Today’s first reading is so precious because it is a guide for Christians on their pilgrim journey to their Heavenly inheritance given by St Raphael one of the seven angels who stand ever ready to enter the presence of the glory of the Lord. If one says that it is simply a work of fiction, I would rather we review that statement simply with this thought, “Is Tobit not an inspired work of God?”

• Always and above Bless God, utter His praise before all the living.
• Testify to His goodness and all He has done in your life.
• Never tire of giving Him thanks (heart of gratitude towards the Lord Your God)
• Proclaim His wondrous deeds.
• Do what is good and avoid all evil.
• Pray, give alms with right conduct.
• Do not hoard your wealth.
• Do not hesitate to do what is right, make haste to help those in need.

If you reflect a little more deeply on today’s Gospel, you will see that the poor widow did all as it is mentioned above in one way or another.

Blessed be God who lives forever in our midst and in our hearts. Amen

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First reading

Tobit 12:1,5-15,20

‘I am one of the seven angels who stand ever ready to enter the presence of the glory of the Lord’

When the feasting was over, Tobit called his son Tobias and said, ‘My son, you ought to think about paying the amount due to your fellow traveller; give him more than the figure agreed on.’ So Tobias called his companion and said, ‘Take half of what you brought back, in payment for all you have done, and go in peace.’

    Then Raphael took them both aside and said, ‘Bless God, utter his praise before all the living for all the favours he has given you. Bless and extol his name. Proclaim before all men the deeds of God as they deserve, and never tire of giving him thanks. It is right to keep the secret of a king, yet right to reveal and publish the works of God. Thank him worthily. Do what is good, and no evil can befall you.

    ‘Prayer with fasting and alms with right conduct are better than riches with iniquity. Better to practise almsgiving than to hoard up gold. Almsgiving saves from death and purges every kind of sin. Those who give alms have their fill of days; those who commit sin and do evil, bring harm on themselves.

    ‘I am going to tell you the whole truth, hiding nothing from you. I have already told you that it is right to keep the secret of a king, yet right too to reveal in worthy fashion the works of God. So you must know that when you and Sarah were at prayer, it was I who offered your supplications before the glory of the Lord and who read them; so too when you were burying the dead. When you did not hesitate to get up and leave the table to go and bury a dead man, I was sent to test your faith, and at the same time God sent me to heal you and your daughter-in-law Sarah. I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who stand ever ready to enter the presence of the glory of the Lord.

    ‘Now bless the Lord on earth and give thanks to God. I am about to return to him above who sent me.’

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Gospel

Mark 12:38-44

This poor widow has put in more than all

In his teaching Jesus said, ‘Beware of the scribes who like to walk about in long robes, to be greeted obsequiously in the market squares, to take the front seats in the synagogues and the places of honour at banquets; these are the men who swallow the property of widows, while making a show of lengthy prayers. The more severe will be the sentence they receive.’

    He sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the treasury, and many of the rich put in a great deal. A poor widow came and put in two small coins, the equivalent of a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, ‘I tell you solemnly, this poor widow has put more in than all who have contributed to the treasury; for they have all put in money they had over, but she from the little she had has put in everything she possessed, all she had to live on.’

Here is a truth for today in this day and age. That is, we do not Bless one another as often and as much as we should! We are quick tempered and readily criticise those who do not perform or act according to our standards; or hold our tongues but mutter under our breath. We would rather curse instead of bless and so it begs the question whom is it that we serve? Whom is it that we love?

If it is the Lord our God then we should seize any and every opportunity to Bless one another, whether it is with a kind word or an act of love. For Blessing one another is likewise giving praise and glory to God our Heavenly Father who is Blessed in turn; for we live as His children in the light of the resurrection of His Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We follow after the heart of Christ who turns all curses into Blessings!

Jesus Son of the living God Bless us and keep us close to You. Amen

Saint Ephraem pray for us…

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First reading

Tobit 11:5-17 ·

Tobit’s sight is restored to him

Anna was sitting, watching the road by which her son would come. She was sure at once it must be he and said to the father, ‘Here comes your son, with his companion.’

    Raphael said to Tobias before he reached his father, ‘I give you my word that your father’s eyes will open. You must put the fish’s gall to his eyes; the medicine will smart and will draw a filmy white skin off his eyes. And your father will be able to see and look on the light.’

    The mother ran forward and threw her arms round her son’s neck. ‘Now I can die,’ she said ‘I have seen you again.’ And she wept. Tobit rose to his feet and stumbled across the courtyard through the door. Tobias came on towards him (he had the fish’s gall in his hand). He blew into his eyes and said, steadying him, ‘Take courage, father!’ With this he applied the medicine, left it there a while, then with both hands peeled away a filmy skin from the corners of his eyes. Then his father fell on his neck and wept. He exclaimed, ‘I can see, my son, the light of my eyes!’ And he said:

‘Blessed be God!

Blessed be his great name!

Blessed be all his holy angels!

Blessed be his great name for evermore!

For he had scourged me

and now has had pity on me

and I see my son Tobias.’

Tobias went into the house, and with a loud voice joyfully blessed God. Then he told his father everything: how his journey had been successful and he had brought the silver back; how he had married Sarah, the daughter of Raguel; how she was following him now, close behind, and could not be far from the gates of Nineveh.

    Tobit set off to the gates of Nineveh to meet his daughter-in-law, giving joyful praise to God as he went. When the people of Nineveh saw him walking without a guide and stepping forward as briskly as of old, they were astonished. Tobit described to them how God had taken pity on him and had opened his eyes. Then Tobit met Sarah, the bride of his son Tobias, and blessed her in these words, ‘Welcome, daughter! Blessed be your God for sending you to us, my daughter. Blessings on your father, blessings on my son Tobias, blessings on yourself, my daughter. Welcome now to your own house in joyfulness and in blessedness. Come in, my daughter.’ He held a feast that day for all the Jews of Nineveh.

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Gospel

Mark 12:35-37

‘David himself calls him Lord’

At that time while teaching in the Temple, Jesus said, ‘How can the scribes maintain that the Christ is the son of David? David himself, moved by the Holy Spirit, said:

The Lord said to my Lord:

Sit at my right hand

and I will put your enemies

under your feet.

David himself calls him Lord, in what way then can he be his son?’ And the great majority of the people heard this with delight.

Wonderful is it not to Bless the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, strength and soul and only then do we petition Him that He might Bless us too as He readily does! Is this not singleness of heart?

Likewise married couples too should Bless the Lord everyday and pray for singleness of heart in Him and with one another all the days of their lives.

Now see today’s Gospel through the lens of ‘singleness of heart’ and we shall see that the Lord our God desires such an intimate relationship with Him. That we shall love Him, with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind and with all our strength. Singleness of Heart! And we shall love one another as we love ourselves. Singleness of Heart! Loving one another as One Body in Him. Amen

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First reading

Tobit 6:10-11,7:1,9-14,8:4-9

‘We must pray and petition the Lord’

Raphael and Tobit entered Media and had nearly reached Ecbetana when Raphael said to the boy, ‘Brother Tobias.’ ‘Yes?’ he answered. The angel went on, ‘Tonight we shall be staying with Raguel, who is a kinsman of yours. He has a daughter called Sarah, but apart from Sarah he has no other son or daughter.’

    As they entered Ecbatana, Tobias said, ‘Brother Azarias, take me at once to our brother Raguel’s.’ And he showed him the way to the house of Raguel, whom they found sitting beside his courtyard door. They greeted him first, and he replied, ‘Welcome and greetings, brothers.’ And he took them into his house. He said to his wife Edna, ‘How like my brother Tobit this young man is!’ Raguel killed a sheep from the flock, and they gave them a warm-hearted welcome.

    They washed and bathed and sat down to table. Then Tobias said to Raphael, ‘Brother Azarias, will you ask Raguel to give me my sister Sarah?’ Raguel overheard the words, and said to the young man, ‘Eat and drink, and make the most of your evening; no one else has the right to take my daughter Sarah – no one but you, my brother. In any case I, for my own part, am not at liberty to give her to anyone else, since you are her next of kin. However, my boy, I must be frank with you: I have tried to find a husband for her seven times among our kinsmen, and all of them have died the first evening, on going to her room. But for the present, my boy, eat and drink; the Lord will grant you his grace and peace.’ Tobias spoke out, ‘I will not hear of eating and drinking till you have come to a decision about me.’ Raguel answered, ‘Very well. Since, as prescribed by the Book of Moses, she is given to you, heaven itself decrees she shall be yours. I therefore entrust your sister to you. From now you are her brother and she is your sister. She is given to you from today for ever. The Lord of heaven favour you tonight, my child, and grant you his grace and peace.’ Raguel called for his daughter Sarah, took her by the hand and gave her to Tobias with these words, ‘I entrust her to you; the law and the ruling recorded in the Book of Moses assign her to you as your wife. Take her; take her home to your father’s house with a good conscience. The God of heaven grant you a good journey in peace.’ Then he turned to her mother and asked her to fetch him writing paper. He drew up the marriage contract, how he gave his daughter as bride to Tobias according to the ordinance in the Law of Moses.

    After this they began to eat and drink. The parents, meanwhile, had gone out and shut the door behind them. Tobias rose from the bed, and said to Sarah, ‘Get up, my sister! You and I must pray and petition our Lord to win his grace and his protection.’ She stood up, and they began praying for protection, and this was how he began:

‘You are blessed, O God of our fathers;

blessed, too, is your name

for ever and ever.

Let the heavens bless you

and all things you have made

for evermore.

It was you who created Adam,

you who created Eve his wife

to be his help and support;

and from these two the human race was born.

It was you who said,

“It is not good that the man should be alone;

let us make him a helpmate like himself.”

And so I do not take my sister

for any lustful motive;

I do it in singleness of heart.

Be kind enough to have pity on her and on me

and bring us to old age together.’

And together they said, ‘Amen, Amen’, and lay down for the night.

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Gospel

Mark 12:28-34

‘You are not far from the kingdom of God’

One of the scribes came up to Jesus and put a question to him, ‘Which is the first of all the commandments?’ Jesus replied, ‘This is the first: Listen, Israel, the Lord our God is the one Lord, and you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: You must love your neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.’ The scribe said to him, ‘Well spoken, Master; what you have said is true: that he is one and there is no other. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself, this is far more important than any holocaust or sacrifice.’ Jesus, seeing how wisely he had spoken, said, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’ And after that no one dared to question him any more.

Today’s first reading and Gospel are very comforting indeed! For they reiterate the fact that we are children of the resurrection! That we Christians living in Christ Jesus our Lord, are destined for eternal life with God our Heavenly Father. When we die we become like the angels, therefore we are united with the Saints who have gone before us and can intercede for those we leave behind.

Even now we can pray to the Lord our God to send his angels to come to our aid. And we do not have to pray just to St Michael to aid us in our battle against evil, we can pray to St Raphael and the rest of the Heavenly hosts!

Sing praises to the living God, glory hallelujah! Amen

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First reading

Tobit 3:1-11,16-17

Raphael is sent to bring remedy to the house of Tobit

Sad at heart, I, Tobit, sighed and wept, and began this prayer of lamentation:

‘You are just, O Lord,

and just are all your works.

All your ways are grace and truth,

and you are the Judge of the world.

‘Therefore, Lord, remember me, look on me.

Do not punish me for my sins

or for my heedless faults

or for those of my fathers.

‘For we have sinned against you

and broken your commandments;

and you have given us over to be plundered,

to captivity and death,

to be the talk, the laughing-stock and scorn

of all the nations among whom you have dispersed us.

‘Whereas all your decrees are true

when you deal with me as my faults deserve,

and those of my fathers,

since we have neither kept your commandments

nor walked in truth before you;

so now, do with me as you will;

be pleased to take my life from me;

I desire to be delivered from earth

and to become earth again.

For death is better for me than life.

I have been reviled without a cause

and I am distressed beyond measure.

‘Lord, I wait for the sentence you will give

to deliver me from this affliction.

Let me go away to my everlasting home;

do not turn your face from me, O Lord.

For it is better to die than still to live

in the face of trouble that knows no pity;

I am weary of hearing myself traduced.’

It chanced on the same day that Sarah the daughter of Raguel, who lived in Media at Ecbatana, also heard insults from one of her father’s maids. You must know that she had been given in marriage seven times, and that Asmodeus, that worst of demons, had killed her bridegrooms one after another before ever they had slept with her as man with wife. The servant-girl said, ‘Yes, you kill your bridegrooms yourself. That makes seven already to whom you have been given, and you have not once been in luck yet. Just because your bridegrooms have died, that is no reason for punishing us. Go and join them, and may we be spared the sight of any child of yours!’ That day, she grieved, she sobbed, and went up to her father’s room intending to hang herself. But then she thought, ‘Suppose they blamed my father! They will say, “You had an only daughter whom you loved, and now she has hanged herself for grief.” I cannot cause my father a sorrow which would bring down his old age to the dwelling of the dead. I should do better not to hang myself, but to beg the Lord to let me die and not live to hear any more insults.’

    This time the prayer of each of them found favour before the glory of God, and Raphael was sent to bring remedy to them both. He was to take the white spots from the eyes of Tobit, so that he might see God’s light with his own eyes; and he was to give Sarah, the daughter of Raguel, as bride to Tobias son of Tobit, and to rid her of Asmodeus, that worst of demons. For it was to Tobias before all other suitors that she belonged by right. Tobit was coming back from the courtyard into the house at the same moment as Sarah, the daughter of Raguel, was coming down from the upper room.

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Gospel

Mark 12:18-27

The God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob is the God of the living

Some Sadducees – who deny that there is a resurrection – came to him and they put this question to him, ‘Master, we have it from Moses in writing, if a man’s brother dies leaving a wife but no child, the man must marry the widow to raise up children for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. The first married a wife and then died leaving no children. The second married the widow, and he too died leaving no children; with the third it was the same, and none of the seven left any children. Last of all the woman herself died. Now at the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be, since she had been married to all seven?’

    Jesus said to them, ‘Is not the reason why you go wrong, that you understand neither the scriptures nor the power of God? For when they rise from the dead, men and women do not marry; no, they are like the angels in heaven. Now about the dead rising again, have you never read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the Bush, how God spoke to him and said: I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob? He is God, not of the dead, but of the living. You are very much mistaken.’

Do we think ourselves Holy, righteous and everyone else falls short? Even family? Whose standards do we measure them against? If we say against the standard of the Lord, our God then we are not truly His disciples! For how can know length, breadth, and depth of the knowledge and wisdom of our God? How humble are we to make such claims that we know? For even if He reveals certain things about our brethren, it is only so we can build them up! Not tear them down!

Therefore let all that we say and do, give glory to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Let us not be swayed by the ways of the world and give Him all which belongs to Him. We belong to Him! Amen

Saint Norbert pray for us….

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First reading

Tobit 2:9-14 ·

‘Everyone knows what return you have had for your good works’

I, Tobit, took a bath; then I went into the courtyard and lay down by the courtyard wall. Since it was hot I left my face uncovered. I did not know that there were sparrows in the wall above my head; their hot droppings fell into my eyes. White spots then formed, which I was obliged to have treated by the doctors. But the more ointments they tried me with, the more the spots blinded me, and in the end I became blind altogether. I remained without sight four years; all my brothers were distressed; and Ahikar provided for my upkeep for two years, till he left for Elymais.

    My wife Anna then undertook woman’s work; she would spin wool and take cloth to weave; she used to deliver whatever had been ordered from her and then receive payment. Now on March the seventh she finished a piece of work and delivered it to her customers. They paid her all that was due, and into the bargain presented her with a kid for a meal. When the kid came into my house, it began to bleat. I called to my wife and said, ‘Where does this creature come from? Suppose it has been stolen! Quick, let the owners have it back; we have no right to eat stolen goods.’ She said, ‘No, it was a present given me over and above my wages.’ I did not believe her, and told her to give it back to the owners (I blushed at this in her presence). Then she answered, ‘What about your own alms? What about your own good works? Everyone knows what return you have had for them.’

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Gospel

Mark 12:13-17

Give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God

The chief priests and the scribes and the elders sent to Jesus some Pharisees and some Herodians to catch him out in what he said. These came and said to him, ‘Master, we know you are an honest man, that you are not afraid of anyone, because a man’s rank means nothing to you, and that you teach the way of God in all honesty. Is it permissible to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay, yes or no?’ Seeing through their hypocrisy he said to them, ‘Why do you set this trap for me? Hand me a denarius and let me see it.’ They handed him one and he said, ‘Whose head is this? Whose name?’ ‘Caesar’s’ they told him. Jesus said to them, ‘Give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar – and to God what belongs to God.’ This reply took them completely by surprise.

Happy the man who fears the Lord! Who takes delight in all the Lord’s commands. His justice stands firm for ever, he is the light in the darkness for the upright. He is generous, merciful and just. The good man takes pity and lends and conducts his affairs with honour. (extracted from today’s responsorial psalm 111)

In today’s first reading we hear of such a man! He makes haste to preserve the dignity of a fellow child of God by attending to his burial. He does so unafraid of any repercussions he might face. Such is God fearing man who walks in His presence!

What about those who do not fear the Lord? Who commits injustices, and other heinous crimes against humanity! Whose sins committed in blood cry out to their creator? Jesus tells us what will happen to such men in today’s Gospel.

I shall not waver Lord, remember me when I come into Your Kingdom. Amen

Saint Boniface pray for us…

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First reading

Tobit 1:3,2:1-8

Tobit defies the law by burying the dead

I, Tobit, have walked in paths of truth and in good works all the days of my life. I have given much in alms to my brothers and fellow countrymen, exiled like me to Nineveh in the country of Assyria.

    In the reign of Esarhaddon I returned home, and my wife Anna was restored to me with my son Tobias. At our feast of Pentecost (the feast of Weeks) there was a good dinner. I took my place for the meal; the table was brought to me and various dishes were brought. Then I said to my son Tobias, ‘Go, my child, and seek out some poor, loyal-hearted man among our brothers exiled in Nineveh, and bring him to share my meal. I will wait until you come back, my child.’ So Tobias went out to look for some poor man among our brothers, but he came back again and said, ‘Father!’ I answered, ‘What is it, my child?’ He went on, ‘Father, one of our nation has just been murdered; he has been strangled and then thrown down in the market place; he is there still.’ I sprang up at once, left my meal untouched, took the man from the market place and laid him in one of my rooms, waiting until sunset to bury him. I came in again and washed myself and ate my bread in sorrow, remembering the words of the prophet Amos concerning Bethel:

Your feasts will be turned to mourning,

and all your songs to lamentation.

And I wept. When the sun was down, I went and dug a grave and buried him. My neighbours laughed and said, ‘See! He is not afraid any more.’ (You must remember that a price had been set on my head earlier for this very thing.) ‘The time before this he had to flee, yet here he is, beginning to bury the dead again.’

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Gospel

Mark 12:1-12

They seized the beloved son, killed him and threw him out of the vineyard

Jesus began to speak to the chief priests, the scribes and the elders in parables: ‘A man planted a vineyard; he fenced it round, dug out a trough for the winepress and built a tower; then he leased it to tenants and went abroad. When the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them his share of the produce from the vineyard. But they seized the man, thrashed him and sent him away empty-handed. Next he sent another servant to them; him they beat about the head and treated shamefully. And he sent another and him they killed; then a number of others, and they thrashed some and killed the rest. He had still someone left: his beloved son. He sent him to them last of all. “They will respect my son” he said. But those tenants said to each other, “This is the heir. Come on, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.” So they seized him and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard. Now what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and make an end of the tenants and give the vineyard to others. Have you not read this text of scripture:

It was the stone rejected by the builders

that became the keystone.

This was the Lord’s doing

and it is wonderful to see?

And they would have liked to arrest him, because they realised that the parable was aimed at them, but they were afraid of the crowds. So they left him alone and went away.

Seek the wisdom of the Lord with all your heart and in purity you will find her!

For in our steadfast desire to follow His Word and Will for us, He has opened the Heavens for us.

And in Authority we have been sent by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, to make disciples of all nations! We are empowered by the Lord of lords the King of kings. To lead all He sends our way into His kingdom.

In the light of Your wisdom Lord I declare that Your kingdom come, Your Will be done now and forever. Amen

Saints Charles Lwanga and his Companions pray for us….

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First reading

Ecclesiasticus 51:17-27

Glory be to him who has given me wisdom

I will thank you and praise you,

    and bless the name of the Lord.

When I was still a youth, before I went travelling,

    in my prayers I asked outright for wisdom.

Outside the sanctuary I would pray for her,

    and to the last I will continue to seek her.

From her blossoming to the ripening of her grape

    my heart has taken its delight in her.

My foot has pursued a straight path,

    I have been following her steps ever since my youth.

By bowing my ear a little I have received her,

    and have found much instruction.

Thanks to her I have advanced;

    the glory be to him who has given me wisdom!

For I am determined to put her into practice,

    I have earnestly pursued what is good, I will not be put to shame.

My soul has fought to possess her,

    I have been scrupulous in keeping the Law;

I have stretched out my hands to heaven

    and bewailed my ignorance of her;

I have directed my soul towards her,

    and in purity have found her.

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Gospel

Mark 11:27-33

I will not tell you my authority for acting like this

Jesus and his disciples came to Jerusalem, and as Jesus was walking in the Temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him, and they said to him, ‘What authority have you for acting like this? Or who gave you authority to do these things?’ Jesus said to them, ‘I will ask you a question, only one; answer me and I will tell you my authority for acting like this. John’s baptism: did it come from heaven, or from man? Answer me that.’ And they argued it out this way among themselves: ‘If we say from heaven, he will say, “Then why did you refuse to believe him?” But dare we say from man?’ – they had the people to fear, for everyone held that John was a real prophet. So their reply to Jesus was, ‘We do not know.’ And Jesus said to them, ‘Nor will I tell you my authority for acting like this.’

Are we concerned about leaving behind a legacy when we are dead and gone? Do we want to be remembered for what we did? As I have aged and now am beginning to see folks my age or even younger pass on, thoughts such as these have been playing on my mind.

Yes it would be wonderful if I am remembered as a man of God who tried his utmost to remain steadfast and faithful. But what would be greater is how I made people feel while I was with them. Did they feel the presence of the Lord my God when I spoke and ministered to them. Were they healed, delivered, set free to experience the love of their creator? Did I stir hearts to want to know Him in depth such that they experience His peace and love? How many souls have I saved for His glory?

Well to fulfil this hope and desire then I must ensure that my ‘temple’ that is the temple of the Holy Spirit, is one of prayer, a dwelling place of the Lord my God. I must be able to bear fruit in and out of season! For all things are possible for the one I serve with all my heart, strength and soul. I must fill my heart with His mercy and love, so I forgive readily just as I am forgiven by Him.

Renew me Lord and let my faith deepen, so that I may glorify in all that I say and do; for all the remaining days of my life. Amen

Saints Marcellinus and Peter pray for us…

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First reading

Ecclesiasticus 44:1,9-13

Let us praise illustrious men

Let us praise illustrious men,

    our ancestors in their successive generations.

Some have left no memory,

    and disappeared as though they had not existed,

they are now as though they had never been,

    and so too, their children after them.

But here is a list of generous men

    whose good works have not been forgotten.

In their descendants there remains

    a rich inheritance born of them.

Their descendants stand by the covenants

    and, thanks to them, so do their children’s children.

Their offspring will last for ever,

    their glory will not fade.

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Gospel

Mark 11:11-26

The fig tree; the cleansing of the Temple

After he had been acclaimed by the crowds, Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the Temple. He looked all round him, but as it was now late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

    Next day as they were leaving Bethany, he felt hungry. Seeing a fig tree in leaf some distance away, he went to see if he could find any fruit on it, but when he came up to it he found nothing but leaves; for it was not the season for figs. And he addressed the fig tree. ‘May no one ever eat fruit from you again’ he said. And his disciples heard him say this.

    So they reached Jerusalem and he went into the Temple and began driving out those who were selling and buying there; he upset the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those who were selling pigeons. Nor would he allow anyone to carry anything through the Temple. And he taught them and said, ‘Does not scripture say: My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples? But you have turned it into a robbers’ den.’ This came to the ears of the chief priests and the scribes, and they tried to find some way of doing away with him; they were afraid of him because the people were carried away by his teaching. And when evening came he went out of the city.

    Next morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree withered to the roots. Peter remembered. ‘Look, Rabbi,’ he said to Jesus, ‘the fig tree you cursed has withered away.’ Jesus answered, ‘Have faith in God. I tell you solemnly, if anyone says to this mountain, “Get up and throw yourself into the sea,” with no hesitation in his heart but believing that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. I tell you therefore: everything you ask and pray for, believe that you have it already, and it will be yours. And when you stand in prayer, forgive whatever you have against anybody, so that your Father in heaven may forgive your failings too. But if you do not forgive, your Father in heaven will not forgive your failings either.’

All of creation rightly gives You praise O Lord our God for everything You have created is perfect! Your word O Lord gives life! Indeed the work of the Lord is full of glory.

And we sons and daughters of God the Father, wonderfully made, give Him thanks and praise! The Word made flesh our Emmanuel had come so that we shall have life eternal with Him. Jesus source of all life dwells with us, through Him we are healed and restored.

Let us then as God our Father’s children, empowered through Jesus Christ our Lord bring about His healing and restoration to all our brethren. Let go out and share the joy of the Gospel so that all who come to know Jesus will share in our Heavenly inheritance. Amen

Saint Justin pray for us…

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First reading

Ecclesiasticus 42:15-26 ·

The work of the Lord is full of his glory

I will remind you of the works of the Lord,

    and tell of what I have seen.

By the words of the Lord his works come into being

    and all creation obeys his will.

As the sun in shining looks on all things,

    so the work of the Lord is full of his glory.

The Lord has not granted to the holy ones

    to tell of all his marvels

which the Almighty Lord has solidly constructed

    for the universe to stand firm in his glory.

He has fathomed the deep and the heart,

    and seen into their devious ways;

for the Most High knows all the knowledge there is,

    and has observed the signs of the times.

He declares what is past and what will be,

    and uncovers the traces of hidden things.

Not a thought escapes him,

    not a single word is hidden from him.

He has imposed an order on the magnificent works of his wisdom,

    he is from everlasting to everlasting,

nothing can be added to him, nothing taken away,

    he needs no one’s advice.

How desirable are all his works,

    how dazzling to the eye!

They all live and last for ever,

    whatever the circumstances all obey him.

All things go in pairs, by opposites,

    and he has made nothing defective;

the one consolidates the excellence of the other,

    who could ever be sated with gazing at his glory?

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Gospel

Mark 10:46-52

Go; your faith has saved you

As Jesus left Jericho with his disciples and a large crowd, Bartimaeus (that is, the son of Timaeus), a blind beggar, was sitting at the side of the road. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout and to say, ‘Son of David, Jesus, have pity on me.’ And many of them scolded him and told him to keep quiet, but he only shouted all the louder, ‘Son of David, have pity on me.’ Jesus stopped and said, ‘Call him here.’ So they called the blind man. ‘Courage,’ they said ‘get up; he is calling you.’ So throwing off his cloak, he jumped up and went to Jesus. Then Jesus spoke, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ ‘Rabbuni,’ the blind man said to him ‘Master, let me see again.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go; your faith has saved you.’ And immediately his sight returned and he followed him along the road.

On this feast day of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, perhaps we can we ask ourselves if we have made the effort to visit our brethren? Especially those in need! What do I mean by ‘visit’?

Well let’s see what we can learn from both our Blessed Mother and today’s Gospel…

• She made haste to visit her aged cousin who would definitely need help as she was due to deliver. (She did not procrastinate or delay)
• She travelled the distance likely on foot ( in other words, she went out of her way for love of her cousin)
• She brought the joy of the Gospel with her (She carried the word in her womb and it brought joy to great joy to Elisabeth, John the Baptist and the whole household)
• She praised God with body, mind and spirit and prophesied!
• She stayed three months before heading home (would you take as much time as needed to see to the needs of another?)

Yes indeed! how have you and I brought Christ Jesus into any if not all our ‘visits’?

With the same zeal, love and humble servitude as our Blessed Mother seeking only to Glorify the Lord our God!

Blessed Mother pray for us….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.

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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.

While we do not work for rewards or recognition, indeed how blessed are we when offer our all for the glory of God!

For we have a generous Father who loves us without condition and showers us with His abundant grace. He is forever faithful even when we are not always faithful. He looks kindly on His servants, especially those who in our humble servitude of brethren. Our Lord and Saviour had reminded us, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Matt 25:40

Lord we leave everything behind for the sake of the Gospel, when our time comes; grant us eternal life. Amen

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First reading

Ecclesiasticus 35:2-15 ·

Give to the Most High as he has given to you

A man multiplies offerings by keeping the Law;

    he offers communion sacrifices by following the commandments.

By showing gratitude he makes an offering of fine flour,

    by giving alms he offers a sacrifice of praise.

Withdraw from wickedness and the Lord will be pleased,

    withdraw from injustice and you make atonement.

Do not appear empty-handed in the Lord’s presence;

    for all these things are due under the commandment.

A virtuous man’s offering graces the altar,

    and its savour rises before the Most High.

A virtuous man’s sacrifice is acceptable,

    its memorial will not be forgotten.

Honour the Lord with generosity,

    do not stint the first-fruits you bring.

Add a smiling face to all your gifts,

    and be cheerful as you dedicate your tithes.

Give to the Most High as he has given to you,

    generously as your means can afford;

for the Lord is a good rewarder,

    he will reward you seven times over.

Offer him no bribe, he will not accept it,

    do not put your faith in an unvirtuous sacrifice;

since the Lord is a judge

    who is no respecter of personages.

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Gospel

Mark 10:28-31

Whoever has left everything for the sake of the gospel will be repaid

At that time Peter began to tell Jesus, ‘What about us? We have left everything and followed you.’ Jesus said, ‘I tell you solemnly, there is no one who has left house, brothers, sisters, father, children or land for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not be repaid a hundred times over, houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and land – not without persecutions – now in this present time and, in the world to come, eternal life.

    ‘Many who are first will be last, and the last first.’

What better way to celebrate the renewed mind, on the day after Pentecost then to honour the spouse of the Holy Spirit the mother of our Church, Mary our Blessed Mother!

With renewed body, mind and spirit we remember and honour our dearest mother who nurtures her church through her intercession. She has never turned away when we fled to her for protection neither has she ever left us unaided. Her immaculate heart is our refuge and the way that leads us deeper and closer to the Lord our God.

Mary, Mother of the Church pray for us…Amen

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First reading

Genesis 3:9-15,20 ·

The mother of all those who live

After Adam had eaten of the tree the Lord God called to him. ‘Where are you?’ he asked. ‘I heard the sound of you in the garden;’ he replied ‘I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.’ ‘Who told you that you were naked?’ he asked ‘Have you been eating of the tree I forbade you to eat?’ The man replied, ‘It was the woman you put with me; she gave me the fruit, and I ate it.’ Then the Lord God asked the woman, ‘What is this you have done?’ The woman replied, ‘The serpent tempted me and I ate.’

    Then the Lord God said to the serpent, ‘Because you have done this,

‘Be accursed beyond all cattle,

all wild beasts.

You shall crawl on your belly and eat dust

every day of your life.

I will make you enemies of each other:

you and the woman,

your offspring and her offspring.

It will crush your head

and you will strike its heel.’

The man named his wife ‘Eve’ because she was the mother of all those who live.

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Gospel

John 19:25-34

‘Behold your son. Behold your mother.’

Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. Seeing his mother and the disciple he loved standing near her, Jesus said to his mother, ‘Woman, this is your son.’ Then to the disciple he said, ‘This is your mother.’ And from that moment the disciple made a place for her in his home.

    After this, Jesus knew that everything had now been completed, and to fulfil the scripture perfectly he said, ‘I am thirsty.’

    A jar full of vinegar stood there, so putting a sponge soaked in the vinegar on a hyssop stick they held it up to his mouth. After Jesus had taken the vinegar he said, ‘It is accomplished’; and bowing his head he gave up his spirit.

    It was Preparation Day, and to prevent the bodies remaining on the cross during the sabbath – since that sabbath was a day of special solemnity – the Jews asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken away. Consequently the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with him and then of the other. When they came to Jesus, they found he was already dead, and so instead of breaking his legs one of the soldiers pierced his side with a lance; and immediately there came out blood and water.

Yes Lord let me testify to Your love for me and for my brethren. Let me testify to this Truth!

Let me be one of Your many un-named disciples truly loved by You. I seek not titles or recognition, only that I should glorify You by my life.

Let me proclaim Your Kingdom, teaching the truth about You, my Lord and saviour Jesus Christ!

And if it Your Will that I should die, then raise me up with You to eternal glory. Amen Alleluia!

Saint Augustine of Canterbury pray for us… 

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First reading

Acts 28:16-20,30-31 ·

In Rome, Paul proclaimed the kingdom of God without hindrance from anyone

On our arrival in Rome Paul was allowed to stay in lodgings of his own with the soldier who guarded him.

    After three days he called together the leading Jews. When they had assembled, he said to them, ‘Brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. They examined me and would have set me free, since they found me guilty of nothing involving the death penalty; but the Jews lodged an objection, and I was forced to appeal to Caesar, not that I had any accusation to make against my own nation. That is why I have asked to see you and talk to you, for it is on account of the hope of Israel that I wear this chain.’

    Paul spent the whole of the two years in his own rented lodging. He welcomed all who came to visit him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching the truth about the Lord Jesus Christ with complete freedom and without hindrance from anyone.

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Gospel

John 21:20-25

This disciple is the one who vouches for these things and we know that his testimony is true

Peter turned and saw the disciple Jesus loved following them – the one who had leaned on his breast at the supper and had said to him, ‘Lord, who is it that will betray you?’ Seeing him, Peter said to Jesus, ‘What about him, Lord?’ Jesus answered, ‘If I want him to stay behind till I come, what does it matter to you? You are to follow me.’ The rumour then went out among the brothers that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus had not said to Peter, ‘He will not die’, but, ‘If I want him to stay behind till I come.’

    This disciple is the one who vouches for these things and has written them down, and we know that his testimony is true.

    There were many other things that Jesus did; if all were written down, the world itself, I suppose, would not hold all the books that would have to be written.

How do you love me? How deep is your love for me? How are you going to put your love for me into action for your sisters and brothers in the world? The Lord puts this question to you and me this very day? What will our answer be?

Lord I choose to follow You! Come what may, lead me Lord and I will follow. Come Holy His Spirit show me the way. Amen Alleluia!

Saint Philip Neri, pray for us… 

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First reading

Acts 25:13-21 ·

‘I ordered Paul to be remanded until I could send him to Caesar’

King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in Caesarea and paid their respects to Festus. Their visit lasted several days, and Festus put Paul’s case before the king. ‘There is a man here’ he said ‘whom Felix left behind in custody, and while I was in Jerusalem the chief priests and elders of the Jews laid information against him, demanding his condemnation. But I told them that Romans are not in the habit of surrendering any man, until the accused confronts his accusers and is given an opportunity to defend himself against the charge. So they came here with me, and I wasted no time but took my seat on the tribunal the very next day and had the man brought in. When confronted with him, his accusers did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected; but they had some argument or other with him about their own religion and about a dead man called Jesus whom Paul alleged to be alive. Not feeling qualified to deal with questions of this sort, I asked him if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem to be tried there on this issue. But Paul put in an appeal for his case to be reserved for the judgement of the august emperor, so I ordered him to be remanded until I could send him to Caesar.’

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Gospel

John 21:15-19

Feed my lambs, feed my sheep

Jesus showed himself to his disciples, and after they had eaten he said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others do?’ He answered, ‘Yes Lord, you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ A second time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ He replied, ‘Yes, Lord, you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Look after my sheep.’ Then he said to him a third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was upset that he asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ and said, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.

‘I tell you most solemnly,

when you were young

you put on your own belt

and walked where you liked;

but when you grow old

you will stretch out your hands,

and somebody else will put a belt round you

and take you where you would rather not go.’

In these words he indicated the kind of death by which Peter would give glory to God. After this he said, ‘Follow me.’

If we say that we are One in Christ then how can Christians be divided on so many levels? Why are there so many denominations? Why are there so many arguments and disagreements on matters of faith? In today’s first reading we see the great divide between the Pharisees and Sadducees on matters of faith! Faith in whom? The One God?

In today’s Gospel we hear the prayer of Jesus for us to be completely One with Him and the Holy Trinity! That the world may know Jesus by our love and Oneness in Him. Therefore we strive always to focus on that which unites us not that which divides us.  St John Paul II wrote an encyclical Ut Unum Sint, on our committment to Ecumenism which every catholic should read and embrace. For we must always have dialogue and strive for solidarity in the service of humanity. We have all many varied and abundant gifts for which we can glorify the Lord our God by our work towards greater Oneness in and through Him.

We Are One In The Spirit

We Are One In The Lord

And We Pray That All Unity

May One Day Be Restored

And They’ll Know We Are

Christians By Our Love, By Our Love;

Yes, They’ll Know We Are Christians

By Our Love!

Amen Alleluia!

Saint Gregory VII, Pope, Saint Mary Magdalen de’ Pazzi, Saint Bede the Venerable pray for us….

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First reading

Acts 22:30,23:6-11 ·

‘You have borne witness in Jerusalem: now you must do the same in Rome’

Since the tribune wanted to know what precise charge the Jews were bringing, he freed Paul and gave orders for a meeting of the chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin; then he brought Paul down and stood him in front of them. Now Paul was well aware that one section was made up of Sadducees and the other of Pharisees, so he called out in the Sanhedrin, ‘Brothers, I am a Pharisee and the son of Pharisees. It is for our hope in the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.’ As soon as he said this a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was split between the two parties. For the Sadducees say there is neither resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit, while the Pharisees accept all three. The shouting grew louder, and some of the scribes from the Pharisees’ party stood up and protested strongly, ‘We find nothing wrong with this man. Suppose a spirit has spoken to him, or an angel?’ Feeling was running high, and the tribune, afraid that they would tear Paul to pieces, ordered his troops to go down and haul him out and bring him into the fortress.

    Next night, the Lord appeared to him and said, ‘Courage! You have borne witness for me in Jerusalem, now you must do the same in Rome.’

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Gospel

John 17:20-26

Father, may they be completely one

Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said:

‘Holy Father,

I pray not only for these,

but for those also

who through their words will believe in me.

May they all be one.

Father, may they be one in us,

as you are in me and I am in you,

so that the world may believe it was you who sent me.

I have given them the glory you gave to me,

that they may be one as we are one.

With me in them and you in me,

may they be so completely one

that the world will realise that it was you who sent me

and that I have loved them as much as you loved me.

Father, I want those you have given me

to be with me where I am,

so that they may always see the glory you have given me

because you loved me before the foundation of the world.

Father, Righteous One,

the world has not known you,

but I have known you,

and these have known that you have sent me.

I have made your name known to them

and will continue to make it known,

so that the love with which you loved me may be in them,

and so that I may be in them.’

We are consecrated in truth for we are consecrated in the Truth, the Way and the Life, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Shall we not remain steadfast and consecrated in truth? If we are lost at any time, then we have chosen to be lost!

For we have been made overseers by the Holy Spirit to guard and watch over our Good Shepherd’s flock. Are we then firmly grafted to our vine who nourishes us and strengthens us, or have once again allowed ourselves to be unravelled by the cares and ways of the world!

Let us commend ourselves to the Lord, and to His Word which has power to build us up. So that we made be found worthy of our Heavenly inheritance. Amen Alleluia!

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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.

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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.’

How is it that St Paul whether it was through prophesy of word, vision or dream knew he was going to face persecution and imprisonment; yet still moved onwards towards where he was being led instead of turning to flee? Why because the Holy Spirit was not something abstract to him, the Holy Spirit was a reality and He will forever be the third person in the Holy trinity; God! Does one who love God, flee from Him?

And so it should be for us, that life is not a thing to waste words on, we are to finish the race and carry out the mission the Lord Jesus gave to us. To make disciples of all nations! Let us therefore go out to glorify the Lord by our lives.

Holy Spirit lead the way! Amen Alleluia!

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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.’

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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.’

Is it unthinkable to call God our Heavenly Father, Daddy? Papa? Or any other affectionate way we may call our earthly fathers? Well, if we only knew just how much He loves us and how He greatly desires to have an intimate relationship with us. This idea of calling Him Papa or Daddy would be as natural as any child calling out to their father with love and respect.

Papa I want more of Your presence in my life! Fill me with Your love daddy! Grant me what I need to glorify Your name Abba!

Yes! Indeed He will hear us and He will surely grant us what we ask in the name of His Son our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! We have this promise in today’s Gospel. Because our Heavenly truly loves us for we love His only begotten Son with all our hearts, minds, strength and soul.

Therefore we will go out boldly sharing the joy of the Gospel! Amen Alleluia!

Saint Bernardine of Siena pray for us…

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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.

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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.’

Yes while we wait for our turn to return to our Heavenly inheritance. We will face much hardship perhaps some may even face persecution. Many yet will face the indignity of growing old, sick and at some point helpless to care for ourselves!

Through it all we shall walk on unafraid. For even though we walk through the darkest valley, we will fear no evil, for our Lord is with us; His rod and His staff, they comfort us. We carry the joy of our resurrected Lord deep within our hearts wherever we may go.

For we are convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Amen Alleluia!

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First reading
Acts 18:9-18 ·
‘I have many people on my side in this city’

At Corinth one night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision, ‘Do not be afraid to speak out, nor allow yourself to be silenced: I am with you. I have so many people on my side in this city that no one will even attempt to hurt you.’ So Paul stayed there preaching the word of God among them for eighteen months.
    But, while Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a concerted attack on Paul and brought him before the tribunal. ‘We accuse this man’ they said ‘of persuading people to worship God in a way that breaks the Law.’ Before Paul could open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, ‘Listen, you Jews. If this were a misdemeanour or a crime, I would not hesitate to attend to you; but if it is only quibbles about words and names, and about your own Law, then you must deal with it yourselves – I have no intention of making legal decisions about things like that.’ Then he sent them out of the court, and at once they all turned on Sosthenes, the synagogue president, and beat him in front of the court house. Gallio refused to take any notice at all.
    After staying on for some time, Paul took leave of the brothers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had his hair cut off, because of a vow he had made.


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Gospel
John 16:20-23
Your hearts will be full of joy that no-one will take from you

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘I tell you most solemnly,
you will be weeping and wailing
while the world will rejoice;
you will be sorrowful,
but your sorrow will turn to joy.
A woman in childbirth suffers,
because her time has come;
but when she has given birth to the child she forgets the suffering
in her joy that a man has been born into the world.
So it is with you: you are sad now,
but I shall see you again, and your hearts will be full of joy,
and that joy no one shall take from you.
When that day comes,
you will not ask me any questions.’

I am a child of God so loved by my Heavenly Father. He hides me in the shadow of His wings, I am anointed, protected and adored. He will never abandon me, He has a plan for me; to prosper me, to give me a hope a future.

I listen to His voice, He knows me and I follow Him. He dwells in me and I in Him!

I have the complete truth in Him who guides me all throughout the days of my life.

I love because He first loved me. I am a child of God so loved by my Heavenly Father. Amen Alleluia!

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First reading

Acts 17:15,22-18:1

I proclaim the God you already worship without knowing it

Paul’s escort took him as far as Athens, and went back with instructions for Silas and Timothy to rejoin Paul as soon as they could.

    So Paul stood before the whole Council of the Areopagus and made this speech:

    ‘Men of Athens, I have seen for myself how extremely scrupulous you are in all religious matters, because I noticed, as I strolled round admiring your sacred monuments, that you had an altar inscribed: To An Unknown God. Well, the God whom I proclaim is in fact the one whom you already worship without knowing it.

    ‘Since the God who made the world and everything in it is himself Lord of heaven and earth, he does not make his home in shrines made by human hands. Nor is he dependent on anything that human hands can do for him, since he can never be in need of anything; on the contrary, it is he who gives everything – including life and breath – to everyone. From one single stock he not only created the whole human race so that they could occupy the entire earth, but he decreed how long each nation should flourish and what the boundaries of its territory should be. And he did this so that all nations might seek the deity and, by feeling their way towards him, succeed in finding him. Yet in fact he is not far from any of us, since it is in him that we live, and move, and exist, as indeed some of your own writers have said:

“We are all his children.”

‘Since we are the children of God, we have no excuse for thinking that the deity looks like anything in gold, silver or stone that has been carved and designed by a man.

    ‘God overlooked that sort of thing when men were ignorant, but now he is telling everyone everywhere that they must repent, because he has fixed a day when the whole world will be judged, and judged in righteousness, and he has appointed a man to be the judge. And God has publicly proved this by raising this man from the dead.’

    At this mention of rising from the dead, some of them burst out laughing; others said, ‘We would like to hear you talk about this again.’ After that Paul left them, but there were some who attached themselves to him and became believers, among them Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman called Damaris, and others besides.

    After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.

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Gospel

John 16:12-15

The Spirit of truth will lead you to the complete truth

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘I still have many things to say to you

but they would be too much for you now.

But when the Spirit of truth comes

he will lead you to the complete truth,

since he will not be speaking as from himself

but will say only what he has learnt;

and he will tell you of the things to come.

He will glorify me,

since all he tells you

will be taken from what is mine.

Everything the Father has is mine;

that is why I said:

All he tells you

will be taken from what is mine.’

“Believe in Jesus Christ and you will be saved, you and your household too.” Simply, to believe in Him frees us from sin, for all that is not of Him comes into the light and darkness is dispelled.  In believing in Him, the power of the resurrected Lord transforms us from within and true peace, love and joy fills our heart!

We read in today’s reading how praying, singing and worshipping the Lord our God invites the power of the Holy Spirit to come and free us from our shackles! Did He come there and then only to free the disciples and the prisoners? I believe that our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ had greater plans, He wanted to save the gaoler and his household! He came not only for the disciples and prisoners, He wanted true freedom from sin for everyone that included the gaoler and his household.

If serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Amen Alleluia! (Joshua 24:15)

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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.

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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.’

“Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward.” Matt 10:40-41

First of all how many of us having the word preached to us like Lydia, would have their hearts set ablaze by the Holy Spirit and thereafter extend the love of a disciple of Christ to the her fellow sister or brother in Him? She welcomed the prophet and I am sure she received a prophet’s reward but most importantly she received Christ Himself into her heart and into her home.

Are we then hospitality ministers in name or do is our love put into action? This would apply to whatever ministry we serve or capacity we do so for Christ Jesus our Lord!

O Spirit of truth come filled my heart, let me be a witness to my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen Alleluia

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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.

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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.’

I used to think that it was madness for St Paul to have St Timothy circumcised just because everyone knew his father was a Greek. But now as I reflect more in this, would I not be glad to lose some skin if I could save many souls by doing so? For many were brought to faith and their numbers grew! Then as I reflect further down the passage, I wonder how many times I was prompted by the Spirit of Jesus to do or not do something yet thought it was all in my head. How was it I did not recognise my Lord’s voice? “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” John 10:27 I reckon I had allowed the distractions of the world overwhelm me. I had not spent enough time in His presence, in prayer and listening to His Word.

I belonged to the world!

Now I renounce all affiliation and I sever all ties! I belong to Jesus alone!

I am no longer a slave to fear! I am a child of God my Heavenly Father who adores me! Amen Alleluia!

Our Lady of Fátima pray for us…

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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.

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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.’

In all our endeavours to build the Lord’s Kingdom, Evangelisation, service of Church, Service of Community, Servitude at home; in our desire to grow in Holiness, let us not forget the most important thing of all. And that is to LOVE! Not love as in the emotion but to love one another as our Lord loved us. How did our Lord love us? He died on the cross for love of us! So too we must be prepared to lay down our lives for one another. To love one another with a supernatural love, that is with and through the love of Christ.

The Lord has shown us what is good and what He requires of us. To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Amen Alleluia!

 Saints Nereus, Achilleus, Pancras, pray for us… 

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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.

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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.’

Love one another and remain in my love.

To remain in the love of our Lord we must know His Word and do His Will. Each and every day, our greatest desire is to wake up and dwell with Him in His presence. Then we carry Him with us every where we go.

A great example of a disciple remaining in our Lord’s love is St James, for in today’s reading He discerns all he hears from St Peter, St Paul, St Barnabas and then lays the ground on how to move forwards through Scripture the living word of God!

Therefore we cannot declare that we know our Lord and are remaining in His love when we do not know the Scriptures (His Word) for as St Jerome insisted, “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ!”

Let Your Word O Lord be a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Amen Alleluia!

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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.’

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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.’

“I get knocked down, but I get up again

You are never gonna keep me down

I get knocked down, but I get up again

You are never gonna keep me down” Song lyrics by Chumbawamba

What is the likelihood of this song written for St Paul especially after reading today’s first reading. Well NO! Of course it wasn’t, especially if you go on listening to the rest of the lyrics. But funny how many have breezed through the first reading and thought to themselves that St Paul was likely only slightly grazed and simply faked his death till his persecutors left. So after they left, he simply got up again!

Even if he had a tough constitution do we really believe St Paul was only slightly grazed? He was after all not being stoned by toddlers! These were adults literally throwing sharp stones at him. He must have bled and was badly hurt! Yes of course we would like to know how he could simply stand up and then surprisingly decide to go back to the town where the townsfolks who stoned him came from.

Here are few verses from St Paul that will perhaps bring it to light for us… “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Gal 2:20 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Cor 12:9-10 and finally “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Phil 4:13

St Paul clung to the promises of Christ and refused to allow his heart to be troubled and afraid. And so he was filled with the peace of Christ! The Lord our God was dwelling in his heart, he was One with His Lord.

We have a share in the same inheritance, for we too have been purchased by the blood of Christ Jesus our Lord and are anointed children of God our Heavenly Father. Let us therefore live in the peace, love and joy of our resurrected Lord, prepared at all times to get knocked down only to get up again for His glory. Amen Alleluia!

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First reading

Acts 14:19-28 ·

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

Some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium, and turned the people against the apostles. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the town, thinking he was dead. The disciples came crowding round him but, as they did so, he stood up and went back to the town. The next day he and Barnabas went off to Derbe.

    Having preached the Good News in that town and made a considerable number of disciples, they went back through Lystra and Iconium to Antioch. They put fresh heart into the disciples, encouraging them to persevere in the faith. ‘We all have to experience many hardships’ they said ‘before we enter the kingdom of God.’ In each of these churches they appointed elders, and with prayer and fasting they commended them to the Lord in whom they had come to believe.

    They passed through Pisidia and reached Pamphylia. Then after proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia and from there sailed for Antioch, where they had originally been commended to the grace of God for the work they had now completed.

    On their arrival they assembled the church and gave an account of all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith to the pagans. They stayed there with the disciples for some time.

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Gospel

John 14:27-31

A peace the world cannot give is my gift to you

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘Peace I bequeath to you, my own peace I give you,

a peace the world cannot give,

this is my gift to you.

Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.

You heard me say: I am going away, and shall return.

If you loved me you would have been glad to know that I am going to the Father,

for the Father is greater than I.

I have told you this now before it happens,

so that when it does happen you may believe.

I shall not talk with you any longer,

because the prince of this world is on his way.

He has no power over me,

but the world must be brought to know

that I love the Father

and that I am doing exactly what the Father told me.’

I remember a couple of years back I gave a talk on prayer for parents whose children were 10 years old and attending Catechism in our parish. There were about 25 parents present for the talk. At the very end of it, only one couple came up to thank me for an insightful talk. What struck me apart from how gracious they were, was that they were covered in tattoos from neck to arm’s length. I recalled how intently they were listening from the start. Then a few months later I saw that they had joined the choir! Praise the Lord!

I am quite certain the Holy Spirit was leading them to a greater relationship with the Lord our God. Perhaps their hearts were stirred a little during the talk but by surrendering their Will to the Lord, He led them to greater depths of a relationship by deciding to join a ministry.

The crippled man’s faith caught St Paul’s eye probably because he was listening intently and responding a certain way. But the fact remains that St Paul saw the crippled man through the eyes of our Lord, the same way we should see others through our Lord’s eyes.  Then like St Paul we too will be given opportunities to heal and restore through the power of our resurrected Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!

Come Holy Spirit! Open my eyes to see as my Lord sees. Amen Alleluia!

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First reading

Acts 14:5-18

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

Eventually with the connivance of the authorities a move was made by pagans as well as Jews to make attacks on the apostles and to stone them. When the apostles came to hear of this, they went off for safety to Lycaonia where, in the towns of Lystra and Derbe and in the surrounding country, they preached the Good News.

    A man sat there who had never walked in his life, because his feet were crippled from birth; and as he listened to Paul preaching, he managed to catch his eye. Seeing that the man had the faith to be cured, Paul said in a loud voice, ‘Get to your feet – stand up’, and the cripple jumped up and began to walk.

    When the crowd saw what Paul had done they shouted in the language of Lycaonia, ‘These people are gods who have come down to us disguised as men.’ They addressed Barnabas as Zeus, and since Paul was the principal speaker they called him Hermes. The priests of Zeus-outside-the-Gate, proposing that all the people should offer sacrifice with them, brought garlanded oxen to the gates. When the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard what was happening they tore their clothes, and rushed into the crowd, shouting, ‘Friends, what do you think you are doing? We are only human beings like you. We have come with good news to make you turn from these empty idols to the living God who made heaven and earth and the sea and all that these hold. In the past he allowed each nation to go its own way; but even then he did not leave you without evidence of himself in the good things he does for you: he sends you rain from heaven, he makes your crops grow when they should, he gives you food and makes you happy.’ Even this speech, however, was scarcely enough to stop the crowd offering them sacrifice.

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Gospel

John 14:21-26

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

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘Anybody who receives my commandments and keeps them

will be one who loves me;

and anybody who loves me will be loved by my Father,

and I shall love him and show myself to him.’

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

‘If anyone loves me he will keep my word,

and my Father will love him,

and we shall come to him and make our home with him.

Those who do not love me do not keep my words.

And my word is not my own:

it is the word of the one who sent me.

I have said these things to you while still with you;

but the Advocate, the Holy Spirit,

whom the Father will send in my name,

will teach you everything

and remind you of all I have said to you.’

We have a calling to be a light for all nations, regardless of race, language or religion. Regardless of social status! So that people living in darkness shall see a new light! The light of our resurrected Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

We are all called to proclaim His Word, whether or not the word is well received is not for us to be concerned about. For the Lord Himself will tend and care for His flock. Those who come to believe through us will be blessed with His presence, peace, love and joy will fill their hearts. We do what we have seen Him doing, just as He saw was His Father was doing and did likewise. And we will do greater works than He, for the Holy Spirit is upon us and dwells within us. For all that we do shall be for His glory!

Let us therefore, be fearless in taking on something new for Him. If we are called to be worship leaders then let us be the best worship leader through the power of the Holy Spirit. If we are called to a healing ministry let us be industrious in praying for healing and relentless till our prayers are heard. Let our zeal to glorify Him by our lives lead us through new heights and depths in Him. Amen Alleluia!

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First reading

Acts 13:44-52 ·

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

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

I have made you a light for the nations,

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

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

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

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Gospel

John 14:7-14

To have seen me is to have seen the father

Jesus said to his disciples:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Do you not believe

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

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

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

You must believe me when I say

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

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

I tell you most solemnly,

whoever believes in me

will perform the same works as I do myself,

he will perform even greater works,

because I am going to the Father.

Whatever you ask for in my name I will do,

so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

If you ask for anything in my name,

I will do it.’

We are only halfway through Easter, so let us take a moment to dwell on how we are still celebrating the joy of Easter with family, friends and all of the folks around us! If there is little or no joy left in us, it may because we have forgotten that our joy is in the Lord; and in the heart of servitude of others. It was not too long ago, on Maundy Thursday that the Lord reminded us of what we must do! “If then I being your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that as I have done to you, so you do also.”

And in today’s Gospel we are further enlightened that by our true and heartfelt love for one another, we will recognise our fellow sisters and brothers who are sent our way. For whoever welcomes the one our Lord sends welcomes Him, and whoever welcomes Him welcomes God our Heavenly Father. Amen Alleluia!

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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.”’

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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.’

We read the first reading and think to ourselves how wonderful it must have been to have Jesus appear to His disciples! On the flip side, some would be fearful, even shocked! How should I greet Him, what do I say? Should I fall prostrate? Bow? Kneel? Shall I repeat the same words as St Peter, “Lord depart from me for I am a sinner!”

And yet how many times have Jesus already come before us and we had failed to recognise Him? For He had not left us orphans, indeed He had said these very words to us…” “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Deut 31:8 & Heb 13:5 So then how did we welcome Him? Were we reverent? Did we show love? Have we honoured and glorified Him by our lives? Leading all who come to us to the Way, the Truth and the Life; our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

For if we are living according to His will, then we are truly already One with God our Heavenly Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Amen Alleluia!

Saints Philip and St James pray for us… 

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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.

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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.’

Who was the first good shepherd? Of course many would say that there is only one, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! While some may even say that yes He is the GOOD SHEPHERD in capital letters and the rest of the priests are good shepherds after Him. But as I was dwelling on it this very morning, it dawned on me that the very first good shepherd after the heart of Jesus, the very precursor to Jesus was St Joseph! Yes many might say it is actually Moses, but if we dwell a little deeper on the life of St Joseph or at least from what we know. He was a man of integrity and pure heart. No scandal before, during or after!

“The good shepherd is one who lays down his life for his sheep” He never abandoned the sheep nor did he run away. His only concern was his family. He could have abandoned Mary at the very beginning or when they had urgent cause to flee to Egypt or I am sure many other times as they were met with challenges and difficulty. But like a true good shepherd, He knew God our Father’s voice and heard clearly the command given by Him. Truly a model for us fathers to follow, just as Mary our Mother is for women to model themselves after.

 Saint Joseph the Worker and father of the Catholic Church pray for us…

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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.’

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Gospel

John 10:11-18

The good shepherd is one who lays down his life for his sheep

Jesus said:

‘I am the good shepherd:

the good shepherd is one who lays down his life for his sheep.

The hired man, since he is not the shepherd

and the sheep do not belong to him,

abandons the sheep and runs away

as soon as he sees a wolf coming,

and then the wolf attacks and scatters the sheep;

this is because he is only a hired man

and has no concern for the sheep.

‘I am the good shepherd;

I know my own

and my own know me,

just as the Father knows me

and I know the Father;

and I lay down my life for my sheep.

And there are other sheep I have

that are not of this fold,

and these I have to lead as well.

They too will listen to my voice,

and there will be only one flock,

and one shepherd.

‘The Father loves me,

because I lay down my life

in order to take it up again.

No one takes it from me;

I lay it down of my own free will,

and as it is in my power to lay it down,

so it is in my power to take it up again;

and this is the command I have been given by my Father.’

Apart from Jesus, we have many stories just like in today’s Gospel when Tabitha rises from the dead at the command of St Peter. There are even testimonies of resurrection taking place in Mozambique and other remote areas in Africa and the rest of the world? How is it possible? Shouldn’t the question actually be how is it Not possible?

The Lord Himself had told us….”The words I have spoken to you are spirit

and they are life.” Therefore in the power of our Lord’s Jesus resurrection, through the Holy Spirit we can speak life into any situation. Therefore we must ourselves are we filled with the consolation of the Holy Spirit as we should be? Are we living our faith according to our Lord’s will for us?

Lord Jesus You have the message of eternal life, we believe and follow after You. For You truly are the Holy One of God our Heavenly Father. Amen Alleluia!

Saint Catherine of Siena pray for us….

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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.

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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.’

What can we learn from today’s first reading which in essence is St Paul’s conversion story. From persecutor of Christians to ‘procreator’ of Christians for lack of a better word. First take away for me is that the Lord our God truly sees the Jeremiah 29:11 in all of us even the truly least of us brethren! And so we likewise must look to the heart of God our Father and see the future He has for whomever He sends our way. It may be for us the most despicable person we find in our midst. Still the Lord will have a plan for him or her. Next take away is that He alone will sanctify and qualify those He has chosen we only need to be obedient to His will. And face unafraid the task He sends us to do! The Holy Spirit our counsellor will guide and empower us every step of the way.

The life of all flesh is in its blood! Lev 17:13-14 By His life, death and resurrection our Lord Jesus Christ now gives us the blood of life eternal; through Holy Eucharist! “Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood has eternal life, and I shall raise him up on the last day.”

Lord Jesus my Eucharistic Lord and God I adore You! Amen Alleluia

Saint Peter Chanel and Saint Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort, pray for us… 

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First reading

Acts 9:1-20 ·

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Gospel

John 6:52-59

My flesh is real food and my blood is real drink

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

‘I tell you most solemnly,

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

you will not have life in you.

Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood

has eternal life,

and I shall raise him up on the last day.

For my flesh is real food

and my blood is real drink.

He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood

lives in me

and I live in him.

As I, who am sent by the living Father,

myself draw life from the Father,

so whoever eats me will draw life from me.

This is the bread come down from heaven;

not like the bread our ancestors ate:

they are dead,

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

He taught this doctrine at Capernaum, in the synagogue.

When we live a life in the spirit, we soon realise there is no such thing as coincidences. Led by the Holy Spirit He will show us people we can minister to one way or another. Often it requires us to be generous with our time and when we lean in into it, a beautiful and lasting encounter with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ takes place. By merely being present to the other, we have the opportunity to bring the presence of our Lord Jesus with us.

While the first reading today reads as simply a brief encounter between Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch, we don’t actually know how much time Philip actually took to share the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ beginning with Isaiah.  We can only imagine that the eunuch must have his heart burning within him as the Word of which gives life was being proclaimed. Just like disciples on the road to Emmaus they had surreal encounter with the living bread come down from Heaven. And He given an opportunity of eternal life with Jesus through baptism.

Thank you Jesus, for by my very own baptism I live free as a child of God my Father so loved by Him. Amen Alleluia

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First reading

Acts 8:26-40

Philip baptizes a eunuch

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

Like a sheep that is led to the slaughter-house,

like a lamb that is dumb in front of its shearers,

like these he never opens his mouth.

He has been humiliated and has no one to defend him.

Who will ever talk about his descendants,

since his life on earth has been cut short!

The eunuch turned to Philip and said, ‘Tell me, is the prophet referring to himself or someone else?’ Starting, therefore, with this text of scripture Philip proceeded to explain the Good News of Jesus to him.

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

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Gospel

John 6:44-51

I am the living bread which has come down from heaven

Jesus said to the crowd:

‘No one can come to me

unless he is drawn by the Father who sent me,

and I will raise him up at the last day.

It is written in the prophets:

They will all be taught by God,

and to hear the teaching of the Father,

and learn from it,

is to come to me.

Not that anybody has seen the Father,

except the one who comes from God:

he has seen the Father.

I tell you most solemnly,

everybody who believes has eternal life.

‘I am the bread of life.

Your fathers ate the manna in the desert

and they are dead;

but this is the bread that comes down from heaven,

so that a man may eat it and not die.

I am the living bread which has come down from heaven.

Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever;

and the bread that I shall give is my flesh,

for the life of the world.’

What greater testimony is there? Then for the people sent our way, to see the healing, restoration, the casting out evil spirits in the name of Jesus performed by His disciples! And we are His disciples for we are committed to loving all who are sent out way. Shall we not then pray out loud “Be healed in Jesus name” or “In the name of Jesus, spirit of anxiety and depression depart from her!” Do we not at least have the faith the size of a mustard seed? Do we only have to be fanatical in our faith to try? Shall we not be the cause of great rejoicing in the Lord? As we lead His flock to a deeper relationship with Him giving Him all the glory?

What have we to lose? Our lives? Are we fearful of that even when the Lord our God has promised us that we shall have eternal life with Him? For He had said, “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.” Amen Alleluia!

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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.

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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.’

Every day we awake, is a new day in the risen Lord! How many of us actually wake up with such zeal? That we have been given a mission and the power of the risen Lord is upon us so that we do not only proclaim the good news to all creation, but what we proclaim is accompanied by signs and wonders!

I have been sharing this for some time now but those who thought it was my own thinking, read and reflect today’s Gospel and be empowered!

For indeed the evil one is on the prowl seeking to maim, distort and scatter. While we shall gather, heal, cast out, set free and restore by the power of our risen Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen alleluia!

Saint Mark, pray for us…

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First reading

1 Peter 5:5-14 ·

My son, Mark, sends you greetings

All wrap yourselves in humility to be servants of each other, because God refuses the proud and will always favour the humble. Bow down, then, before the power of God now, and he will raise you up on the appointed day; unload all your worries on to him, since he is looking after you. Be calm but vigilant, because your enemy the devil is prowling round like a roaring lion, looking for someone to eat. Stand up to him, strong in faith and in the knowledge that your brothers all over the world are suffering the same things. You will have to suffer only for a little while: the God of all grace who called you to eternal glory in Christ will see that all is well again: he will confirm, strengthen and support you. His power lasts for ever and ever. Amen.

    I write these few words to you through Silvanus, who is a brother I know I can trust, to encourage you never to let go this true grace of God to which I bear witness.

    Your sister in Babylon, who is with you among the chosen, sends you greetings; so does my son, Mark.

    Greet one another with a kiss of love.

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Gospel

Mark 16:15-20

Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News

Jesus showed himself to the Eleven and said to them:

    ‘Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation. He who believes and is baptised will be saved; he who does not believe will be condemned. These are the signs that will be associated with believers: in my name they will cast out devils; they will have the gift of tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and be unharmed should they drink deadly poison; they will lay their hands on the sick, who will recover.’

    And so the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven: there at the right hand of God he took his place, while they, going out, preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word by the signs that accompanied it.

When we speak let it be with the word of God our in our hearts, let His wisdom speak through us, so that all we say, will be in union with His will put into action for love of Him. Body, mind and spirit we shall glorify our Risen Lord who lives within us.

For then all who look upon us shall see His face and they will experience His love, peace and joy by our love for them. Yes they will know that we are His disciples by our love!

Yes Lord we believe, do thou increase our faith! Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me. Amen

 Saint Fidelis of Sigmaringen pray for us…

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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.

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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.’

We cannot possibly do everything ourselves and if go deeper in reflection we know that we are created uniquely, loved deeply and made for communion with the Lord our God and one another. We all have different strengths and gifts which complement one another, for His greater glory.

In today’s reading there was a need for help and so through prayer and discernment with the Holy Spirit, the men of faith were specially chosen to care for all in need among them. They were prayed over and anointed by the power of the Holy Spirit. What happens when a community is led by the Spirit? There is growth!

Jesus reminds us today that in all our trials, tribulations, worries, anxiety, challenges, He is with us through it all. Do not be afraid! It is I. I the Lord Your God, am with you. And before you realise it, you would have arrived where you needed to be; safe and sound in His loving embrace.

Thank You Jesus! Amen Alleluia!

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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.

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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.

Indeed, what do we have to worry about? When we are so well loved by God our Heavenly Father, who will clothe us, shelter us; and provide all the nourishment we will need on our pilgrim journey back to Him. Therefore brethren, together with the Psalmist we pray “There is one thing I ask of the Lord, to live in the house of the Lord.”

As disciples of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, we already know what we must do. We must gather, heal, restore and deliver our brethren from all evil by living in the power of our Lord’s resurrection. We shall love the least of our brethren with all our heart! And are always prepared to suffer humiliation for the sake of the name of Jesus our Lord. Amen Alleluia!

Saint Anselm of Canterbury pray for us… 

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First reading

Acts 5:34-42 ·

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

One member of the Sanhedrin, a Pharisee called Gamaliel, who was a doctor of the Law and respected by the whole people, stood up and asked to have the apostles taken outside for a time. Then he addressed the Sanhedrin, ‘Men of Israel, be careful how you deal with these people. There was Theudas who became notorious not so long ago. He claimed to be someone important, and he even collected about four hundred followers; but when he was killed, all his followers scattered and that was the end of them. And then there was Judas the Galilean, at the time of the census, who attracted crowds of supporters; but he got killed too, and all his followers dispersed. What I suggest, therefore, is that you leave these men alone and let them go. If this enterprise, this movement of theirs, is of human origin it will break up of its own accord; but if it does in fact come from God you will not only be unable to destroy them, but you might find yourselves fighting against God.’

    His advice was accepted; and they had the apostles called in, gave orders for them to be flogged, warned them not to speak in the name of Jesus and released them. And so they left the presence of the Sanhedrin glad to have had the honour of suffering humiliation for the sake of the name.

    They preached every day both in the Temple and in private houses, and their proclamation of the Good News of Christ Jesus was never interrupted.

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Gospel

John 6:1-15

The feeding of the five thousand

Jesus went off to the other side of the Sea of Galilee – or of Tiberias – and a large crowd followed him, impressed by the signs he gave by curing the sick. Jesus climbed the hillside, and sat down there with his disciples. It was shortly before the Jewish feast of Passover.

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

How are we witnesses to the Holy Spirit? We see in today’s first reading, Peter who denied knowing Jesus three times and his fellow apostles who fled when Jesus was arrested, now boldly proclaiming Jesus as the risen Lord and rebuking all who had put Him to death! This was a clear sign that they now lived a Holy Spirit filled life.

For God gave them the Spirit without reserve, and they knew with all their very being that because they believed in their Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; eternal life with Him was theirs to have. They had become powerful witnesses of the risen Lord! So must we be His witnesses, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

You are way, the truth and the life! Let us come before our Heavenly Father through You, with You and in You. Now and forever. Amen Alleluia

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First reading

Acts 5:27-33 ·

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

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

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

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Gospel

John 3:31-36

The Father loves the Son and has entrusted everything to him

John the Baptist said to his disciples:

‘He who comes from above is above all others;

he who is born of the earth is earthly himself

and speaks in an earthly way.

He who comes from heaven

bears witness to the things he has seen and heard,

even if his testimony is not accepted;

though all who do accept his testimony

are attesting the truthfulness of God,

since he whom God has sent

speaks God’s own words:

God gives him the Spirit without reserve.

The Father loves the Son

and has entrusted everything to him.

Anyone who believes in the Son has eternal life,

but anyone who refuses to believe in the Son will never see life:

the anger of God stays on him.’

From Ash Wednesday to Wednesday of the 2nd week of Eastertide how quickly time has flown, let us therefore reflect a little today on how our journey has been?

We had been imprisoned by our sins, we renounced them, took up our cross to follow after our Lord; and have since be set free once again by the power of our Lord’s death and resurrection. Are we then rejoicing and telling people about this new Life in Christ?

Of all the scripture passages it is this one in today’s Gospel that even the least disciplined Christian can not only remember, but perhaps quote word for word! ‘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.

Question for us is not about whether we can quote it but are we living it? Do we truly believe in Jesus Christ our Lord who died and rose from the dead for love of us? If we say we do then how many souls have we saved by sharing the good news that our Saviour did not come to condemn the world, but so that through him the world might be saved. All who are weary and burdened will find rest in Him!

Sisters and brothers let us be His light in the world, let us cast the darkness away from the lives of all He sends our way. Amen

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First reading

Acts 5:17-26 ·

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

The high priest intervened with all his supporters from the party of the Sadducees. Prompted by jealousy, they arrested the apostles and had them put in the common gaol.

    But at night the angel of the Lord opened the prison gates and said as he led them out, ‘Go and stand in the Temple, and tell the people all about this new Life.’ They did as they were told; they went into the Temple at dawn and began to preach.

    When the high priest arrived, he and his supporters convened the Sanhedrin – this was the full Senate of Israel – and sent to the gaol for them to be brought. But when the officials arrived at the prison they found they were not inside, so they went back and reported, ‘We found the gaol securely locked and the warders on duty at the gates, but when we unlocked the door we found no one inside.’ When the captain of the Temple and the chief priests heard this news they wondered what this could mean. Then a man arrived with fresh news. ‘At this very moment’ he said, ‘the men you imprisoned are in the Temple. They are standing there preaching to the people.’ The captain went with his men and fetched them. They were afraid to use force in case the people stoned them.

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Gospel

John 3:16-21

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

Jesus said to Nicodemus:

‘God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son,

so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost

but may have eternal life.

For God sent his Son into the world

not to condemn the world,

but so that through him the world might be saved.

No one who believes in him will be condemned;

but whoever refuses to believe is condemned already,

because he has refused to believe in the name of God’s only Son.

On these grounds is sentence pronounced:

that though the light has come into the world

men have shown they prefer darkness to the light

because their deeds were evil.

And indeed, everybody who does wrong

hates the light and avoids it,

for fear his actions should be exposed;

but the man who lives by the truth comes out into the light,

so that it may be plainly seen that what he does is done in God.’

How do you know if you belong to a Christ-Centered community of disciples? Well, the surest way is when facing a crisis or great difficulty! How many of your sisters and brothers will be willing to lay down their lives for you? Not in the literal sense perhaps but will be willing to do whatever it takes to help you in the situation you face. Whether it be a financial need, spiritual need, or maybe even simply taking care of your family if the need so arises? Sickness and misfortune can befall any of us, but how many of us when facing them have sisters and brothers who are ‘sons and daughters of encouragement’? Who will tend to you as their very own? As a fellow sister or brother in Christ, Children of God our loving Father?

Jesus had told us “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Jn 15:13 For If we die with Him, we will also live with Him; if we endure, we will also reign with Him 2 Tim 2:11-12 For to die in Christ is to rise with Him.

Lord Jesus by my love let all know that I am Your disciple. Amen Alleluia

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First reading

Acts 4:32-37 ·

The whole group of believers was united, heart and soul

The whole group of believers was united, heart and soul; no one claimed for his own use anything that he had, as everything they owned was held in common.

    The apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus with great power, and they were all given great respect.

    None of their members was ever in want, as all those who owned land or houses would sell them, and bring the money from them, to present it to the apostles; it was then distributed to any members who might be in need.

    There was a Levite of Cypriot origin called Joseph whom the apostles surnamed Barnabas (which means ‘son of encouragement’). He owned a piece of land and he sold it and brought the money, and presented it to the apostles.

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Gospel

John 3:7-15

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

Jesus said to Nicodemus:

‘Do not be surprised when I say:

You must be born from above.

The wind blows wherever it pleases;

you hear its sound,

but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.

That is how it is with all who are born of the Spirit.’

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

‘I tell you most solemnly,

we speak only about what we know

and witness only to what we have seen

and yet you people reject our evidence.

If you do not believe me when I speak about things in this world,

how are you going to believe me when I speak to you about heavenly things?

No one has gone up to heaven

except the one who came down from heaven,

the Son of Man who is in heaven;

and the Son of Man must be lifted up

as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,

so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.’