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O Holy Spirit come! Open our hearts and minds so that we may know the sanctity of our faith in our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ.

There is much evil in the world that seeks disunity amongst Christians, race and religion. And it wants to rob us of our human dignity and our heavenly inheritance as children of God our Father. There are so many varied ways that it tries to do so, by, lies, propaganda, pornography, promises of honour, riches and so on. That is why both Jesus and St Paul reminds us to be on guard that while we live in the world, we are not of the world. Through our baptism we have been made Holy, set apart for the glory of God. And while we will face many difficulties and challenges in holding on to the truth and sharing it with others, we will have the Holy Spirit with us to guide us through. Love of God in our hearts, coupled by our love for brethren put into action by our humble servitude; illuminates His sanctifying grace upon us.

Lord Jesus I consecrate myself to Your sacred heart. Amen

First reading

Acts 20:28-38 †
I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, and its power

Paul addressed these words to the elders of the church of Ephesus:
‘Be on your guard for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you the overseers, to feed the Church of God which he bought with his own blood. I know quite well that when I have gone fierce wolves will invade you and will have no mercy on the flock. Even from your own ranks there will be men coming forward with a travesty of the truth on their lips to induce the disciples to follow them. So be on your guard, remembering how night and day for three years I never failed to keep you right, shedding tears over each one of you. And now I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace that has power to build you up and to give you your inheritance among all the sanctified.
‘I have never asked anyone for money or clothes; you know for yourselves that the work I did earned enough to meet my needs and those of my companions. I did this to show you that this is how we must exert ourselves to support the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, who himself said, “There is more happiness in giving than in receiving.”’
When he had finished speaking he knelt down with them all and prayed. By now they were all in tears; they put their arms round Paul’s neck and kissed him; what saddened them most was his saying they would never see his face again. Then they escorted him to the ship.

Gospel

John 17:11-19
Father, keep those you have given me true to your name

Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said:

‘Holy Father, keep those you have given me true to your name, so that they may be one like us.
While I was with them,I kept those you had given me true to your name.
I have watched over them and not one is lost except the one who chose to be lost, and this was to fulfil the scriptures.
But now I am coming to you and while still in the world I say these things to share my joy with them to the full.
I passed your word on to them, and the world hated them, because they belong to the world no more than I belong to the world.
I am not asking you to remove them from the world, but to protect them from the evil one.
They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world.
Consecrate them in the truth; your word is truth.
As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world, and for their sake I consecrate myself so that they too may be consecrated in truth.’

To know the Holy Trinity on a deep personal basis, is what convicts us to share the Glory of the one living God with others. That eternal life, through the gates of heaven has indeed been opened for all of us who believe in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And if we truly believe and live in the power and love of our resurrected Lord why then should we ever fear death?

For it is only through death that we can walk into the heavenly light of Christ. Through death we partake in the Heavenly Banquet with the Lamb of God at His table. We are one with Him as He is one with us for all eternity. We are once again reunited with all the Saints who have gone before us and we stand together in divine praise and worship of the Lord our God who rules both Heaven and earth. So as St Paul rightfully declared “O Death where is your victory, O where is you sting?” 1 Cor 1:55

If we fear death it is because we have not fully embraced the reality that we are created in the image and likeness of God our Father, and because He loves us with an everlasting love He sent His only Begotten to save us from all sin. And through Him we have eternal life. Christ has already conquered death once for all. He reigns victorious!

Lord Jesus Christ my Lord and my God, grant that I may always live in the light of Your resurrection now and forever. Amen

First reading

Acts 20:17-27 †
I have without faltering put before you the whole of God’s purpose

From Miletus Paul sent for the elders of the church of Ephesus. When they arrived he addressed these words to them:
‘You know what my way of life has been ever since the first day I set foot among you in Asia, how I have served the Lord in all humility, with all the sorrows and trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews. I have not hesitated to do anything that would be helpful to you; I have preached to you, and instructed you both in public and in your homes, urging both Jews and Greeks to turn to God and to believe in our Lord Jesus.
‘And now you see me a prisoner already in spirit; I am on my way to Jerusalem, but have no idea what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit, in town after town, has made it clear enough that imprisonment and persecution await me. But life to me is not a thing to waste words on, provided that when I finish my race I have carried out the mission the Lord Jesus gave me – and that was to bear witness to the Good News of God’s grace.
‘I now feel sure that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will ever see my face again. And so here and now I swear that my conscience is clear as far as all of you are concerned, for I have without faltering put before you the whole of God’s purpose.’

Gospel

John 17:1-11
Father, it is time for you to glorify me

Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said:

‘Father, the hour has come: glorify your Son
so that your Son may glorify you; and, through the power over all mankind that you have given him, let him give eternal life to all those you have entrusted to him.
And eternal life is this:to know you,
the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
I have glorified you on earth and finished the work that you gave me to do.
Now, Father, it is time for you to glorify me with that glory I had with you
before ever the world was.
I have made your name known to the men you took from the world to give me.
They were yours and you gave them to me,
and they have kept your word.
Now at last they know that all you have given me comes indeed from you; for I have given them the teaching you gave to me,
and they have truly accepted this, that I came from you, and have believed that it was you who sent me.
I pray for them;
I am not praying for the world but for those you have given me, because they belong to you: all I have is yours and all you have is mine, and in them I am glorified.
I am not in the world any longer, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you.’

How different are we from the Apostles before Pentecost? We say we believe but when faced with a crisis we shut down. Become disillusioned even despondent. How have we held on to the promises of Christ? That is why it is important to live in the Spirit. To allow the Holy Spirit to guide us and to remind us in moments of great difficulty that our Lord Jesus Christ is with us through it all and He will never abandon us.

Sadly there are many who have not encountered the Holy Spirit in a real and tangible way. And even if they had, they do not have the faith and believe to hold on to that encounter. They allow their pessimistic skepticism to take over and convince themselves that it was all in their head to begin with. All of us had received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at our baptism and then again at confirmation unless of course both was done together at the same time. However unless we continue to live out our Baptismal promises and mission post confirmation all that we had received can be lost! Same applies to those who have had a renewal in the Spirit through LISS,CER or some other Spirit filled retreat. Hence it is important to continue to strive and live in the Spirit. To pray, fast, embrace the Word daily and live out grace filled Sacramental lives through the frequent reception of Reconciliation and Holy Eucharist.

Lord Jesus You have indeed conquered the world and because of this reality I have nothing to fear. Bless me Lord so that I may live according to Your will and in the Spirit. Amen

First reading

Acts 19:1-8 †
The moment Paul laid hands on them the Holy Spirit came down on them

While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul made his way overland as far as Ephesus, where he found a number of disciples. When he asked, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?’ they answered, ‘No, we were never even told there was such a thing as a Holy Spirit.’ ‘Then how were you baptised?’ he asked. ‘With John’s baptism’ they replied. ‘John’s baptism’ said Paul ‘was a baptism of repentance; but he insisted that the people should believe in the one who was to come after him – in other words, Jesus.’ When they heard this, they were baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus, and the moment Paul had laid hands on them the Holy Spirit came down on them, and they began to speak with tongues and to prophesy. There were about twelve of these men.
He began by going to the synagogue, where he spoke out boldly and argued persuasively about the kingdom of God. He did this for three months.

Gospel

John 16:29-33
Be brave, for I have conquered the world

His disciples said to Jesus, ‘Now you are speaking plainly and not using metaphors! Now we see that you know everything, and do not have to wait for questions to be put into words; because of this we believe that you came from God.’ Jesus answered them:

‘Do you believe at last?
Listen; the time will come – in fact it has come already – when you will be scattered, each going his own way and leaving me alone.
And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
I have told you all this so that you may find peace in me.
In the world you will have trouble,
but be brave: I have conquered the world.’

Instead of praying for personal wealth, health, position and so on. Why not instead pray to overcome the inertia of growing in faith and love? Pray for the heart of a disciple to follow after Christ. To be a powerful instrument of His grace for others. To live His Word and to share it with others. Pray to be given the opportunity to serve the poor and downtrodden. No one who have prayed these, have had their prayers gone unanswered!

Prayers such as these come from having entered into a deep personal relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ; through His Word by keeping it close to our hearts. And our response to His Word will be one of love shown by the depths of our very own words and actions. Having prayed in the presence of the Lord our God, will we ever have need of an answer? Something to ponder more deeply on…

Lord Jesus I am a child of God so loved by my Heavenly Father. Let your Will be done for me. Amen

First reading

Acts 18:23-28 †
Apollos demonstrated from the scriptures that Jesus was the Christ

Paul came down to Antioch, where he spent a short time before continuing his journey through the Galatian country and then through Phrygia, encouraging all the followers.
An Alexandrian Jew named Apollos now arrived in Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, with a sound knowledge of the scriptures, and yet, though he had been given instruction in the Way of the Lord and preached with great spiritual earnestness and was accurate in all the details he taught about Jesus, he had only experienced the baptism of John. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him speak boldly in the synagogue, they took an interest in him and gave him further instruction about the Way.
When Apollos thought of crossing over to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote asking the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived there he was able by God’s grace to help the believers considerably by the energetic way he refuted the Jews in public and demonstrated from the scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.

Gospel

John 16:23-28
The Father loves you for loving me and believing that I came from God

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘I tell you most solemnly, anything you ask for from the Father he will grant in my name.
Until now you have not asked for anything in my name.
Ask and you will receive, and so your joy will be complete.
I have been telling you all this in metaphors, the hour is coming when I shall no longer speak to you in metaphors; but tell you about the Father in plain words.
When that day comes you will ask in my name; and I do not say that I shall pray to the Father for you, because the Father himself loves you for loving me and believing that I came from God.
I came from the Father and have come into the world and now I leave the world to go to the Father.’

In my life I have had countless visits by our Blessed Mother Mary. She has always been with me through all my difficulties, trials and challenges. Comforting me and always giving me hope in moments of despair. At an early age I was taught by mum to say three Hail Mary’s to invoke her help, whenever I was faced with difficulty; however that did not really sink it till much later. It was only in my teens that I began to feel and know she was present, and painful moments was soothed away by her loving presence. She was there when I was bullied, when I got into fights, when my heart was broken by my first girlfriend and especially when I questioned by faith and beliefs as a young adult. Loving mother that she is, her greatest desire was for me to grow in love of her son our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I firmly believe that it is through the loving intercession of both my maternal mother and my blessed Mother in Heaven that I am where I am today. A man of God, constantly striving to grow in love and Holiness. So as to lead others to do likewise.

Sisters and brothers in Christ. Our Blessed Mother was given to us by our loving Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to accompany us on our arduous journey home to Him. We have been given the great gift of the Holy Rosary to help us grow in faith, love and to guard us against evil. So let us pray the Rosary often and fervently, so that together with our Blessed Mother we will magnify and glorify the Lord our God in all that we say and do. Amen

First reading

Zephaniah 3:14-18 †
The Lord, the king of Israel, is in your midst

Shout for joy, daughter of Zion,
Israel, shout aloud!
Rejoice, exult with all your heart,
daughter of Jerusalem!
The Lord has repealed your sentence;
he has driven your enemies away.
The Lord, the king of Israel, is in your midst;you have no more evil to fear.

When that day comes, word will come to Jerusalem:Zion, have no fear,do not let your hands fall limp.
The Lord your God is in your midst,
a victorious warrior.
He will exult with joy over you,
he will renew you by his love;
he will dance with shouts of joy for you
as on a day of festival.

Gospel

Luke 1:39-56
The Almighty has done great things for me

Mary set out and went as quickly as she could to a town in the hill country of Judah. She went into Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. Now as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She gave a loud cry and said, ‘Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord? For the moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy. Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled.’
And Mary said:

‘My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and my spirit exults in God my saviour; because he has looked upon his lowly handmaid.
Yes, from this day forward all generations will call me blessed, for the Almighty has done great things for me.
Holy is his name, and his mercy reaches from age to age for those who fear him.
He has shown the power of his arm,
he has routed the proud of heart.
He has pulled down princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly.
The hungry he has filled with good things, the rich sent empty away.
He has come to the help of Israel his servant, mindful of his mercy
– according to the promise he made to our ancestors –
of his mercy to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’

Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back home.

When my Spiritual director had left to go on his new ‘mission’ to be faithful and obedient to God our Father. I felt that it was too soon, so much I was not prepared for. The leadership team still in its infancy needed more guidance and someone very strong to hold them together. Then changes came fast and furious. Many were trying to find good in them whilst many others looked on in dismay, as we watched the foundations we had built collapse. I was among the latter and decided to serve in a different capacity, my beloved Parish would be entrusted to the former, the hopefuls.

In all that had taken place and in the chaos, I had somehow forgotten we had a powerful advocate, the Holy Spirit. Unless Jesus our Lord and Saviour left He would not come. I began to slowly understand this better and more clearly in my own reality. Instead of holding on tightly to my Spiritual director and the legacy he left behind, I should have allowed the Holy Spirit to come fully into my being and convict me in my service to the Lord my God. He is the one to continue to guide me and set my heart aflame. He will even send me the Spiritual directors I need when I need them. I have the great and powerful Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Holy Eucharist to renew, refresh, nourish and strengthen me.

Thank you Lord for the ‘earthquake’ that rocked my foundation. Otherwise it would not have fully been built on the rock of my faith in God my Father, His Son my Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Amen

First reading

Acts 16:22-34 †
Become a believer and you will be saved, and your household too

The crowd joined in and showed their hostility to Paul and Silas, so the magistrates had them stripped and ordered them to be flogged. They were given many lashes and then thrown into prison, and the gaoler was told to keep a close watch on them. So, following his instructions, he threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
Late that night Paul and Silas were praying and singing God’s praises, while the other prisoners listened. Suddenly there was an earthquake that shook the prison to its foundations. All the doors flew open and the chains fell from all the prisoners. When the gaoler woke and saw the doors wide open he drew his sword and was about to commit suicide, presuming that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted at the top of his voice, ‘Don’t do yourself any harm; we are all here.’ The gaoler called for lights, then rushed in, threw himself trembling at the feet of Paul and Silas, and escorted them out, saying, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ They told him, ‘Become a believer in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, and your household too.’ Then they preached the word of the Lord to him and to all his family. Late as it was, he took them to wash their wounds, and was baptised then and there with all his household. Afterwards he took them home and gave them a meal, and the whole family celebrated their conversion to belief in God.

Gospel

John 16:5-11
Unless I go, the Advocate will not come to you

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘Now I am going to the one who sent me.
Not one of you has asked, “Where are you going?”
Yet you are sad at heart because I have told you this.
Still, I must tell you the truth:
it is for your own good that I am going
because unless I go,the Advocate will not come to you;but if I do go,
I will send him to you.
And when he comes,he will show the world how wrong it was,about sin,and about who was in the right,and about judgement:about sin: proved by their refusal to believe in me;
about who was in the right: proved by my going to the Father and your seeing me no more; about judgement: proved by the prince of this world being already condemned.’

In a recent community sharing on the Gospel reading for Easter, we touched a little on being a more inclusive community. It dawned on us that we were actually a very inclusive community striving to be better disciples. However who if any in our community were being excluded? The real problem and this happens in many communities and ministries is that the folks who are excluded have in actual fact excluded themselves! They chose not to come and be in the presence of our Lord for prayer meetings, fellowship and formation. To be in communion with their fellow members so as to grow in faith, love even charity. How can they then expect to the Holy Spirit to touch their hearts? The way He did Lydia in today’s first reading who was sincere and had a desire to be open to our Lord’s promptings.

Our faith is never a private one just between ourselves individually and the Lord our God. Otherwise our being one Body in Christ has no meaning for us. How then can we be witnesses to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ as we are called to be?

Sisters and brothers it is time to wake up to the reality of our faith in Him who loves us ever so dearly. It is time to make straight our paths by seeking the Sacrament of Reconciliation, to receive the nourishment, the grace and divinity of our Lord Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. So that we can be better disciples who strive to come often together to be in His presence;to be witnesses of His love to one another and then go out to share the Gospel message of His love to one and all. Amen

First reading

Acts 16:11-15 †
The Lord opened Lydia’s heart to accept what Paul was saying

Sailing from Troas we made a straight run for Samothrace; the next day for Neapolis, and from there for Philippi, a Roman colony and the principal city of that particular district of Macedonia. After a few days in this city we went along the river outside the gates as it was the sabbath and this was a customary place for prayer. We sat down and preached to the women who had come to the meeting. One of these women was called Lydia, a devout woman from the town of Thyatira who was in the purple-dye trade. She listened to us, and the Lord opened her heart to accept what Paul was saying. After she and her household had been baptised she sent us an invitation: ‘If you really think me a true believer in the Lord,’ she said ‘come and stay with us’; and she would take no refusal.

Gospel

John 15:26-16:4
The Spirit of truth will be my witness

Jesus said to his disciples:
‘When the Advocate comes,
whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who issues from the Father, he will be my witness.
And you too will be witnesses, because you have been with me from the outset.
‘I have told you all this that your faith may not be shaken.
They will expel you from the synagogues, and indeed the hour is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is doing a holy duty for God.
They will do these things because they have never known either the Father or myself.
But I have told you all this, so that when the time for it comes you may remember that I told you.’

Enduring hardship, challengers and making sacrifices to share Jesus with as many as we can is rewarding. Especially when you are able to witness the inner transformation that takes place in the lives of others. Of them having peace and joy when there was none before. Of experiencing the love of our Lord Jesus Christ when love was otherwise absent. Even if and when, we have to move on without being able to witness the changes we are assured that the Lord our God will take over.

The lure of following the ways of the world is indeed strong. With its many promises and guarantees that accepting its way is better even inevitable with change. Do not buy into the empty promises and false hope! Never compromise on our virtues and values built upon Christ. For He alone is the truth, way and life. His promises are fulfilled and His love endures forever. Amen

First reading

Acts 16:1-10 †
‘Come across to Macedonia and help us’

From Cilicia Paul went to Derbe, and then on to Lystra. Here there was a disciple called Timothy, whose mother was a Jewess who had become a believer; but his father was a Greek. The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of Timothy, and Paul, who wanted to have him as a travelling companion, had him circumcised. This was on account of the Jews in the locality where everyone knew his father was a Greek.
As they visited one town after another, they passed on the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem, with instructions to respect them.
So the churches grew strong in the faith, as well as growing daily in numbers.
They travelled through Phrygia and the Galatian country, having been told by the Holy Spirit not to preach the word in Asia. When they reached the frontier of Mysia they thought to cross it into Bithynia, but as the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them, they went through Mysia and came down to Troas.
One night Paul had a vision: a Macedonian appeared and appealed to him in these words, ‘Come across to Macedonia and help us.’ Once he had seen this vision we lost no time in arranging a passage to Macedonia, convinced that God had called us to bring them the Good News.

Gospel

John 15:18-21
The world hated me before it hated you

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘If the world hates you,
remember that it hated me before you.
If you belonged to the world,
the world would love you as its own; but because you do not belong to the world,
because my choice withdrew you from the world,
therefore the world hates you.
Remember the words I said to you: A servant is not greater than his master.
If they persecuted me, they will persecute you too;
if they kept my word, they will keep yours as well.
But it will be on my account that they will do all this,
because they do not know the one who sent me.’

Our Lord does not suggest or propose we love one another as He loved us. He commanded us in His love for us to do so even though we are given the absolute free will to choose to do so. The same applies to our fruit bearing and we must make a decision today whether or not we want to follow the Will of our Lord Jesus Christ, our Lord and God, our friend.

Is there any other God that you know of who seeks to have an such an intimate and loving relationship with mortals that could otherwise be seen as mere subjects even animated objects? Our one and only true God our Father,created us out of love and for us to share in His abounding love. And so does it not perfect sense that He wants us to love just as He loves us? A man has no greater love than to lay down His life for his friends; and so He our Lord Jesus Christ did so for us. Can we not likewise lay down our lives for our fellowmen, our brethren?

Let us then by the power of the Holy Spirit lead all our sister and brothers who now live free and continue to do so from all bondages of sin by, the Grace of the Lord our God; into greater worship, praise and thanksgiving of Him our Risen Lord. Let us bear fruit that will last! Amen

First reading

Acts 15:22-31 †
It has been decided by the Holy Spirit and by us not to burden you beyond these essentials

The apostles and elders decided to choose delegates to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; the whole church concurred with this. They chose Judas known as Barsabbas and Silas, both leading men in the brotherhood, and gave them this letter to take with them:
‘The apostles and elders, your brothers, send greetings to the brothers of pagan birth in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia. We hear that some of our members have disturbed you with their demands and have unsettled your minds. They acted without any authority from us; and so we have decided unanimously to elect delegates and to send them to you with Barnabas and Paul, men we highly respect who have dedicated their lives to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accordingly we are sending you Judas and Silas, who will confirm by word of mouth what we have written in this letter. It has been decided by the Holy Spirit and by ourselves not to saddle you with any burden beyond these essentials: you are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols; from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from fornication. Avoid these, and you will do what is right. Farewell.’
The party left and went down to Antioch, where they summoned the whole community and delivered the letter. The community read it and were delighted with the encouragement it gave them.

Gospel

John 15:12-17
What I command you is to love one another

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘This is my commandment: love one another,
as I have loved you.
A man can have no greater love than to lay down his life for his friends.
You are my friends, if you do what I command you.
I shall not call you servants any more,
because a servant does not know his master’s business; I call you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have learnt from my Father.
You did not choose me: no, I chose you;
and I commissioned you to go out and to bear fruit, fruit that will last; and then the Father will give you anything you ask him in my name.
What I command you is to love one another.’

The Commandments of the Lord our God were given to us in love so that we can live more fully in the love of our Lord virtuously and orderly. Christ reminded us of how to when He said ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ And just as I have loved you, you must love one another. We must remain therefore in His love. So that the world may see that He reigns in our hearts and they might see Him as they look to us.

We will undoubtedly face many trials and challengers as disciples striving to remain in His love and following His Will for us. There will arise friction and disagreements amongst us. But if we remain prayerful, turn to Scripture and the Holy Spirit to guide us we will surely find a way. For the Word made flesh is the way, the Truth and the Life.

Lord come dwell in my heart today and everyday so that I may always remain in Your love. Amen

First reading

Acts 15:7-21 †
I rule that we do not make things more difficult for the pagans who turn to God

After the discussion had gone on a long time, Peter stood up and addressed the apostles and the elders.
‘My brothers,’ he said ‘you know perfectly well that in the early days God made his choice among you: the pagans were to learn the Good News from me and so become believers. In fact God, who can read everyone’s heart, showed his approval of them by giving the Holy Spirit to them just as he had to us. God made no distinction between them and us, since he purified their hearts by faith. It would only provoke God’s anger now, surely, if you imposed on the disciples the very burden that neither we nor our ancestors were strong enough to support? Remember, we believe that we are saved in the same way as they are: through the grace of the Lord Jesus.’
This silenced the entire assembly, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul describing the signs and wonders God had worked through them among the pagans.
When they had finished it was James who spoke. ‘My brothers,’ he said ‘listen to me. Simeon has described how God first arranged to enlist a people for his name out of the pagans. This is entirely in harmony with the words of the prophets, since the scriptures say:

After that I shall return
and rebuild the fallen House of David;
I shall rebuild it from its ruins
and restore it.
Then the rest of mankind,
all the pagans who are consecrated to my name,
will look for the Lord,
says the Lord who made this known so long ago.

‘I rule, then, that instead of making things more difficult for pagans who turn to God, we send them a letter telling them merely to abstain from anything polluted by idols, from fornication, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. For Moses has always had his preachers in every town, and is read aloud in the synagogues every sabbath.’

Gospel

John 15:9-11
Remain in my love

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘As the Father has loved me,
so I have loved 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 own joy may be in you
and your joy be complete.’

Going for daily mass does not automatically connect with you Jesus! No I am by no means discouraging anyone from doing so, in fact it is highly commendable. What I am speaking about is ensuring the connection with Jesus through the Holy Eucharist is the right one. For we are connected both through His Word for us and the two way reception of Him. He receives us just as we receive Him in a most wonderful loving embrace. We are then ready to bear fruits because an inner transformation has taken place and we are driven to love. Our thoughts, words and deeds are One in communion with our Lord Jesus Christ! How can we not bear fruit? How can we not share His love with everyone we meet?

If we feel nothing and do nothing in love after each and every mass we attend then there is a disconnect somewhere. We need to reassess our situation, our state. When was last time we had done a proper examination of conscience? When was the last time we had gone for reconciliation fully prepared to bear our soul, so as to be cleansed and purified most fully to receive His graces. How much quiet time have we spent with our Lord in prayer, thanksgiving and adoration? Unless it is our heart’s desire to remain always in His presence, change cannot take place and we will bear no fruit. In fact we may find ourselves objecting and even rejecting spiritual matters and promptings of the Holy Spirit to build the Kingdom of the Lord our God.

Lord Jesus let me always be connected with You;that I may love as You love and bear fruit according to Your will. Amen

First reading

Acts 15:1-6
They were to go up to Jerusalem and discuss the problem with the apostles and elders

Some men came down from Judaea and taught the brothers, ‘Unless you have yourselves circumcised in the tradition of Moses you cannot be saved.’ This led to disagreement, and after Paul and Barnabas had had a long argument with these men it was arranged that Paul and Barnabas and others of the church should go up to Jerusalem and discuss the problem with the apostles and elders.
All the members of the church saw them off, and as they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria they told how the pagans had been converted, and this news was received with the greatest satisfaction by the brothers. When they arrived in Jerusalem they were welcomed by the church and by the apostles and elders, and gave an account of all that God had done with them.
But certain members of the Pharisees’ party who had become believers objected, insisting that the pagans should be circumcised and instructed to keep the Law of Moses. The apostles and elders met to look into the matter.

Gospel

John 15:1-8
I am the vine, you are the branches

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘I am the true vine,
and my Father is the vinedresser.
Every branch in me that bears no fruit
he cuts away,
and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes to make it bear even more.
You are pruned already, by means of the word that I have spoken to you.
Make your home in me, as I make mine in you.
As a branch cannot bear fruit all by itself,
but must remain part of the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me.
I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me, with me in him, bears fruit in plenty; for cut off from me you can do nothing.
Anyone who does not remain in me is like a branch that has been thrown away – he withers; these branches are collected and thrown on the fire, and they are burnt.
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask what you will and you shall get it.
It is to the glory of my Father that you should bear much fruit, and then you will be my disciples.’

One of the most precious gifts our Lord Jesus Christ grants us is His peace. Peace that we often long for, but search in the wrong places and are never able to find. If we do find some form of reprieve, it never lasts. Where are you peace of my heart? Where are you peace of mind? We hear ourselves calling out instead of simply turning to our Lord.

Our Lord Jesus gave us a truth as well as a promise when He said, ‘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.’ Such is the Lord’s peace which St Paul carried in His heart for after being beaten and left for dead, he rose up to continue with His mission. He felt the loving embrace of God that filled his heart with His peace and joy. And this very Peace is offered to all of us, God our Father’s children.

Let nothing and no one rob us of this Peace. God our Father is greater than anyone! Therefore the prince of this world has no hold over us. Amen Alleluia!

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.

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.’

God alone deserves all our praise and worship. For love of us His abundant love and mercy is outpoured. Even today He has sent us many powerful instruments of His Grace and mercy. And many will travel the distance to congregate round them for an opportunity to be touched and healed. Yes indeed we thank God for sending them to us but we must never forget that all praise and Glory belongs to the Lord our God alone! For it is through love, faith and obedience to Him that these chosen ones were conferred the power and grace to minister to His flock.

Can we not be such powerful instruments of His Grace? Of course we can! If we are willing to be diciplined, committed and convicted in growing in our relationship, love and faith in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Willing to be the first to sacrifice for love of Him and neighbour. To be docile to the promptings of the Holy Spirit sent to guide us. By our love we will then be seen as true disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ. People around us will see Christ in us and they will hear His voice when we speak. Glory and praise to our Lord! Now and forever. Amen

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.

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.’

If God our Father is dwelling in our heart, then by and by we become one with Him. This is most profoundly experienced at Holy Eucharist, where through the body and blood of Lord Jesus Christ we are one in Holy Communion with our one triune God; God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

Living a life of Holiness and in the Spirit we are endowed with special gifts to bring His light to all nations. We are empowered to face any obstacles and challenges unafraid for we know God is on our side. God our Father is greater than anyone! Through his Son our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ we will glorify Him through our deeds. We will bear much fruit, fruit that will last.

The weight of the world will not wear us down, for we live in the joy of our Risen Lord filled with the Holy Spirit. Amen

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.

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.’

The Gospel of texts of today is often used at Christian Funerals and it gives hope to those who have lost a dearly beloved one. But above all it holds a promise for all of us. That those of us who believe in our Lord Jesus Christ are assured of new life with Him. For He alone is the Way, the Truth and the Life! And He will come to lead us home.

Therefore we Catholics hold Christmas, Good Friday and Easter dear to our hearts because they remind us of the great and everlasting love of God that has been poured out upon us all;through the life, death and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

So dear sisters and brothers in Christ, are we not living joyful lives after the fact? Or have we allowed the world to rob us of this joy with its many distractions and the lure of instant gratification of our bodily senses? Let us never forget we are children of an almighty and loving God our Father, who will never abandon us when we turn to Him. Let us therefore remain steadfast in His love for we know we will never lose our way if we but follow Him, our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ Jesus. Amen

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.’

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.’

Let us dwell a little in the love of God our Father. Let us hear the words of St Paul as He speaks about our salvation history, yes not just the salvation of our elder brothers the Jews but us, for He our Lord came to be a light of all nations! At the very end of that eloquent address we are reminded of our very own baptism, of how we have entered into divine sonship and daughterhood of God our Father through His Son our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ.

Through our Baptism our Lord has touched us and cleansed us from all sin. From the top of our head to our feet we are prepared by the outpouring of His love and grace to be likewise, a light for all nations. He shows us how by His example of washing the feet of His disciples. We too who have been made worthy of being called His disciples are to wash the feet of one another. Bending the knee if need be, for love and service of Him and brethren. Let us be dutiful and faithful servants whose love of our Lord leads us to greater Holiness; as we continue our pilgrim journey back home into eternal life with Him.

Praise and glory be to our Risen Lord. Amen Alleluia!

First reading

Acts 13:13-25
God has raised up one of David’s descendants, Jesus, as Saviour

Paul and his friends went by sea from Paphos to Perga in Pamphylia where John left them to go back to Jerusalem. The others carried on from Perga till they reached Antioch in Pisidia. Here they went to synagogue on the sabbath and took their seats. After the lessons from the Law and the Prophets had been read, the presidents of the synagogue sent them a message: ‘Brothers, if you would like to address some words of encouragement to the congregation, please do so.’ Paul stood up, held up a hand for silence and began to speak:
‘Men of Israel, and fearers of God, listen! The God of our nation Israel chose our ancestors, and made our people great when they were living as foreigners in Egypt; then by divine power he led them out, and for about forty years took care of them in the wilderness. When he had destroyed seven nations in Canaan, he put them in possession of their land for about four hundred and fifty years. After this he gave them judges, down to the prophet Samuel. Then they demanded a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin. After forty years, he deposed him and made David their king, of whom he approved in these words, “I have selected David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will carry out my whole purpose.” To keep his promise, God has raised up for Israel one of David’s descendants, Jesus, as Saviour, whose coming was heralded by John when he proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the whole people of Israel. Before John ended his career he said, “I am not the one you imagine me to be; that one is coming after me and I am not fit to undo his sandal.”’

Gospel

John 13:16-20
Whoever welcomes the one I send welcomes me

After he had washed the feet of his disciples, Jesus said to them:

‘I tell you most solemnly,no servant is greater than his master, no messenger is greater than the man who sent him.

‘Now that you know this, happiness will be yours if you behave accordingly. I am not speaking about all of you: I know the ones I have chosen; but what scripture says must be fulfilled: Someone who shares my table rebels against me.

‘I tell you this now, before it happens,
so that when it does happen you may believe that I am He.
I tell you most solemnly, whoever welcomes the one I send welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.’

God our Father could have condemned the world for its many heinous sins and all of us would have perished for all eternity. To have a glimpse into why He did not rightfully do so, we must enter into the depths of His heart. For it was love He created us and it is for love of us He saved us. The most visible sign of that love is His Son our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who hung on the cross and died so that we might live. Light entered into the world when He was born and by His Resurrection light brilliantly burst forth to cast all shadows of darkness into oblivion!

We then who live in the light of Christ have a duty to share the joy of His life, death and Resurrection;so that every man, woman and child can live in His peace, love and joy. To preach repentance of all sin, the mercy, love and embrace that Christ our Lord offers and union with Him for all eternity.

O Holy Spirit teach and guide me always to walk in the light of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, so that I may speak of His love this and everyday. Amen

First reading

Acts 12:24-13:5 †
‘I want Barnabas and Saul set apart’

The word of God continued to spread and to gain followers. Barnabas and Saul completed their task and came back from Jerusalem, bringing John Mark with them.
In the church at Antioch the following were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. One day while they were offering worship to the Lord and keeping a fast, the Holy Spirit said, ‘I want Barnabas and Saul set apart for the work to which I have called them.’ So it was that after fasting and prayer they laid their hands on them and sent them off.
So these two, sent on their mission by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and from there sailed to Cyprus. They landed at Salamis and proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; John acted as their assistant.

Gospel

John 12:44-50
I, the light, have come into the world

Jesus declared publicly:

‘Whoever believes in me believes not in me
but in the one who sent me, and whoever sees me, sees the one who sent me.
I, the light, have come into the world,
so that whoever believes in me need not stay in the dark any more.
If anyone hears my words and does not keep them faithfully, it is not I who shall condemn him, since I have come not to condemn the world, but to save the world.
He who rejects me and refuses my words has his judge already: the word itself that I have spoken will be his judge on the last day.
For what I have spoken does not come from myself; no, what I was to say, what I had to speak, was commanded by the Father who sent me, and I know that his commands mean eternal life.
And therefore what the Father has told me
is what I speak.’

If we are too rigid we will lose our members then we will not have anyone to serve in our ministry. So let us be more compassionate after all we are all volunteers. So what happens thereafter? There is no growth in faith in the members, neither is there growth in love for one another. Folks are free to choose when or where they want to serve. Prayer meetings, formations are missed and often there is a problem filling the required numbers for service. Often the same members are doing double, sometimes even triple the amount of work and there is a risk of burnout if they are not grounded in Christ. Most folks do not realise that by having turn their backs to the needs of their fellow members and ministry they have made themselves betrayers of our Lord Jesus Christ, whose call is to love one another first above all. How do you love then if you are not present? Or have other more important interests?

First and foremost the problem is we forget the root or etymology of the word volunteer actually means to enter into service of others that is, of one’s own free will. It does not mean that we are free to pick, choose as and when. In ministry you may have started out as a ‘volunteer’ but there must always be the movement towards greater discipleship of Jesus Christ our Lord. Coming together often to pray and discern the Lord’s will for us is paramount. Docile to the promptings of the Holy Spirit we will be of greater service to one another and others through the love of our Lord Jesus Christ. Then we will bear much fruit, fruit that will last. Amen

St Matthias, all the Apostles and Saints pray for us……

First reading

Acts 1:15-17,20-26 †
‘Let someone else take his office’

One day Peter stood up to speak to the brothers – there were about a hundred and twenty persons in the congregation: ‘Brothers, the passage of scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit, speaking through David, foretells the fate of Judas, who offered himself as a guide to the men who arrested Jesus – after having been one of our number and actually sharing this ministry of ours. Now in the Book of Psalms it says:

Let his camp be reduced to ruin,
Let there be no one to live in it.

And again:

Let someone else take his office.

‘We must therefore choose someone who has been with us the whole time that the Lord Jesus was travelling round with us, someone who was with us right from the time when John was baptising until the day when he was taken up from us – and he can act with us as a witness to his resurrection.’
Having nominated two candidates, Joseph known as Barsabbas, whose surname was Justus, and Matthias, they prayed, ‘Lord, you can read everyone’s heart; show us therefore which of these two you have chosen to take over this ministry and apostolate, which Judas abandoned to go to his proper place.’ They then drew lots for them, and as the lot fell to Matthias, he was listed as one of the twelve apostles.

Gospel

John 15:9-17
You are my friends if you do what I command you

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘As the Father has loved me,
so I have loved 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 own joy may be in you and your joy be complete.
This is my commandment: love one another, as I have loved you.
A man can have no greater love than to lay down his life for his friends.
You are my friends, if you do what I command you. I shall not call you servants any more,
because a servant does not know his master’s business;
I call you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have learnt from my Father.
You did not choose me: no, I chose you; and I commissioned you to go out and to bear fruit, fruit that will last; and then the Father will give you anything you ask him in my name.
What I command you is to love one another.’

If we are open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, He will most certainly lead us to far greater growth in love and faith through Christ Jesus our Lord. And in ways we cannot even imagine. We will then not be so quick to insist on sticking to set prayers, formation, methods and so on. When someone in our community is moved to suggest something new, we will listen intently then bring it to prayer and discernment.

This is our how we grow together in love and greater discipleship. For it is the Lord’s voice we seek always and together as one flock, we recognise and follow Him. We reject the voices and promptings of those who seek to steal us away from Him. We welcome the stranger the Lord sends our way to love and to guide to His truth, way and life. For by His grace alone we have life to the full. Amen

First reading

Acts 11:1-18
God can grant even the pagans the repentance that leads to life

The apostles and the brothers in Judaea heard that the pagans too had accepted the word of God, and when Peter came up to Jerusalem the Jews criticised him and said, ‘So you have been visiting the uncircumcised and eating with them, have you?’ Peter in reply gave them the details point by point: ‘One day, when I was in the town of Jaffa,’ he began ‘I fell into a trance as I was praying and had a vision of something like a big sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners. This sheet reached the ground quite close to me. I watched it intently and saw all sorts of animals and wild beasts – everything possible that could walk, crawl or fly. Then I heard a voice that said to me, “Now, Peter; kill and eat!” But I answered: Certainly not, Lord; nothing profane or unclean has ever crossed my lips. And a second time the voice spoke from heaven, “What God has made clean, you have no right to call profane.” This was repeated three times, before the whole of it was drawn up to heaven again.
‘Just at that moment, three men stopped outside the house where we were staying; they had been sent from Caesarea to fetch me, and the Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going back with them. The six brothers here came with me as well, and we entered the man’s house. He told us he had seen an angel standing in his house who said, “Send to Jaffa and fetch Simon known as Peter; he has a message for you that will save you and your entire household.”
‘I had scarcely begun to speak when the Holy Spirit came down on them in the same way as it came on us at the beginning, and I remembered that the Lord had said, “John baptised with water, but you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.” I realised then that God was giving them the identical thing he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ; and who was I to stand in God’s way?’
This account satisfied them, and they gave glory to God. ‘God’ they said ‘can evidently grant even the pagans the repentance that leads to life.’

Gospel

John 10:1-10
I am the gate of the sheepfold

Jesus said:
‘I tell you most solemnly, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold through the gate, but gets in some other way is a thief and a brigand. The one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the flock; the gatekeeper lets him in, the sheep hear his voice, one by one he calls his own sheep and leads them out. When he has brought out his flock, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow because they know his voice. They never follow a stranger but run away from him: they do not recognise the voice of strangers.’
Jesus told them this parable but they failed to understand what he meant by telling it to them.
So Jesus spoke to them again:

‘I tell you most solemnly, I am the gate of the sheepfold.
All others who have come are thieves and brigands; but the sheep took no notice of them.
I am the gate.
Anyone who enters through me will be safe: he will go freely in and out
and be sure of finding pasture.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.
I have come so that they may have life and have it to the full.’

What we often lack is conviction in our faith. The commitment and the sacrifice it takes to deepen our relationship with Christ Jesus our Lord and our resolve to be a light in the lives of others. That is why many of the promises of Christ go unclaimed by us. For Jesus did say “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” St Peter claimed this promise and so today we hear of the wonders He performed in our Lord’s name.

Do you not think that if we are faithful and faith-filled we can do likewise? That is to do great things in Jesus’s name. To be powerful instruments of His Grace and more importantly to gather His flock unto Him. We can and we shall! Let us make a commitment this very day to enter into greater discipleship of our Lord Jesus Christ. To live in the Spirit and in the joy of our Risen Lord. Amen

First reading

Acts 9:31-42 †
The churches grew and were filled with the consolation of the Holy Spirit

The churches throughout Judaea, Galilee and Samaria were now left in peace, building themselves up, living in the fear of the Lord, and filled with the consolation of the Holy Spirit.
Peter visited one place after another and eventually came to the saints living down in Lydda. There he found a man called Aeneas, a paralytic who had been bedridden for eight years. Peter said to him, ‘Aeneas, Jesus Christ cures you: get up and fold up your sleeping mat.’ Aeneas got up immediately; everybody who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they were all converted to the Lord.
At Jaffa there was a woman disciple called Tabitha, or Dorcas in Greek, who never tired of doing good or giving in charity. But the time came when she got ill and died, and they washed her and laid her out in a room upstairs. Lydda is not far from Jaffa, so when the disciples heard that Peter was there, they sent two men with an urgent message for him, ‘Come and visit us as soon as possible.’
Peter went back with them straightaway, and on his arrival they took him to the upstairs room, where all the widows stood round him in tears, showing him tunics and other clothes Dorcas had made when she was with them. Peter sent them all out of the room and knelt down and prayed. Then he turned to the dead woman and said, ‘Tabitha, stand up.’ She opened her eyes, looked at Peter and sat up. Peter helped her to her feet, then he called in the saints and widows and showed them she was alive. The whole of Jaffa heard about it and many believed in the Lord.

Gospel

John 6:60-69
Who shall we go to? You are the Holy One of God

After hearing his doctrine many of the followers of Jesus said, ‘This is intolerable language. How could anyone accept it?’ Jesus was aware that his followers were complaining about it and said, ‘Does this upset you? What if you should see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before?

‘It is the spirit that gives life,
the flesh has nothing to offer.
The words I have spoken to you are spirit
and they are life.

‘But there are some of you who do not believe.’ For Jesus knew from the outset those who did not believe, and who it was that would betray him. He went on, ‘This is why I told you that no one could come to me unless the Father allows him.’ After this, many of his disciples left him and stopped going with him.
Then Jesus said to the Twelve, ‘What about you, do you want to go away too?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘Lord, who shall we go to? You have the message of eternal life, and we believe; we know that you are the Holy One of God.’

When we lose our temper with someone, scold them harshly, use abusive language, vulgarities, scream, shout, humiliate. Are we not persecuting our Lord? What if we then escalate it by being physical with them. Are we not scourging our Lord? Still don’t see the connection? Ask yourself then, who is a child of God? Only baptised Christians? If your eyes have now opened then you’ll be able to see many other ways and situations in which you have persecuted our Lord.

See then also that our Lord still loves you dearly, give the truth of your heart to Him and seek Him in the gift of the Sacrament of reconciliation. Then be filled with the Holy Spirit to proclaim that Jesus is the Son of God sent to save us from sin and lead us into eternal life with Him. He is our Eucharistic Lord and God!

Yes sisters and brothers in Christ, we have the Supreme gift of the Holy Eucharist! The source and summit of our faith. For the Word made flesh has spoken this truth and reality to all in today’s Gospel. Those who believe in this truth will live forever. Through Holy Communion we are united fully with Jesus our Lord and with one another in a very deep and profound way.

Thank You Jesus for this great and wonderful gift from Heaven, Your precious body and blood! Amen

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 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.’

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.

Are you growing in your faith and knowledge of Christ your saviour, who alone gives life to the full? Oh no the catechism growing up was very basic and the priests in my parish are too busy to provide formation. Don’t know where to look even if I wanted to!? Scripture to be honest is ancient and boring to me.

The keyword to all the excuses we have is ‘want’ to. If we really wanted to, that is if it is our hearts desire, then do you not think the Holy Spirit will lead us or send someone to guide us? Besides by the grace of God, we managed to secure domains like catholic.com and formed.org with great wealth of information and are searchable even. Then there are also parish formation and programs that have been organized for us from time to time, our excuse for not signing up or registering? No time! Too busy!

If only you would receive the Word of God into Your hearts and allow Him to embrace You through a lived experience of Him. You will begin to feel something ‘old’, worn, familiar and comfortable yet New all at once. Every faith discovery is an exciting adventure in His love. Then truly you will be able to proclaim with joy in your heart, Jesus is the bread of life! He gives me life to the full! Amen, Amen, Amen, Alleluia!

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 sharers, 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.

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 have all been given, rather entrusted with a powerful message to share both with one another and all whom have not yet heard it. The message of God our Father’s love and mercy. For through His only Begotten Son our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ we have forgiveness of sin and hope of life everlasting with Him.

We do Not have to wallow in guilt and shame any longer or continue to seek worldly pleasures which cannot satisfy our insatiable appetites. All we need is Jesus our Lord who is indeed the bread of life! We will not hunger, thirst or have want of anything else. He frees us to live in the joy of His Resurrection. And when we cling to His promises we can become powerful instruments of His grace, mercy and love. He can and will turn all curses into blessings, tragedies into victories! Through death new life arises, through Him, with Him and in Him. Amen alleluia!

First reading

Acts 8:1-8
They went from place to place, preaching the Good News

That day a bitter persecution started against the church in Jerusalem, and everyone except the apostles fled to the country districts of Judaea and Samaria.
There were some devout people, however, who buried Stephen and made great mourning for him.
Saul then worked for the total destruction of the Church; he went from house to house arresting both men and women and sending them to prison.
Those who had escaped went from place to place preaching the Good News. One of them was Philip who went to a Samaritan town and proclaimed the Christ to them. The people united in welcoming the message Philip preached, either because they had heard of the miracles he worked or because they saw them for themselves. There were, for example, unclean spirits that came shrieking out of many who were possessed, and several paralytics and cripples were cured. As a result there was great rejoicing in that town.

Gospel

John 6:35-40
It is my Father’s will that whoever sees the Son should have eternal life

Jesus said to the crowd:

‘I am the bread of life.
He who comes to me will never be hungry;
he who believes in me will never thirst.
But, as I have told you, you can see me and still you do not believe.
All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I shall not turn him away; because I have come from heaven, not to do my own will, but to do the will of the one who sent me.
Now the will of him who sent me
is that I should lose nothing of all that he has given to me, and that I should raise it up on the last day.
Yes, it is my Father’s will
that whoever sees the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and that I shall raise him up on the last day.’

Come Lord Jesus come to my aid! Lord give me a sign that I may believe in You! Lord if You answer this prayer I promise to…..Why do I pray so hard when you don’t answer Lord?

What if I told you Jesus was always there by your side? That He is real and truly the Son of the living God whether you want to believe or not. God our Father loves you dearly and wills only the best for you, therefore the answer to your prayer is sometimes No. Think a little more deeply, can the Lord our God be the Lord of your life if He must bend to your will? For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways. (Isa 55:8-9)

Empty yourself completely, mind, heart, hands, will and surrender your whole life to Jesus. Just as surely as the sun rises in the morning, you will begin to experience the presence of the Risen Lord profoundly in your life. You will hear Him speak to your heart. Come what may, Your lived experience of Christ will carry you through it all.

Lord Jesus into Your hands I commit my spirit. Amen

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.

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.’

To utter the words I believe in God the Father almighty, and in Jesus Christ His only Begotten Son in whom He sent to save us, the Holy Spirit, our one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, one baptism in which we are inserted into the life, death and Resurrection of Christ for the forgiveness of sins; is not enough! For if we truly believe then we must live out what we believe.

Can we then walk around with a grimace on our faces? Can we dishonour the absent by loose talk? Can we openly declare our unforgiveness of another? Can we scream or rebuke others and subject them to public humiliation? Can we ignore the pleas for mercy and help? Can we choose personal comfort over the discomfort of serving others in the community? Whose face do we represent when others look upon us? Whom is it by our actions that others see that we serve? Whose kingdom are we building?

Our work therefore should reflect our believe in our Risen Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. For then we truly honour, worship and glorify Him. Amen

First reading

Acts 6:8-15 †
They could not get the better of Stephen because the Spirit prompted what he said

Stephen was filled with grace and power and began to work miracles and great signs among the people. But then certain people came forward to debate with Stephen, some from Cyrene and Alexandria who were members of the synagogue called the Synagogue of Freedmen, and others from Cilicia and Asia. They found they could not get the better of him because of his wisdom, and because it was the Spirit that prompted what he said. So they procured some men to say, ‘We heard him using blasphemous language against Moses and against God.’ Having in this way turned the people against him as well as the elders and scribes, they took Stephen by surprise, and arrested him and brought him before the Sanhedrin. There they put up false witnesses to say, ‘This man is always making speeches against this Holy Place and the Law. We have heard him say that Jesus the Nazarene is going to destroy this Place and alter the traditions that Moses handed down to us.’ The members of the Sanhedrin all looked intently at Stephen, and his face appeared to them like the face of an angel.

Gospel

John 6:22-29
Do not work for food that cannot last, but for food that endures to eternal life

After Jesus had fed the five thousand, his disciples saw him walking on the water. Next day, the crowd that had stayed on the other side saw that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not got into the boat with his disciples, but that the disciples had set off by themselves. Other boats, however, had put in from Tiberias, near the place where the bread had been eaten. When the people saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into those boats and crossed to Capernaum to look for Jesus. When they found him on the other side, they said to him, ‘Rabbi, when did you come here?’
Jesus answered:

‘I tell you most solemnly,
you are not looking for me because you have seen the signs but because you had all the bread you wanted to eat.
Do not work for food that cannot last,
but work for food that endures to eternal life, the kind of food the Son of Man is offering you, for on him the Father, God himself, has set his seal.’

Then they said to him, ‘What must we do if we are to do the works that God wants?’ Jesus gave them this answer, ‘This is working for God: you must believe in the one he has sent.’

In the communities you belong to, do you affirm one another’s gifts and talents? So as to develop them through the grace of the Holy Spirit in service of all? Do you encourage one another to grow spiritually and deepen the faith and knowledge of the Word? Unless a community prays together regularly, deepen their faith by reflection and sharing of the word of God; then sharing in the love of the Lord by their service of one another there will be no growth! Christ must always be the centre of all that we think, say and do.

Then when challenges and trials come our way, we will face them stoically for we know the Lord stands with us through it all. We will hear Him say to us, “it is I, do not be afraid” then we will find that we have already arrived at our destination. So let us place all our faith and trust in our Risen Lord and saviour Jesus Christ as we journey onwards through our discipleship and service of Him. Amen

First reading

Acts 6:1-7 †
They elected seven men full of the Holy Spirit

About this time, when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenists made a complaint against the Hebrews: in the daily distribution their own widows were being overlooked. So the Twelve called a full meeting of the disciples and addressed them, ‘It would not be right for us to neglect the word of God so as to give out food; you, brothers, must select from among yourselves seven men of good reputation, filled with the Spirit and with wisdom; we will hand over this duty to them, and continue to devote ourselves to prayer and to the service of the word.’ The whole assembly approved of this proposal and elected Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, together with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus of Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
The word of the Lord continued to spread: the number of disciples in Jerusalem was greatly increased, and a large group of priests made their submission to the faith.

Gospel

John 6:16-21
They saw Jesus walking on the lake

In the evening the disciples went down to the shore of the lake and got into a boat to make for Capernaum on the other side of the lake. It was getting dark by now and Jesus had still not rejoined them. The wind was strong, and the sea was getting rough. They had rowed three or four miles when they saw Jesus walking on the lake and coming towards the boat. This frightened them, but he said, ‘It is I. Do not be afraid.’ They were for taking him into the boat, but in no time it reached the shore at the place they were making for.

Upon this rock I will build My Church and the gates of hell will not overcome it. This promise of Christ Jesus holds fast to this very day two thousand plus years later. And our Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church is built upon this very foundation. Yes indeed the gates of hell will not overcome it because we do not freely pick and choose what we want to believe. We have a Magisterium and our Church has been guided by the Holy Spirit ever since the day of Pentecost.

Over the centuries many have sought to extinguish the light of our Church but through the blood of the Martyrs we flourished and grew. Because we clung to the promises of Jesus Christ our Lord, lived our lives according to the Gospel and professed His life, death and Resurrection to all. The Apostles St Philip and St James whose feast day we celebrate, reminds us all that by their examplary lives;we are not called to be followers but disciples after our Lord Jesus Christ! Amen Alleluia

First reading

1 Corinthians 15:1-8 †
The Lord appeared to James, and then to all the apostles

Brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, the gospel that you received and in which you are firmly established; because the gospel will save you only if you keep believing exactly what I preached to you – believing anything else will not lead to anything.
Well then, in the first place, I taught you what I had been taught myself, namely that Christ died for our sins, in accordance with the scriptures; that he was buried; and that he was raised to life on the third day, in accordance with the scriptures; that he appeared first to Cephas and secondly to the Twelve. Next he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died; then he appeared to James, and then to all the apostles; and last of all he appeared to me too; it was as though I was born when no one expected it.

Gospel

John 14:6-14
To have seen me is to have seen the father

Jesus said to Thomas:

‘I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.
No one can come to the Father except through me.
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.’

Why bother sharing the truth of our faith with others when they are not prepared to listen? Wouldn’t it be better to just share it with those interested and are enquiring? Isn’t the former a waste of time and effort?

What it comes down to is how deep is your faith? Your relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ and therefore how obedient are you? Afterall Jesus never said to share your faith with a select few, He commanded for us to “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” If you truly love our Lord Jesus Christ the way you claim to, then wouldn’t you want to share the joy of the relationship you have with Him with others?

The deeper your relationship, the deeper your prayer life will be and the deeper the indwelling of the Holy Spirit who will guide your every thought and action. You will never shy away from the truth but boldly claim Jesus is Lord of all nations. Indeed you will be seen as an alleluia person living in the joy of the Risen Lord. Amen

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.

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.’

Why live a guilt ridden life? One that shys away from the light that frees us and choosing to remain in darkness. Even the darkest secrets will not be hidden forever. For all things will eventually come to light! So stop watching pornography! Stop living lives of duality! Stop giving in to your addictions! Stop choosing sin over the love of God! Stop living in the prison you’ve created for yourself and come out into the light!

For our Lord Jesus Christ has come to save us. There is no sin too great that He will not forgive if You turn your heart towards Him. Allow Him to embrace you and set you free! So that His light will shine through You as you boldly proclaim His life, death and Resurrection. So that whoever comes to believe in Him just as you believe, will have eternal life. Amen alleluia!

St Joseph pray for us…

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.

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.’

Mi casa es su casa meaning my home is your home. What a warm and loving invitation, an epitome of what it means to be in communion. Yet these days very few will open their homes with such welcome and hospitality. Not for family, friends let alone the stranger. For this simply takes too much time, effort and zero return on cost! How then were the believers, the early Christians as mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles able to live in such harmony and communion with one another?

It is through the power of the Resurrection of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ! Our little hearts become bigger and bigger as it is filled with His peace, love and joy. As we live in the Spirit, we find we don’t have want or need for anything of the world. All we will ever need is provided for by our loving Father in Heaven. We give gladly of our hearts not to receive anything in return, yet we are blessed abundantly. The more we give, the more receive. Today there are still such loving communities of disciples living in the Spirit! Do you belong to one of these?

Thank You Lord Jesus, for by Your death and Resurrection You have opened the gates of Heaven for us. Through You we become one with You and with one another. Glory and Praise to You our Lord Jesus Christ, now and forever. Amen

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.

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.’

Through our baptism we have been given seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, are we using them to grow in Holiness? Do we even know what they are to begin with? And if we say that we do, then how many of them are we using, if any at all? For in using the gifts we have been given and living in the light of Christ Jesus our Lord we walk in the light;and His light shines through us for others. We can boldly proclaim His love for all by our lives lived in the Spirit.

We will not be comfortable in coming to Jesus only in the night, but throughout the day and night;for we carry His light with us in our hearts, thoughts and all that we do. In moments of difficult we turn to Him and He will empower us to overcome all fear and the challenges we face.

O Holy Spirit come! Be my guide this and everyday. Amen Alleluia!

First reading

Acts 4:23-31 †
They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to proclaim the word of God boldly

As soon as Peter and John were released they went to the community and told them everything the chief priests and elders had said to them. When they heard it they lifted up their voice to God all together. ‘Master,’ they prayed ‘it is you who made heaven and earth and sea, and everything in them; you it is who said through the Holy Spirit and speaking through our ancestor David, your servant:

Why this arrogance among the nations,
these futile plots among the peoples?
Kings on earth setting out to war,
princes making an alliance, against the Lord and against his Anointed.

‘This is what has come true: in this very city Herod and Pontius Pilate made an alliance with the pagan nations and the peoples of Israel, against your holy servant Jesus whom you anointed, but only to bring about the very thing that you in your strength and your wisdom had predetermined should happen. And now, Lord, take note of their threats and help your servants to proclaim your message with all boldness, by stretching out your hand to heal and to work miracles and marvels through the name of your holy servant Jesus.’ As they prayed, the house where they were assembled rocked; they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to proclaim the word of God boldly.

Gospel

John 3:1-8
Unless a man is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God

There was one of the Pharisees called Nicodemus, a leading Jew, who came to Jesus by night and said, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who comes from God; for no one could perform the signs that you do unless God were with him.’ Jesus answered:

‘I tell you most solemnly, unless a man is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’

Nicodemus said, ‘How can a grown man be born? Can he go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?’ Jesus replied:

‘I tell you most solemnly, unless a man is born through water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God: what is born of the flesh is flesh; what is born of the Spirit is spirit.
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.’

Unless we see, hear, feel for ourselves we will not believe! The disbelieve of the disciples that the Lord had Risen initially is something for us to ponder about. We see how patiently loving our Lord Jesus is by revealing Himself to them at different intervals. Allowing for them to grow fully into men and women of great faith! How has our own faith in the Risen Lord grown? Are we fully convicted to proclaim the good news to others?

If we have truly experienced the love and presence of the Risen Lord ourselves can we remain silent? For it is an overwhelming joy that fills our hearts that we seek to share with all who will listen. So then while we have been instructed by our Lord Jesus Christ to ‘Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation.’ We do so for love of Him, obedience naturally follows.

Let us be convicted as we boldly proclaim that Christ has died, Christ has Risen and Christ will come again. Amen

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.

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.’

Now that Lent is over and we are in the Easter Octave, are you living a life renewed in Christ Jesus our Risen Lord? Are you sharing the joy of Easter with your family, friends, community? Or have you returned to your old comfortable way of life? Seeking familiar pleasures, heading no where, bearing no fruit. In other words gone ‘fishing’ catching nothing!

Jesus our master is inviting you to be obedient and cast your net where He tells you. To change the direction of your life so that you can live more fully in His love bearing much fruit. Then come and be with Him as He awaits to embrace and nourish you at every Holy Eucharist, then you will see with eyes fully opened that it is the Lord! Then He can send you out to share with great joy and fervour that He, Jesus is our Risen Lord; and it is He alone who saves! Amen Alleluia!

First reading

Acts 4:1-12
The name of Jesus Christ is the only one by which we can be saved

While Peter and John were talking to the people the priests came up to them, accompanied by the captain of the Temple and the Sadducees. They were extremely annoyed at their teaching the people the doctrine of the resurrection from the dead by proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus. They arrested them, but as it was already late, they held them till the next day. But many of those who had listened to their message became believers, the total number of whom had now risen to something like five thousand.
The next day the rulers, elders and scribes had a meeting in Jerusalem with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, Jonathan, Alexander and all the members of the high-priestly families. They made the prisoners stand in the middle and began to interrogate them, ‘By what power, and by whose name have you men done this?’ Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, addressed them, ‘Rulers of the people, and elders! If you are questioning us today about an act of kindness to a cripple, and asking us how he was healed, then I am glad to tell you all, and would indeed be glad to tell the whole people of Israel, that it was by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the one you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by this name and by no other that this man is able to stand up perfectly healthy, here in your presence, today. This is the stone rejected by you the builders, but which has proved to be the keystone. For of all the names in the world given to men, this is the only one by which we can be saved.’

Gospel

John 21:1-14
Jesus stepped forward, took the bread and gave it to them, and the same with the fish

Jesus showed himself again to the disciples. It was by the Sea of Tiberias, and it happened like this: Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee and two more of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said, ‘I’m going fishing.’ They replied, ‘We’ll come with you.’ They went out and got into the boat but caught nothing that night.
It was light by now and there stood Jesus on the shore, though the disciples did not realise that it was Jesus. Jesus called out, ‘Have you caught anything, friends?’ And when they answered, ‘No’, he said, ‘Throw the net out to starboard and you’ll find something.’ So they dropped the net, and there were so many fish that they could not haul it in. The disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord.’ At these words ‘It is the Lord’, Simon Peter, who had practically nothing on, wrapped his cloak round him and jumped into the water. The other disciples came on in the boat, towing the net and the fish; they were only about a hundred yards from land.
As soon as they came ashore they saw that there was some bread there, and a charcoal fire with fish cooking on it. Jesus said, ‘Bring some of the fish you have just caught.’ Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore, full of big fish, one hundred and fifty-three of them; and in spite of there being so many the net was not broken. Jesus said to them, ‘Come and have breakfast.’ None of the disciples was bold enough to ask, ‘Who are you?’; they knew quite well it was the Lord. Jesus then stepped forward, took the bread and gave it to them, and the same with the fish. This was the third time that Jesus showed himself to the disciples after rising from the dead.

Our salvation lies in our Lord Jesus Christ who came to save us from eternal death! Through His life given up for love of us, by His death and Resurrection we are set free from the clutches of sin. To live fully in His love.

Such is His love for us that to this very day, in our moments of great distress, anxieties, despair He comes to offer the peace that He alone can give. ‘Why are you so agitated, and why are these doubts rising in your hearts? He will say to us, reminding us that His promise of true life had already been fulfilled. We should therefore cling to that promise and live in the joy of our Risen Lord. Then like St Peter and St John we too can share the good news of Christ our Lord’s mercy and love. So that all who repent of their sins will be forgiven and will live free in His love, now and forever. Amen

First reading

Acts 3:11-26 †
You killed the prince of life: God, however, raised him from the dead

Everyone came running towards Peter and John in great excitement, to the Portico of Solomon, as it is called, where the man was still clinging to Peter and John. When Peter saw the people he addressed them, ‘Why are you so surprised at this? Why are you staring at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power or holiness? You are Israelites, and it is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our ancestors, who has glorified his servant Jesus, the same Jesus you handed over and then disowned in the presence of Pilate after Pilate had decided to release him. It was you who accused the Holy One, the Just One, you who demanded the reprieve of a murderer while you killed the prince of life. God, however, raised him from the dead, and to that fact we are the witnesses; and it is the name of Jesus which, through our faith in it, has brought back the strength of this man whom you see here and who is well known to you. It is faith in that name that has restored this man to health, as you can all see.
‘Now I know, brothers, that neither you nor your leaders had any idea what you were really doing; this was the way God carried out what he had foretold, when he said through all his prophets that his Christ would suffer. Now you must repent and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, and so that the Lord may send the time of comfort. Then he will send you the Christ he has predestined, that is Jesus, whom heaven must keep till the universal restoration comes which God proclaimed, speaking through his holy prophets. Moses, for example, said: The Lord God will raise up a prophet like myself for you, from among your own brothers; you must listen to whatever he tells you. The man who does not listen to that prophet is to be cut off from the people. In fact, all the prophets that have ever spoken, from Samuel onwards, have predicted these days.
‘You are the heirs of the prophets, the heirs of the covenant God made with our ancestors when he told Abraham: in your offspring all the families of the earth will be blessed. It was for you in the first place that God raised up his servant and sent him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways.’

Gospel

Luke 24:35-48
It is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead

The disciples told their story of what had happened on the road and how they had recognised Jesus at the breaking of bread.
They were still talking about all this when Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you!’ In a state of alarm and fright, they thought they were seeing a ghost. But he said, ‘Why are you so agitated, and why are these doubts rising in your hearts? Look at my hands and feet; yes, it is I indeed. Touch me and see for yourselves; a ghost has no flesh and bones as you can see I have.’ And as he said this he showed them his hands and feet. Their joy was so great that they still could not believe it, and they stood there dumbfounded; so he said to them, ‘Have you anything here to eat?’ And they offered him a piece of grilled fish, which he took and ate before their eyes.
Then he told them, ‘This is what I meant when I said, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, in the Prophets and in the Psalms has to be fulfilled.’ He then opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, ‘So you see how it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that, in his name, repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be preached to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses to this.’

We all at one time or another will face issues of insecurity, difficulty in trusting and believing in our faith. Sometimes we look for comfort or distraction in the world and thereafter fall into sin. Then guilt and regret sets in and at times we despair and become despondent. This whole situation happens more often than not, when we are inward looking. We find ourselves going backwards instead of moving forward to life in Christ.

We must always look to Jesus Christ our Risen Lord who has already conquered death and sin. We must hold on to the promises fulfilled in Him! In our moments of difficulty if we turn to look for Him, we will find that He had never left. Through His Word our hearts are renewed, set aflame. We are sent to offer our hope and faith in Him to others in need. When we live in the promises of our Risen Lord, we are empowered by Him. We can expect amazing things to happen, all for the glory of God. Amen

First reading

Acts 3:1-10 †
I will give you what I have: in the name of Jesus, walk!

Once, when Peter and John were going up to the Temple for the prayers at the ninth hour, it happened that there was a man being carried past. He was a cripple from birth; and they used to put him down every day near the Temple entrance called the Beautiful Gate so that he could beg from the people going in. When this man saw Peter and John on their way into the Temple he begged from them. Both Peter and John looked straight at him and said, ‘Look at us.’ He turned to them expectantly, hoping to get something from them, but Peter said, ‘I have neither silver nor gold, but I will give you what I have: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, walk!’ Peter then took him by the hand and helped him to stand up. Instantly his feet and ankles became firm, he jumped up, stood, and began to walk, and he went with them into the Temple, walking and jumping and praising God. Everyone could see him walking and praising God, and they recognised him as the man who used to sit begging at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple. They were all astonished and unable to explain what had happened to him.

Gospel

Luke 24:13-35
They recognised him at the breaking of bread

Two of the disciples of Jesus were on their way to a village called Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking together about all that had happened. Now as they talked this over, Jesus himself came up and walked by their side; but something prevented them from recognising him. He said to them, ‘What matters are you discussing as you walk along?’ They stopped short, their faces downcast.
Then one of them, called Cleopas, answered him, ‘You must be the only person staying in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have been happening there these last few days.’ ‘What things?’ he asked. ‘All about Jesus of Nazareth’ they answered ‘who proved he was a great prophet by the things he said and did in the sight of God and of the whole people; and how our chief priests and our leaders handed him over to be sentenced to death, and had him crucified. Our own hope had been that he would be the one to set Israel free. And this is not all: two whole days have gone by since it all happened; and some women from our group have astounded us: they went to the tomb in the early morning, and when they did not find the body, they came back to tell us they had seen a vision of angels who declared he was alive. Some of our friends went to the tomb and found everything exactly as the women had reported, but of him they saw nothing.’
Then he said to them, ‘You foolish men! So slow to believe the full message of the prophets! Was it not ordained that the Christ should suffer and so enter into his glory?’ Then, starting with Moses and going through all the prophets, he explained to them the passages throughout the scriptures that were about himself.
When they drew near to the village to which they were going, he made as if to go on; but they pressed him to stay with them. ‘It is nearly evening’ they said ‘and the day is almost over.’ So he went in to stay with them. Now while he was with them at table, he took the bread and said the blessing; then he broke it and handed it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognised him; but he had vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us as he talked to us on the road and explained the scriptures to us?’
They set out that instant and returned to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven assembled together with their companions, who said to them, ‘Yes, it is true. The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.’ Then they told their story of what had happened on the road and how they had recognised him at the breaking of bread.

Too often we are so caught up in our worldly affairs, our griefs and sorrows that we cannot see, hear His voice or even recognise our Risen Lord standing before us. Can our Guardian angel then help and point us in the right direction?

Those who live in the presence of the Risen Lord can attest to the peace and joy they carry in their hearts with them where ever they go. They know with a sense of certainty that life on earth is only a gateway to true eternal life with our Saviour Jesus Christ. And so they live out their baptismal vows to grow in Holiness.

Therefore sisters and brothers let us live loving, Christ centred lives. So they we will be able to lead others who do not yet know Jesus, into new life with Him through baptism. Through Christ our Lord. Amen

First reading

Acts 2:36-41 †
You must repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus

On the day of Pentecost, Peter spoke to the Jews: ‘The whole House of Israel can be certain that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ.’
Hearing this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the apostles, ‘What must we do, brothers?’ ‘You must repent,’ Peter answered ‘and every one of you must be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise that was made is for you and your children, and for all those who are far away, for all those whom the Lord our God will call to himself.’ He spoke to them for a long time using many arguments, and he urged them, ‘Save yourselves from this perverse generation.’ They were convinced by his arguments, and they accepted what he said and were baptised. That very day about three thousand were added to their number.

Gospel

John 20:11-18
‘I have seen the Lord and he has spoken to me’

Mary stayed outside near the tomb, weeping. Then, still weeping, she stooped to look inside, and saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head, the other at the feet. They said, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ ‘They have taken my Lord away’ she replied ‘and I don’t know where they have put him.’ As she said this she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, though she did not recognise him. Jesus said, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said, ‘Sir, if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and remove him.’ Jesus said, ‘Mary!’ She knew him then and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbuni!’ – which means Master. Jesus said to her, ‘Do not cling to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go and find the brothers, and tell them: I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ So Mary of Magdala went and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and that he had said these things to her.