Finding Peace on the Journey - Weekday Homily Video

Today's Gospel resonates with a profound tenderness, a direct whisper from the heart of Jesus: "Do not let your hearts be troubled." 

"I will come back and take you to myself, so that where I am, you also may be." 

This is the very essence of our Christian hope: we are not destined for isolation, for a lonely end. Our ultimate purpose is communion, a deep and abiding connection with Christ himself. 

Our Precious Gift

To illustrate the preciousness of this earthly journey and the urgency of living by faith, let me share a stark story. Some years ago, a news photograph captured a haunting reality. It depicted a young woman who had tragically succumbed to a drug overdose in a parked car. The image itself was unsettling, but what seared it into memory was the adjacent parking meter, displaying the stark message: "Time Expired." 

A chilling symbol, indeed. A stark reminder that our earthly existence is finite. 

Face to Face with Mortality

The undeniable truth is this: each of us will face our mortality. You will die. I will die. Everyone we hold dear will one day return to God. Our culture often encourages us to evade this truth, yet suppressing it only allows hidden anxieties to fester. Both psychology and theology affirm the necessity of confronting our mortality, not with dread, but with a deep and unwavering faith. 

This is precisely what Jesus invites us to do. He doesn't offer a sugar-coated version of reality. Instead, he meets us precisely where we are, in the midst of our fears and uncertainties, and declares: "Do not let your hearts be troubled." 

Finding Our Peace

Like Thomas, who voiced the very human question, "Lord, we don’t know the way," we too often feel lost and unsure of the path ahead.

And Jesus responds with one of the most luminous declarations in all of Scripture: "I am the way, the truth, and the life." 

We are not required to possess all the answers. We don't need a meticulously detailed map for every twist and turn in the road ahead. Our task is far simpler, yet profoundly meaningful: we simply need to walk with Him. 

Walk with Jesus

When we gather as a family in prayer, when we extend forgiveness and unwavering support to one another, when we actively choose love over the corrosive power of resentment – we are already walking the way. The path is not a rigid plan; it is a living Person. And that Person is Jesus. 

Therefore, as you return to the embrace of your families, the demands of your work, and the rhythm of your everyday lives, carry this fundamental truth within your hearts: 

Jesus is preparing a place for you. 

Continue to walk with Him. Cherish and love your families deeply. Place your trust in Him, especially when life's challenges feel overwhelming. And when doubts inevitably surface, as they will, return to his comforting and unwavering words: 

"Do not let your hearts be troubled." 

Because one day, the Lord will return – not in judgment, but in boundless love – and will take us home to the place he has prepared. 

• Today’s Readings

• Father Pinto's inspirational homily was recorded live during Mass at the Father Peyton Center this morning. You can view the Mass (and the Rosary at the 30-minute mark) on the Family Rosary YouTube page. 

• To join the Rosary and Mass Livestream, visit the Family Rosary YouTube or Facebook page at 11:30 a.m. Eastern, Monday – Friday. Consider inviting others to join too! (*If you are not a member of Facebook and a signup window appears, simply select the X at the top of the pop-up message and continue to the livestream.)