Greetings on this the Monday of the Fifth Week of Easter Readings: Acts 14:5-18; Psalm 115:1-2, 3-4, 15-16; John 14:21-26
Summary
The Advocate, the holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name—he will teach you everything and remind you of all that [I] told you (Jn 14:26).
Reflection
The Holy Spirit leads us into understanding life in a whole new way.
This is a vision according to which every person is recognized in their uniqueness: “no one is confused with another, no one is lost. Faith of this kind, Pope Leo XIV explained, “frees our hearts from the anxiety of having and achieving, from the illusion of chasing a prestigious place in order to have value.” Human dignity does not depend on social recognition: “each person already has infinite worth in the mystery of God, which is the only true reality.” – Pope Leo XIV
Personal Reflection
Material things give a false sense of meaning, purpose and belonging – all fundamental human needs. Today let us see ourselves and others within the infinite love.
Greetings on this the Fifth Sunday of Easter Readings: Acts 6:1-7; Psalm 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19; 1 Peter 2:4-9; John 14:1-12
Summary
Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you. Like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 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 (PS 33:22; 1 Ptr 2:5; Jn 14:12).
Reflection
Personal note: Travel is over for now. Back home. Now preparing for the Appalachian Trail final push in June.
Each of you, Baptised in Christ, are living stones as St Peter describes.
The phrase “Living Stones” merges the attributes of stone (firm, enduring, dependable) with the living attributes of loving, caring and proclaiming, so that you may announce the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light (1 Ptr 2:9b).
Personal Reflection
Each baptized person has the strength and the humanity to be proclaimers of the divine love that is in Jesus Christ. Let’s do that today.
or else, believe because of the works themselves [charity in love]
[Jesus said], 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.”
Where or when does charity end?
Saint Paul did put limitations on charity in classic Pauline Theology.
The highest of these standards is charity with love.
All of the works of Jesus are rooted, usually explicitly by tears, groans, and sighs, as outward indicators of expressions of divine love.
Many of his works include other Trinitarian characteristics with ‘looking to heaven‘ or revealing the Father’s presence (I know you hear me).
When we Ask in his name, we ask for the aid of the fullness of God. And, somehow/someway, a divine and perfect response.
Where does charity end? A the feet of the Father.
When does charity end? It is eternal.
Our charity begins in and from the divine life of God. So give with silence, in prayer, and with your heart open your treasury and the Lord’s.
Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be.
The Church places a high priority on helping people find a home. A place of your own.
You have a place with Jesus. Both now and forever. We also wish to help you work toward a personal home here and now.
May we always be effective agents to “prepare a place for you.”
When Jesus had washed the disciples’ feet, he said to them: “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.
I am not speaking of all of you.
I know those whom I have chosen.
But so that the Scripture might be fulfilled, The one who ate my food has raised his heel against me.
There are more posers of christianity today than ever before. You can tell as they claim superiority to Jesus. They take advantage of Chirst via Christian Nationalism and raise the heal against the Church.
If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you and you do not believe.
Jesus then adds the works (signs) as additional witness to his being the Christ.
Works speak for themselves.
Testifying to self is an expression of self-awareness and identity. It should be enough. But works leave no room for doubt, at least not reasonable doubt.
Today’s workout was along the riverbed, then do drills up and down the roadside embankment. Work matters.
My favorite saying (original) The Mountain Doesn’t Care.
You prepared well or not. Worked or not. Tested equipment or not. Tested yourself by different metrics or not.
When you encounter the mountain, it doesn’t care. The work tells the story.
Those who deliberately doubted Jesus never met the test of the mountain. And work.
I am the good shepherd, says the Lord; I know my sheep, and mine know me.
Today is Vocations Sunday or more properly, World Day of Prayer for Vocations a tradition that was started 63 years ago by Pope Saint John the XXIII.
One of the earliest discovered Christian paintings on the walls of the catacombs is of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. He is depicted carrying a yew in his arms. God chose the image of the Shepherd to teach us and inform us, to remind us and guide us as shepherds do for their flock and most importantly a shepherd will lay down his life to protect the flock from wolves and such. It is the perfect choice.
Do other professions convey what God does for his children…
A baker beats, kneads, folds, and twists his creations, then throws his creations in the oven almost to the point of burning then quickly removes them from the heat and as they cool to room temperature, he sells them to the highest bidder.
God the baker would have been a less than perfect choice. God’s a shepherd!
The first reading is from Acts.
Acts tells us how the earthly church started to develop. As we heard Peter is still boisterous. He gets the crowds attention by reminding them that they killed both Lord and Christ when they crucified Jesus.
But they are still redeemable in God’s eyes through the sacrament of baptism… and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is made to you and to your children and toall those far off,whomever the Lord our God will call.”
The second reading for the 1st letter of Peter…
He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross, so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
For you had gone astray like sheep, but you have now returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.
We do stray, have error, but we have a just judge and a merciful God that keeps his promises.
I am the good shepherd, says the Lord; I know my sheep, and mine know me.
This mornings Gospel by John. Jesus is again speaking with the Pharisees and again or still the Pharisees hardened their hearts and refused to listen to His life-giving message.
“I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”
We have 2 men this weekend that gave their live to be good shepherds, And the Church desperately needs men like them to strongly consider the call that they may have received to become Priests of God.
Vocation Sunday is a time for all of us to consider the depth of each of our vocations.
All of us here are Children of God. Many of you are generous donors and that is critical to maintain the church/parish.
Faithful Christian communities can only grow and thrive when every parishioner makes his or her commitment to the well-being of the whole. Full stop
When all are giving, time talent and treasure, all will be receiving in abundance, the abundance that Jesus speaks about in today’s Gospel.
Today we are asked to “pray” for vocations. There is a built-in deflection in that, although many will pray fervently, Thank You!
But Tommy and Tammy Teflon will be praying for other people’s vocations and not their own.
St Paul reminds us in scripture from 1st Corinthians…When I was a child, I used to talk as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I put aside childish things.
Pope Leo in his message for vocations states…Maturity and Knowledge lead to confidence, a mindset that arises from faith and is essential both for welcoming one’s vocation and for persevering in it. Indeed, life reveals itself as a continual act of trusting in the Lord and abandoning ourselves to him, even when his plans unsettle our own.
So, to pray with sincerity involves our reflecting on The Big Question…
How is God asking me to move closer to him by serving the other and make a meaningful commitment of self, to the building up of our community, our parish.
In other words, … You and I, by Seeking, Knowing, following and loving Him… will open The GATE for all that are here, to have life more abundantly, through living as a community centered on Christ! How? by deepening our dependence on Him.
In a moment, we come up for the Eucharist.
Let us acknowledge and grateful for the many gifts He has given us
and ask Him how we can use them to serve Him and His people more fervently.
Amen
About: Deacon James Parrilli was ordained 15 years ago. We went through formation together and we were ordained together. He works in ministry full time.
