00:01So, today's scripture readings take us into what we call the Acts of the Apostles, which
00:08is really a history of the very, very early church, when after Jesus' ascension into heaven,
00:17his friends, his apostles, and all those outgathered, began the work that he had given them to do.
00:23And so, that's when we see them coming today down through the different parts of their world to this little
00:33place where they were preaching.
00:35And this woman was listening and was touched by it and invited them into her home with her family.
00:46And it reminds us that this is still happening, that the Holy Spirit is still calling people to recognize the
00:59person of Jesus in the world and in their lives.
01:03And it's interesting that, particularly around Easter time this year and last year, there are enormous numbers of people coming
01:12into the Catholic Church.
01:13In France, they say it's enormous.
01:17And often they're young people, young men, who perhaps have looked at the world and seen what it has to
01:29offer and still find that it doesn't offer what they truly need,
01:34which is that sense of peace and dignity and of being loved by God.
01:39And so, there is a sense in which this scripture and the Acts of the Apostles, the very early church,
01:46is being renewed and replayed in our time.
01:50That the Holy Spirit is active among us.
01:53And it means that we too have a role to play, that we should be looking for opportunities to share
01:59our faith with people.
02:00It's a great gift we have.
02:02Well, then let us share it with others.
02:04And we do that at work, in our families, in our homes, in sporting places, wherever we get a chance
02:13to quietly and sincerely and genuinely talk about our faith and the presence of Jesus in our lives.
02:22And then in the Gospel, Jesus talks about the necessity of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
02:32He was just pointing out in the Gospel that it's not always easy that people take a different view of
02:41the world.
02:42And sometimes the Catholic Church is an obstacle.
02:50And people with power then want to overcome that obstacle.
02:55And so they undermine the Church, persecute the Church.
03:01And that can happen in our own lives as well.
03:04And the Lord is just saying, well, don't be too surprised if it happens.
03:09That's the price of loving.
03:11And so we offer this Mass now for all the intentions of those watching and particularly keeping in mind yesterday
03:22was Mother's Day.
03:24We continue to offer our prayers and thanksgiving for our mothers and asking God to bless them in a special
03:32way because they do have such an essential role in our lives.
03:37And really, in so many ways, our first sense of being loved and that loving continuing through all of our
03:49mothers' lives.
03:50We have so much to thank God for in our mothers.
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