In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Grace, peace, and the tender consolation of Christ be with you all as we gather in prayer.
Lord Jesus, You breathe Your Spirit into weary souls: Lord, have mercy. Christ Jesus, You teach us to love with all our heart and mind: Christ, have mercy. Lord Jesus, You open our graves and promise everlasting life: Lord, have mercy.
“Son of man, can these bones come to life?”
It is the question God asks Ezekiel in the middle of a desolate valley. When all hope seems dry and scattered, the Lord commands the prophet to speak to the wind: “From the four winds come, O spirit, and breathe into these slain that they may come to life.” And God makes an absolute promise to His people: “I will open your graves… I will put my spirit in you that you may live.”
Then, in today’s Gospel, a scholar asks Jesus what matters most in all the law. Jesus sums up the entire mystery of our existence in one word: love. “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. And your neighbor as yourself.”
To love God with our whole mind and soul is to marvel at His creation, to use every gift we are given with wonder and joy…
We saw that brilliant, wholehearted love so clearly in Benjamin.
Ben was blessed with an extraordinary mind and an insatiable curiosity. Even as a young boy, he loved diving into deep logic, solving complex problems, and building things from scratch. Whether he was exploring cutting-edge technology, coding applications, or mastering intricate cloud systems right alongside his dad, Ben approached learning not as a chore, but with pure excitement and wonder. Yet for all his sharp intellect, his mind was always guided by an extraordinarily gentle heart—respectful, humble, and full of sweetness.
It has been nine weeks since Benjamin Vo went home to the Lord. Nine weeks where the ache of his absence is felt with every breath, and the valley of grief can feel dry and overwhelming.
Yet Ezekiel’s vision reminds us today: God’s breath is stronger than death. The Spirit that created Ben’s brilliant mind and beautiful soul has not abandoned him. Benjamin is alive in the fullness of Christ’s resurrection, held safe in the eternal embrace of the God he loved.
To Alan, Thao, and dear Ryan: in the quiet moments when the burden feels too heavy to carry, hear God’s promise to breathe new life and peace into your hearts. Lean on the Lord, hold each other close, and keep moving forward with courage and love for Ryan.
To Ben’s aunts and uncles, everyone joining us across the world, every child who is suffering today, and every family carrying a heavy cross: Our Lady wraps you in her maternal mantle. You are seen, you are cherished, and you are held by God.
Benjamin rests in the everlasting light of Christ… where the Spirit breathes eternal peace.
For the intentions entrusted to Ben on our prayer wall:
At the Savior’s command and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
✝ May almighty God bless you: the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.