CatholicJules.net

Oh what joy it is to rest in security, comfort and in the peace of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ! Why do we search in vain for this peace elsewhere?

Such is His peace rooted in love that it alone can bring us true joy in our lives. Such is His love that He empowers us to share His peace with everyone. We are able to do when we live His Word. We are one with Him for He dwells in our hearts, our minds, our very being.  We do not have to concern ourselves with the Prince of the world, or be fearful of him and his wiles for he has no hold over us. For we live as children of God.

Jesus my Lord, my saviour let me always live in your peace, in Your love. Let me never lose my way, let me never lose You my Lord, my God. Amen

GOSPEL John 14:27–31a

Jesus said to his disciples:“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. And now I have told you this before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe. I will no longer speak much with you, for the ruler of the world is coming. He has no power over me, but the world must know that I love the Father and that I do just as the Father has commanded me.”

How do we show Jesus we love Him? By observing His commandments, the ten and more. That is the ten embodied in the two governing ones, to worship, honour and love God with our all and to love another as He has loved us.  Do we yet embrace the latter call to love one another with a divine love? 

For He loved us without reservation, without condition, a love so pure. A sacrificial love, a love which brings mercy, forgiveness and peace. We are called to do the same. Have we? Can we? How?

Jesus loved us to the end and still some more, for He left us not on our own, to fall and hurt ourselves or to stray and be lost. Great is the love of our God that even after He ascended He is with us still. In the Eucharist and His finger, His breath the Holy Spirit teaching, guiding showing us the way and more.

Oh Lord, our God, You dwell among us, You dwell within us, who are obedient to Your Word. We adore and worship You with all our hearts, all our minds and souls. By Your grace we love one another as You love us. Amen

GOSPEL John 14:21–26

Jesus said to his disciples:“Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.” Judas, not the Iscariot, said to him, “Master, then what happened that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; yet the word you hear is not mine but that of the Father who sent me. “I have told you this while I am with you. The Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.”

Are we afraid of the dark? Are we afraid of death? Are we afraid that we have lost Jesus by our sins?

Jesus assures us today that by our faith in Him, we have a place in the heavenly kingdom of God our Father. He offers us His peace and security. “Do not let your hearts be troubled, have faith”

So what do we do in the meantime? Prepare, our hearts, our minds, our very being so that He may receive us into our dwelling place with Him. Live out the remainder of our lives turning away from sin and living His Word.

We know the way to Him, because Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. Even if we sometimes lose our way, and so long as we turn towards Him, our loving shepherd is there to lead us home. Amen

GOSPEL John 14:1–6

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. 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.”

What is the Gospel we are called to proclaim? Is it simply about God made man, Jesus, who came to save us by teaching us to live according to God’s Will, dying and then rising for us to liberate us from sin and death?  Or is it all that and more?

God’s abundant love for us, God’s promise of salvation for us. His promise fulfilled through Jesus Christ and His promise that we will have life and have it to the full, eternal life.

Are we then tasked to proclaim this wonderful message of God’s love by our own thoughts, words, strength and actions? Or by our faith, we know that Jesus is with us every step of the way, through His love, His strength, His words, His thoughts, His powerful advocate that works through us in union, to bring the message of love to all?

Jesus our Lord, such is Your love for us that while You are now seated at the right hand of God our Father, You are with us today as You were with us yesterday and will be with us tomorrow. Have mercy on us for our human failings and continue to empower us with your love as we share Your Gospel and love with others. In your precious name.. Amen

GOSPEL Mark 16:15–20

Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them:“Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” 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.

Is uttering the words “I believe” enough? Or is it more important to live out our faith in our daily lives? Hence the expression of our faith,  exposes the depths of our belief in our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ.

Let us turn to Him to dispel the darkness in our lives. To illumine our hearts and minds.
Christ be our light!  Amen

GOSPEL John 12:44–50

Jesus cried out and said,“Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in the one who sent me, and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me. 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. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. So what I say, I say as the Father told me.”

 
Do we blame others for our lack of faith? Or unbelief? Do we blame Jesus? Do we blame our Church? Or our priests for not doing enough? Our parents?

Or do we instead take ownership and the steps necessary to hear the voice of Jesus? By turning away from sin, repenting, reconciling ourselves with God and being faithful to His Word.

Our one triune and loving God assures us today that we who are faithful to His Word will always hear His voice and that no evil, no one or anything can ever take us away from Him.

Let us rejoice as one and declare “We adore You O Lord our God, we will live according to Your Word.” Amen.

GOSPEL John 10:22–30

The feast of the Dedication was taking place in Jerusalem. It was winter. And Jesus walked about in the temple area on the Portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “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. 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.”