The Fifth Saturday of Easter

If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you. Remember the word I spoke to you, ‘No slave is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. And they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me.

Very few people like to be hated. In fact, many of us will do everything we can to avoid conflict with others or to be liked. However, Jesus reminds us that being a Christian isn’t supposed to be a popularity contest. The truths we hold as Disciples of Christ run counter to the perceptions of the world. The world believes the ends justify the means, that success in life is measured by money, titles, and toys, and everything is relative. But we believe in loving each other (even our enemies) to the best of our abilities, that success in life is measured by our faith, hope, and charity, and there are Divine Truths, which will never change. Jesus also reminds us that the world hated and persecuted him and it will hate and persecute us, too if we keep his commands. However, we can be comforted with the thought that all our sufferings can be combined with his to create a crown of glory which we can give to God when we join Jesus in heaven.

Do we belong to God or the world? Are we willing to be hated and persecuted in order to do what is right and good? Are we willing to love those who harm us, just as Jesus did?

O Lord, if we must be hated for your sake, then so be it.

Amen.

The Fifth Friday of Easter

This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. This I command you: love one another.

Being friends and followers of Christ can be challenging, especially when Jesus asks us to love one another as he loves us. He knows, loves, and serves us perfectly. That is a tall and impossible task for us. However, he does not expect us to be perfect. That is why he gave us the Holy Spirit to inspire and guide us. He gave us the Church and its sacraments to sustain and nurture us. We all will fall and fail from time to time, but part of being friends with Christ is knowing that he will always be there to pick us off the ground, dust us off, and never abandon us when we need him. By choosing to love God and others to the best of our abilities, we free ourselves from our selfish inclinations and are better able to overcome our temptations and avoid sins. Of course, loving God requires more than just lip service. It also requires us to risk ourselves, to go out into the vineyard of souls, and help with the harvest. We are asked to bear fruit that will remain and we do this best when we love our families, friends, neighbors, and even enemies. This fruit can be big or small. It matters not to God. The only thing He sees is the love behind our thoughts, words, and works.

Have we been following Jesus’ commandment to love one another as he loves us? Are we willing to lay down our lives for our friends? Do we ground our every decision in love so that no matter how great or small our actions might be, they are filled with love?

O Lord, grant us the grace to love one another as you love us.

Amen.

The Fifth Thursday of Easter

As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete.

Jesus, his Father, and the Holy Spirit love us. The Holy Trinity loves us. It is a love that enlivens, sustains, and fulfills us. And although we can never repay God's Love, we can respect it by keeping the commandments to love God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths, and to love others as God loves us. When we love, we participate in the essential action of God who is Love and unite ourselves to His Divine Will. As lovers of God and His children, we welcome the joy of God into our hearts and complete ourselves by becoming bearers of His Love, Mercy, and Grace.

Have we welcomed the love of God into our hearts? How has His Love transformed our relationship with Him and our family, friends, and neighbors? Have we kept God’s commandments to love?

O Lord, loving you and your children fills us with joy and completes us.

Amen.

The Fifth Wednesday of Easter

I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.

Jesus should be the source, center, and summit of our lives. It is from him that we are given the graces, which sustain us through good and bad. It is in him that we find the truths that our lives should be founded upon. It is through him that we find our ultimate purpose and fulfillment. It is when we are most closely connected to Christ that we bear fruitful thoughts, words, and works. We can do nothing separated from him. When we sin we weaken our roots and wither spiritually. If the sin is terrible enough, we can even sever our ties to God and be left with no foundation, no strength, and no fruits. If we do fall into temptation and sin, we should seek to re-graft ourselves to God through the sacrament of reconciliation. When we strive to remain in Jesus and let his words remain in us, we glorify God through our every action, bear much fruit, and become his good and faithful disciples.

Are our lives as connected to Christ as they should be? Do our every thought, word, and work find their source, center, and summit in God? What can we do to bear more spiritual fruit for God and His children?

O Lord, we glorify you. Give us the grace to bear much fruit and become your disciples.

Amen.

The Fifth Tuesday of Easter

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. You heard me tell you, ‘I am going away and I will come back to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father; for the Father is greater than I.

If we want peace in our lives, then we should seek it in the solace of God. The peace He gives us is a spiritual peace, which fills us with love and protects us from fear. No trials or tribulations can upset the peace God gives us as long as we trust in His Divine Plan. The peace of God cannot be disturbed unless we turn our backs on it. Many of the great saints received this gift of peace and were able to face the greatest of difficulties and even death with a calm and clean heart. It is the source of sustaining strength when faced with overwhelming problems because when God’s Peace is within us we realize our worldly anxieties are passing and insignificant when compared to the love, mercy, and grace God pours out upon us each day. The promise of eternal life with Him in heaven should be all we need to keep us going along the path to paradise in spite of all our worldly difficulties.

Are our hearts open to God’s peace? How can we cleanse ourselves of the troubles and fears that keep us from embracing His peace? How do we show our gratitude for the peace that God has given us?

O Lord, grant us your peace.

Amen.

Feast of Saint Mark, Evangelist

Then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.

Just as Jesus sent out his disciples and apostles, so he sends us into the world. He gives each of us gifts and talents we can use to spread the Good News to the ends of the world. Some of us are given vocations to know, love, and serve God in the priesthood or religious life. Others are called to proclaim the Gospels through our lay lives. No matter the tasks before us we should take comfort in the fact that Jesus is constantly working with us through the Holy Spirit. We are not alone on this journey or in our mission to love God and our neighbors. God is truly with us, giving us aid to overcome all our fears, doubts, and obstacles so we might do His Will more faithfully.

How are we preaching the Good News? What gifts and talents has God given us to use for His Glory? What are the things keeping us from following God's Will more perfectly?

O Lord, work with us to spread your Good News to all the world.

Amen.

Fifth Sunday of Easter

Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and God will glorify him at once. My children, I will be with you only a little while longer. I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

We are all called to glorify God in our own unique ways. We all have time, talents, and treasures we can devote to this purpose. One of the best ways to glorify God is to love. We can love God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths or love one another as Jesus has loved us. By imitating Jesus’ love for us, we become a sacrificial people, willing to forgive others and let go of our selfish pursuits in order to do the selfless work of God. In addition, by loving others as Jesus loves, we also show the world that there is another way to live our lives, a way that leads not to empty worldly success, but to fulfilling heavenly triumph.

Do our lives glorify God? Are we loving of others? Are we witnesses of God’s love for all His children, even for those we have the most difficulty loving?

O Lord, let our every thought, word, and work glorify you and reveal your love to the rest of the world.

Amen.

The Fourth Saturday of Easter

The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father.  And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it.

By believing in and imitating Jesus, we do the Will of God. The words we speak become God’s and not our own. The works we do become Our Heavenly Father’s and not our own. And these words and works will lead others to believe in God because they will see His Love, Mercy, and Grace made manifest in us. Some of us will be asked to do little things to bring about God’s Kingdom. Other will be asked to do great things. No matter what God’s Plan for us, as long as we do what He asks us to do and say what He asks us to say, then we will glorify God, have our prayers answered, and one day join the Holy Trinity in a never-ending heavenly banquet.

Does our Heavenly Father dwell in us? When others see or hear us, do they see and hear God? Are we doing the works of God?

O Lord, we ask you to sanctify us and make us better children of our Heavenly Father.

Amen.

The Fourth Friday of Easter

“Where I am going you know the way.” Thomas said to him, “Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Jesus models the path we are all supposed to walk. He shows us the Way to eternal life through imitation of his words and works. He blazes the trail to the narrow gate to Heaven so we all might avoid the wide road to Hell. His gospel message speaks the Good News to us and reveals the Divine Truth we should have at the center of our every thought. His Most Holy Life shows us how to live out our faith in constant prayer, humility, and forgiveness. He is also the source, center and summit of our lives because he is the Body and Blood that sustains our spirit and enlivens us. When we lead a Christ-like life, we incarnate Jesus through our every action and truly become one with His Mystical Body. If we do all these things, then our lives will magnify the Lord just as Mary’s holy life did and our spirits will rejoice in our Savior.

Are we following the Way of Jesus? Are we listening to the Truth of Christ? Are we manifesting the Life of Christ through our every thought, word, and work?

O Lord, help us to walk your Way, proclaim your Truth, and manifest your Life.

Amen.

The Fourth Thursday of Easter

Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it.

None of us is greater than Jesus. Our passions, wants, and goals come in a distant second to the Will of God and the gospel teachings of Christ. It is when our passions, wants, and goals are aligned with these things that we fulfill our purpose on earth and become true messengers of the Lord. We should dedicate ourselves to knowing, loving, and serving God and His children with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths. It is for this that we came into the world and it how we should spend our lives from beginning to end. We are most blessed by God when we give ourselves over to His Divine Plan and think, speak, and do everything in His Holy Name, just as Jesus did in his life.

Are we truly dedicated to knowing, loving, and serving God? How can we cleanse ourselves of the sin of pride and become more humble in spirit? What can we do to become better messengers of Christ?

O Lord, bless us and make us your humble messengers.

Amen.

The Fourth Wednesday of Easter

I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness. And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them, I do not condemn him, for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world. Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words has something to judge him: the word that I spoke, it will condemn him on the last day, because I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak.

Jesus came into the world to be our light, leading us to salvation. However, if we do not listen to his words or follow his teachings, then we reject his light and condemn ourselves to the darkness of sin and death. This is why we must accept his words as the Truth, his actions as the Way, and his spirituality as the Life we are all called to live. It is not easy to lead the Christ-like life, but we will never be abandoned. The light of Jesus will always light our way. All we have to do is keep our eyes, ears, and hearts open to the beacon of his grace and let him lead us where we need to be as his faithful followers.

Are we following the light of Christ or are we lost in the darkness of sin? Do we accept the words and teachings of Jesus and the Divine Will of our Heavenly Father? How can we train ourselves to perceive the light of Christ in our lives and let it lead us?

O Lord, we accept your light and hear your words. Lead us to where we are being called.

Amen.

The Fourth Tuesday of Easter

“How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you and you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me. But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.”

Jesus has told all of us that He is the Christ, not only through his words, but his works as well. Now it is up to us to listen to his voice and believe. It might be difficult for us to accept some of Jesus’ teachings, but part of being Christian is putting our faith in the Gospel messages and the teachings and traditions of the Church. This is why it is so important to remember to pray to God, “Lord I believe. Help my unbelief.” We all have our doubts, fears, and anxieties, but how we handle them determines whether we grow in faith or falter. When we place our trust in God’s Plan and follow the commandments to love God and our neighbors, then we shall have a firm foundation to seek the truth in all we do.

Do we believe in the teachings of Christ in spite of our doubts?  Are we listening for his voice in our lives? Are we willing to trust in God’s Divine Plan?

O Lord, give us eternal rest and never let us perish.

Amen.

The Fourth Monday of Easter

I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.

Jesus is our gateway to heaven and eternal life. It is through following his teachings and example that we can enter paradise and experience the glorious and awe-inspiring presence of the Holy Trinity. It is through his Life, Passion, Death, and Resurrection that we are given the opportunity to be saved and become holy people. He offers us spiritual nourishment through the sacraments and constant protection from the evil influences in our lives which try to lead us astray, steal our souls, and lead us to the fires of Hell. He is the source, center, and summit of our lives and when we accept his love, mercy, and grace, we are rewarded with more fruitful lives. All we have to do is to seek out the truth, knock at the door of God’s Divine Mercy, and ask for His sanctifying grace to pour into our hearts.

Where are our lives leading us? Are we seeking truth, forgiveness, and holiness? Are we willing to follow the narrow path to heaven?

O Lord, help us to live more abundantly.

Amen.

Fourth Sunday of Easter

My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.

Jesus is our shepherd. He is our leader, our life-giver, and our protector. He will never let anything happen to us without doing everything in his power to help us overcome our obstacles and succeed. He even feeds us with his own Body and Blood to sustain our spirits through good times and bad. He will never abandon us, even if we abandon him in sin and get lost in the world. He will search for us no matter where we go and will offer us forgiveness if we will come back to him. He also offers to carry us when we are weak from doubts, anxieties, illness and other troubles. He promises to tend us with a loving kindness that will heal and strengthen us even in the midst of our greatest trials. All we have to do is call out to him, to let him lift us up, and lead us where we need to be.

Are we listening for the voice of God in our lives? Are we willing to let Jesus lead us, enliven us, and protect us? How can we become better followers of Christ?

O Lord, lead us to eternal life and never let us perish.

Amen.

The Third Saturday of Easter

Many of the disciples of Jesus who were listening said, “This saying is hard; who can accept it?” Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this, he said to them, “Does this shock you? What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the Spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.”

Believing in the gospel message is hard, but this shouldn’t shock us. Jesus’ teachings challenge us to live spiritual lives rather than worldly ones and because of this our more selfish instincts can rebel against the idea. We wonder why we cannot have it all and still remain a follower of Christ. However, God wants all of us, our hearts, souls, minds, and bodies. He doesn’t want a divided heart. He gave himself completely for us and if we really want to be his disciples, then we must be willing to give up our lives for him, too.

What is the hardest thing about believing? How can we do a better job of trusting God in spite of our doubts and difficulties with our faith? Are we truly willing to give up the world in order to gain heaven?

O Lord, give us your Spirit so that we might live forever with you.

Amen.

The Third Friday of Easter

Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven.  Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.

Our Heavenly Father sent Jesus into the world to save us through the sacrifice of His Body and Blood. He didn’t need to suffer his Passion and die in order to do this, and yet, he choose to be immolated for our sake. He did this because he understood how difficult it is for us to grasp what it means to be forgiven for our sins. We needed a concrete symbol to help us visualize the harm our sins do to us and the terrible price we pay for turning away from God. That symbol is the cross, which reminds us not only of the harmful effect of our sins, but also gives us hope that we can find forgiveness. However, we also needed a sacramental sign of forgiveness to help sustain our faith, hope, and love in times of trouble. And this is why before Jesus' Death, he gave us the Eucharist. It is the perfect, and unbloodied, sacrifice that reminds us not only of God’s Mercy, but also the promise of eternal life that awaits everyone who partakes of the Blessed Sacrament and lives their lives as tabernacles to the Lord.

How do we prepare ourselves for the reception of Jesus’ Body and Blood? How do we express our gratefulness for Jesus’ sacrifices on the cross and on the Eucharistic table? How can we prepare our hearts to be worthy recipients of your Blessed Sacrament?

O Lord, give us your Body and Blood so that we might live forever.

Amen.

The Third Thursday of Easter

Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. 
Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my Flesh for the life of the world.

Jesus gave his life for us. He sacrificed His Body and Blood for us. He has provided us with the Blessed Sacrament that lives at the heart of our faith, hope, and love. By participating in the Eucharist, we nourish our hearts, souls, minds, and bodies. This is why it is so important for us to cultivate a devotion to the Bread of Life and Wine of Compassion. It is through the reception of these grace-filled gifts that we will nourish our spirits and be able to live forever. In turn, we are all called to incarnate Christ through our own thoughts, words, and works. When we receive His Body and Blood, we are asked to carry them with us into the world. Our hearts become living tabernacles wherein the spirit of Christ dwells for all to see. We would do well to remember this and keep ourselves clean so Jesus might find us worthy to be his resting place. Then, when we die, we shall find a resting place in Him.

Do we believe? Do we seek out the Bread of Life whenever we can? What can we do to prepare our hearts to receive and honor Christ’s Body and Blood?

O Lord, give us every opportunity to humbly and graciously partake in your Bread of Life and live forever.

Amen.

The Third Wednesday of Easter

Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me, because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me. And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.

Jesus will not reject anyone who comes to him. It is important for us to remember this because sometimes we will be tempted to feel like we are not worthy of God’s Love. However, when we suffer such thoughts we should remember that God willed that His Son atone for our sins and that through his Passion, Death, and Resurrection we are offered a chance to be cleansed of all our sins and imperfections. If we wish to be found by Jesus, he will find us and never lose us. Then, on the last day, he shall raise us up and we shall be with him forever and ever.

Are we doing God’s Will or our own? What can we do to overcome our feelings of unworthiness and trust in God’s Mercy? Do we seek to understand and believe in God so that we can live holy lives and have eternal life?

O Lord, we believe in you. Raise us on the last day.

Amen.

The Third Tuesday of Easter

“Sir, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”

Jesus is the Bread of Life. He is the spiritual sustenance that fills our hearts, souls, and minds with sanctifying grace. He gives us the graces we need to live in faith, hope, and love. Feeding our bodies may help us survive from day to day, but feeding our spirits help us to live forever with God. We should constantly ask God to give us the Bread of Life. We should constantly seek it in the sacrament of the Eucharist. By doing these things, we will grow in spirit and our virtues will be strengthened. When we partake in communion with God and our fellow Christians, we will never be spiritually hungry or thirsty again.

Do we seek out the bread of life through the blessed sacrament of the Eucharist? How can we become life-giving people? Do we hunger and thirst for righteousness?

O Lord, give us your bread always.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Stanislaus, Bishop and Martyr

“Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.” So they said to him, “What can we do to accomplish the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.”

We would all do well if we constantly asked ourselves, what we can do to accomplish the works of God. We do this best by believing in the teachings of Jesus Christ and living them out to the best of our abilities. We might not understand how to accomplish God’s Will or why He wishes us to undertake a certain task, but that is why we have faith He knows best and will always give us the graces we need to do His Works. We all have a choice in this life between surviving on the earthly things that perish or thriving on the heavenly things that endure forever. We will be constantly tempted to partake in vice and sin and to enslave ourselves to the world, but if we want to live free, then we need to believe in the Good News and proclaim it through our every thought, word, and work of this day and all our days.

Do we work for the worldly food that perishes or the heavenly food that endures? How can we accomplish God’s Will in our lives? Do we believe in Jesus and live according to his teachings?

O Lord, help us to thrive on heavenly things.

Amen.

Third Sunday of Easter

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He then said to Simon Peter a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” Jesus said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that Jesus had said to him a third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.”

After denying Jesus three times, discovering the empty tomb of Jesus, and being visited by Jesus on two occasions, Peter decides to go out fishing. Peter used to be a fisherman. He’s familiar with the life of a fisherman and he probably would find great comfort in doing something that is “normal” after the events following Jesus’ Passion, Death, and Resurrection. Sometimes when we go through difficult times or times of great change, we have a tendency to seek out the familiar and attempt to rediscover our comfort zone. However, just like Peter, we can discover that our old life isn’t as fulfilling as it was. We’ve changed too much. Something within us has been transformed so utterly by an experience that our old lives aren’t rewarding anymore. It is at this point that we have the opportunity to grow as individuals and accept our new callings. We might not understand what exactly God is asking of us, but as long as we are willing to make up for our previous denials, procrastination, and hesitancy, then we shall find a new way to live. We shall be able love God as we should and take the first steps to feeding and tending His flock in our own unique fashions.

Do we love God more than all the people and things of this world? Are we willing to feed and tend God’s flock on this earth with the time, treasures, and talents He has given us? What changes is God asking us to make in our own lives?

O Lord, you know that we love you.

Amen.

The Second Saturday of Easter

When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they began to be afraid. But he said to them, “It is I. Do not be afraid.” They wanted to take him into the boat, but the boat immediately arrived at the shore to which they were heading.

The disciples’ first response to seeing Jesus walking on the sea was fear. The second was to make Jesus stop walking on the water and get into the boat. Both of these responses are understandable, but wrong. When we see God at work in our lives, it can be a bit scary, but that is why we rely on faith and hope in His Plan. We might not understand why God is doing something in our lives, but we should trust that whatever He is doing is for our best and gives us the greatest opportunity to learn how to know, love and serve God and others.

Where are we heading in our lives? Are we afraid of what God is asking of us? Are we willing to put our trust in God’s Plan?

O Lord, help us to be not afraid of where you are leading us.

Amen.

The Second Friday of Easter

“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people recline.” Now there was a great deal of grass in that place. So the men reclined, about five thousand in number. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted. When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples, “Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted.” So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat.

When we generously give our time, talents, and treasures, we end up with much more than we started with. This is especially true of the love we give to God and others. The more we love our family, friends, and neighbors, the more we are loved and the more they are able to love others and so on. Doing good deeds sparks others to do them. Forgiving others leads others to forgive. Nothing given out of love is ever wasted. In truth, it multiplies and increases because each person touched by our love is given the opportunity to magnify it through their own thoughts, words, and works. What starts out as one act of charity can light the hearts of many others through the enkindling fire of the Holy Spirit. This is why we should never look at what we lack and get stuck on what we can’t do, but rather we should focus on what we have and do what we can with it. The rest is up to God and He always provides for His children.

Do we wonder what good our gifts and talents can do in the world? Are we willing to trust God and share our time, talents, and treasures with others in order to multiply God’s graces? What can we do to know, love, and serve God and others?

O Lord, help us to remember that with you all things are possible and nothing done out of love is wasted.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint John Baptist de la Salle, Priest

The one who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of earthly things. But the one who comes from heaven is above all. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. Whoever does accept his testimony certifies that God is trustworthy. For the one whom God sent speaks the words of God. He does not ration his gift of the Spirit.

There are two conflicting voices that speak to our hearts. One is the voice of the world and speaks of earthly things such as the pursuit of power, money, and glory. It tempts us to sin or to choose the lesser goods in our lives. The other voice testifies to heavenly things like faith, hope, and love. It encourages us to give witness to our faith and to know, love, and serve God and His children. It is up to us to choose which voice to listen to and put into action. If we choose the worldly voice, then we will ground ourselves in selfishness. If we choose, the heavenly one, then we will allow the inspirations of the Holy Spirit to lift us to new heights. By accepting the guidance of the heavenly voice, we will become more and more Christ-like in our thoughts, words, and works. We will be given gifts by the Holy Spirit to accomplish God’s Will and live our lives in accord with Jesus’ teachings. And so, our hearts will expand and overflow with an abundance of life and virtues that will never end.

Do we listen to the earthly or heavenly voices in our lives? How are our lives a testimony to the trustworthiness of God? What can we do to fill ourselves with faith in the Father, hope in Jesus, and love through the Holy Spirit?

O Lord, let us never ration the gifts of your Spirit.

Amen.

The Second Wednesday of Easter

And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.

We are all called to the light and truth of God. However, every time we sin, we show a preference for darkness and slavery to our passions. This is why it is so important to build virtuous habits that lead us to the light and away from darkness. If we want to find the light, then we must not only look for it, but also prepare our souls for the journey. The narrow path to heaven is surrounded by temptations to vice and wickedness. But if we think wisely, speak well, and do good works of charity and mercy, then we will be alive in the light and bear God’s Truth into the world for all to see.

Do we prefer the light of truth or the darkness of selfishness? How can we become better lovers of the truth? What can we do to ground our every thought, word, and work in the teachings of the Gospel of Christ?

O Lord, we want to live in your light.

Amen.

The Second Tuesday of Easter

Amen, amen, I say to you, we speak of what we know and we testify to what we have seen, but you people do not accept our testimony. If I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

Sometimes Jesus’ parables and symbolic language can confuse us. However, he does not speak figuratively to confuse us. He speaks figuratively because he knows it is easier for us to comprehend worldly things than heavenly ones. Because of this, he gives us parables and symbolic comparisons as stepping stones to help us understand the spiritual truths he is speaking about. We might not always comprehend what he is telling us, but he makes it as clear as he can through the limitations of our language. Of course, the greatest symbol he gives us is not to be found in a parable, but rather in the story of his Passion, Death, and Resurrection. The cross and empty tomb are lifted up before us so that everyone has the opportunity to believe and have eternal life.

Do we accept Jesus’ testimony to the truth about heavenly things? If so, then how does that change the way we live our lives? Do our lives testify to the truth?

O Lord, may we have eternal life in you.

Amen.

Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.”

When we choose to accept God into our lives, we welcome the Holy Trinity into our hearts. We say “Yes!” to God the Father’s Divine Plan. We incarnate Christ through our thoughts, words, and works. We allow the Holy Spirit to inspire us to become holier people. When we do this, the Most High overshadows us and when others look upon us they will see God at work. By giving our will over to God like Mary did, we make Him present to others through our acts of charity and mercy. Most importantly, our fiat opens us up to risking ourselves for God and His children. We grow in faith, hope, and love and soon discover that anything is possible when we put our hearts, minds, souls, and bodies into a task for God.

Do we welcome God into our hearts, minds, souls, and bodies on a daily basis? How can we make ourselves more open to God’s Will? Are we willing to attempt the seemingly impossible out of love for God and our neighbors?

O Lord, Holy Spirit come upon us.

Amen.

Divine Mercy Sunday

Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!”Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

We all have doubts. However, we are all called to believe in spite of our unbelief. Part of faith is choosing to trust in God in spite of our uncertainty. Unlike the disciples, we cannot see the glorified body of Christ and draw upon that experience to sustain us. But we do have the Body and Blood of Jesus which is present to us during every mass. We are very blessed to be able to celebrate the Eucharist with our fellow believers. All of us will struggle with our belief to one degree or another. The important thing is to be able to believe without hesitation that God loves us, sent His Beloved Son to die for us, and is willing to forgive our sins if we accept His mercy with humble and contrite hearts.

What doubts are we experiencing? How can we learn to trust in God's Divine Plan? Are we allowing God's Peace to be upon us through the frequent reception of the Eucharist?

O Lord, we believe, help us overcome our unbelief.

Amen.

Saturday in the Octave of Easter

But later, as the Eleven were at table, he appeared to them and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart because they had not believed those who saw him after he had been raised. He said to them, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.”

The disciples do not believe Mary Magdalene or the two companions in the countryside. It isn’t until Jesus appears to them in person that the disciples finally accept the resurrection as truth. This unbelief and hardness of heart is something Jesus is trying to root out of his disciples. He wants them to believe in His message and in each other. After all, if the community of the faithful is to last we need to trust in God and each other. When we do these things, then we can go into the world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature without being afraid that we are alone and have no support. God and our fellow Christians will be there to encourage and strengthen us so we can become better bearers of God’s Good News to all the nations.

How can we do a better job of trusting God and the messengers He sends to us throughout our lives? Are we willing to toss aside our unbelief and hardness of heart and believe in God’s Divine Plan? Are we willing to become Godbearers in all that we do?

O Lord, give us the graces we need to go into the world and proclaim your Gospel to every creature.

Amen.

Friday in the Octave of Easter

When they climbed out on shore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.” So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore full of one hundred fifty-three large fish. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.” And none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they realized it was the Lord. Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them, and in like manner the fish.

When the disciples arrive on shore with their fish, they find Jesus with fish and bread already cooking on a charcoal fire. Jesus has prepared them a meal for his disciples after their long night of catching nothing. And so he has not only helped them catch their haul of fish, but also prepared a meal for them as well. What is even more interesting is that Jesus then has his disciples bring some of their own fish and add it to the fire, and then when all is prepared he shares the bread and fish with everyone. These symbolic acts help us to understand what it means to be Disciples of Christ. First, although we might feel abandoned and powerless, Jesus is always near and ready to help us. He will send us inspirations through the Holy Spirit that will help us to know where to cast the nets of our lives. He will give us all the graces we need to reap the rewards he has prepared for us. He will give us nourishment through his sacraments, especially through the Eucharist feast. He will share himself with us so we can share our faith with others and become fishers of men. With the help of these graces, we shall be able to add to the heavenly banquet through our thoughts, words, and works and partake in its bounty.

What graces has Jesus prepared for us as his disciples? In what ways do our lives fulfill our calling to be fishers of men? What are our contributions to the heavenly banquet?

O Lord, give us the guidance we need to be able to bring you the hearts and minds of others by weaving our lives into a net of faith, hope, and love.

Amen.