Light of Christ

Jesus, Our Faithful Friend

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Guest Post by: David Tonaszuck

Reflection on the Sunday 25th Week in Ordinary Time Readings

When I was a young boy, my grandfather told me that Jesus was his best and faithful friend. I did not understand. How could someone we cannot see become our closest friend? Still, his words remained with me.

As I grew older and turned to Jesus in prayer, I began to understand. I discovered that Jesus was also my faithful friend. Whenever I called upon Him, He reminded me that I was not alone. His presence quieted my mind and brought peace to my heart. The more I received His love, the more I wanted to share it.  To me, the presence of Jesus is a grace from God—a gift I hadn’t earned, but one that met me exactly where I was.

Years later, my grandfather was nearing the end of his life. I visited him in hospice and, sensing this might be our last time together, called my brother to come and be with us. We sat beside his bed, sharing memories, telling stories, and laughing. Although our grandfather could no longer speak as he once had, we knew he was listening. In our hearts, we could almost hear him laughing with us. 

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From Heart to Heart: Forgiven to Love as Christ Loves

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Guest Post by: David Tonaszuck

Reflection on the Gospel of Matthew 18:21-35

Dear Brothers and sisters in Christ,

A man once decided to volunteer at a hospital. His work was simple: he visited patients who had no family or friends coming to see them. On his first day, he entered one room after another, sitting beside people he had only just met. He listened to their stories, held trembling hands, prayed with those who welcomed prayer, and offered encouragement to those who felt forgotten.

He spent the entire day with strangers. Yet by evening, they were no longer strangers. Their gratitude—the relieved smile, the quiet “thank you,” the light returning to a lonely face—was more than enough to bring him back the next day, and the next.

Whenever he left a room, he tried to leave something of Jesus behind: the light and love of Christ flowing from his heart into the heart of the person he had visited. He would offer a smile and a word of hope. Then he would say, “I love you as Jesus loves you.”

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Letting God’s Love Flow: Becoming Vessels of Christ’s Light

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Guest Post by: David Tonaszuck

A reflection on the Gospel of Matthew 18:15-20

Dear Friends in Christ,

Let me begin with a story from not so long ago, yet one that shines as a living parable of the light and love of God. Saint Teresa of Calcutta—known to the world as Mother Teresa—walked the crowded, dusty streets of her city, gathering the dying, the abandoned, and the forgotten into her arms.

When others averted their eyes or crossed to the other side, she knelt down, touched the wounds of the suffering, and looked into their faces with a tenderness that could only have come from God. She saw, in each broken body and lost soul, the face of Jesus Himself. The love she poured out was not her own, but God’s love moving through her—her hands became His hands, her words became the whispers of Christ’s mercy, her heart beat with the steady, patient love of the Holy Spirit. The world saw her as extraordinary, but what she did was simple: she let God enter her heart, and in doing so, she let God’s love flow out to everyone she met.

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Led by the Shepherd: Finding Abundant Life and Bringing Others Home

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Guest Post by: David Tonaszuck

A reflection on the Gospel of John 10:1-10

Dear friends in Christ,

There was a man named John who, for much of his life, felt lost. He grew up in a small town, knew the routines of daily life, but a shadow seemed always to hover at the edge of his spirit. John tried to fill the emptiness with work, with distractions, even with the approval of others. None of it lasted. He wandered, like a sheep without a shepherd, never feeling truly at home, never truly at peace. One day, in a moment of quiet desperation, John found himself sitting alone in a church, staring at the crucifix. He whispered a prayer he wasn’t sure he believed: “Jesus, if you’re real, help me.”

Something shifted. Over the next days, John felt drawn back to the church, to Scripture, and to prayer. He met a priest who listened, who encouraged him to read the Gospels, to come to Mass, to let Jesus lead him. John gradually realized that Jesus was not a distant figure, but a Shepherd who knew him by name, who had been calling him all along. As John learned to trust Jesus and follow Him, his life changed. He found hope where before there was only emptiness. And, slowly, almost without realizing it, he began reaching out to others who felt lost as he once did. He listened, he prayed with them, he invited them to experience the same peace he’d found. John became a shepherd of souls, leading others to the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ.

Good Shepherd
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Jesus, I Trust in You: Living Divine Mercy Every Day

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Guest Post by: David Tonaszuck

A reflection on the Gospel of John 20:19-31

Dear friends in Christ,

There once was a man named David. For over twenty years, he had built a solid career—an expert in his field, respected, reliable, always the first to arrive and the last to leave. But then, without warning, he was let go. At first, David was sure another job would come quickly; after all, he had experience and skills. But weeks turned to months, and door after door closed in his face.

In that long season of waiting, as uncertainty crept in, David’s wife Anne was diagnosed with a serious illness. Suddenly, the reason for his unemployment became clear. God had placed him at home for this very moment—to care for Anne, to be her rock, to offer comfort only a loving husband could give. David surrendered his anxiety and whispered, “Jesus, I trust in You.” In time, Anne’s health improved, and David was led to a new job, one that allowed him to help not only his family, but others in need, too. Looking back, he saw God’s hand guiding him, every step of the way, through disappointment to hope.

From Fear and Doubt to Faith and Trust: The Journey of Thomas and the Disciples

This story, friends, is not so different from the journey of the disciples in our Gospel today. They are locked away in fear, their lives turned upside down by loss and bewilderment. Jesus, the one they trusted, had died. Their hopes seemed finished. Yet into that locked room, Jesus appears, speaking words that must have sounded almost impossible: “Peace be with you.” He shows them His wounds—the marks of His suffering and love—and the disciples rejoice. But Thomas isn’t there. When the others tell him, “We have seen the Lord,” Thomas cannot bring himself to believe. Maybe he’s protecting himself from more heartbreak. Maybe he’s just being honest about his doubts.

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Do Not Be Afraid: Living the Hope and Glory of the Resurrection

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Guest Post by: David Tonaszuck

Easter Sunday Homily Reflection — Matthew 28:1-10

My friends, let me begin with a story from right here, in our own time.

A few years ago, a man in his fifties named Davide faced the most difficult season of his life. He had lost his job over a year ago and, try as he might, he had a very difficult time getting hired; no one seemed to want him—maybe because he was close to retirement? Who knew. On top of that, his beloved wife, Anita, had fallen seriously ill from a relentless illness.

The doctors’ news was never what they hoped for, and each day seemed to bring new worries. Fear crept in during the quiet hours—fear for their future, fear for Anita’s health, fear that life’s best days had already passed. Davide, who had always been the steady one in his family, now felt anything but steady. Yet, each morning, he found himself waking early, sitting by Anita’s bedside in the dim morning light, quietly praying for strength, for healing, for hope.

One morning, after an especially tough night filled with worry, Davide noticed their neighbor, Mrs. Carter, struggling to put out her trash bins. Despite his exhaustion and the heavy weight of his own fears, he went out to help her. As they talked, Davide learned that Mrs. Carter was afraid too—her husband had died the year before, and loneliness had become a shadow over her days. Over the next weeks, Davide made it a habit to check on Mrs. Carter, sharing small acts of kindness, a warm meal, a listening ear. With each visit, Davide felt his own fears ease just a little. He began to see that he wasn’t alone—everyone carried fears, and everyone needed hope.

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