Homily: May 13, 2025, Tuesday of the fourth week of Easter Time (Hand of the Lord).

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 “The hand of the Lord was with them.” This phrase from today's first reading moved me deeply.

In the Eastern tradition which I grew up, children in the family always receive blessings from their parents and grandparents daily.

When I was living at home, every morning as we leave for school, my grandfather would lay his hands on my head to give me a blessing for the day. He did that every day until he passed away. Grandma too but she passed away when I was in 4th grade. Every one of my six siblings also received the same blessings daily.

Our parents continued the tradition, and now I see my siblings blessing their children every morning. It is a powerful act, a beautiful tradition, a divine gesture.

I truly believe that the blessings I received from my parents and grandparents stayed with me, strengthened me, and gave me peace for the day. On rare days when I left home without my grandfather’s blessing, I would feel like something was missing, like I had forgotten something very important.

The hand of the Lord was with us, through the blessings of our parents and grandparents.

The hand of the Lord. This is the same hand that created the stars and oceans, the same hand that formed Adam and Eve, that led the Israelites out of slavery, that gave victory to David and our ancestors in faith, that same hand was upon them, blessing and guiding them.

And that same hand is with us. Through our baptism, through our life in Christ, through our parents and grandparents’ blessings, through the priests’ blessings at every Mass. It is the Lord’s hand, through the gestures of our hands.

If you don’t already have the habit of blessing your children or grandchildren, I invite you: start today. It doesn’t have to be elaborate. A simple sign of the cross on their forehead and a blessing like, “May God bless you and keep you throughout today” can become a lifelong source of strength and grace for them.

The Lord’s hand is always with us, through the gestures of blessing from our priests and elders. His hand blesses, showering graces, may we open our hearts to receive, give thanks and give glory to the Lord in our lives.

Amen.


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