"Awe came upon everyone" in the early Christian community, Luke tells us in the Acts of the Apostles. I see that same awe come upon my 4-year-old daughter whenever we're at Mass.

Today's image-rich readings inspire us to ponder.

Nothing expresses intense joy and thanksgiving more clearly and immediately than a shout of ALLELUIA! The word Alleluia comes from ancient Hebrew for "Praise Yahweh!"

Our parish holds an annual egg hunt on Easter morning in the park behind the church. It is a delight to watch hundreds of toddlers filling their baskets with plastic eggs, each with a piece of candy inside.

My dad had a knack for gathering in troubled souls, and my mom had a talent for nurturing them back to health. My parents' charges didn't always stay well, but at least they were offered a moment of sanity in the chaos of their lives.

In today's first reading from Acts, Peter begins by saying, "You know what has happened all over Judea."

Jesus' cry of abandonment on the cross shows how one of the worst experiences anyone can have, especially in some of life's worst moments, is to feel that no one--even God--cares about what happens to them.

Early in my marriage I had the horrible habit of becoming extremely drowsy whenever my wife wanted to deal with a difficult issue. It was a highly inappropriate psychological coping mechanism, and I had the hardest time overcoming it.

To me, the whole point of being a Christian is so that I will never have to stand on the side of Jesus' torturers. If I am true to my faith, then such depravity and inhumanity will be impossible for me.

There are certain human gestures that communicate far more than words can say. Here are just a few, including the ultimate gesture of Jesus on the night before he died, as recalled in today's gospel.