Fr Kevin Kilgore

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“The Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul… [so] they laid hands on them and sent them off” (Acts 13: 2-3).

This was the first missionary journey ever recorded. It’s believed Barnabas and Saul sailed together for three years – and they covered quite some distance.

But they were constantly on the move because their lives were being threatened at every corner.

Imagine the courage it took to preach the Gospel to total strangers – hoping they’d respond in faith – only to have them try to kill you instead!

But every time they were run out of town, Barnabas and Saul sailed another 20 miles downstream and started all over again.

That journey was only possible because they were convinced that Jesus was raised from the dead – and therefore death ultimately held no power over them, either.

Otherwise, they would’ve naturally reached a breaking point.

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But here’s the other side of the coin: Barnabas and Saul sailed together. Never were they asked to be alone. As Jesus says, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”

In other words, God is always present in the community. 

And that’s what he wants for us – to stay together; to remain united…to remain united in our families, united in our friendships, united in our Church, united in our world.

How might I be a force for greater unity in my relationships with others today?

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Abraham Lincoln once said, “All that I am or hope to be, I owe to my mother.”

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Isn’t that true for so many of us?

Much of the good within us we learned from our mothers.

Motherhood is a thrilling, exhausting, and uniquely rewarding experience in life.

It’s a role that some of us will never play, but hopefully we’ve all had the experience of being loved by a mom.

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Recently, I had the opportunity to ask some moms about the challenges, struggles, and rewards of motherhood. Perhaps some of their answers will resonate with you.

When asked about the greatest joys of being a mom, many said either, “Watching my children make good choices, becoming who God created them to be.”

Or, “Watching them grow and discover their talents. Each stage of their life is precious and a wonder to watch.”

When asked about the challenges of motherhood, some remarked, “Letting my children learn from their mistakes… worrying about their safety… or wondering what kind of people they’ll become once they leave the nest.”

But the hardest question of all: What’s the biggest struggle of motherhood?

Nearly everyone said the same thing: “Watching my children experience physical or emotional pain.”

That scene rips your heart out.

Every mom’s been there – you know that helpless feeling of watching your child weep with a broken heart or a broken leg. Even a skinned knee sets off a mother’s tears. You’d give anything to take their place.

But you can’t.

All you can do is hold them in your arms, wipe away their tears, and assure them that everything will be okay because, “Mommy’s here.”

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My brothers and sisters in Christ, everything that is holy, good, and beautiful in motherhood we find in Jesus.

Like a mother, Jesus has the ability to nurture and to feed… He feeds us with his Body and Blood every time we approach this altar.

To those receiving First Communion, in particular, I encourage you to always remember this – Jesus will never leave you.

Like a mother, Jesus is relentless in his willingness to sacrifice for us – to make amends, to protect us, to heal us, to understand the quirks of our hearts.

He never loses interest – whatever excites us, whatever weighs us down – Jesus wants to share.

Imagine him saying, “Come to me just as you are and I will love you because you are mine.”

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That’s the love of a mother – it’s also the love of Jesus.

Bringing Abraham Lincoln’s words a little deeper, we might say, “All that I am or hope to be, I owe to Jesus.”

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As strange as it sounds, on this Mother’s Day we should also pay tribute to the Lord, considering what good he’s done in our lives, and how we might follow him better.

As Jesus says in the Gospel today, “My sheep hear my voice. I know them and they follow me.”

To be a Christian, then, means not only thinking about Jesus; it also means acting on his word.

Our mission this week – and really every day of our lives – is to answer the following questions:

Where is the Lord asking me trust him a little more? Where is he drawing me deeper into a relationship with him?

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Just as mothers delight in the undivided love and attention of their children, so the Lord delights in us.

May we give Jesus our best, because like Mom, he deserves nothing less.

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The Acts of the Apostles describes the highs and lows – the life, ministry, and persecution – experienced in the early Church.

Today, for example, is a good day.

Philip, one of the earliest Christians, is leaving Jerusalem when he comes across an Ethiopian court official reading the prophet Isaiah.

“I beg you,” this man says, “about whom is the prophet saying this? About himself or about someone else?”

Because Philip knows his faith, he’s able to break open the scriptures and explain to him that Jesus is the Messiah, the one whom the Jews longed to see. He is truly God in the flesh.

Immediately, this Ethiopian man believes and is baptized. 

Tradition claims that this man went on to evangelize Ethiopia, which became home to one of the earliest Christian communities, one that is still active today.

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How many people do we know who are like this Ethiopian man, searching for God or are on the fringe of religion?

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Even millions of fallen-away Catholics could fall into this category.

If we are to bring them back or convert them like Philip did, then first we must know our faith – only then can we explain it to others.

As Saint Peter says, “Always be ready to give a reason to anyone who asks you about your faith in Christ Jesus.”

So if someone asked you today, “Who is Jesus? Why do you believe in him?”  

What would you say?