From Father Gabriel’s Desk
Sunday, April 5, 2026 – Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of The Lord

This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again. This command I have received from my Father.” John 10:17-18

Dear Mothers,

As we celebrate Easter, we are drawn again to the central truth of our faith, the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which sin is defeated and new life is given. Easter is not only a moment of remembrance, but a living reality: through Christ, we are made anew, restored to God, and invited to walk in His grace each day.

Motherhood, in its deepest calling, reflects the profound theological meaning and truth of laying down one’s life in sacrifice for others. In your daily acts of love, sacrifice, and nurture, you participate in the very nature of Christ’s self-giving love. As Christ laid down His life for all the human race, so you give yourselves in many ways, often in hidden and quiet ways for the good and well-being of those entrusted to you.

In the first letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul reminds us that, “Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, love he says is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.” 1Corinthians 13:4-8
Through the sacrifice of Christ for us and the words of St. Paul, we are able to understand that true greatness is found in service. In laying down our lives in service to the Lord, for all of you mothers specifically, in forming your children in your homes, providing care for them both physically and spiritually. In caring for your children you are forming lives, shaping hearts, and pointing, even if at times in a silently way, towards the love of God revealed in Christ.

The resurrection of our Lord assures us that suffering is never the end of the story. Your long nights, the unseen sacrifices, and the moments of exhaustion are not without meaning. God redeems all things and brings life where there was once weariness. United with Christ, your acts of kindness, your prayers, sacrifices, are never in vain. So, I want to encourage you to keep this in mind when things become difficult, remember that Christ has conquered all things for us, even death itself. This Easter let us rejoice and celebrate with the whole Church the Triumph of our Lord Jesus Christ and await with joyful expectation the coming of the Holy Spirit upon us in the Feast of Pentecost.

I invite you to make yours this prayer to the Holy Spirit and to remain in joyful expectation for the coming of the Holy Spirit with this simple prayer:

Come, Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your well-beloved spouse.

This Easter, may you be renewed in the truth that you are called to motherhood, that your prayers are heard, and you are sustained by God. May the risen Christ strengthen your spirit, deepen your faith, and fill your heart with the enduring hope of His promises.

Grace and peace to you this Easter season,

Fiat,
+Fr. Gabriel Barrera