Father's Corner

  One of the challenges of Trinity Sunday is that many of us immediately start thinking about explanations. How can God be one and three at the same time? How do Father, Son, and Holy Spirit relate to one another? Can anyone really understand the Trinity? The Church has wrestled with these questions for centuries. Yet perhaps Trinity Sunday is not primarily about explaining God. Perhaps it is about standing in wonder before a mystery that invites us into deeper worship. The Scriptures appointed for Trinity Sunday lead us into that mystery. The opening verses of Genesis take us to the beginning of creation itself. Before there were mountains, oceans, stars, or human beings, there was God. The Spirit of God moved over the waters, and God's creative Word brought order out of chaos. Christians have long recognized a glimpse of the Trinity here. The Father creates, the Spirit hovers over the waters, and God's Word brings creation into being. What is striking is that creation b...

There is something deeply human about the beginning of Pentecost in Acts 2. The disciples are gathered together in a closed room, uncertain about the future and unsure what comes next. Outside, life continues as normal. People are walking the streets of Jerusalem, buying food, talking with neighbors, and moving through another ordinary day. But inside that room, something sacred is about to happen. Acts tells us that suddenly there came the sound of a mighty rushing wind, and tongues of fire rested upon the disciples. Fear gave way to courage. Silence became proclamation. A closed room became the birthplace of the Church. What moves me most about Pentecost is that the Spirit comes to ordinary people. The disciples were not fearless heroes. They were tired, uncertain, and still carrying the wounds of recent days. Yet the Holy Spirit met them exactly there. Maybe that is why Pentecost still matters so much. Many of us know what it feels like to live in closed rooms emotionall...

There is something deeply moving about the days between Ascension Day and Pentecost. In the Acts of the Apostles, the disciples stand watching Jesus disappear into the clouds. The One who walked beside them, taught them, comforted them, and steadied their fears is suddenly no longer visible. One can almost feel the silence that follows. The disciples remain looking upward, perhaps hoping for one more word, one more reassurance, one more moment with Christ before He vanishes from their sight. And honestly, many of us understand that feeling. There are seasons when God feels close — when prayer comes easily and faith feels alive. But there are also seasons when heaven feels quiet. Moments when prayers seem unanswered, certainty fades, and Christ feels hidden. The time between Ascension and Pentecost speaks directly into those moments. Because the Ascension is not abandonment. That is the mystery the disciples slowly begin to understand: Jesus departs visibly so that He may be...

There is something almost painful about the story of the Ascension. The disciples stand looking upward as Christ is taken from their sight. After the resurrection appearances, after meals shared beside the sea, after wounds touched and hearts rekindled, Jesus departs again. One can almost hear the silence that follows. And yet the Church has never treated Ascension Day as a day of abandonment. It is a feast of hope. The Ascension is not about Jesus leaving the world behind. It is about Christ filling all things. No longer bound to one road in Galilee or one table in Jerusalem, the risen Christ becomes present to all creation. The One who walked among humanity now carries humanity into the very life of God. The old Celtic Christians often spoke of “thin places” — places where heaven and earth seem close enough to touch. Ascension reminds us that, in Christ, the distance between heaven and earth has already been crossed. This matters for weary souls. There are seasons when Go...

Texts: First Epistle of Peter 3:13–22 and Gospel of John 14:15–21 Mother’s Day carries many emotions. For some, it is a day of celebration filled with gratitude and joy. For others, it is quieter and more difficult — a day marked by grief, longing, or remembrance. Many of us hold both joy and sorrow together. This year, the readings from  Peter, 3:13–22 and  John, 14:15–21 speak powerfully into those emotions. In the Gospel, Jesus tells His disciples: “I will not leave you orphaned.” What a beautiful promise. Jesus speaks these words to people who are anxious and afraid. They know change is coming. They know loss is near. Yet Jesus assures them that they will not be abandoned. The Holy Spirit — the Comforter and Advocate — will remain with them. That promise still matters today. There are moments in life when we all feel alone. We carry burdens quietly. We wonder if anyone truly sees what we are going through. Yet the heart of the Gospel is this: God does not aband...

It’s not just what Jesus says in John 14—it’s when he says it. “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” Jesus speaks these words on the night before everything falls apart. Before the cross. Before the confusion, the fear, and the scattering of his disciples. He is preparing them for loss, and that is when he offers peace. Not after the resurrection. Not once everything makes sense. But right in the middle of uncertainty. And in that very moment, the questions begin to surface. Thomas asks, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” There is something striking about Thomas here. He doesn’t ask easy questions—he asks the right ones. He goes straight to the heart of the matter. He doesn’t pretend understanding or settle for vague reassurance. He names the reality: We don’t know. And because of that honesty, he opens the door for a deeper answer. This is the same Thomas who will later question the resurrection—and who will also make one of the deepest co...