Christ Is Our Light

Deacon Kevin Gingras

June 14th, 2026

Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/061426.cfm

Exodus 19:2-6a     Psalm 100:1-2, 3, 5 

Romans 5:6-11     Matthew 9:36—10:8  

Jesus looked upon the crowds and: 

His heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd.

Jesus does not look at the crowd with annoyance, judgment, or indifference. He looks at them with compassion. He sees their struggles, their fears, their wounds, and their longing for God. Jesus indeed loves us the same way and understands we all live in difficult times. He sees our struggles, our hurts, and our longings - His heart is still moved with pity for all of us.  

It’s good to have him on our side for sure because, oftentimes, we are too hard on ourselves.  For example, when I receive the Eucharist, I expect that warm feeling inside, to be overwhelmed that I just consumed My God and the God of my ancestors.  If we receive in good standing, without mortal sin, then why don’t we have those Jesus feelings, all warm inside and all that!  Why don’t we return to our pews weeping with joy for what we just consumed?  I know for me, I start to doubt my faith, and I begin to think I might be doing something wrong!  I’m not receiving Jesus correctly! We mustn’t be so hard on ourselves!  Remember who Jesus picked to be his closest followers while on Earth. They are listed in today’s Gospel. Jesus picked a tax collector, somebody who would betray him, another who denied Him 3 times, and who Jesus even called Satan, and two fella’s who fought over who was the greatest!  Ok, so that probably doesn’t make you feel much better thinking about how bad they might have been!  Maybe just remember that Jesus is indeed on our side!

One thing we must remember when we don’t have that magical feeling after receiving the Eucharist is that our spiritual DNA has been damaged by the sin of Adam and Eve at the very start of Sacred Scripture.  Today we must remember that:

God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.

We are sinners, yes, sin is darkness, yes. Satan tries to twist our thoughts to make us think that our sins define us.  Sin does not define us! Sin is darkness, and we are not meant to live in the dark; we are meant to live in the light, the light of Christ! Christ in the Eucharist! It’s confession that shines the light of God’s grace on sin so we can see sin for what it is and remove it from our lives and be brought back fully into the light of Christ.  The more we go to confession, the easier it becomes to see that sin and even the near occasions of sin, and avoid them!

Our first reading tells us that:

if you hearken to my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my special possession … You shall be to me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation.”

Because of Adam and Eve, we were born into sin.  By our baptism, we are brought into the light of Christ and become priests, prophets, and kings!  That doesn’t sound so bad now, does it?

Jesus looks upon His church members, upon us, and sees people searching for meaning, he sees families facing challenges, young people seeking direction, and many who feel lost or forgotten. He sees us exactly where we are, and His response is not condemnation but mercy and love.

This week, through prayer and adoration, thank Jesus for bringing us out of darkness and into the light by our baptism, by our reception of the Eucharist, and by the sacrament of confession.

I’ll leave you with these words from St. Maximus of Turin

The light of Christ is eternally glowing with luminous radiance and can never be extinguished by the darkness of sin.” 

We Lift Them Up To The Lord

 

Deacon Kevin Gingras

April 19th, 2026

Seventh Sunday of Easter

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/051726-Sunday

Acts 1:12-14   Psalm 27:1, 4, 7-8

1 Peter 4:13-16    John 17:1-11a

I’ve been thinking about something a lot lately, and when I think of something a lot, you folks get to hear about it in a homily.  The thought is that I’ve been hearing words related to “up” a lot lately, especially in church.  Jesus ascended into Heaven, the apostles went to the upper room, and in today’s Gospel, “Jesus raised his eyes to Heaven”.  If the Son of God can raise His eyes to Heaven, then perhaps we should follow that example here at Mass, and not just lift our eyes, but all our senses, our minds, our bodies, our hearts, and our souls as well.  When the priest says, “Lift up our hearts,” and we reply, “We lift them up to the Lord,” let's do that!  The Catholic church, in all its wisdom, has given us many ways to involve all our senses in the Mass.  I want to focus on one of them, our vision, and to do that, let’s look at the sanctuary steps and the sanctuary itself.

I stand here before you now, a few feet higher but I am not on the altar!  No, I myself have been corrected for using that term - on the altar.  NOBODY should ever get up on the altar for any reason (except Jesus)! The area I’m standing in now is called the sanctuary.  All of this area up here is the sanctuary.  The altar is only that table next to me, where the true sacrifice takes place, and the bread and wine become the true body and blood of Jesus Christ. His body becomes true food, food to nourish our souls on the altar that is in the sanctuary area.  

When I was thinking about the sanctuary area, I noticed that a lot of churches, not all, but a lot, have three steps up to the sanctuary.  Our church has two immediate steps, but to get behind the altar, yet still in the sanctuary area, we have a third step.  You are all seated in what’s called the nave.  I did some searching, and apparently, there are a few reasons that churches have three steps in the sanctuary area.

First, the sanctuary steps separate this sacred space from the rest of the church. The sanctuary is the holiest part of the church building because it contains the altar, the tabernacle, and the place where the Mass is celebrated. The steps are a visible boundary between pews and the Holy of Holies, if you will.

Second, the steps symbolize ascending closer to God, even if only a few feet. Going up a step has always symbolized drawing nearer to God in scripture. In ancient times, people often went up to temples or holy places to worship. The sanctuary step continues this tradition, reminding us that approaching the altar is a sacred journey. It is a symbol of spiritual ascent.

Third, the steps help us focus attention on the altar. Raising the sanctuary slightly above the pews makes the altar more visible. This ensures that everyone can see the sacred actions taking place during Mass. It is both symbolic and practical.

Fourth, the step reflects the dignity and importance of the altar. The altar is the center of Catholic worship. Elevating it, even slightly, shows respect for its role in the celebration of the Eucharist. The step highlights the altar as the focal point of the church. It is a sign of honor.  

I also read that the steps are numbered as three to represent the Theological Virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity.  All of these visual things and what they represent, hopefully, will make it easier to lift up our hearts to the Lord. You might be inclined to ask: “What does it mean to lift our hearts to the Lord”?  Well, I’ll tell you!  To turn one's heart, mind, and spirit toward God, in how we worship, show gratitude, and place our troubles at the foot of His sanctuary. It symbolizes the transition from daily worries to focusing on God’s presence and represents trust in His power.

Giving Mass Our Full Attention: It is a call to banish worldly distractions—such as work, stress, or financial worries—and focus entirely on God.

Offering Ourselves: By "lifting up" our hearts, we are symbolically placing our whole selves, including our joys and struggles, on the altar as a sacrifice of love and trust.

Heavenly Minded: Our worship is a heavenly experience. We are spiritually "leaving the earth" to stand before the throne of God.

Gratitude and Praise: It serves as a declaration of thanksgiving, recognizing that God alone deserves our ultimate honor and praise.

We should be present at Mass with all of our senses, hearing the bells, smelling the incense, seeing the steps leading up to the body and blood present on the altar. It’s a full experience, and when you are physically and spiritually present, the Mass truly comes alive!

Saint Augustine told us this so many years ago when he said:

But see that your praise comes from your whole being; in other words, see that you praise God not with your lips and voices alone, but with your minds, your lives, and all your actions.

Know, Love and Serve God

Deacon Kevin Gingras April 19th, 2026 Third Sunday of Easter https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/041926.cfm Acts 2:14, 22-33   Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 111 Peter 1:17-21    Luke 24:13-35

Are we walking toward Emmaus like Cleopas and his friend, or are we walking towards Jerusalem?  These two men were walking away from Jerusalem, seven miles away, towards Emmaus. They should have been heading to Jerusalem. They had heard that the women didn’t find Jesus and that a vision of angels said He was alive; others verified what the women described, and they were still headed in the wrong direction! They had hoped that Jesus would be the one to redeem Israel. They were sad that Jesus didn’t become the next king in Jerusalem and free them from Roman oppression.  Their minds were on earthly things. They didn’t understand Jesus’ true plan to conquer sin and death for us and for all eternity. No wonder they didn’t recognize Jesus!

In scripture, the New Jerusalem is heaven.  In the book of Revelation, St. John describes his vision:

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband … The one who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.”

The new Jerusalem is Heaven, and Jesus is the one who makes all things new! Sometimes I ponder in what ways I am walking away from Jerusalem, from God, from Jesus.

I’ve heard some speak in absolutes, that everything we do either leads us closer to God or closer to Satan.  I try to avoid speaking in absolutes, since, as any Star Wars fan will tell you, only a Sith speaks in absolutes.  Some of my hobbies, such as napping, for example, don’t always lead me closer to either God or Satan.   Fishing, on the other hand, always leads me closer to God, even if I don’t catch anything. Just being out there on the water, in God’s creation, taking in God’s glory, it’s peaceful and magnificent.

I could easily go on all day about fishing, but how would my talking about fishing bring us closer to God?  Some might remember the old Baltimore Catechism that instructed:

The purpose of human existence is to know, love, and serve God in this world so we can be happy with Him forever in heaven

So we have three steps: first, get to know God, second, learn to love God, and finally, by that love of God, we will want to serve Him.

Studying scripture helps us to know God, so that’s step one. We have all sorts of scripture study groups here; get involved with one!  Open your bible at home and read it, study it, learn about salvation history from the beginning of Adam and Eve’s sin, where we came to need salvation, to the coming of Christ, who is our salvation!  The second reading from 1 Peter sums Jesus up nicely:

He was known before the foundation of the world but revealed in the final time for you, who through him believe in God who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

Step two is to love God.  Once we know God, we should grow to love Him. To do that, it is important that we recognize Jesus present in the Eucharist! In today’s Gospel, Cleopas and his friend recognize Christ after He used the same four verbs used at the last supper: takes, blesses, breaks, and gives.

Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight.

Scripture scholars have said that this Emmaus Gospel is like the first celebration of the Mass.  They were exposed to the scriptures, and Jesus gave the Homily explaining it all, and then they had the celebration of the Eucharist.  They then went forth, this time back to Jerusalem, where they should have been headed to begin with, to proclaim how they had just experienced Jesus. 

That seques nicely to step three: to serve God. Once we get to know Jesus,  how merciful He is, and how he gave us our salvation, we can love him, then we must proclaim that to our families, our neighbors, our friends, basically everyone.  We can proclaim that with our words, but also in how we live. When the dismissal comes, and you hear, "Go forth glorifying the Lord by your life”, realize we don’t just say that to kick you out; it’s an instruction for all of us!

St. John Christostom said it well:

So, let your life correspond to the holiness of your mission, so that God's grace may be proclaimed everywhere.

Emulate St. Joseph in Small Ways

 

Deacon Kevin Gingras

March 19, 2026

Solemnity of St Joseph

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031926.cfm

2 Samuel 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16   Psalm 89:2-3, 4-5, 27 and 29

Romans 4:13, 16-18, 22    Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24a

When reflecting on St. Joseph, I like to think about what I have in common with St. Joseph.  Both of us are men. Both of us were blessed with beautiful wives, and both of us remained loyal to those wives. Both of us were foster fathers to a child, and both of us protect our families.  St. Joseph protects Jesus, and as a deacon, one of my roles is defender of the Blessed Sacrament. The similarities end there.

St. Joseph is the husband of the Queen of Heaven and Earth; I am not.  His wife was pregnant when he got married; mine was not. He is the foster and adoptive father of our redeemer, the King of the Universe; my adoptive daughter is royalty, but only in my house.  St. Joseph's lineage to King David survived through a humble, hidden branch of David’s family.  My ancestors came from Canada. St. Joseph is never quoted in scripture; his silence is powerful.  I have a hard time knowing when not to speak!  The list goes on!  Anyway, let’s move on to some of the virtues of St. Joseph.  As we go through this list, let’s think about how well we portray these virtues ourselves, which ones we are great at, and which ones we need to work more on. We are supposed to emulate the Saints after all.

Just/Righteous: Described in Scripture as a "just man," he committed to doing what was good and following God's law, rather than merely following human rules.

Obedient and Faithful: He listened to God and acted immediately, such as accepting Mary as his wife and fleeing to Egypt when the angels told him to do so.  

Chaste and Pure: Known as the most chaste spouse, he loved Mary and Jesus with a pure, selfless love, creating order and peace in the Holy Family.

Humble and Hidden: He lived a life of humility, avoiding the spotlight and serving God and his family in obscurity.

Provider and Worker: As a carpenter, he demonstrated the dignity of labor, working diligently to support Jesus and Mary.  St. Joseph is even known as the Model for Workers.

Courageous Protector: He acted swiftly to defend the Child and Mother from dangers like King Herod during the “Slaughter of the Innocents”.  He is even known as the Terror of Demons!

Patron of a Holy Death: His life of piety and devotion to Jesus and Mary makes him a model for the final moments of life.

I try to emulate St. Joseph in my own small ways.  I have a Prayer to St. Joseph, the Worker, at my desk in Canton.  I try to remember to say that each day so that I may thank God for the successes in my workday and offer my failures to God in reparation for my sins and those of the world. I prayed to St. Joseph a lot when my father was in Hospice care. I knew my mother would be with my dad when he passed, and I wanted him to die peacefully for her sake as well as his.  Late one night, he just stopped breathing. He passed very quietly with her by his side.  St. Joseph’s intercession aided us at a very difficult time.

St. Joseph is a key saint in my Saint Posse, assisting me as a father, husband, deacon, and employee.  How can he assist you in your life?

I’ll end with this prayer from Saint Bernadine of Siena to St. Joseph:

Remember us, Saint Joseph, and plead for us to your foster-child. Ask your most holy bride, the Virgin Mary, to look kindly upon us, since she is the mother of him who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns eternally. Amen.

Go in Peace, Glorifying the Lord by your Life

Deacon Kevin Gingras

March 15, 2026

4th Sunday in Lent

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031526.cfm

1 Samuel 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a   Psalm 23: 1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6

Ephesians 5:8-14    John 8:12

How is Lent going for you?  Are you encountering Christ more deeply this Lent? If not, then thank God that we still have time! There have been a lot of “encounters with Christ” lately in the Gospels.  The women at the well, the man born blind, next week we will hear about the raising of Lazarus (sorry, spoiler alert).  This week, the encounter includes the symbolism of water and light.  Water and light are so important that they were at the very beginning of creation, and we cannot live without them.  As Fr. Matt said last week, 3 days without water and you are soon to be a goner!  Light gives us vitamin D, regulates our sleep, and without it, all plant life, and all life for that matter, would perish.

 Today, Jesus uses water as he spits on the ground, yeah, gross, but there is the water, perhaps that’s all he had available, and he makes clay with it and anoints this man’s eyes.  He further instructs him to go wash in the pool of Siloam.  The gospel tells us Siloam means “sent”.   When he does, he is cured and can now see the light!

Just like the woman at the well was sent back to town to “evangelize,” this man is now being sent to evangelize, thus fulfilling why Jesus said he was born blind:

It is so that the works of God might be made visible through him. 

These encounters with Jesus changed them, for good!  The women at the well evangelized about Christ, and those in that town began to believe. In the blind man's encounter, he is “anointed” with clay made from water and dirt, and his sight is restored to him; this healing shows the works of God.  In our baptism, we are anointed with chrism, which probably smells much better than clay!  Because of our baptism, we are inherently changed.  

The Catechism tells us that:

Baptism not only purifies from all sins, but also makes the neophyte "a new creature," an adopted son of God, who has become a "partaker of the divine nature, member of Christ and coheir with him, and a temple of the Holy Spirit”.

Our sacraments include not just spiritual elements but physical ones also, like water, oil, and chrism.  All our sacraments are also encounters with Christ.

The elect are now preparing for baptism, the first of these encounters.  The scrutinies help them to turn away from sin and toward the light of Christ. While specifically for the Elect, they offer all parishioners a time for reflection on their own baptismal commitment.  Saint Paul gives a great summary of that change that baptism brings:

Brothers and sisters: You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light,  for light produces every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth.

Before our baptism, we were spiritually blind, and afterwards we were given sight, spiritual sight.  We have great examples from the Gospel to live up to.  The women at the well went into town, no longer afraid and ashamed but bold in proclaim she things she has found the Messiah!  The man born blind stands up to the Pharisees and tells them:

This is what is so amazing: you do not know where he is from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if one is devout and does his will, he listens to him.It is unheard of that anyone ever opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, he would not be able to do anything.

In anger, the Parisees throw him out.  We need to show courage like them. The Church calls us to do so as the Catechism further speaks on baptism:

We are "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, that we may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light." … Reborn as sons of God, [the baptized] must profess before men the faith they have received from God through the Church, and participate in the apostolic and missionary activity of the People of God

We cannot be ashamed of our faith, of our God, of our Savior, once we leave the safety of this church today.  We must go forth and glorify the Lord by our lives, our deeds, and our words.

Saint Catherine of Siena gives us great advice to sprint towards the finish line this Lent:

Start being brave about everything, driving out darkness and spreading light as well. Don’t look at your weakness, but realize that in Christ crucified you can do everything.