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Where do priests come from? We cannot simply sit back and expect priests to continue to show up at Mass. Jesus told us that we have a direct impact on our future leaders through our prayers: “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest’” (Matthew 9:36-38). Jesus calls us to action in our prayers and support for future shepherds.

The Christian life is a pilgrimage. We are journeying toward our final destination—heaven. This life cannot and does not last forever. We cannot live forever on this earth or in these bodies, for both this earth and our bodies will pass away. This life in these bodies tests us and prepares us for eternity. The test is in how we respond to God’s revelation in Jesus, for Jesus is the way to the Father and to the Father’s house. Life can be a blessing only with God for without him all life—even, or perhaps especially, everlasting life—is hellish.

I first started making this dish in my early 20’s. It would be late at night when I got home from working a 12-hour shift at the restaurant. I would be craving a big meal but had no energy for something complicated. Cacio e Pepe is one of the easiest pasta dishes ever created and is absolutely incredible when made right! This recipe makes enough to feed my family. But I often find myself eating it alone right out of the skillet.

It’s time to prepare for Pentecost so that we can receive Jesus’s greatest gift. On May 18th we start nine days of prayer: a novena to the Holy Spirit.

Today’s Gospel may seem to be an odd shift from the images of the previous weeks’ Gospels; as you heard, Jesus goes from speaking of himself as the true bread to speaking of himself as a shepherd and a gate. But as Pope Benedict XVI observed, both images concern what we live on—where we get our life. Jesus is speaking to us over and over again about where we find our life in such images as bread, wine, vine, and shepherd. The true shepherd, the Lord tells us, is the one who gives life to the sheep.

If you ask my 7-year-old daughter what the Holy Trinity is, you’ll get a different answer than a chef from Louisiana. They’re sure to say onions, bell pepper, and celery. These three aromatic vegetables are the undisputed workhorses in Cajun and Creole cooking. I love this soup because it’s rich and fragrant and easy. For my version, I used half seafood stock and half vegetable broth because seafood stock isn’t cheap. And I already spent most of the soup budget on the shrimp!