to write down adjectives that you would use to describe yourself.

In response to that question, you would certainly choose adjectives that would persuade an employer to consider you a worthy candidate. You might describe yourself as creative, loyal, trustworthy, hardworking, reliable, intuitive, organized, dedicated, understanding, intellectual, smart, outgoing, cooperative, etc.

If the application was for a position in a religious organization, you might include additional adjectives, such as spiritual, prayerful, charitable, church going, altruistic, moral, etc.

Suppose for a moment that it was Almighty God who was choosing adjectives to describe himself. We do not have to guess the Lord’s choice of adjectives. God tells us his adjectives in this Sunday’s First Reading (Exodus 34:4b-6, 8-9) for the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity.

We are told, “The LORD stood with Moses … passed before him and cried out, ‘The LORD, the LORD, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity.’”

The One God, whom we profess to be Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, describes himself as a God who acts with mercy and generosity, who is patient with sinners, who overflows with compassion, and who is always faithful to his promises.

God did not simply tell us of the adjectives that he would choose to describe himself. God demonstrated these divine qualities throughout the Old Testament.

God was faithful to his promises to Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. God displayed kindness when he freed the Chosen People from slavery, fed them with heavenly bread, and guided them to the Promised Land. God showed this “stiff necked people,” as Moses described them, boundless mercy when they continually fell into sin.

These adjectives came to life in an unmistakable way when the Son of God took on flesh and came to live among us. God’s adjectives were embodied in him.

As St. John tells us in Sunday’s Gospel (John 3:16-18), “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.”

This Sunday can be an occasion for us to theologize about God who has revealed himself to be a Trinity of Three Divine Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. But perhaps a better thing to do this Sunday is to rejoice that we have a God who lets us know that he is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity.

© 2026 Rev. Thomas Iwanowski

No one had to convince the disciples that the Holy Spirit had come upon them that first Pentecost Sunday. The evidence was unmistakable.

As we hear in Sunday’s First Reading (Acts 2:1-11), “There came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were.” Then tongue-like flames of fire came down upon them that enabled them to speak words that people of every language could understand.

The coming of the Holy Spirit freed the disciples from the fear that had locked them together in one place. With courage and conviction, they went forth into the streets of Jerusalem to proclaim “the mighty acts of God” made present in Jesus, the Risen Lord.

The disciples had no doubt in what Jesus had told them before his Ascension had happened, “You will receive power when the holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8).

That same Holy Spirit given to the first disciples came down upon us when we were washed in the saving waters of Baptism and sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit at Confirmation.

In Sunday’s Second Reading (1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13), Saint Paul proves that same Holy Spirit is with us. He tells us, “Brothers and sisters: No one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.”

The Spirit of God is at work in us when we lift our minds and hearts to God in prayer, when we recognize the voice of the Lord as the scriptures are proclaimed, when we acknowledge the living presence of Christ in consecrated bread and wine, and when we respond to people in need with the compassion and mercy shown by Jesus.  

The Spirit of God is at work when Catholics come together to form a parish community, when priests continue the saving work of Christ as they celebrate the Sacraments, when married couples faithfully live out the vows of their marriage, when parents introduce their children to their Father in heaven, and when Christians strive to bring faith, hope, and love into a world darkened by sin and despair.

On the first Pentecost Sunday, the disciples came to know that the Holy Spirit was truly with them. This Pentecost Sunday, may we open our eyes to recognize the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in our lives!

© 2026 Rev. Thomas Iwanowski

When someone is summoned to court as a witness, that person is there to testify to what he or she has seen or heard related to a particular case.

Witnesses are called forward to share their personal knowledge and swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth as he or she personally knows it. Witnesses are not called to tell what they may have heard from someone else. Judges disqualify such secondhand testimony, and juries are instructed to disregard such as hearsay.

In Sunday’s First Reading for The Ascension of the Lord (Acts 1:1-11), we learn that the Risen Lord summoned his apostles to be his witnesses. He told them, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

The Lord Jesus instructed his apostles to testify to what they had personally heard him say and do. They were to tell others about the sermons they heard him preach. They were to report how they saw him heal the sick, open the eyes of the blind, free the possessed, feed thousands with a few loaves and fish, raise the dead, confront sin and evil, and expose religious hypocrisy. They were to relate the story of his passion, death, and resurrection. They were to tell of their meetings with him after he came forth from the tomb. They were to share how they came to know that Jesus their teacher was their Savior, Messiah, Lord, and God!

Throughout the Acts of the Apostles, we learn how these disciples powerfully testified to what they had heard and seen. Their testimony brought thousands of people to faith in Christ and their message spread far beyond the city of Jerusalem, even to Rome itself.

Today, as we hear in Sunday’s Gospel (Matthew 28:16-20), we are to continue the work of the first disciples and “make disciples of all nations.” We are to share the Good News of the Gospel and to testify that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

We must do more than just tell others what other people have told us about Jesus and offer more than just hearsay testimony. We cannot be witnesses who only speak about what we have read about him in the Scriptures or learned about him in programs of religious instruction.

We need to be witnesses who can testify to our personal knowledge of Jesus Christ. We have to be able to speak about our relationship with him. We have to testify to what the Lord Jesus has done in our lives and what we have seen him do in the lives of others.

May the Holy Spirit, who empowered the first disciples to be powerful witnesses for Jesus, inspire us to be effective witnesses who can personally testify on behalf of Jesus Christ!

© 2026 Rev. Thomas Iwanowski

“Don’t leave home without it,” was the famous slogan that the American Express Company began using in the early 1980s to market its credit card. The slogan became synonymous with the company and was used in ads featuring famous celebrities who urged the public not to leave home nor, travel without their own American Express card.

Obviously, not everyone travels with an American Express card, but almost all of us do not leave home without a particular item, namely, our smartphone. We might imagine a cell phone provider with the slogan, “Never be without it.”

If we do leave home without our smartphone, we feel incomplete. No phone calls, no text messages, no social media contact, no sharing photos or videos, no answers from Google, no use of apps or Wi-Fi. Without our smartphones we feel disconnected and detached from the world like “digital orphans.”

This Sunday’s Gospel (John 14:15-21) is taken from Jesus’ discourse at the Last Supper on the evening before his crucifixion. Jesus assures his disciples they will not be left orphans when he returns to the Father. He tells his disciples, “I will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth…he remains with you, and will be in you.” The Holy Spirit will be their helper and guide and their continuing connection to Jesus. The disciples would not be abandoned.

Today, that Holy Spirit is with us. We have not been left orphans by the Lord Jesus. This Holy Spirit was given to us at our Baptism, highlighted at our Confirmation, and is called down upon us at Mass as the priest prays, “Grant that we, who are nourished by the Body and Blood of your Son and filled with his Holy Spirit, may become one body, one spirit in Christ” (Eucharistic Prayer III).

However, we often forget this empowering presence of the Spirit who can help us to bear witness to Jesus, to live according to the Gospel, to make wise decisions, to forgive our enemies, and to judge things from the perspective of eternal life.

Perhaps the smartphones that we make sure to have with us can remind us of the presence of the Holy Spirit. We might place an image that recalls the Holy Spirit on the screen of our smartphone or on its case. Each time we use our device, that image might encourage us to talk, text, and act in accord with the commandments and example of Jesus. For as he tells us, “Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me.”

Just as the smartphone has become an indispensable part of our daily lives, the guiding presence of the Holy Spirit must be part of our lives as followers of Christ. “Don’t leave home without it.”

© 2026 Rev. Thomas Iwanowski

MAY THE RISEN LORD BLESS YOU DURING THIS EASTER SEASON!

Today there are signs of religious revival in our nation. For example, during this Easter season many dioceses noted an increase in the number of people who were baptized or received into the Catholic Church. There are reports of higher attendance at Sunday Mass, particularly, by younger men. There have been religious gatherings of thousands of people throughout the country during which many individuals came forward to proclaim their faith in Christ.

Millions of people connect each day to Christian apps such as Hallow, Word on Fire, and Bible in a Year. Cable and streaming services feature overtly religious programs that include The Chosen, The House of David, and The Saints by Martin Scorcese.

In addition, networks like EWTN and TBN broadcast religious programs throughout the day. Christian music once relegated to a few radio stations is now a popular music genre. In addition, there has been a significant surge in the sale of Bibles.

These developments indicate that people are seeking something more in their lives, something that our increasingly atheistic, secular, materialistic, self-absorbed, pleasure-obsessed society is unable to provide.

This quest for something more in life is leading people to Jesus Christ. The one who describes himself in Sunday’s Gospel (John 14:1-12) as “the way, the truth, and the life.” Jesus is the one who offers something more! He brings us into a relationship with God, who is the only one who can fulfill our deepest longings.

Jesus is the way to God since he is the one who came from God. As Jesus himself tells us, “No one comes to the Father except through me.” Peter makes that clear when he proclaims, “There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved” (Acts 4:12).

Jesus is the truth. He reveals God who is the embodiment of all truth. To know the Son of God is to know the truth that sets us free from the lies and falsehoods that can lead people astray from the source of true happiness.

Jesus is the life. He offers us a life-giving relationship with him today and by his Resurrection, the assurance of eternal life tomorrow. As he said, “I have come that they might have life and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

The signs of religious revival in our society are happening because people are discovering, or rediscovering, that Jesus alone is the way to happiness, the embodiment of truth, and source of eternal life.

People are coming to Jesus, “ the way and the truth and the life”.

© 2026 Rev. Thomas Iwanowski

MAY THE RISEN LORD BLESS YOU WITH HIS PEACE DURING THIS EASTER SEASON!

SimpliSafe, ADT, Ring, and Arlo are among the security systems used by people to keep themselves and their homes and property secure from thieves, robbers, and intruders.

We live at a time when robbery, porch piracy, car theft, home invasions, and random acts of violence have made people safety conscious. It is common to see security cameras and intruder alarms installed on private homes and businesses.

In this Sunday’s Gospel (John 10:1-10), Jesus speaks about security and theft. He describes himself as a shepherd who knows and watches over his sheep. He also speaks of himself as a gate that allows only owners of the sheep to enter and exit the common sheepfold.

The animals within that sheepfold can recognize the voice of their shepherd and listen only to him.

When the sheep hear voices that they do not recognize they do not follow these voices. They realize that they may be in danger for there are thieves and robbers who come “only to steal and slaughter and destroy.” We might say these sheep have a voice activated security system.

Today, the flock of the Lord is also threatened by “strangers” whose words can lead us away from following the voice of the Good Shepherd.

There are voices who preach a version of the Gospel that promises worldly success and ignores the words of Jesus about the danger of wealth and care for the poor.

There are voices who rarely speak of sin, repentance, suffering, or the cross. They speak only of positive things and self-improvement.

There are voices that lead people in enthusiastic praise and worship that seem more like self-focused entertainment rather than a challenge to spiritual growth.

There are voices in today’s secular and agnostic society that deny the existence of God and portray Jesus as just another good person among many who have walked this earth.

In order not to be led astray by these “strange” voices, we need to know and recognize the voice of Jesus, the Good Shepherd.

We learn to recognize his voice by being attentive to his words as he speaks to us through the scriptures, through his Church, and in moments of private prayer.

We learn to listen to his voice when we are attentive to the words of holy men and women who are striving to live as faithful Christians.

We learn to listen to his voice by setting aside time each day to slow our racing minds, and to focus on the Lord.

If we are to faithfully follow our Good Shepherd, we need to be alert to voices that may lead us astray. We need a spiritual security system that warns us of dangerous voices!

© 2026 Rev. Thomas Iwanowski

MAY THE RISEN LORD BLESS YOU DURING THIS EASTER SEASON!

If we review the appearances of the Risen Lord recorded in the Gospels, one thing is true in every case: it was Jesus, the Risen Lord, who initiated these wondrous encounters with his disciples.

He appeared to Mary Magdalene that first Easter Sunday morning (John 20:11-16). And in the evening, he came to his disciples as they huddled in fear in the upper room (John 20:19-23).

In this Sunday’s Gospel (Luke 24:13-35), we have another appearance of the Risen Lord that occurred that first Easter Sunday. That afternoon, Cleopas and another disciple were walking back home to Emmaus. These two disciples were dejected, disappointed, confused, and a little fearful as they left Jerusalem. They had put their faith and hope in Jesus but instead of Jesus being recognized as the redeemer of Israel, he had been condemned to death and crucified.

As the two walked along, the Risen Lord “drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.”

While they continued their journey to Emmaus, the Lord explained the scriptures that referred to him and spoke of the suffering that leads to glory.

When the three travelers arrived at Emmaus, Cleopas and his companion invited the newly met stranger to join them for supper. “While he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that their eyes were opened” and they recognized that the stranger who had met them on the road to Emmaus was the Risen Lord.

Their encounter with the Risen Lord, passed down to us by Saint Luke, is more than a report of what happened on an Easter Sunday afternoon 2,000 years ago. Rather it challenges us to open our eyes to the ways that the Risen Lord continues to initiate encounters with us today.

The Risen Lord seeks to meet us as we walk the road of life and interact with our fellow Christians.

The Risen Lord strives to touch our hearts and minds as we listen as the scriptures are proclaimed at Mass and explained by the Church.

The Risen Lord offers us a personal encounter with him as we gather at his Holy Table where bread is taken, blessed, broken, and shared.

This Easter Season proclaims that Jesus Christ is risen. This Sunday’s Gospel urges us to notice the ways the Risen Lord encounters us. The Lord who took the initiative to encounter his disciples on that first Easter Sunday is just as interested in encountering us today.

© 2026 Rev. Thomas Iwanowski

BEST WISHES FOR A JOYFUL EASTER SEASON!

The Apostle Thomas often has the adjective “doubting” attached to his name. In fact, the term “doubting Thomas” has come to describe a person who refuses to believe anything without direct, personal evidence.

The reason for describing Thomas as “doubting” is found in this Sunday’s Gospel (John 20:19-31). Thomas’ fellow apostles excitedly tell him that Jesus is not dead and locked away in a tomb. The Lord is alive and risen and appeared to them. He walked through locked doors, showed them his wounds, blessed them with the power of the Holy Spirit, and commissioned them to be agents of his mercy and forgiveness.

But Thomas is hesitant to believe the report of his fellow apostles. He says, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

We might attribute Thomas’ doubt to the possibility that his fellow apostles might have been deceived by a “spirit” or perhaps been led astray by wishful thinking.

But maybe Thomas doubted for another reason. For him, the news of the Lord’s Resurrection was just too good to be true.

The Resurection meant that Jesus, the one Thomas had followed for three years, truly was the Son of God. His words declared the meaning and purpose of existence. He truly was the way, the truth, and the life. His Resurrection meant that death was not the end but a welcome to everlasting life.

Today, many people who doubt the message of the Gospel and refuse to believe in Jesus, may do so for the same reason that Thomas initially doubted the Resurrection. They may find the Gospel preached by Jesus and by His Church, just too good to be true.

If there is a God, how can it be true that this God who is Father and Creator, humbled himself to walk among his creatures so they might know him? Yet Jesus told us, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9).

How can it be true that in a world populated with billions of people today, and billions who have come before us, God loves each person in an individual and personal way? Yet Jesus told us, “Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge” (Matthew 10:29).

How can it be true that the Lord speaks to us as we hear his words in the Scriptures, touches our lives through the Sacraments, and supports us through his living Body, the Church? Yet Jesus told us, “I am with you always until the end of time” (Matthew 28:20).

How can it be true that God is ready to forgive our personal sins, immorality, unfaithfulness, and to offer us chance after chance to embrace a life-giving relationship with him—provided we show forgiveness to others? We are reminded of this each time we pray, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

The mercy, care, concern, and personal love of God for each of us may seem too good to be true. But as Thomas discovered, no one should ever doubt the awesome goodness and power of God in our lives and in our world.

© 2026 Rev. Thomas Iwanowski

BEST WISHES FOR A JOYFUL EASTER SEASON!

People will come to church this Easter for a variety of reasons.

Some will come because they attend Mass every Sunday, and Easter is another Sunday.

Some might come because they attend church on major feast days, like Easter and Christmas.

Some might come because they are trying to get closer to God and to recapture a feeling of peace they once felt in their lives.

Some might come to please their parents.

Some might come because friends invited them to Easter Mass.

Some might come because it would not feel like Easter Sunday unless they did something religious.

But perhaps the underlying reason we will be there is that we believe in Easter. We believe in the Resurrection of Jesus. We believe that something wonderful happened that first Easter Sunday.

But why do we believe? There is no scientific proof of a dead body ever coming to life after a span of days. There are people of intellect and education far greater than our own, who dismiss the Resurrection as no more than wishful thinking or an allegory explaining that the teachings of Jesus did not die with his crucifixion. Outside of the New Testament, there are no recorded instances of the Risen Lord being seen by anyone.

We might reply that we believe, not because we have proof, but because we have faith. It was faith that enabled the "disciple whom Jesus loved" to enter the empty tomb and, as Sunday’s Gospel relates, "he saw and he believed" (John 20:1-9).

Yes, it is by faith that we accept the Resurrection of Jesus, but we also believe because we have experienced the presence of the Risen Lord. We have felt him with us in the gathering of his Church, where two or three have come together in his name. We have felt his words touch our hearts as we listened to the scriptures. We have felt the hunger in our souls lessened as we received his Body and Blood in Holy Communion. We have felt a sense of relief as our sins were forgiven by a priest acting in his name. We have felt his love from people who call themselves his brothers and sisters. We have managed to hold on to hope, even in the darkness, for we have felt his support and encouragement.

Yes, faith can give us a reason for our belief. But perhaps it is what our hearts have felt that is the greater reason for our belief in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Maybe that is why the "beloved disciple," who saw the same things as Peter did, was the first to believe. He found his proof in what he felt in his heart.

© 2026 Rev. Thomas Iwanowski

BEST WISHES FOR A JOYFUL EASTER SEASON!

The physical and sexual abuse of children.

The emotional and physical abuse of students by other students.

The psychological abuse of employees by their bosses.

The abuse of one spouse by another.

The abuse of the elderly by their caregivers.

Unfortunately, such abuse is all too common in our society.

In every form of abuse, whether it is physical, emotional, or sexual, there is one thing that is constant. All abuse involves the strong taking advantage of the vulnerable. It involves the powerful having their way with the weak. It never is the other way around. The weak never have their way with the strong.

This Sunday, we read the account of the Passion (Matthew 26:14-27:66). The account of the arrest, the trial, the mockery, the humiliation, the torture, and the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. If ever there was a case of abuse, that was it. The strong beat down the weak.

That happened because the Son of God came in weakness. As Paul wrote in his Letter to the Philippians, "Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness...he humbled himself."

As someone perceived as weak, Jesus was abused by the religious authorities, who held positions of power, and wanted no one to question their standing.

He was abused by the occupying Romans, who ruled with an iron fist, and had no tolerance for any Jew who might cause a problem.

He was abused by the crowd, who gained strength by their numbers and shouted for his crucifixion when he did not meet their expectations.

Jesus, the Son of God, suffered that abuse because he came in weakness. Had he come as a king, a general, or an emperor, there would be no Passion reading included in the Gospels. But God came to his creatures in a way the world judged as weakness.

Today, God continues to show himself in weakness. God reveals himself in a weak and sinful Church. God speaks through words in scripture that can be shouted down. God acts in simple, quiet ways, that can be overlooked and ignored.

God does not decree earthquakes and tsunamis to cease. God does not command wars to end and humanity to live in peace. God does not blot out disease, war, violence, and crime. God seems to remain as weak as he was when abused by his creatures and thrown upon the cross.

That is one of the great mysteries of our Christian faith. Our faith reveals that God acts in ways that we judge to be weak and powerless. Perhaps that is because of what power does. Power controls. Power dominates. Power abuses. And the more absolute the power, the greater the abuse.

The cross that dominates the Passion reading, the cross that hangs in every church, the cross that we make upon our bodies, proclaims that true greatness is not found in power, but rather in tenderness, in mercy, in humility, and in love – in what society perceives as weakness. That is the lesson of Passion Sunday, and it is a lesson this world has yet to learn.

© 2026 Rev. Thomas Iwanowski

What makes us weep? What brings us to tears?

We may cry when a relationship ends and our heart breaks, or when we are in physical agony as our body throbs with pain.

We may be brought to tears when someone we love dies and we are overcome with grief, or when we are unable to ease the suffering of a dear relative or friend.

We may weep with frustration when our plans end in failure, rather than expected success.

In this Sunday’s Gospel (John 11:1-45), which recounts the death of Lazarus, his sisters Mary and Martha and their neighbors cry as they mourn his death. And John tells us “Jesus wept.”

Did Jesus weep over the death of his friend Lazarus? Did he weep because he was moved by the outpouring of grief around him? Or perhaps Jesus wept for another reason.

Certainly, Jesus knew Lazarus was dead before he arrived at Bethany. Even before they set out for the village Jesus told his disciples “Lazarus has died.”

When Jesus met Martha, she was not only grieving the death of her brother, she also was confused why Jesus had taken so much time in coming. As she said, “Lord, if you had been here my brother would not have died.” Her sister Mary said the same thing.

In response, Jesus proclaims “I am the resurrection and the life, whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live.” He announces that he has power even over death.

When Jesus weeps, he weeps perhaps most of all because Mary and Martha and his own disciples fail to understand who he is. He weeps for their lack of faith in him.

John indicates that when he writes “When Jesus saw her (Mary) weeping and the Jews who had come with her weeping, he became perturbed and deeply troubled.” Certainly, Jesus would not have been perturbed at the death of Lazarus. Jesus had earlier told his disciples that the sickness of Lazarus would not end in death, but it ultimately would lead people to give glory to God and glory to the Son of God.

Jesus is perturbed and troubled again at the tomb. When he orders the tomb to be opened, Martha objects saying “Lord, by now there will be a stench; he has been dead for four days.” Jesus again proclaims his power over death and calls for faith, “Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?”

Jesus, “the resurrection and the life,” then calls Lazarus forth from the darkness of death. In doing so he challenges those who had doubted to put their faith and trust in him.

The only other time the Gospel writers tell us Jesus weeps is in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 19:41). There Jesus weeps when he comes to the city of Jerusalem. He weeps for the same reason he does in Sunday’s Gospel. Jesus weeps over what awaits his people because of their lack of faith in him.

In Sunday’s Gospel Jesus cries with grief, but even more, Jesus weeps with frustration, disappointment, and sorrow. He weeps because people fail to put their faith in him. In our day, Jesus would have even more reason for tears!

© 2026 Rev. Thomas Iwanowski

Sight and insight are not the same thing. Sight is the ability to see, while insight is the ability to see on a deeper level, to see what is truly there.

For example, a person with sight can view a basketball game and watch the players running across the court and the ball being thrown toward the hoop. A person with insight into the game would observe far more. That person would be able to see different plays and the offensive and defensive strategies being used by each team. That person would appreciate the talents and skills of individual players and their coaches.

A person with sight could watch a student stand before a high school assembly and address the student body. But a teacher with insight into the background and personality of that particular student would see far more. That teacher would see a student overcoming shyness and insecurity and standing before his or her peers. The person with insight would see an act of courage and determination.

In this Sunday's Gospel (John 9:1-41), we hear of a man blind from birth who is granted the gift of sight. Jesus smears clay on the man's eyes and then sends him to wash it off. He does and he returns able to see. For the first time in his life that man is able to see his own hands, the blue of the sky above him, the green leaves he has heard rustling in the breeze, and he is able to see the face of Jesus.

But that is not all. That man is also given insight. He sees more than just a man who opened his eyes. When first asked who healed him, he replies "the man called Jesus." When asked what he has to say about this Jesus, he replies "He is a prophet." When asked again, he says Jesus is a man sent from God for “if this man were not from God he would not be able to do anything.” Each time his insight into Jesus increases. 

After the man is expelled from the synagogue for refusing to acknowledge Jesus as a sinner for healing on the Sabbath, Jesus seeks him out. Jesus challenges him to go further in recognizing who stands before him. The man proclaims his belief that Jesus is the Son of Man and worships him.

Jesus, the one who proclaims that he is "the light of the world" lifts the darkness of the blind man and gives him sight. Even more wondrously, Jesus gives him the insight to recognize him as Messiah and Lord. An insight the Pharisees were too "blind" to accept.

Jesus, the light of the world, has touched us just as he touched the blind man of the Gospel. We recognize Jesus as more than just a man, a healer, a preacher. We see him as our Savior and Lord. Like the man born blind, we have been blessed with insight!

© 2026 Rev. Thomas Iwanowski

Before two people can have a conversation something needs to happen. That something is very obvious – someone has to begin speaking! Someone needs to look up from their smart phone and begin talking. Unless that happens, each person will remain in his or her own world. A conversation requires that someone take the initiative and engage the other person.

In this Sunday’s Gospel for the Third Sunday of Lent (John 4:5-42), we have one of the most famous conversations found in the New Testament, namely, the exchange between Jesus and the Samaritan woman.

It takes place for only one reason. Jesus initiates a conversation with the woman who has come to draw water at Jacob’s well. Jesus does that by saying to the woman, “Give me a drink.”

That woman herself would never have begun a conversation. Women did not start conversations with strange men. Furthermore she was a Samaritan and so she asked Jesus, “How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?” For as John explains in his Gospel, “Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.”

Furthermore that woman was not looking to speak to anyone. If she were, why would she have come to the well at noon? Women came to draw water in the early morning and not during the heat of the day.

She came when she did because as a woman who been divorced by five men in a row and was now living with yet another man, she did not want to meet people – people who would not talk with her but about her. So the Samaritan woman came to the well when it would normally be deserted. 

There Jesus started a conversation with the woman. A conversation that moved from well water to living water, to social taboos dealing with male and female interaction, to the woman’s moral situation, to the religious conflict between Jews and Samaritans, and finally to the coming Messiah.

By the end of the conversation Jesus had revealed himself as the Messiah, the Christ, and the woman was brought to faith. 

The life of the Samaritan woman was changed because Jesus did the unexpected. He began a conversation with a person judged a sinner by society and an outcast even in her own estimation. That unexpected conversation surprised the woman herself and Jesus’ own disciples. As John writes, “His disciples were amazed that he was talking with a woman.”

Jesus continues to start amazing, life-changing conversations. He began one with each of us at the waters of baptism and he has continued that conversation through prayer, the scriptures, the Church, the Sacraments, and the events of our lives. That conversation began because, as he did with the Samaritan woman, Jesus took the initiative.

I imagine the Lord’s disciples, who were amazed to see him in conversation with a woman, would be equally amazed to see the Lord talking with us sinners!

© 2026 Rev. Thomas Iwanowski

During this Lenten season, parishes sometimes set up a desert-like scene in their church. The display may be composed of sand, stones, dry wood, burlap, cacti, and other elements meant to evoke the time that Jesus spent in the desert after his baptism.

As we heard in the Gospel for the First Sunday of Lent, “At that time Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights.”

This desert scene display serves as a reminder that during Lent the Holy Spirit calls us into a “spiritual desert.” There, we are to consider how we are living as followers of Christ and how we are responding to the words we heard on Ash Wednesday, “Repent and believe in the Gospel.”

During these “desert days” of Lent, we are to fast and pray as Jesus did and to examine how well we are resisting the temptations of the devil.

However, in light of this Sunday’s Gospel, there is another type of display that may be even more appropriate for this Lenten season: a mountain!

In Sunday’s Gospel, we hear how “Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.”

There, these apostles grew in their understanding of Jesus. They witnessed him transfigured in divine glory as he spoke with Moses and Elijah. As Peter, James, and John watched in awe, a voice from the heavens told them, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”

This mountain-top experience opened the hearts and minds of the apostles; it confirmed their faith in Jesus, drew them closer to him, and strengthened them to endure the challenges they would encounter as followers of Christ.

We might understand Lent as the time when Jesus is inviting us to leave the “lowlands” of our everyday lives and to join him on the mountain.

We join the Lord on the mountain when we pray, meditate, read the scriptures, kneel before him in the Blessed Sacrament, and serve as witnesses to our faith in him by engaging in works of mercy, kindness, and charity.

Above all, we join the Lord on the mountain when we gather with our fellow Catholics for the celebration of Mass. There we hear the voice of God, not from the heavens, but as the scripture readings are proclaimed and explained. There, we encounter the Lord in the men and women who stand with us around His Holy Table. And there we become a “holy communion” as we share his life-giving Body and Blood.

As we make the effort to spend time on the mountain, we grow in our understanding of Jesus, and we deepen our relationship with him. We see him as the glorious Beloved Son of God and also as our Savior, Brother, and Friend.

Yes, Lent is a time to go into the “desert” and to reflect on our lives. However, Lent is also a time when we are invited to climb up the “mountain” and be with the Lord.

As Peter told Jesus as he was with him on the mountain, “Lord, it is good that we are here.”

  © 2026 Rev. Thomas Iwanowski

Sometimes a novel begins with a prelude, an introductory event that leads into the main part of the story.

This is how we might understand the Gospel passage for this First Sunday of Lent. There we learn how Jesus, after being baptized by John the Baptist, “was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.”

During 40 days in the desert, the devil tried to entice Jesus to prove he was the Son of God by using his divine power to turn stones into bread. When Jesus refused, the devil urged Jesus to demonstrate his identity by hurling himself from the parapet of the Temple, for surely the angels of God would come to his rescue. But Jesus refused to perform a public spectacle to satisfy the devil’s demands.

Finally, the devil promised Jesus that the glory of all the kingdoms of the world would be his if Jesus simply bowed down in worship before him. Jesus spurned this third temptation and the devil left him.

Soon after resisting these temptations, Matthew tells us that Jesus “began to preach and say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’” We might conclude that Jesus’ confrontation with devil was the dramatic prelude to his three years of public ministry.

During this ministry, Jesus announced the Good News of the Gospel, chose his disciples, healed the sick, fed the hungry, drove out demons, called sinners to repentance, offered hope to the lost and the powerless, revealed the boundless mercy of God, showed people how to love God and their neighbor, confronted hypocrisy, and revealed he was the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

However, confronting the devil, as Jesus did during his 40 days in the desert, was not simply a prelude to his public ministry – it was its start! Confronting the devil and resisting the devil’s temptations was an integral part of what Jesus did throughout his ministry.

As Luke tells us after his account of the temptations of Jesus, “When the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from Jesus for a time” (Luke 4:13). In other words, the devil returned to tempt Jesus. Such temptations continued even to the day Jesus hung upon the cross. On that Good Friday, Jesus heard words that echoed the taunts first spoken by the devil during his temptations in the desert: “If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!” (Matthew 27:40). Prove who you are!

Jesus was able to resist the temptations of the devil because he had been anointed with the power of the Holy Spirit. As Matthew tells us, “After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him” (Matthew 3:16).

During this season of Lent, besides observing the traditional practice of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, we might take time each evening to look back over our day and notice the temptations that the devil put before us.

As Jesus showed us, resisting the temptations of the devil is not something we do once, but something we need to do every day. If we are to resist these daily temptations that can lead to sin, we need to first recognize them, and then we need to call upon the power of the Holy Spirit who came upon us at our baptism.

Resisting the temptations of the devil is not a prelude but a regular part of what it means to be a follower of Christ!

  © 2026 Rev. Thomas Iwanowski

Jesus must have thought the fifth, sixth, and eighth commandments needed to be expanded. That is the conclusion we can reach when we consider this Sunday’s Gospel, which is part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount that we began reading on February 1.

After quoting the fifth commandment that says, “You shall not kill,” Jesus adds, “But I say to you whoever is angry with his brother is liable to judgment.” Jesus then adds that if there is anger between brothers, they should first seek reconciliation with one another before going to the altar to offer prayer and sacrifice to God.

After quoting the sixth commandment that declares, “You shall not commit adultery,” Jesus added, “But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Jesus then expanded adultery to include those who divorce and enter other relationships.

After referring to the eighth commandment that prohibits the taking false oaths, Jesus said, “But I say to you, do not swear at all.” He commands people to speak words that are honest and true, to make their “Yes” mean “Yes” and their “No” mean “No.”

In giving us these additions to the commandments, Jesus was not just increasing the number of laws that people were expected to follow—something for which he criticized the scribes and Pharisees. As he said, “They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them” (Matthew 23:4). Rather, Jesus is challenging us to enlarge our focus beyond the “big” sins like murder, adultery, and lying under oath.

Jesus advises us to look at the behavior, the attitudes, the compromises of conscience, and the darkness in our hearts and minds that can easily escalate to more serious violations of God’s law. Unchecked anger can lead to murder. Lustful fantasies can morph into adultery. So-called “white lies” can become words that defame reputations and destroy lives.

In adding to our understanding of the commandments, Jesus was also motivated by his love for us. He wanted to give us a fuller understanding of what it means to genuinely love God and our neighbor. Jesus wanted to tell us how to be the kind of people he spoke of in the Beatitudes that began his Sermon on the Mount, “Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.”  

  © 2026 Rev. Thomas Iwanowski



 When it’s dark, the first thing we do upon entering a room in our home is turn on a light. We need light to work.

When we go into another room, we do the same thing. We turn on a light.

This simple action, which we automatically perform as we make our way through the dark, can help us to appreciate this Sunday’s Gospel Reading.

In this Gospel, Jesus tells his disciples, “You are the light of the world.” While we can understand these words of Jesus as addressed to the Church in general, they also apply to us individually: Each of us is the “you” called to be “the light of the world.”

This was made clear at our baptism. After we were washed in the baptismal waters, our parents and godparents were given a candle lit from the flame of the paschal candle and told that we were now “enlightened by Christ” and we were to “walk always as a child of the light.”

But how can any of us be “the light of the world,” especially at a time when society seems increasingly immersed in darkness?

War, violence, terrorism, ethnic hatred, racial animosity, and religious intolerance seem to overshadow and darken more areas of our world.

Abortion, human trafficking, pornography, sexual promiscuity, and immorality obscure the dignity of people created in the image and likeness of God.

Corruption, greed, dishonesty, unbridled ambition, a lust for power, and digital addiction keep people self-centered and blind to the suffering and basic needs of others.

In such darkness, how can we be what Jesus tells us that we are: “You are the light of the world”? The simple answer is we cannot.

Jesus is the only person who can bring light to a darkened world. As he told us, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).

However, as people who have received the light because of our baptism and our faith in Christ, we can bring that light to whatever “world” we enter. It can be our home, our workplace, the gym, our child’s school, the government office, the place where we shop, the restaurant where we eat, the bus, the train, the plane, or anywhere else we may be during the course of our day. This is the place where the light of our kindness, concern, gentleness, generosity, and love of neighbor is to dispel the darkness.

This would be good to remember each time we turn on a light as we enter a dark room. We are to be the light, not for entire world, but certainly for the people in any “room” where we happen to be.

  © 2026 Rev. Thomas Iwanowski

“What is heaven like?”

If someone were to ask us that question, we might describe heaven as a place of happiness where we join the angels in giving praise and glory to God. We might emphasize heaven as being in the presence of Jesus the Lord, and coming face to face with Mary and Joseph and all the great saints revered by the Church. We might describe heaven as a joyful reunion with deceased family members and friends or speak about mansions in the sky and streets paved with gold.

We might portray heaven as a place where all the mysteries of the universe are revealed and where we encounter the men and women who impacted human history. We might see heaven as a state of perfect contentment and peace where suffering and pain are distant memories.

Or we might answer that we are not sure what heaven is like. As St. Paul wrote, “What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).

In this Sunday’s Gospel (Mathew 5:1-12a), we hear the first part of Jesus’s famous Sermon on the Mount. It begins with Jesus proclaiming what we now call the eight beatitudes. These beatitudes, which Jesus addressed to his disciples, have been understood in many ways. Preachers have described them as commandments given by Jesus, as a summary of the Gospel, as a guide to a blessed and happy life, etc.

However, the beatitudes might be seen as describing the kingdom of heaven.

The beatitudes tell us that heaven will be the place where those who recognized their dependence upon God will be welcomed and those whose lives were darkened by sorrow or mourning will find comfort.

The beatitudes reveal heaven as the place where the meek and humble will be raised up and where those who desired a close relationship with God will have that wish fulfilled.

The beatitudes speak of heaven as being where those who showed mercy and compassion to others will be treated with boundless mercy, where those who lived with integrity will see God, and those who worked for peace will be recognized and honored as children of God.

And finally, the beatitudes depict heaven as the place where those who suffered persecution for sake of their faith in Christ will be warmly welcomed and rewarded for their fidelity.

Yes, the beatitudes tell us how we are to live as followers of Jesus Christ, but they also tell us about the future that awaits those who live as faithful disciples of the Lord. The eight beatitudes tell us something about heaven.

© 2026 Rev. Thomas Iwanowski

“The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death, light has arisen.”

In this Sunday’s Gospel (Matthew 4:12-23), Saint Matthew says that this prophecy of Isaiah was fulfilled when Jesus began his public ministry in the region of Galilee. He went forth and started to proclaim, “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

This kingdom was not something off in the future; the kingdom was present in Jesus. He embodied God’s kingdom of love, justice, and peace. He did so as he healed the sick and forgave the sinner; as he showed people how to love God and their neighbor; as he revealed the dignity of every person as a child of God; and as he proclaimed that God’s love for humanity would extend beyond this world into eternity.

Jesus truly was the light that dispelled the darkness. His light was so bright that it attracted people to him. As we hear in the Gospel, Jesus’ light caused Peter, Andrew, James, and John to abandon their boats and follow him.

If people are to be attracted to Jesus today, they need to see his light shining in the darkness of our world where distrust and polarization divide people into warring factions and mistrusting groups; where every opposing side claims it alone has the truth; and where people dehumanize their opponents and refuse to acknowledge their worth as fellow children of God.

Unfortunately, such division and polarization can affect the Church and dim the light of Christ that is meant to be seen in us. For as Jesus told us, “You are the light of the world.” (Matthew 5:14).

In Sunday’s Second Reading (1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17), St. Paul criticized the Christians at Corinth for the rivalries and divisions present among them. He reminded them that they all had been baptized into Christ. They were to “be united in the same mind and in the same purpose.”

These words of Paul apply to us today, for there are divisions and distrust among us.

There are Catholics who prefer the Latin Mass and others who interpret such a desire as a rejection of the developments that have taken place in the Church during the past 60 years.

There are Catholics who accept the sexual and cultural beliefs of today’s society and others who see such Catholics as disloyal to the values of the Gospel and teachings of the Church.

There are Catholics who allow their political opinions to determine how they view the people praying with them in Church or the priest preaching at the pulpit.

There are Catholics who place themselves on a higher spiritual level because they are devoted to certain religious practices or styles of prayer, while others view these same Catholics as “spiritual elites” unconcerned with issues of social justice.

There are divisions between bishops and priests, between clergy and laity, between old and young parishioners, between Catholics speaking different languages and those coming from different ethnic backgrounds, especially when it comes to parish closures and diocesan restructuring.

Such divisions, rivalries, distrust, and polarization keep the Church from shining brightly as a light of unity, reconciliation, and peace. Such a light is needed more than ever to help dispel the darkness and division in our society.

As Saint Paul tell us, “I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and in the same purpose.”

© 2026 Rev. Thomas Iwanowski

“I did not know him.”  This is what John the Baptist says of Jesus in this Sunday’s Gospel (John 1:29-34). In fact, he says it twice in this Gospel passage.

We might find it surprising that John would say he did not know Jesus, given that his mother, Elizabeth, and Mary, the mother of Jesus, were related. When the angel Gabriel told Mary she would conceive through the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit, he also told her, “Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her.” Upon hearing that news, Mary went to stay with Elizabeth until her baby was born.

Mary and Joseph certainly knew about the birth of John the Baptist. It would be logical to assume that Elizabeth and Zechariah would likewise have been aware of the birth of the child Jesus. These two boys, who were related and only six months apart in age, would have had some contact with one another during their childhood. In addition, their proud parents would have shared news about their sons, both born through divine intervention.

Yet what John says about not knowing Jesus is certainly understandable. For as we are aware from our own experience, there are various levels of “knowing someone.” We may know someone on a casual basis. We may have met that person’s family, spent time with that person at school or work, had some informal conversations, and learned something about his or her politics. Such superficial knowing is quite different from intimately knowing a person. Truly knowing a person requires being aware of a person’s hopes and dreams, their successes and failures, the depth of their relationships with friends and family, the level of their faith, their vision of life, and their self-understanding.

While John the Baptist was certainly aware of Jesus, he did not know who Jesus truly was until the Spirit of God opened his eyes to truly see the one who was standing before him at the Jordan River. As John tells us, “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from heaven and remain upon him…the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ With that insight, John came to know who Jesus truly was: he was “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” He was “the Son of God.”

As Christians, none of us would say that we do not know Jesus. We call him our Savior and Lord, and we profess our faith in him each Sunday. Yet our knowledge of Jesus may only be superficial. We may know the right words to describe him, but we may not truly know him on a deep, personal level. We may not know him as the loving Lamb of God who wishes to walk with us through this life and bring us to the fullness of life in the kingdom of heaven.

May the Holy Spirit, who enabled John the Baptist to recognize Jesus, open our eyes and hearts during this New Year of 2026 so we may truly come to know Jesus Christ.

© 2026 Rev. Thomas Iwanowski

This is my father. This is my mother. This is my brother. This is my sister.

When we introduce a member of our family to someone, we usually begin by saying “This is….”  With these words, we identify the person standing next to us and reveal our relationship with that individual.

This Sunday’s Gospel (Matthew 3:13-17) describes an introduction. We hear of Jesus’s baptism by John the Baptist. We learn that after Jesus came out of the water, the Spirit of God descended upon him like a dove. Then “a voice came from the heavens, saying, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.’”

In these words, God the Father introduced Jesus to us. If these words were meant only for the ears of Jesus, the Father would not have said “This is…” Also, these words would not have been heard and recorded by the Gospel writer.

In the previous Gospels of this Christmas Season, we came to know Jesus as the infant born of Mary in Bethlehem, as the little one visited by the magi, and as the child “named Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.”

In this Sunday’s Gospel, God the Father introduces his Beloved Son to us as Jesus is about to begin his public ministry. This introduction is amplified in the other readings chosen for the Baptism of the Lord.

In our First Reading (Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7), which the Church applies to Jesus, Isaiah speaks of the chosen one with whom God was pleased, upon whom God put his spirit and sent out to be a light to the nations.

In our Second Reading (Acts of the Apostles 10:34-38), Peter tells us how after Jesus was baptized, he was anointed with the Holy Spirit and power and “he went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.”

But just being introduced to Jesus does not bring us into a relationship with him, any more than being told by a friend, “This is my brother,” establishes a personal relationship with that individual.

Relationships need to move beyond introductions. This is true with our relationship with Jesus. It is not enough to simply know that a heavenly voice told us, “This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased.”

Just consider the millions of people who were introduced to Jesus at their baptism, but who know him only as a distant figure from the past who did some good things and said some memorable words.

In the Gospel for the Baptism of the Lord, the last day of this Christmas Season, God the Father introduces us to Jesus, his Beloved Son. But for that introduction to grow into a personal relationship with him, we need to listen to the words of his Beloved Son as the Scriptures are proclaimed.

We need to open our hearts to him as we speak with him in prayer. We need to accept his invitation to gather at his Table and share his life-giving Body and Blood.

And we need to deepen our understanding of the Father’s Beloved Son by growing in the knowledge of our Catholic Faith.

For any relationship to make a significant difference in our lives, we need to know more than who someone is. It is not enough to simply be told, “This is…” That is certainly true when it comes to having a personal relationship with Jesus, God’s Beloved Son!

© 2026 Rev. Thomas Iwanowski

The first Christmas night, the shepherds heard angels proclaim that “today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord.” The shepherds were astounded and overjoyed at this news and immediately made their way to Bethlehem to see this “infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” How could they remain in the fields with their sheep after hearing that news and listening to a choir of angels “praising God and saying: ‘Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.’”

In this Sunday’s Gospel for the Solemnity of the Epiphany (Matthew 2:1-12), people react in a far different way to amazingly good news. We are told that “magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.’” Rather than being excited at that news, King Herod “was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.” Herod consulted the chief priests and the scribes who confirmed that according to prophecy the Christ, the long-awaited Messiah, was to be born in Bethlehem.

With that assurance, the magi then continued their journey to see the newborn king, but Herod, the religious leaders, and the people of the city did not join them. Perhaps that was the case because for those in Jerusalem, the news brought by the magi was not good, but troubling news.

If the Messiah had been born and there was a newborn king in the town of Bethlehem, then things would change. Herod certainly recognized this possibility for he instructed the magi to “go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word.” As we know, Herod had no desire to pay homage to this child, but rather to eliminate this threat to his power.

But Herod was not the only one troubled. The chief priests and scribes may have been worried about the changes that this Messiah might make and the criticisms he might have of their religious leadership.

The people of Jerusalem may have been concerned about how the presence of this new “king of the Jews” might bring down further Roman oppression and how this long-awaited Messiah might condemn them for their sins. A Messiah, whose birth was announced by singing angels and traveling magi, was certainly more of a threat to the status quo than a Messiah whose coming was only a hope and a dream.

Today, that remains the case. There is growing hostility to the One who first came at Bethlehem and who continues to come into our world. Society seems increasingly “troubled” as the Church proclaims the Gospel and celebrates the Sacraments, and as Christians strive to live as faithful followers of Jesus in a world whose moral values and priorities often conflict with the Gospel.

If Jesus is truly the Messiah, the Son of God, the personification of the truth, the One who reveals the meaning and purpose of our existence and who opens the way to life eternal, then our society and all of us will need to change for the better.

For those comfortable with the way things are, the Good News of this Christmas season, the Good News of the Gospel, can be as troubling as it was for Herod and the people of Jerusalem.

© 2026 Rev. Thomas Iwanowski

Happy New Year!

May You Truly Experience the Peace and Presence of the Lord in 2026!

During the Christmas season, the Church observes the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. It is no surprise that the adjective “holy” is used to describe this family that was unique in all human history.

Jesus, the child of Mary, was the Son of God. He was the long-awaited Savior of the world whose birth was announced by a heavenly choir.

Mary, as the angel Gabriel proclaimed, was “full of grace” from the moment of her conception for she had been chosen to bear the child who would “be called holy, the Son of God.”

Joseph, who was of the lineage of David, was directed by an angel of the Lord to take Mary as his wife and to care for the child conceived through the power of the Holy Spirit.

The members of this holy family truly embodied the qualities praised by St. Paul in today’s Second Reading (Colossians 3:12 -21). They were full of “heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” They were “God’s chosen ones, holy, and beloved.”

Besides being holy, Mary and Joseph also exhibited another quality in caring for Jesus. They were protective. They did all in their power to keep Jesus safe from harm. We see that in this Sunday’s Gospel (Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23).

When the angel of the Lord warned Joseph that the life of the infant Jesus was being threatened by Herod, Joseph acted immediately. He left his village, his relatives and friends, his employment, and his culture. He took his family and migrated to Egypt. Joseph abandoned all he knew to protect Mary and Jesus.

When Joseph was told it was safe to return, he did not go back home. Out of an abundance of concern for the safety of Jesus, he relocated his family to Galilee and to the town of Nazareth.

Mary also had to make sacrifices to protect her child. She had to care for her infant son while enduring the arduous journey to Egypt. Once there, Mary had to adjust to a new culture and way of living without the benefit of her support system back in Israel.

Mary and Joseph both did what was necessary to protect their little boy. They also showed that same protective love when Jesus was 12 years old. Mary and Joseph spent three days anxiously searching for their son whom they believed was lost in the Temple.

The example of Mary and Joseph not only reminds parents of their call to be holy and open to God’s will; it also challenges parents to be protective and to safeguard their children from harmful influences and evil.

Unfortunately, today children are immersed in a society that can seem as evil as the one that tried to destroy the child Jesus.

Smart phones, tablets, and other digital devices expose children to ideas, images, and concepts that can destroy their innocence.

Public education can present ideas and beliefs that contradict and even ridicule Christian concepts of morality and sexual ethics.   

Influencers can use their media platforms to promote ideas that confuse children and lead them to think that a person’s sex is determined not by biology but by one’s free choice.

Government officials can give children rights to make life-changing choices without the knowledge of their parents and with little understanding of the implications of their choices.

More than ever, our world needs parents like Mary and Joseph who are ready to make the effort and sacrifices necessary to protect their children from negative influences and harmful forces. We might say that today’s children need their parents to be “holy protectors.”

© 2025 Rev. Thomas Iwanowski

Best Wishes for Happy and Holy Christmas Season,

and a New Year blessed with the Peace and Presence of the Lord.

In our day, many dioceses throughout the United States are making plans for the future in light of what is happening in the Church and in society. There are less people coming to Mass, a declining number of priests, financial challenges, aging buildings, demographic changes, accelerating secularization, an increasing number of people who identify as atheists, agnostics, or “spiritual” but not religious, etc.

In the face of these challenges, dioceses are bringing their pastors and people together to evaluate their current situation. More importantly, dioceses are discerning what needs to be done so that the Church can continue to effectively fulfill its vital mission of proclaiming the Gospel and bringing God’s kingdom into this world. With trust and faith in God, dioceses are developing strategies and planning for the future.

But if the plans being formulated are to bear fruit, the Church will need the grace of God and the cooperation of its pastors and parishioners. Plans only succeed if people embrace the proposed ideas and cooperate, otherwise plans remain only hopeful words on paper or a computer screen.

This is even true when it comes to God’s plan of salvation. That plan involved the Son of God taking on flesh and coming into this world. For that to happen, two people had to cooperate, namely Mary and Joseph.

This Sunday’s Gospel (Matthew 1:18-24) for the Fourth Sunday of Advent highlights the cooperation of Joseph. We learn that a divine messenger appeared to Joseph in a dream and asked him to trust in God’s plan. This plan required him believing that Mary, his betrothed, was pregnant by an act of God and not by an act of betrayal. With faith in God, Joseph did what God asked of him. We are told that “when Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.”

While Matthew highlights the cooperation of Joseph, Luke in his Gospel (Luke 1:26-38) focuses on Mary’s cooperation with God’s plan for salvation. Luke tells us that the angel Gabriel came to Mary and announced that through the power of the Holy Spirit, she would conceive and give birth to a son, who would be “holy, the Son of God.” Despite her understandable confusion since she had “no relations with a man,” Mary assented to God’s plan: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” 

Mary and Joseph cooperated with God. As a result, the first Christmas happened, and Christ the Savior was born.

Today, if Christ the Lord is to continue to come into this world though Word and Sacrament, if the message of the Gospel is to continue to be proclaimed, then the Church needs to plan for the future.

Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Church needs to plan how it can continue to fulfill its mission and meet the challenges of our day. And just as importantly, we need to be willing to listen and cooperate with the plan being set before us. Like Joseph and Mary, we need to be willing cooperators with God’s ongoing plan of salvation.

© 2025 Rev. Thomas Iwanowski

Best Wishes for Happy and Holy Christmas Season,

Filled with the Peace and Presence of Christ the Lord.

It is said that patience is a virtue. Many of us find that virtue difficult to practice.

For example, we get annoyed when a driver does not immediately accelerate when the traffic light turns green or if a driver actually observes the speed limit on the Garden State Parkway.

Our blood pressure increases as we wait in our doctor’s office as our appointment time passes with no explanation or apology.

We grumble to ourselves as the person in line before us in the bank approaches the teller with multiple business transactions and then requests three certified checks.

We lose patience as we wait for friends whom we have helped in the past to finally live up to the resolutions they have made to improve their lives.

Most of us do not like waiting. Yet the readings for this Third Sunday of Advent are all about waiting.

In our First Reading (Isaiah 35:1-6a, 10), Isaiah presents a glorious, hopeful vision to the Jews in exile in Babylon who were longing to return home. He proclaims that their waiting will end. God will save his people, and their coming back home will even cause the parched land to “blossom with abundant flowers.” They “will return and enter Zion singing, crowned with everlasting joy.” Their waiting will not be in vain.

In our Gospel (Matthew 11:2-11), we hear how John the Baptist seems to be losing patience with Jesus. John sends his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who is come, or should we look for another?” John seems tired of waiting for Jesus to clearly reveal himself as the promised Messiah, the one John himself had recognized at his baptism in the Jordan.

In our Second Reading (James 5:7-10), James tells his fellow Christians to “be patient” as they wait for the coming of the Lord in glory. Just as a farmer waits patiently for his crop to produce a harvest, so they are to make their hearts firm and wait patiently for the Lord’s return.

All three Advent readings speak of waiting: waiting for God to free his people from exile, waiting for Jesus to reveal himself as the Messiah, and waiting for Jesus to come again in the glory.

These readings and this Advent season remind us that waiting comes with faith. God acts in his own time and not according to our needs or desires. After all, God has an abundance of time in which to carry out his will.

We may not like waiting for things to happen, for people to change, or for God to act, but waiting is unavoidable.

We might also consider that as we wait, often impatiently, that God is also waiting. God is waiting for us to turn away from selfishness and sin and grow into the good and holy people he made us to be. Fortunately for us, patience is a virtue that God practices!

© 2025 Rev. Thomas Iwanowski

Politicians, government leaders, corporate executives, preachers, and all people who stand before an audience know that the first words they say are critical. They know from experience that an audience is most attentive to their words during the first moments of their presentation.

That is why good speakers choose opening words that capture the interest of their audience and convey their central message. Speakers use memorable phrases and deliver them with enthusiasm and conviction.

In this Sunday’s Gospel (Matthew 3:1-12), we hear the first words delivered by John the Baptist, one of the most famous preachers of all time. Matthew tells us that “John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea and saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!’”

With these commanding words, John grabbed the attention of his listeners and conveyed his entire message and mission. John called people to “repent” for the kingdom of heaven that would be made present in Jesus was about to come.

That message of John, which initiated the first Advent, is directed to us in this Advent season. We are called to “repent” during these weeks before Christmas.

When we hear “repent,” we usually associate that word with expressing sorrow and regret for our sins, resolving to make a sincere effort to be more prayerful, generous, forgiving, and kind. We associate repentance with a change in behavior. A person who repents acts differently!

However, if we look at the word “repent” in Greek, the language used in the New Testament, we see the word used for repent and repentance is “metanoia.” This Greek term is not associated with a change in behavior, but rather with a change in one’s way of thinking.

Seen in this way, John the Baptist was calling upon people to change their way of thinking about themselves, their priorities, and their relationship with God. They were to think of what God expected of them, to think of the promises associated with the coming of the Messiah, and to think of their lives in the light of the coming of God’s kingdom. Such a change in thinking would bring about a positive change in behavior: How we think determines how we act.

This Sunday, as we listen to the Gospel, John the Baptist will call upon us to “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” John will urge us to make sure our thinking is in line with the Gospel and in keeping with our relationship with Jesus Christ. Such thinking will lead us to open our hearts more fully to the One who came that first Christmas and who continues to come to us today. It may even change the way we think about and celebrate the coming Christmas holiday!

© 2025 Rev. Thomas Iwanowski