As I read today’s first reading, the lyrics to Tubthumping comes to mind, and it goes like this, ”I get knocked down, but I get up again
You are never gonna keep me down.” Can you fathom the love St Paul had for Jesus? That torn, battered, bloodied and bruised he got up again for Christ, and later met up with St Barnabas to resume his mission as guided by the Holy Spirit.

Yes intricate details of his suffering is left out and it is left to our imagination. Would they have used rocks made out of foam to stone him? No! The people dragged him outside town thinking he was dead for very good reason. He did not look as though he survived the horrendous stoning!

How did he manage to get up again and go on? Will power? Perhaps a little, but I am quite certain it has to do with the power and grace of the Holy Spirit. And the lasting gift of the powerful peace of Christ Jesus bestowed on him and all of us. The prince of this world has no power over us, for are beloved children of God our Heavenly Father. Amen alleluia!


Saint Pius V, pray for us…


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First reading
Acts 14:19-28

They gave an account of how God had opened the door of faith to the pagans

Some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium, and turned the people against the apostles. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the town, thinking he was dead. The disciples came crowding round him but, as they did so, he stood up and went back to the town. The next day he and Barnabas went off to Derbe.
    Having preached the Good News in that town and made a considerable number of disciples, they went back through Lystra and Iconium to Antioch. They put fresh heart into the disciples, encouraging them to persevere in the faith. ‘We all have to experience many hardships’ they said ‘before we enter the kingdom of God.’ In each of these churches they appointed elders, and with prayer and fasting they commended them to the Lord in whom they had come to believe.
    They passed through Pisidia and reached Pamphylia. Then after proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia and from there sailed for Antioch, where they had originally been commended to the grace of God for the work they had now completed.
    On their arrival they assembled the church and gave an account of all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith to the pagans. They stayed there with the disciples for some time.

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Gospel
John 14:27-31

A peace the world cannot give is my gift to you

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘Peace I bequeath to you, my own peace I give you,
a peace the world cannot give,
this is my gift to you.
Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.
You heard me say: I am going away, and shall return.
If you loved me you would have been glad to know that I am going to the Father,
for the Father is greater than I.
I have told you this now before it happens,
so that when it does happen you may believe.
I shall not talk with you any longer,
because the prince of this world is on his way.
He has no power over me,
but the world must be brought to know
that I love the Father
and that I am doing exactly what the Father told me.’

Pray you are still rejoicing with Easter joy in your hearts! And have drawn closer to our Risen Lord. Who has empowered us to demonstrate His living presence amongst us. Just as St Paul and St Barnabas does in today’s first reading by healing the cripple from birth. Yes sisters and brothers in Christ we have to go forth to heal the nations and bring the joy of the Gospel wherever we go.

So we shall declare at the top of our voices, not to us Lord, but to Your name give the glory!

While we count down the days to Pentecost, we remember that the Holy Spirit is already with us, to minister to His flock.

Here I am Lord, I come to do Your will. Amen alleluia!

Saint Catherine of Siena, pray for us…

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First reading
Acts 14:5-18

We have come with good news to turn you to the living God

Eventually with the connivance of the authorities a move was made by pagans as well as Jews to make attacks on the apostles and to stone them. When the apostles came to hear of this, they went off for safety to Lycaonia where, in the towns of Lystra and Derbe and in the surrounding country, they preached the Good News.
    A man sat there who had never walked in his life, because his feet were crippled from birth; and as he listened to Paul preaching, he managed to catch his eye. Seeing that the man had the faith to be cured, Paul said in a loud voice, ‘Get to your feet – stand up’, and the cripple jumped up and began to walk.
    When the crowd saw what Paul had done they shouted in the language of Lycaonia, ‘These people are gods who have come down to us disguised as men.’ They addressed Barnabas as Zeus, and since Paul was the principal speaker they called him Hermes. The priests of Zeus-outside-the-Gate, proposing that all the people should offer sacrifice with them, brought garlanded oxen to the gates. When the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard what was happening they tore their clothes, and rushed into the crowd, shouting, ‘Friends, what do you think you are doing? We are only human beings like you. We have come with good news to make you turn from these empty idols to the living God who made heaven and earth and the sea and all that these hold. In the past he allowed each nation to go its own way; but even then he did not leave you without evidence of himself in the good things he does for you: he sends you rain from heaven, he makes your crops grow when they should, he gives you food and makes you happy.’ Even this speech, however, was scarcely enough to stop the crowd offering them sacrifice.

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Gospel
John 14:21-26

The Advocate, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘Anybody who receives my commandments and keeps them
will be one who loves me;
and anybody who loves me will be loved by my Father,
and I shall love him and show myself to him.’

Judas – this was not Judas Iscariot – said to him, ‘Lord, what is all this about? Do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?’ Jesus replied:

‘If anyone loves me he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we shall come to him and make our home with him.
Those who do not love me do not keep my words.
And my word is not my own: it is the word of the one who sent me.
I have said these things to you while still with you; but the Advocate, the Holy Spirit,
whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything
and remind you of all I have said to you.’

How many of us have not shared the joy of the Gospel as much, and to as many as we would have liked to because of the fear of rejection? Prayerfully after today’s reading and the Gospel we will have renewed zeal and endeavor to go forth to all nations as we were commanded to for love of Him!

See we been made a light for the nations so that His salvation shall reach the ends of the earth. If those we speak to, think they are not worthy of eternal life then they are rejecting our Lord not us individually. Our hearts should still be filled with joy and the Holy Spirit because we were led to them, for love of our Lord and His love for them.

While we may not convince all with our words we will convince some, with evidence of our works through and in Him. By His healing grace, deliverance and the working of the Holy Spirit, His presence will be made known through us. For we will perform the same works He did and greater ones! For we are One with Him our Heavenly Father, and the Holy Spirit. Amen Alleluia!

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First reading

Acts 13:44-52 ·

Since you have rejected the word of God, we must turn to the pagans

The next sabbath almost the whole town assembled to hear the word of God. When they saw the crowds, the Jews, prompted by jealousy, used blasphemies and contradicted everything Paul said. Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly. ‘We had to proclaim the word of God to you first, but since you have rejected it, since you do not think yourselves worthy of eternal life, we must turn to the pagans. For this is what the Lord commanded us to do when he said:

I have made you a light for the nations,

so that my salvation may reach the ends of the earth.’

It made the pagans very happy to hear this and they thanked the Lord for his message; all who were destined for eternal life became believers. Thus the word of the Lord spread through the whole countryside.

    But the Jews worked upon some of the devout women of the upper classes and the leading men of the city and persuaded them to turn against Paul and Barnabas and expel them from their territory. So they shook the dust from their feet in defiance and went off to Iconium; but the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.

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Gospel

John 14:7-14

To have seen me is to have seen the father

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘If you know me, you know my Father too.

From this moment you know him and have seen him.’

Philip said, ‘Lord, let us see the Father and then we shall be satisfied.’

    ‘Have I been with you all this time, Philip,’ said Jesus to him, ‘and you still do not know me?

‘To have seen me is to have seen the Father,

so how can you say, “Let us see the Father”?

Do you not believe

that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?

The words I say to you I do not speak as from myself:

it is the Father, living in me, who is doing this work.

You must believe me when I say

that I am in the Father and the Father is in me;

believe it on the evidence of this work, if for no other reason.

I tell you most solemnly,

whoever believes in me

will perform the same works as I do myself,

he will perform even greater works,

because I am going to the Father.

Whatever you ask for in my name I will do,

so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

If you ask for anything in my name,

I will do it.’

Yes, indeed we can take comfort especially in today’s Gospel which is often read at wakes or funerals. For our Lord has prepared for us a room in our Heavenly Father’s house.

What is even more comforting is that Jesus is our guide home even when we lose our way! When we turn our backs on Him and indulge in sinfulness. He is there when we turn our hearts back to Him, for He is the Way the Truth and the Life!

Today hear God our Father speaking to your heart, ”You are my son, my daughter, it is I who have begotten you this day.” Amen Alleluia!

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First reading

Acts 13:26-33 ·

God has fulfilled his promise by raising Jesus from the dead

Paul stood up in the synagogue at Antioch in Pisidia, held up a hand for silence and began to speak:

    ‘My brothers, sons of Abraham’s race, and all you who fear God, this message of salvation is meant for you. What the people of Jerusalem and their rulers did, though they did not realise it, was in fact to fulfil the prophecies read on every sabbath. Though they found nothing to justify his death, they condemned him and asked Pilate to have him executed. When they had carried out everything that scripture foretells about him they took him down from the tree and buried him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead, and for many days he appeared to those who had accompanied him from Galilee to Jerusalem: and it is these same companions of his who are now his witnesses before our people.

    ‘We have come here to tell you the Good News. It was to our ancestors that God made the promise but it is to us, their children, that he has fulfilled it, by raising Jesus from the dead. As scripture says in the second psalm: You are my son: today I have become your father.’

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Gospel

John 14:1-6

I am the Way, the Truth and the Life

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘Do not let your hearts be troubled.

Trust in God still, and trust in me.

There are many rooms in my Father’s house;

if there were not, I should have told you.

I am going now to prepare a place for you,

and after I have gone and prepared you a place,

I shall return to take you with me;

so that where I am

you may be too.

You know the way to the place where I am going.’

Thomas said, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going, so how can we know the way?’ Jesus said:

‘I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.

No one can come to the Father except through me.’

We should do well to heed St Peter’s advice to wrap ourselves in humility as dedicated servants of our Lord Jesus Christ. For obedient unto His word and will for us we can stand firm against the roaring lion who seeks to devour us.

Nothing can harm us. And we have been empowered to share the joy of the living Gospel by ministering to our Lord’s flock through healing and deliverance. Amen alleluia!

Saint Mark, pray for us…


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First reading
1 Peter 5:5-14

My son, Mark, sends you greetings

All wrap yourselves in humility to be servants of each other, because God refuses the proud and will always favour the humble. Bow down, then, before the power of God now, and he will raise you up on the appointed day; unload all your worries on to him, since he is looking after you. Be calm but vigilant, because your enemy the devil is prowling round like a roaring lion, looking for someone to eat. Stand up to him, strong in faith and in the knowledge that your brothers all over the world are suffering the same things. You will have to suffer only for a little while: the God of all grace who called you to eternal glory in Christ will see that all is well again: he will confirm, strengthen and support you. His power lasts for ever and ever. Amen.
    I write these few words to you through Silvanus, who is a brother I know I can trust, to encourage you never to let go this true grace of God to which I bear witness.
    Your sister in Babylon, who is with you among the chosen, sends you greetings; so does my son, Mark.
    Greet one another with a kiss of love.



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Gospel
Mark 16:15-20

Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News

Jesus showed himself to the Eleven and said to them:
    ‘Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation. He who believes and is baptised will be saved; he who does not believe will be condemned. These are the signs that will be associated with believers: in my name they will cast out devils; they will have the gift of tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and be unharmed should they drink deadly poison; they will lay their hands on the sick, who will recover.’
    And so the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven: there at the right hand of God he took his place, while they, going out, preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word by the signs that accompanied it.

Jesus is for all! He truly is the Lord of all nations! And if we are truly His disciples and have heard Him speak to our hearts; then we know He thirsts for souls.

Our joy is complete when we have led as many as we can to Him. We also rejoice wholeheartedly when we witness our sisters and brothers in action for Christ! For just as Jesus is one with our Heavenly Father so are we One through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Here I am Lord! I come to do Your will. Amen alleluia!


Saint George, Saint Adalbert of Prague pray for us…


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First reading
Acts 11:19-26

They started preaching to the Greeks, proclaiming the Lord Jesus

Those who had escaped during the persecution that happened because of Stephen travelled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, but they usually proclaimed the message only to Jews. Some of them, however, who came from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch where they started preaching to the Greeks, proclaiming the Good News of the Lord Jesus to them as well. The Lord helped them, and a great number believed and were converted to the Lord.
    The church in Jerusalem heard about this and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. There he could see for himself that God had given grace, and this pleased him, and he urged them all to remain faithful to the Lord with heartfelt devotion; for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and with faith. And a large number of people were won over to the Lord.
    Barnabas then left for Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him he brought him to Antioch. As things turned out they were to live together in that church a whole year, instructing a large number of people. It was at Antioch that the disciples were first called ‘Christians.’


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Gospel
John 10:22-30

The Father and I are one

It was the time when the feast of Dedication was being celebrated in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the Temple walking up and down in the Portico of Solomon. The Jews gathered round him and said, ‘How much longer are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.’ Jesus replied:

‘I have told you, but you do not believe.
The works I do in my Father’s name are my witness; but you do not believe, because you are no sheep of mine.
The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life;
they will never be lost and no one will ever steal them from me.
The Father who gave them to me is greater than anyone, and no one can steal from the Father.
The Father and I are one.’

Sometimes we let our zeal and passions, especially when it plays to our strengths get the better of us. Why did we not stop to ask the Lord if it was truly His Will for us? Why did we not call for our sisters and brothers to discern the Lord’s will for us or the team before moving ahead? Were we blinded by our pride? Our experience of doing it so many times before? Did we fall to practice of using templates or set pieces instead of being open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit?

St Paul likewise did the very same thing and fell into the very same traps. He took it upon himself to go on a ‘godly’ mission to persecute the Christians of that time. Little did he know he was persecuting God Himself! He needed to be humbled for he was not seeing as God sees. He was blinded to see the error of his ways for a spell. Then later his eyes were opened by a chosen, humble man of God, a soon to be brother in Christ; so that he would start to see through the eyes of our resurrected Lord! He would go on to partake of the body and blood of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist to be become One in full communion with Him. And became for us, an all time example for us on how to be a powerful instrument of God’s grace. He was a powerhouse evangelist after the heart of Jesus sharing the joy of the Gospel. Amen Alleluia!

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First reading

Acts 9:1-20 ·

This man is my chosen instrument to bring my name before the pagans

Saul was still breathing threats to slaughter the Lord’s disciples. He had gone to the high priest and asked for letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, that would authorise him to arrest and take to Jerusalem any followers of the Way, men or women, that he could find.

    Suddenly, while he was travelling to Damascus and just before he reached the city, there came a light from heaven all round him. He fell to the ground, and then he heard a voice saying, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ ‘Who are you, Lord?’ he asked, and the voice answered, ‘I am Jesus, and you are persecuting me. Get up now and go into the city, and you will be told what you have to do.’ The men travelling with Saul stood there speechless, for though they heard the voice they could see no one. Saul got up from the ground, but even with his eyes wide open he could see nothing at all, and they had to lead him into Damascus by the hand. For three days he was without his sight, and took neither food nor drink.

    A disciple called Ananias who lived in Damascus had a vision in which he heard the Lord say to him, ‘Ananias!’ When he replied, ‘Here I am, Lord’, the Lord said, ‘You must go to Straight Street and ask at the house of Judas for someone called Saul, who comes from Tarsus. At this moment he is praying, having had a vision of a man called Ananias coming in and laying hands on him to give him back his sight.’

    When he heard that, Ananias said, ‘Lord, several people have told me about this man and all the harm he has been doing to your saints in Jerusalem. He has only come here because he holds a warrant from the chief priests to arrest everybody who invokes your name.’ The Lord replied, ‘You must go all the same, because this man is my chosen instrument to bring my name before pagans and pagan kings and before the people of Israel; I myself will show him how much he himself must suffer for my name.’ Then Ananias went. He entered the house, and at once laid his hands on Saul and said, ‘Brother Saul, I have been sent by the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on your way here so that you may recover your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ Immediately it was as though scales fell away from Saul’s eyes and he could see again. So he was baptised there and then, and after taking some food he regained his strength.

    He began preaching in the synagogues, ‘Jesus is the Son of God.’

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Gospel

John 6:52-59

My flesh is real food and my blood is real drink

The Jews started arguing with one another: ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’ they said. Jesus replied:

‘I tell you most solemnly,

if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood,

you will not have life in you.

Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood

has eternal life,

and I shall raise him up on the last day.

For my flesh is real food

and my blood is real drink.

He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood

lives in me

and I live in him.

As I, who am sent by the living Father,

myself draw life from the Father,

so whoever eats me will draw life from me.

This is the bread come down from heaven;

not like the bread our ancestors ate:

they are dead,

but anyone who eats this bread will live for ever.’

He taught this doctrine at Capernaum, in the synagogue.

How many divine appointments have we missed? What do I mean?

Well if we are living lives in the Spirit, then we will be docile to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. He will surely lead us or lead others to us, at an opportune time so that we can minister to them. And we shall lead them to an encounter with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. So that they will go on their way rejoicing having been born anew in Christ!

For God our Father desires that absolutely everyone, that is people of all nations be drawn unto Him through His Son Jesus Christ. He is the living bread of Heaven given to us so that we might partake of His divinity and be One with Him. Amen alleluia!


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First reading
Acts 8:26-40

Philip baptizes a eunuch

The angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, ‘Be ready to set out at noon along the road that goes from Jerusalem down to Gaza, the desert road.’ So he set off on his journey. Now it happened that an Ethiopian had been on pilgrimage to Jerusalem; he was a eunuch and an officer at the court of the kandake, or queen, of Ethiopia, and was in fact her chief treasurer. He was now on his way home; and as he sat in his chariot he was reading the prophet Isaiah. The Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go up and meet that chariot.’ When Philip ran up, he heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ ‘How can I’ he replied ‘unless I have someone to guide me?’ So he invited Philip to get in and sit by his side. Now the passage of scripture he was reading was this:

Like a sheep that is led to the slaughter-house,
like a lamb that is dumb in front of its shearers,
like these he never opens his mouth.
He has been humiliated and has no one to defend him.
Who will ever talk about his descendants,
since his life on earth has been cut short!

The eunuch turned to Philip and said, ‘Tell me, is the prophet referring to himself or someone else?’ Starting, therefore, with this text of scripture Philip proceeded to explain the Good News of Jesus to him.
    Further along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, ‘Look, there is some water here; is there anything to stop me being baptised?’ He ordered the chariot to stop, then Philip and the eunuch both went down into the water and Philip baptised him. But after they had come up out of the water again Philip was taken away by the Spirit of the Lord, and the eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing. Philip found that he had reached Azotus and continued his journey proclaiming the Good News in every town as far as Caesarea.



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Gospel
John 6:44-51

I am the living bread which has come down from heaven

Jesus said to the crowd:

‘No one can come to me
unless he is drawn by the Father who sent me,
and I will raise him up at the last day.
It is written in the prophets:
They will all be taught by God,
and to hear the teaching of the Father,
and learn from it,
is to come to me.
Not that anybody has seen the Father,
except the one who comes from God:
he has seen the Father.
I tell you most solemnly,
everybody who believes has eternal life.

‘I am the bread of life.
Your fathers ate the manna in the desert
and they are dead;
but this is the bread that comes down from heaven,
so that a man may eat it and not die.
I am the living bread which has come down from heaven.
Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever;
and the bread that I shall give is my flesh,
for the life of the world.’

We live in a world of quick fixes. We eat what we like and often more than we need. Lots shop and shop some more, to fill the void or watch TV serial after serial. Many pray, but refuse to go beyond devotionals or set prayers. If they do it is out of desperation for an urgent need! How then are we to grow in our faith and love of our Lord Jesus Christ. How then shall we look beyond ourselves to see the needs of others! This is what it means to resist the Holy Spirit.

For if we are living our lives in the Spirit then we have the bread of life within us. We are nourished by His Word and we are living not for ourselves, but in service of our brethren. Seeking always to proclaim the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ. We bring the Gospel to life by demonstrating His love through acts of healing, deliverance and into an encounter with the Risen Lord.

Lord Jesus now and forever more, into Your hands I commit my spirit. Amen Alleluia


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First reading
Acts 7:51-8:1

‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit’

Stephen said to the people, the elders and the scribes: ‘You stubborn people, with your pagan hearts and pagan ears. You are always resisting the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors used to do. Can you name a single prophet your ancestors never persecuted? In the past they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, and now you have become his betrayers, his murderers. You who had the Law brought to you by angels are the very ones who have not kept it.’
    They were infuriated when they heard this, and ground their teeth at him.
    But Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at God’s right hand. ‘I can see heaven thrown open’ he said ‘and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.’ At this all the members of the council shouted out and stopped their ears with their hands; then they all rushed at him, sent him out of the city and stoned him. The witnesses put down their clothes at the feet of a young man called Saul. As they were stoning him, Stephen said in invocation, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then he knelt down and said aloud, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them’; and with these words he fell asleep. Saul entirely approved of the killing.



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Gospel
John 6:30-35

It is my Father who gives you the bread from heaven

The people said to Jesus, ‘What sign will you give to show us that we should believe in you? What work will you do? Our fathers had manna to eat in the desert; as scripture says: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’
    Jesus answered:

‘I tell you most solemnly,
it was not Moses who gave you bread from heaven,
it is my Father who gives you the bread from heaven,
the true bread;
for the bread of God
is that which comes down from heaven
and gives life to the world.’

‘Sir,’ they said ‘give us that bread always.’ Jesus answered:

‘I am the bread of life.
He who comes to me will never be hungry;
he who believes in me will never thirst.’

Why would His disciples face the indignity of being flogged and still proclaim Jesus as Lord? If you and I are still asking this question then Easter for us was simply a Sunday to remember, a one time event!

It should rather be an intense anamnesis for us! Jesus rose from the dead and appeared in His Resurrected body to His disciples. Thomas esclaimed before everyone,” My Lord, my God” Two of them encountered the Eucharistic Lord back from Emmaus. They witnessed the Lord feeding the five thousand! So how can they stop proclaiming the Risen Lord and the joy of the Gospel to everyone?

Question we should be asking today is have we started? Sharing the joy of the Gospel?

Let me not remain silent when an opportunity arises for me to share the joy of knowing You O Lord, and living in Your presence. Amen Alleluia!

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First reading
Acts 5:34-42

They were glad to have had the honour of suffering humiliation for the sake of the name

One member of the Sanhedrin, a Pharisee called Gamaliel, who was a doctor of the Law and respected by the whole people, stood up and asked to have the apostles taken outside for a time. Then he addressed the Sanhedrin, ‘Men of Israel, be careful how you deal with these people. There was Theudas who became notorious not so long ago. He claimed to be someone important, and he even collected about four hundred followers; but when he was killed, all his followers scattered and that was the end of them. And then there was Judas the Galilean, at the time of the census, who attracted crowds of supporters; but he got killed too, and all his followers dispersed. What I suggest, therefore, is that you leave these men alone and let them go. If this enterprise, this movement of theirs, is of human origin it will break up of its own accord; but if it does in fact come from God you will not only be unable to destroy them, but you might find yourselves fighting against God.’
    His advice was accepted; and they had the apostles called in, gave orders for them to be flogged, warned them not to speak in the name of Jesus and released them. And so they left the presence of the Sanhedrin glad to have had the honour of suffering humiliation for the sake of the name.
    They preached every day both in the Temple and in private houses, and their proclamation of the Good News of Christ Jesus was never interrupted.




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Gospel
John 6:1-15

The feeding of the five thousand

Jesus went off to the other side of the Sea of Galilee – or of Tiberias – and a large crowd followed him, impressed by the signs he gave by curing the sick. Jesus climbed the hillside, and sat down there with his disciples. It was shortly before the Jewish feast of Passover.
    Looking up, Jesus saw the crowds approaching and said to Philip, ‘Where can we buy some bread for these people to eat?’ He only said this to test Philip; he himself knew exactly what he was going to do. Philip answered, ‘Two hundred denarii would only buy enough to give them a small piece each.’ One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said, ‘There is a small boy here with five barley loaves and two fish; but what is that between so many?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Make the people sit down.’ There was plenty of grass there, and as many as five thousand men sat down. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and gave them out to all who were sitting ready; he then did the same with the fish, giving out as much as was wanted. When they had eaten enough he said to the disciples, ‘Pick up the pieces left over, so that nothing gets wasted.’ So they picked them up, and filled twelve hampers with scraps left over from the meal of five barley loaves. The people, seeing this sign that he had given, said, ‘This really is the prophet who is to come into the world.’ Jesus, who could see they were about to come and take him by force and make him king, escaped back to the hills by himself.

‘Obedience to God comes before obedience to men’

A key to obedience to God, is believing in Jesus Christ. For those who believe will follow after Him. And following after Him will be led to eternal life with Him.

This is how you tell if one believes in Jesus Christ and is His disciple.

It is one who has found peace not like the world has to offer; peace of body, mind and spirit only to be found in Jesus.

It is one who is joyful from within, who has no deceit and bears no malice. Who has integrity

It is one who walks in the presence of the Lord, be it day or night. In good times and in bad.

It is one who wakes nourished by His Word, and the word is always with him.

One who bears witness through servitude of others.

Lord give me an abundance of Your Spirit that I may bear witness to Your Glory. Amen Alleluia

Saint Stanislaus, Bishop, pray for us…

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First reading

Acts 5:27-33 ·

We are witnesses to all this, we and the Holy Spirit

When the officials had brought the apostles in to face the Sanhedrin, the high priest demanded an explanation. ‘We gave you a formal warning’ he said ‘not to preach in this name, and what have you done? You have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and seem determined to fix the guilt of this man’s death on us.’ In reply Peter and the apostles said, ‘Obedience to God comes before obedience to men; it was the God of our ancestors who raised up Jesus, but it was you who had him executed by hanging on a tree. By his own right hand God has now raised him up to be leader and saviour, to give repentance and forgiveness of sins through him to Israel. We are witnesses to all this, we and the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.’

    This so infuriated them that they wanted to put them to death.

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Gospel

John 3:31-36

The Father loves the Son and has entrusted everything to him

John the Baptist said to his disciples:

‘He who comes from above is above all others;

he who is born of the earth is earthly himself and speaks in an earthly way.

He who comes from heaven bears witness to the things he has seen and heard,

even if his testimony is not accepted; though all who do accept his testimony

are attesting the truthfulness of God, since he whom God has sent speaks God’s own words: God gives him the Spirit without reserve.

The Father loves the Son and has entrusted everything to him.

Anyone who believes in the Son has eternal life, but anyone who refuses to believe in the Son will never see life: the anger of God stays on him.’

We have just passed the Octave of Easter however our Easter Celebration should still go on! So are we still basking in the light of our Lord’s Resurrection? Are our hearts filled with joy? Are we eager to share our testimonies to the joy of the Gospel lived in our lives? Or have we chosen instead to live in darkness? Just as the light is a choice so is darkness a choice. That is choosing evil over good!

Let us not turn inward looking,  instead let us enlist the help of God’s Holy Angels to come to our aid, as we battle evil and sin. And at the soonest opportune time, let us be fully reconciled to Jesus who shared His love message to us in today’s Gospel.

‘God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost but may have eternal life. For God sent his Son into the world not to condemn the world,
but so that through him the world might be saved. Amen alleluia!

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First reading
Acts 5:17-26

The men you imprisoned are in the Temple, preaching to the people

The high priest intervened with all his supporters from the party of the Sadducees. Prompted by jealousy, they arrested the apostles and had them put in the common gaol.
    But at night the angel of the Lord opened the prison gates and said as he led them out, ‘Go and stand in the Temple, and tell the people all about this new Life.’ They did as they were told; they went into the Temple at dawn and began to preach.
    When the high priest arrived, he and his supporters convened the Sanhedrin – this was the full Senate of Israel – and sent to the gaol for them to be brought. But when the officials arrived at the prison they found they were not inside, so they went back and reported, ‘We found the gaol securely locked and the warders on duty at the gates, but when we unlocked the door we found no one inside.’ When the captain of the Temple and the chief priests heard this news they wondered what this could mean. Then a man arrived with fresh news. ‘At this very moment’ he said, ‘the men you imprisoned are in the Temple. They are standing there preaching to the people.’ The captain went with his men and fetched them. They were afraid to use force in case the people stoned them.


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Gospel
John 3:16-21

God sent his Son into the world so that through him the world might be saved

Jesus said to Nicodemus:

‘God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost but may have eternal life.
For God sent his Son into the world not to condemn the world,
but so that through him the world might be saved.
No one who believes in him will be condemned; but whoever refuses to believe is condemned already, because he has refused to believe in the name of God’s only Son.
On these grounds is sentence pronounced: that though the light has come into the world men have shown they prefer darkness to the light because their deeds were evil.
And indeed, everybody who does wrong hates the light and avoids it, for fear his actions should be exposed; but the man who lives by the truth comes out into the light,
so that it may be plainly seen that what he does is done in God.’

You know when communities are truly alive and active in the faith based on their generosity especially when it comes to members in need. I’ve witnessed this first hand. Here are a few examples. During covid at least two families were stricken. Both had food, drink and necessities delivered to their home by fellow members. When two members struggled with funeral expenses the rest rallied to raise funds to send to them. There are many other such heroics acts of mercy. So it does not mean that we literally have to sell all that we have to support our communities. We can all do our small acts of kindness for love of one another.

I love what Jesus says in today’s Gospel to Nicodemus, “‘Do not be surprised when I say: You must be born from above. The wind blows wherever it pleases; you hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.
That is how it is with all who are born of the Spirit.’’

Just last week I spoke with brother who was not yet baptised but was journeying with us through ‘A Life Worth Living Series’ I told him, you cannot see the wind but you can feel it when it blows right? What if I told you that Jesus is knocking at the door of your heart right now, the handle of the door to your heart is on the inside and only you can let Him in. Would you want to let Him in? Can I pray for you right now to feel His presence? He answered Yes! After I prayed over him, I asked if he felt the presence of Jesus. He beamed and told me He did! Praise the Lord! Let him through a simple prayer of repentance and inviting Jesus to be His Lord above all. Amen Alleluia!


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First reading
Acts 4:32-37

The whole group of believers was united, heart and soul

The whole group of believers was united, heart and soul; no one claimed for his own use anything that he had, as everything they owned was held in common.
    The apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus with great power, and they were all given great respect.
    None of their members was ever in want, as all those who owned land or houses would sell them, and bring the money from them, to present it to the apostles; it was then distributed to any members who might be in need.
    There was a Levite of Cypriot origin called Joseph whom the apostles surnamed Barnabas (which means ‘son of encouragement’). He owned a piece of land and he sold it and brought the money, and presented it to the apostles.


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Gospel
John 3:7-15

No-one has gone up to heaven except the Son of Man who has come down from heaven

Jesus said to Nicodemus:

‘Do not be surprised when I say:
You must be born from above.
The wind blows wherever it pleases;
you hear its sound,
but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.
That is how it is with all who are born of the Spirit.’

‘How can that be possible?’ asked Nicodemus. ‘You, a teacher in Israel, and you do not know these things!’ replied Jesus.

‘I tell you most solemnly,
we speak only about what we know
and witness only to what we have seen
and yet you people reject our evidence.
If you do not believe me when I speak about things in this world,
how are you going to believe me when I speak to you about heavenly things?
No one has gone up to heaven
except the one who came down from heaven,
the Son of Man who is in heaven;
and the Son of Man must be lifted up
as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,
so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.’

Just last night I was leading a Praise and Worship session but before arriving at the venue I was feeling unworthy and wished I had an opportunity to have gone for the sacrament of reconciliation. I prayed with all my might and surrendered the evening to the Lord. “Come Holy Spirit lead me, remove all there is not of You from me.” I even prayed to the Saints and Holy Angels in Heaven to intercede, so that we could have a powerful spirit filled Easter Celebration. Armed with my Bible in hand, I started with a proclamation of the Gospel where Jesus appeared to His disciples. I had prepared two other passages the last one a psalm and it was definitely divine inspiration because the scripture brought the worship songs to a different level.

Later that evening, a sister in Christ from my breakout group shared that she has attended many communities praise and worship prayer meetings, even charismatic ones but this evening she felt the strong presence of Christ throughout! Praise the Lord!

If our Lord can inspire uneducated laymen to speak up boldly and eloquently through the power of the Holy Spirit and convert many hearts unto Him, can He not do the same for you and I? We need only be obedient to our Lord’s command ‘Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation.’ Amen Alleluia

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First reading

Acts 4:13-21 ·

We cannot promise to stop proclaiming what we have seen and heard

The rulers, elders and scribes were astonished at the assurance shown by Peter and John, considering they were uneducated laymen; and they recognised them as associates of Jesus; but when they saw the man who had been cured standing by their side, they could find no answer. So they ordered them to stand outside while the Sanhedrin had a private discussion. ‘What are we going to do with these men?’ they asked. ‘It is obvious to everybody in Jerusalem that a miracle has been worked through them in public, and we cannot deny it. But to stop the whole thing spreading any further among the people, let us caution them never to speak to anyone in this name again.’

    So they called them in and gave them a warning on no account to make statements or to teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John retorted, ‘You must judge whether in God’s eyes it is right to listen to you and not to God. We cannot promise to stop proclaiming what we have seen and heard.’ The court repeated the warnings and then released them; they could not think of any way to punish them, since all the people were giving glory to God for what had happened.

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Gospel

Mark 16:9-15

Go out to the whole world and proclaim the Good News

Having risen in the morning on the first day of the week, Jesus appeared first to Mary of Magdala from whom he had cast out seven devils. She then went to those who had been his companions, and who were mourning and in tears, and told them. But they did not believe her when they heard her say that he was alive and that she had seen him.

    After this, he showed himself under another form to two of them as they were on their way into the country. These went back and told the others, who did not believe them either.

    Lastly, he showed himself to the Eleven themselves while they were at table. He reproached them for their incredulity and obstinacy, because they had refused to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. And he said to them, ‘Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation.’

On this first day after Easter Sunday have we prayed to the Holy Spirit to be bold as Peter to stand up and declare the love of our resurrected Lord to all that we meet. Are we living with such joy in our hearts that it shows on our outward appearance, body, mind and Spirit!

Or are we instead displaying a doubtful demeanour in word and deed that we are Christians following after Christ Jesus our Lord.  Are we living as an alleluia people or are we mournful! Do we show impatience with family, colleagues and friends? Do we pass snarky remarks and or are critical of others? Are we building up or are we tearing down?

Lord Jesus I want to bring the light of Your Resurrection to all who live in darkness. Remove from me all that is not of You so that I may glorify You now and always. Amen

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First reading

Acts 2:14,22-33

God raised this man Jesus to life, and all of us are witnesses to this

On the day of Pentecost Peter stood up with the Eleven and addressed the crowd in a loud voice: ‘Men of Israel, listen to what I am going to say: Jesus the Nazarene was a man commended to you by God by the miracles and portents and signs that God worked through him when he was among you, as you all know. This man, who was put into your power by the deliberate intention and foreknowledge of God, you took and had crucified by men outside the Law. You killed him, but God raised him to life, freeing him from the pangs of Hades; for it was impossible for him to be held in its power since, as David says of him:

I saw the Lord before me always,

for with him at my right hand nothing can shake me.

So my heart was glad

and my tongue cried out with joy;

my body, too, will rest in the hope

that you will not abandon my soul to Hades

nor allow your holy one to experience corruption.

You have made known the way of life to me,

you will fill me with gladness through your presence.

‘Brothers, no one can deny that the patriarch David himself is dead and buried: his tomb is still with us. But since he was a prophet, and knew that God had sworn him an oath to make one of his descendants succeed him on the throne, what he foresaw and spoke about was the resurrection of the Christ: he is the one who was not abandoned to Hades, and whose body did not experience corruption. God raised this man Jesus to life, and all of us are witnesses to that. Now raised to the heights by God’s right hand, he has received from the Father the Holy Spirit, who was promised, and what you see and hear is the outpouring of that Spirit.’

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Gospel

Matthew 28:8-15

Tell my brothers that they must leave for Galilee: they will see me there

Filled with awe and great joy the women came quickly away from the tomb and ran to tell the disciples.

    And there, coming to meet them, was Jesus. ‘Greetings’ he said. And the women came up to him and, falling down before him, clasped his feet. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers that they must leave for Galilee; they will see me there.’

    While they were on their way, some of the guard went off into the city to tell the chief priests all that had happened. These held a meeting with the elders and, after some discussion, handed a considerable sum of money to the soldiers with these instructions, ‘This is what you must say, “His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.” And should the governor come to hear of this, we undertake to put things right with him ourselves and to see that you do not get into trouble.’ The soldiers took the money and carried out their instructions, and to this day that is the story among the Jews.