Sunday, April 19, 2026

Dear brothers and sisters

Reflecting on the Gospel passage this weekend, we come to understand that mere participation in religious rituals and adhering to religion without compassion, commitment, and sincerely may be insufficient for us to truly comprehend, know, live, and embrace God completely and successfully. In fact, the disciples used to shadow Jesus in Galilee, listened to His teachings, and witnessed His miracles, yet still struggled to grasp the depth of His divine nature. What Jesus used to teach them, reveal to them, and explain to them may not be enough for them to understand everything. Even as Jesus walked alongside the disciples on the road to Em-maus, engaging them in conversation and expounding upon the Scriptures, they failed to recognize Him in their midst. Subsequently, during a profound moment of revelation when Jesus appeared to them, offering peace and revealing Himself in His resurrected form, they were confused and mistaken Him for “a ghost” (Lc 24:37). Then, Jesus patiently illuminated their minds and taught them to comprehend the Scriptures more ful-ly. Yet this enlightenment was insufficient to dispel their lingering fears and doubts. Their faith remained fragile and they could not yet believe.

Likewise, we may convince ourselves that through the sacrament of Baptism, daily prayers, and weekly at-tendance at Mass, we possess all the necessary knowledge, faith, and spirit to navigate the journey of faith. However, despite our devout routines, we sometimes find ourselves merely skimming the surface of Catholic understanding. Though we dutifully hear the Word of God proclaimed, His message often fails to truly pene-trate our minds; though we frequently receive the sacraments of the Church, the sacred grace in each sacra-ment does not sanctify our bodies; and though we repeatedly offer prayers to God, our words failing to reso-nate with the depths of our souls. Consequently, our religious knowledge may not strong enough to grasp the full significance of Divine Mercy and Human Salvation; our Catholic faith may not strong enough to shield us from the allure of worldly temptations and desires; and our Christian spirit may not strong enough to unite us with God on the journey of life completely and successfully.

Hence, the profound symbolism of Jesus breaking bread serves as an important and necessary reminder, not only to recall His presence but also to fortify and enrich our Catholic knowledge, faith, and spirit. Just as the disciples recognized their Master in the breaking of bread, so too can this image guide us to a clearer recogni-tion of God’s presence, a deeper understanding of His teachings and a better experience of His grace in our daily lives. Through the theological meaning of the act of breaking bread, the preparation before receiving the Body and Blood of Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit, we are empowered to discern His will, to recog-nize His grace, and to experience His love completely and successfully.

Sincerely yours in Jesus Christ and Our Lady of La Vang!