What happens when a toddler in boots jukes his way down the church aisle during Mass? Grace. At our 8:30am Mass on the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Kristyn Russell's nephew, Rigg, bolted from the pew, ran toward the altar, and narrowly escaped his father's grasp—only to be met at the church doors with smiles, laughter, and words of encouragement from the parish family instead of judgment. His dad's worry about finding a new church dissolved as people leaned in with "I remember those days" and "he's pretty quick!" This beautiful moment reveals what it truly means to be the Body of Christ: incomplete without everyone, even the swift-footed toddlers who make a break for it. Drawing on St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians and the celebration of Corpus Christi, Kristyn explores what happens when we break bread together and respond "Amen." We declare not just that the bread and wine are truly the Body and Blood of Christ, but that we ourselves are the Body of Christ—and we are sent forth to be that Body in the world. Using St. Teresa of Ávila's powerful words—"Christ has no body but yours"—we're reminded that the only thing standing between us and being the living, breathing Body of Christ in the world are the things that separate us from God and each other. So today, with or without boots, we're invited to go be beacons of peace, justice, joy, and love.

See his breakaway here: https://www.youtube.com/live/fJGT1WwF1Pg?si=4hZy13RI87Xjk2Tm&t=3952

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Kristyn is a Midland native who attended St. Brigid Catholic School before heading to Jefferson and Dow High School. She holds a Master’s degree in Theology from Villanova University and in Strategic Communication from Michigan State University. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Theology with a minor in Communication from Aquinas College. When she’s not at work, she’s usually with her dog, Caspian, kayaking a new river, hiking through the woods, or sitting by a campfire reading a book.

How do you experience the mystery of the Trinity when words and theology fall short? Jean Thiele explores three of the deepest mysteries that keep one returning to the Catholic faith again and again: the Paschal Mystery, the Eucharist, and the Trinity. Through daily acts of dying to ego, receiving Jesus in the Eucharist, and sitting in silence before God, we see how faith becomes less about explanation and more about relationship. The Eucharist becomes the place where friendship with Jesus deepens and where the heart is trained to recognize Christ in other people. And the Trinity—though impossible to fully explain—is discovered in creation, suffering, silence, wonder, and love. From a softened heart in the chapel at Blessed Sacrament to the felt realization of being connected to everyone in the universe, Jean shows how Trinitarian love changes us from the inside out. It appears in deep listening, compassionate presence, helping hands in a parking lot, soup kitchens, hospital visits, grandchild recitals, and everyday acts of love that lift burdens and bring the kingdom of heaven close. Ending with a guided meditation, this reflection invites us to breathe into the unconditional love of the Trinity and carry it into the world.

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Jean Thiele was born and raised in Iron Mountain Michigan and attended St. Mary and St. Joseph grade school. In 1978, she graduated from Iron Mountain High School. She attended Michigan State University and graduated in 1982 with a bachelor in Nursing and in 1992 with a Masters in Geriatric Nursing. She later received a certificate to become a Lay Minister in the Saginaw Diocese and after 4 years became a Spiritual Director from the Dominican Center in Farmington Hills Michigan. She is a grief facilitator, centering prayer practitioner, and retreat leader. She loves biking with her husband, Scott, golf, and traveling with family and friends. Faith to Jean is service from a trinitarian spirituality, having the freedom to make a choice to co-create with our Loving God.

What does it actually feel like when the Holy Spirit is at work within us? Terri Schroeder reflects on that question through her long-awaited experience serving on the Guatemala Stove Team, where she arrived excited, nervous, and armed with resurrected 7th-grade Spanish that mostly failed her when it mattered. Yet what she discovered was that the Holy Spirit doesn't depend on fluency. Through gestures, smiles, good humor, willing hearts, high fives, hugs, and shared purpose, strangers became partners in bringing life-changing stoves and water filters to families whose homes would no longer be filled with smoke. Terri describes the powerful moment each stove was lit and the joy that spread across a family's faces, along with the quiet blessings exchanged between the team and the families they served. In those moments of connection, she recognized the fruits of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—alive and moving among people who on the surface seemed so different, yet were deeply alike at heart. This moving reflection reminds us that when we open ourselves to others and let the Spirit guide us, we become light for one another and discover the deep truth written on the team's shirts: love one another.

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Terri has lived in Midland the majority of her life. She has three amazing children who are married and happily are living in the state of Michigan along with one grandson she adores. Terri earned her Bachelor of Education degree and her Master’s in Administration from SVSU. She retired from teaching in the Bullock Creek School District after 31 years. Her retired life now consists of spending a few hours a week at the reception desk in the Parish Center at Blessed Sacrament where she has been a member of the parish for over 34 years. She also loves to tend to her yard and gardens, participate in multiple outdoor activities, watch birds, and learn new music. When she slows down, reading a good book is her favorite quite time activity.

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What if heaven isn't only "up there" in the clouds, but also beneath your feet and dwelling within your heart? Beginning with the peaceful image of lying in a hammock on a sunny summer day, watching clouds drift by and imagining heaven above, Christy Granda explores how naturally we place God somewhere far away—up in the sky, beyond our reach. Drawing from Psalm 19, the Ascension, and the image of the apostles staring upward as Jesus is taken from their sight, we're reminded that they weren't meant to stand still, stiff-necked and gazing into the heavens forever. They were sent to move, to preach, to heal, and to build the kingdom of God here on earth. Christy invites us to shift our understanding of where God is: not only above, but also down as the firm foundation beneath our feet, the cornerstone that steadies us, and inside as the One who dwells in our hearts and comes to us in the Eucharist. With warmth and beautiful imagery, we're challenged to carry that awareness into every interaction, every act of love, and every step we take after leaving Mass. So if you find yourself in a hammock this summer, watch the sky—but don't forget to feel the ground beneath you and the presence of God within you.

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Christy was born and raised in Bay City. She met her husband on a blind date and they worked briefly together at Dow when she was a co-op and he was a contractor. Soon after that their work paths diverged as she finished her degree in Elementary Special Education and he continued as a graphic designer. She worked as a Special Education teacher for 32 years before retiring and immediately jumped into her new role as Adult Faith Formation Coordinator. When asked about the differences between working with adults and children she might reply "so far, nobody has tried to kick, bite or scream at me." She and her husband have two adult children and have been members of Blessed Sacrament for the past 20 plus years.

What do Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi" and Pope Benedict XIV have in common? For Kristyn Russell, it instantly brings back memories of her classmate Fr. Richie Mercado bursting into "Papa, Papa Ratzi" during Foundations in Theology class at Villanova. But beyond the impromptu performances, something deeper was happening: her understanding and experience of God was blooming in unexpected ways. Drawing on St. Augustine's insight that we "believe in order to understand," St. Anselm's definition of theology as "faith seeking understanding," and St. Thomas Aquinas' concept of exitus and reditus—that all things come from God and return to God—Kristyn unpacks what theology actually is and why it matters. Knowledge of God isn't meant to just sit in neat little boxes in our heads. It's meant to transform us—our hearts, our souls, the deepest parts of who we are. And even then, it can't stop there. That transformation has to flow outward and change the way we move through the world, the way we treat strangers, the way we see every single person as a child of God. Connecting this to 1 Peter 3:15—"Always be ready to give a reason for your hope"—and the Desert monk Evagrius' wisdom that "a theologian is one who prays," Kristyn challenges us to notice one moment this week where we sense God in the ordinary, name it, and share it with someone else. Be a theologian. Be a reason for someone else to believe.

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Kristyn is a Midland native who attended St. Brigid Catholic School before heading to Jefferson and Dow High School. She holds a Master’s degree in Theology from Villanova University and in Strategic Communication from Michigan State University. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Theology with a minor in Communication from Aquinas College. When she’s not at work, she’s usually with her dog, Caspian, kayaking a new river, hiking through the woods, or sitting by a campfire reading a book.

Are you the person who remains even-keeled despite the chaos around you, or are you like the disciples—full of anxiety and cautiousness? As Jesus prepares his disciples at the Last Supper, knowing he will soon be handed over, denied, and crucified, he offers them a sea of calm reassurance: "Do not let your hearts be troubled." But Jesus isn't telling us we won't experience anxiety, fear, confusion, or distress. Rather, he's reminding us that we never have to walk this journey alone. Through the deeply personal story of a youngest son on the spectrum purchasing his own home and thriving independently, Renee Larsen shows us what it means to "prepare a place"—and how Jesus wraps us in reassurance even when we're bundles of nerves and stress. From the forgotten can opener to the empty nest that's hard to embrace, her reflection acknowledges the reality of functional anxiety, depression, and mental health struggles many of us face. Yet even in our most distressing times, a simple prayer—"Please Lord, ease my mind and my heart and hold me close"—reminds us that Jesus is always with us, wanting to share in our joys and our sorrows, and that sometimes the simplest of prayers is all we need.

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Renee is a Midland native who attended Midland Public Schools, graduating from Midland High School. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary/Middle School Education from Saginaw Valley State University. She retired from teaching middle school and is now a part of the Blessed Sacrament Liturgy Team. When she’s not at work, she’s usually with her dog, Purl, and has a set of knitting needles or a crochet hook in hand busy on one project or another.

How many times have we heard something but didn't really get the message or get the point? Kevin Shaughnessy's reflection on the Good Shepherd Gospel challenges us to move beyond partial hearing to true listening—the kind that requires focus, interpretation, understanding, and action. Using the story of Jesus healing the man born blind and the Pharisees' stubborn refusal to listen, we're reminded that Jesus is the true shepherd and gatekeeper, the only genuine path to heaven with no shortcuts or sneaky routes. The challenge is straightforward: hear, listen, and act. But ignoring the noises of the world and staying laser-focused on Jesus' voice is harder than it sounds. Are we missing opportunities to provide safety and comfort to the vulnerable, or to practice sacrificial love? The humorous parking lot prayer story—where a man asks God for a spot, finds one, and says "never mind, God, I found one"—reminds us not to be oblivious when God is messaging us. Turns out sheep are actually smart: they have good memories, recognize faces, and learn from trouble. So let's be sheep who follow the Good Shepherd, end up in his loving care, and succeed in earning eternal life by hearing him, listening to him, acting, and thanking him.

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Kevin has resided in Midland since he & his wife, Mary, married in 1980. Their 4 adult children are married and they enjoy the interactions with their 10 grandchildren.

Kevin is retired from Dow Chemical and is active in many volunteer capacities in the community; most notably with Midland Kiwanis and helping to lead the Guatemalan Stove Mission.

Below is Kevin's favorite picture of the Good Shepherd.

What makes a lesson so memorable that a child will carry it in their heart for a lifetime? Corinne Cathcart has accompanied hundreds of children to the Lord's table as they celebrate their first Eucharist, from her days as a teenage catechist in Cincinnati to her current role as Elementary Faith Formation Coordinator at Blessed Sacrament. Drawing on Jesus' own teaching style—engaging storytelling, real-world examples, and big surprises—Corinne shares unforgettable object lessons from sacramental prep retreats, including the raw egg versus hard-boiled egg demonstration that shows how sacraments change us on the inside even when we look the same on the outside. The absolute best lesson? When second graders experience the Last Supper with Jesus at their retreat, complete with stone wall backdrop, dimmed lights, volunteers dressed as apostles, and Jesus himself kneeling to wash feet and break bread, saying, "This is my body given up for you." Connecting this powerful moment to today's Gospel of the road to Emmaus, Corinne reflects on that stunning, surprising, unforgettable moment at the dinner table when Cleopas and his friend recognize Jesus in the breaking of the bread. As children prepare to receive their first Eucharist, may they—and all of us—never forget to recognize Jesus every time the bread is broken.

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Corinne was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, but has been a member of the Blessed Sacrament community for 14 years. She earned a bachelor's degree from Ohio State University, where she met her husband of over 25 years, and a Master's in Education from the University of Cincinnati. She was a second grade Catholic school teacher in Cincinnati before moving here when her husband started working for Dow Chemical. She loves working with the littles of the Blessed Sacrament family as the Children's Faith Formation Coordinator. When she's not at work, you'll find her with her nose in a book or learning something new!