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Sunday May 10, 2026
The Sixth Sunday of Easter
Acts 17:27b-28. Though indeed he is not far from each one of us. For “In him we live and move and have our being.”
I have read many novels, and in nearly all of them, the deep message of the book comes at the end. Likewise, the Gospel of Matthew ends with Jesus assuring humankind, “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
Over the years, I have visited many holy places, from Assisi in Italy, the final resting place of Saint Francis, to Avila, Spain, the birthplace of Saint Teresa. And while I have been moved by my experiences there, the times when I have felt God’s presence the most deeply have been in my backyard or my hometown.
God in Christ through the Holy Spirit is everywhere. We just need to open ourselves to receive this gift. I think about the experience of Thomas Merton, a Trappist monk who traveled to many sacred places in his lifetime. Yet, one of his most extraordinary experiences of the Holy Spirit was when he was walking across a street in Louisville, Kentucky, on his way from the dentist. Wherever we are or wherever we live, let us remember that God indeed “is not far from each one of us.”
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