Faith in GOD

April 30, 2021, Friday
Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter (White)
Saint Pius V, Pope, Religious (Opt. Mem)
CYCLE B - YEAR I
Lectionary: 283

Reading I
Acts 13:26-33

When Paul came to Antioch in Pisidia, he said in the synagogue:
 “My brothers, children of the family of Abraham,
and those others among you who are God-fearing,
to us this word of salvation has been sent. 
The inhabitants of Jerusalem and their leaders failed to recognize him,
and by condemning him they fulfilled the oracles of the prophets
that are read sabbath after sabbath. 
For even though they found no grounds for a death sentence,
they asked Pilate to have him put to death,
and when they had accomplished all that was written about him,
they took him down from the tree and placed him in a tomb. 
But God raised him from the dead,
and for many days he appeared to those
who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. 
These are now his witnesses before the people.
We ourselves are proclaiming this good news to you
that what God promised our fathers
he has brought to fulfillment for us, their children, by raising up Jesus,
as it is written in the second psalm,
    You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.”

Responsorial Psalm
2:6-7, 8-9, 10-11ab

R.    (7bc)  You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.

or:

R.    Alleluia.

“I myself have set up my king
    on Zion, my holy mountain.”
I will proclaim the decree of the LORD:
    The LORD said to me, “You are my Son;
    this day I have begotten you.”

R.    You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.

or:

R.    Alleluia.

“Ask of me and I will give you
    the nations for an inheritance
    and the ends of the earth for your possession.
You shall rule them with an iron rod;
    you shall shatter them like an earthen dish.”

R.    You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.

or:

R.    Alleluia.

And now, O kings, give heed;
    take warning, you rulers of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice before him;
    with trembling rejoice.

R.    You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.

or:

R.    Alleluia.

Alleluia
Jn 14:6

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

I am the way and the truth and the life, says the Lord;
no one comes to the Father except through me.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL
Jn 14:1-6

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. 
You have faith in God; have faith also in me. 
In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.
If there were not,
would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?
And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come back again and take you to myself,
so that where I am you also may be.
Where I am going you know the way.” 
Thomas said to him, 
“Master, we do not know where you are going;
how can we know the way?” 
Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. 
No one comes to the Father except through me.”

REFLECTION:

Jesus knows we do experience many heartaches. He sympathizes with us. He says, ‘Do not let your hearts be troubled.’ He is full of encouragement. Though all sorts of things go wrong for us, we are not abandoned. We are destined for a blessed future because he will come again and take us to himself.

He is the way: where he goes, we follow. He is the truth: all other claims to truth are measured by him. He is the life: we have true life in us, the spring of water welling up into everlasting life, through him.

PRAYER:

Dear Jesus, I invite you into my heart space now. Let me be quiet and listen while you speak the precious words of this passage to me. They form one of the most consoling statements of your Good News. They reveal such love and appreciation for me. They put all my troubles into second place. My future is with you.

Whoever Receives the One I Send

April 29, 2021, Thursday
Memorial of Saint Catherine of Siena, Virgin and Doctor of the Church (White)
CYCLE B - YEAR I
Lectionary: 282

Reading I
Acts 13:13-25

From Paphos, Paul and his companions
set sail and arrived at Perga in 
Pamphylia. 
But John left them and returned to Jerusalem. 
They continued on from Perga and reached Antioch in Pisidia. 
On the sabbath they entered into the synagogue and took their seats. 
After the reading of the law and the prophets,
the synagogue officials sent word to them,
“My brothers, if one of you has a word of exhortation
for the people, please speak.”
So Paul got up, motioned with his hand, and said,
“Fellow children of Israel and you others who are God-fearing, listen.
The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors
and exalted the people during their sojourn in the land of Egypt. 
With uplifted arm he led them out,
and for about forty years he put up with them in the desert.
When he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan,
he gave them their land as an inheritance
at the end of about four hundred and fifty years.
After these things he provided judges up to Samuel the prophet. 
Then they asked for a king.
God gave them Saul, son of Kish,
a man from the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 
Then he removed him and raised up David as their king;
of him he testified,
    I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart;
    he will carry out my every wish.
From this man’s descendants God, according to his promise,
has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus. 
John heralded his coming by proclaiming a baptism of repentance
to all the people of Israel;
and as John was completing his course, he would say,
‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he.
Behold, one is coming after me;
I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his feet.’“

Responsorial Psalm
89:2-3, 21-22, 25 and 27

R.    (2)  For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

or:

R.    Alleluia.

The favors of the LORD I will sing forever;
    through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness.
For you have said, “My kindness is established forever”;
    in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.

R.    For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

or:

R.    Alleluia.

“I have found David, my servant;
    with my holy oil I have anointed him,
That my hand may be always with him,
    and that my arm may make him strong.”

R.    For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

or:

R.    Alleluia.

“My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him,
    and through my name shall his horn be exalted.
He shall say of me, ‘You are my father,
    my God, the Rock, my savior.’”

R.    For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

or:

R.    Alleluia.

Alleluia
See Rv 1:5ab

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Jesus Christ, you are the faithful witness,
the firstborn of the dead,
you have loved us and freed us from our sins by your Blood.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL
Jn 13:16-20

When Jesus had washed the disciples’ feet, he said to them:
“Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master
nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him.
If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it.
I am not speaking of all of you.
I know those whom I have chosen.
But so that the Scripture might be fulfilled,
    The one who ate my food has raised his heel against me.
From now on I am telling you before it happens,
so that when it happens you may believe that I AM. 
Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send
receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”

REFLECTION:

Jesus recognizes that knowing and understanding are important but are only part of God's work in us. God blesses us, too, in what we do. My prayer helps me to be enlightened by God's light and moves me to do what I can to bring light to the world through how I live.

Jesus uses many images to speak of his relationship to the father and to me. Now, I consider what it means to be a servant or messenger. I am known, chosen, trusted, and sent.

PRAYER:

Jesus allows that there is a difference between knowing and doing. I take this time to let my knowing to deepen, to become part of me. I am like a courier with a message, like a servant with a task; I do not sit with an idea but am blessed as I express God’s love in my life.

I Came Into the World as Light

April 28, 2021, Wednesday
Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Easter (White)
Saint Peter Chanel, Priest and Martyr (Opt. Mem)
Saint Louis Mary de Montfort, Priest (Opt. Mem)
CYCLE B - YEAR I
Lectionary: 281

Reading I
Acts 12:24—13:5a

The word of God continued to spread and grow. 
After Barnabas and Saul completed their relief mission,
they returned to Jerusalem,
taking with them John, who is called Mark. 
Now there were in the Church at Antioch prophets and teachers:
Barnabas, Symeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene,
Manaen who was a close friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said,
“Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul
for the work to which I have called them.” 
Then, completing their fasting and prayer,
they laid hands on them and sent them off.
So they, sent forth by the Holy Spirit,
went down to Seleucia
and from there sailed to Cyprus. 
When they arrived in Salamis,
they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. 

Responsorial Psalm
67:2-3, 5, 6 and 8

R.    (4)  O God, let all the nations praise you!

or:

R.    Alleluia.

May God have pity on us and bless us;
    may he let his face shine upon us.
So may your way be known upon earth;
    among all nations, your salvation.

R.    O God, let all the nations praise you!

or:

R.    Alleluia.

May the nations be glad and exult
    because you rule the peoples in equity;
    the nations on the earth you guide.

R.    O God, let all the nations praise you!

or:

R.    Alleluia.

May the peoples praise you, O God;
    may all the peoples praise you!
May God bless us,
    and may all the ends of the earth fear him!

R.    O God, let all the nations praise you!

or:

R.    Alleluia.

Alleluia
Jn 8:12

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
whoever follows me will have the light of life.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL
Jn 12:44-50

Jesus cried out and said,
“Whoever believes in me believes not only in me
but also in the one who sent me,
and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me.
I came into the world as light,
so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness. 
And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them,
I do not condemn him,
for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world. 
Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words
has something to judge him: the word that I spoke,
it will condemn him on the last day,
because I did not speak on my own,
but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak. 
And I know that his commandment is eternal life. 
So what I say, I say as the Father told me.”

REFLECTION:

Jesus is always pointing us to his Father. Their relationship is good beyond our imagining. They are ecstatic about one another, they share everything and work perfectly together. They think the world of one another. Imagine the most harmonious relationship you have, expand it a thousand times, and then you have a dim sense of how Father and Son get along!

PRAYER:

Lord, your one desire is that I make my home in you and live in the Light. Shine in the dark recesses of my heart and bring me and all others to the fullness of life which you offer us.

Feast of the Dedication

April 27, 2021, Tuesday
Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter (White)
CYCLE B - YEAR I
Lectionary: 280

Reading I
Acts 11:19-26

Those who had been scattered by the persecution
that arose because of Stephen
went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch,
preaching the word to no one but Jews.
There were some Cypriots and Cyrenians among them, however,
who came to Antioch and began to speak to the Greeks as well,
proclaiming the Lord Jesus. 
The hand of the Lord was with them
and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. 
The news about them reached the ears of the Church in Jerusalem,
and they sent Barnabas to go to Antioch.
When he arrived and saw the grace of God,
he rejoiced and encouraged them all
to remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of heart,
for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith.
And a large number of people was added to the Lord. 
Then he went to Tarsus to look for Saul,
and when he had found him he brought him to Antioch. 
For a whole year they met with the Church
and taught a large number of people,
and it was in Antioch that the disciples
were first called Christians.

Responsorial Psalm
87:1b-3, 4-5, 6-7

R.    (117:1a)  All you nations, praise the Lord.

or:

R.    Alleluia.

His foundation upon the holy mountains
    the LORD loves:
The gates of Zion,
    more than any dwelling of Jacob.
Glorious things are said of you,
    O city of God!

R.    All you nations, praise the Lord.

or:

R.    Alleluia.

I tell of Egypt and Babylon
    among those who know the LORD;
Of Philistia, Tyre, Ethiopia:
    “This man was born there.”
And of Zion they shall say:
    “One and all were born in her;
And he who has established her
    is the Most High LORD.”

R.    All you nations, praise the Lord.

or:

R.    Alleluia.

They shall note, when the peoples are enrolled:
    “This man was born there.”
And all shall sing, in their festive dance:
    “My home is within you.”

R.    All you nations, praise the Lord.

or:

R.    Alleluia.

Alleluia
Jn 10:27

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL
Jn 10:22-30

The feast of the Dedication was taking place in Jerusalem.
It was winter. 
And Jesus walked about in the temple area on the Portico of Solomon. 
So the Jews gathered around him and said to him,
“How long are you going to keep us in suspense? 
If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 
Jesus answered them, “I told you and you do not believe.
The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me.
But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep.
My sheep hear my voice;
I know them, and they follow me. 
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. 
No one can take them out of my hand. 
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all,
and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand. 
The Father and I are one.”

REFLECTION:

The festival of Dedication was a celebration of light. But the Jews remain in the dark, blind to the mystery of Jesus. Like them, I too have my blind spots: the truth may be confronting me on some issue, but I close my eyes to it.

Jesus wants to lead us to safety, to the fullness of life. He wants us to listen to his voice. He waits for our time, to enter the space of our life which is his. Time with Jesus is never wasted, whether in listening to his word and mulling over it, or just being with him in peaceful silence. Prayer is the comforting relationship of a sheep to a shepherd, our relaxing into the mystery of being loved by God.

PRAYER:

Jesus, if I am to be your true disciple I need to listen to your words. Draw me into the experience of loving intimacy which you so long for me.

The Gate of the Sheepfold

April 26, 2021, Monday
Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter (White)
CYCLE B - YEAR I
Lectionary: 279

Reading I
Acts 11:1-18

The Apostles and the brothers who were in Judea
heard that the Gentiles too had accepted the word of God. 
So when Peter went up to Jerusalem
the circumcised believers confronted him, saying,
"You entered the house of uncircumcised people and ate with them.” 
Peter began and explained it to them step by step, saying,
“I was at prayer in the city of Joppa
when in a trance I had a vision,
something resembling a large sheet coming down,
lowered from the sky by its four corners, and it came to me. 
Looking intently into it,
I observed and saw the four-legged animals of the earth,
the wild beasts, the reptiles, and the birds of the sky. 
I also heard a voice say to me, ‘Get up, Peter. Slaughter and eat.’ 
But I said, ‘Certainly not, sir,
because nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ 
But a second time a voice from heaven answered,
‘What God has made clean, you are not to call profane.’ 
This happened three times,
and then everything was drawn up again into the sky.
Just then three men appeared at the house where we were,
who had been sent to me from Caesarea. 
The Spirit told me to accompany them without discriminating. 
These six brothers also went with me,
and we entered the man’s house. 
He related to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, saying,
‘Send someone to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter,
who will speak words to you 
by which you and all your household will be saved.’ 
As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them
as it had upon us at the beginning,
and I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said,
‘John baptized with water
but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 
If then God gave them the same gift he gave to us
when we came to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ,
who was I to be able to hinder God?”
When they heard this,
they stopped objecting and glorified God, saying,
“God has then granted life-giving repentance to the Gentiles too.”

Responsorial Psalm
42:2-3; 43:3, 4

R. (see 3a) A thirst is my soul for the living God.
or:
R. Alleluia.

As the hind longs for the running waters,
    so my soul longs for you, O God.
Athirst is my soul for God, the living God.
    When shall I go and behold the face of God?

R. (see 3a) A thirst is my soul for the living God.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Send forth your light and your fidelity;
    they shall lead me on
And bring me to your holy mountain,
    to your dwelling-place.

R. (see 3a) A thirst is my soul for the living God.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Then will I go in to the altar of God,
    the God of my gladness and joy;
Then will I give you thanks upon the harp,
    O God, my God!

R. (see 3a) A thirst is my soul for the living God.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Alleluia
Jn 10:14

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

I am the good shepherd, says the Lord;
I know my sheep, and mine know me.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL
Jn 10:1-10

Jesus said:
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate
but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber.
But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice,
as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
When he has driven out all his own,
he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him,
because they recognize his voice.
But they will not follow a stranger;
they will run away from him,
because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.”
Although Jesus used this figure of speech,
the Pharisees did not realize what he was trying to tell them.
So Jesus said again, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
I am the gate for the sheep.
All who came before me are thieves and robbers,
but the sheep did not listen to them.
I am the gate.
Whoever enters through me will be saved,
and will come in and go out and find pasture.
A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy;
I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”

REFLECTION:

 

Our prayer trains us to recognize the voice of our good shepherd. We learn to distinguish the voice of the Lord from the other voices that appeal to us. Our cultures speak to us in authoritative ways, advertisers do everything they can to make their message compelling, national identities flatter and it is easy for us to be lured away to another flock.

PRAYER:

 

Lord, let me hear your voice, so that I may open the gate of my heart for you. Draw me to the pathways of life. May others then see me as a safe gateway leading to abundant life.

I AM The Good Shepherd

April 25, 2021, Sunday
Fourth Sunday of Easter (White)
GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY
WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS
CYCLE B - YEAR I
LECTIONARY: 50

Reading I
Acts 4:8-12

Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said:
“Leaders of the people and elders:
If we are being examined today
about a good deed done to a cripple,
namely, by what means he was saved,
then all of you and all the people of Israel should know
that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean
whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead;
in his name this man stands before you healed.
He is the stone rejected by you, the builders,
    which has become the cornerstone.
There is no salvation through anyone else,
nor is there any other name under heaven
given to the human race by which we are to be saved.”

 

Responsorial Psalm
118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28, 29

R.  (22) The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.

or:

R.  Alleluia.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
    for his mercy endures forever.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
    than to trust in man.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
    than to trust in princes.

R.  The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.

or:

R. Alleluia.

I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me
    and have been my savior.
The stone which the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
    it is wonderful in our eyes.

R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD;
    we bless you from the house of the LORD.
I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me
    and have been my savior.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
    for his kindness endures forever.

R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.

or:

R. Alleluia. 

Reading II
1 Jn 3:1-2

Beloved:
See what love the Father has bestowed on us
that we may be called the children of God.
Yet so we are.
The reason the world does not know us
is that it did not know him.
Beloved, we are God’s children now;
what we shall be has not yet been revealed.
We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him,
for we shall see him as he is.

Alleluia
Jn 10:14

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

I am the good shepherd, says the Lord;

I know my sheep, and mine know me.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL
Jn 10:11-18

Jesus said:
“I am the good shepherd.
A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
A hired man, who is not a shepherd
and whose sheep are not his own,
sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away,
and the wolf catches and scatters them.
This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep.
I am the good shepherd,
and I know mine and mine know me,
just as the Father knows me and I know the Father;
and I will lay down my life for the sheep.
I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold.
These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice,
and there will be one flock, one shepherd.
This is why the Father loves me,
because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own.
I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again.
This command I have received from my Father.”

REFLECTION:

The love of Jesus is love for death. It is the self-sacrificing love that we see on the cross. It is the love that never sits down under feelings of failure but can always see the resurrection ahead in some form or other. In caring for all people, Jesus knew something of the resurrection, for in love are the seeds of resurrection. We rise above the self-centredness that confines and narrows us, to the outgoing love which expands our hearts and minds, as our hearts and minds grow to be like the heart and mind of Jesus.

PRAYER:

I am being invited to trust Jesus in all the events of my life. I think about those areas of my life where I find it hard to trust God. I talk to Jesus about these things, and I listen to what he says to me.

Lord, to Whom Shall we Go?

April 24, 2021, Saturday
Saturday of the Third Week of Easter (White)
Optional Memorial of Saint Fidelis of Sigmaringen, Priest and Martyr (Red)
CYCLE B - YEAR I
Lectionary: 278

Reading I
Acts 9:31-42

The Church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria
was at peace. 
She was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord,
and with the consolation of the Holy Spirit she grew in numbers.
As Peter was passing through every region,
he went down to the holy ones living in Lydda. 
There he found a man named Aeneas,
who had been confined to bed for eight years, for he was paralyzed. 
Peter said to him,
“Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed.” 
He got up at once. 
And all the inhabitants of Lydda and Sharon saw him,
and they turned to the Lord.
Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha
(which translated is Dorcas). 
She was completely occupied with good deeds and almsgiving. 
Now during those days she fell sick and died,
so after washing her, they laid her out in a room upstairs. 
Since Lydda was near Joppa,
the disciples, hearing that Peter was there,
sent two men to him with the request,
“Please come to us without delay.” 
So Peter got up and went with them. 
When he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs
where all the widows came to him weeping
and showing him the tunics and cloaks
that Dorcas had made while she was with them. 
Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed. 
Then he turned to her body and said, “Tabitha, rise up.” 
She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up. 
He gave her his hand and raised her up,
and when he had called the holy ones and the widows,
he presented her alive. 
This became known all over Joppa,
and many came to believe in the Lord. 

Responsorial Psalm
116:12-13, 14-15, 16-17

R.    (12) How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?

or:

R.    Alleluia.

How shall I make a return to the LORD
    for all the good he has done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up,
    and I will call upon the name of the LORD

R.    How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?

or:

R.    Alleluia.

My vows to the LORD I will pay
    in the presence of all his people.
Precious in the eyes of the LORD
    is the death of his faithful ones.

R.    How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?

or:

R.    Alleluia.

O LORD, I am your servant;
    I am your servant, the son of your handmaid;
    you have loosed my bonds.
To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving,
    and I will call upon the name of the LORD.

R.    How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?

or:

R.    Alleluia.

Alleluia
See Jn 6:63c, 68c

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life;
you have the words of everlasting life.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL
Jn 6:60-69

Many of the disciples of Jesus who were listening said,
“This saying is hard; who can accept it?”
Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this,
he said to them, “Does this shock you?
What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?
It is the Spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail.
The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life.
But there are some of you who do not believe.”
Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe
and the one who would betray him.
And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me
unless it is granted him by my Father.”
As a result of this,
many of his disciples returned to their former way of life
and no longer walked with him.
Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?”
Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life.
We have come to believe
and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”

REFLECTION:

“What about you, do you want to go away too?” The teaching and miracles of Jesus left his hearers with a decision: to believe and follow Jesus or to follow the crowd and go their separate ways. Today is no different: fewer practice their faith and truly open themselves to the guidance of the Holy Spirit when they have decisions to make.

“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the message of eternal life? If this is truly so, that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, then the Lord will surely give us the strength to withstand the jibes, the ridicule and give us the courage to follow our convictions trusting the Lord will be with us to enlighten our decisions and the grace to carry them through. Have you made a decision recently which put you among the Lord’s followers?

PRAYER:

Lord, draw me close to you, and be spirit and life for me.

For my Flesh is True Food, And my Blood is True Drink

April 23, 2021, Friday
Friday of the Third Week of Easter (White)
Memorial of Saint George, Martyr (Red)
CYCLE B - YEAR I
Lectionary: 277

Reading I
Acts 9:1-20

Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord,
went to the high priest and asked him
for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, that,
if he should find any men or women who belonged to the Way,
he might bring them back to Jerusalem in chains. 
On his journey, as he was nearing Damascus,
a light from the sky suddenly flashed around him. 
He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him,
“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
He said, “Who are you, sir?” 
The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 
Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do.” 
The men who were traveling with him stood speechless,
for they heard the voice but could see no one.
Saul got up from the ground,
but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing;
so they led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus.
For three days he was unable to see, and he neither ate nor drank.
There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias,
and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” 
He answered, “Here I am, Lord.” 
The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight
and ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul.
He is there praying,
and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias
come in and lay his hands on him,
that he may regain his sight.”
But Ananias replied,
“Lord, I have heard from many sources about this man,
what evil things he has done to your holy ones in Jerusalem.
And here he has authority from the chief priests
to imprison all who call upon your name.” 
But the Lord said to him,
“Go, for this man is a chosen instrument of mine
to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and children of Israel,
and I will show him what he will have to suffer for my name.” 
So Ananias went and entered the house;
laying his hands on him, he said,
“Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me,
Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came,
that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 
Immediately things like scales fell from his eyes
and he regained his sight. 
He got up and was baptized,
and when he had eaten, he recovered his strength.
He stayed some days with the disciples in Damascus,
and he began at once to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues,
that he is the Son of God.
 

Responsorial Psalm
117:1bc, 2

R.    (Mark 16:15)  Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.

or:

R.    Alleluia.

Praise the LORD, all you nations;
    glorify him, all you peoples!

R.    Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.

or:

R.    Alleluia.

For steadfast is his kindness toward us,
    and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever.

R.    Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.

or:

R.    Alleluia.

Alleluia
Jn 6:56

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood,
remains in me and I in him, says the Lord.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL
Jn 6:52-59

The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying,
“How can this man give us his Flesh to eat?” 
Jesus said to them,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood,
you do not have life within you. 
Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood
has eternal life,
and I will raise him on the last day.
For my Flesh is true food,
and my Blood is true drink. 
Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood
remains in me and I in him.
Just as the living Father sent me
and I have life because of the Father,
so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. 
This is the bread that came down from heaven. 
Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died,
whoever eats this bread will live forever.” 
These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

REFLECTION:

Jesus did not want the people simply to agree with him, to assent to his ideas. He wanted them to be drawn fully into the life of God, just as he was. He invites us to be consumed by God, to let go of our reservations and hesitations, and to trust in the one who gives life.

PRAYER:

He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in him.”When we eat ordinary food, provided we are well, we digest food naturally without our noticing.  The receiving of the Lord in the Eucharist requires our attentiveness, our welcome, our silence, our prayers of intercession to the Lord we have just received. Thank you, Lord Jesus, I bring before you my day and all the concerns of my heart.

The Living Bread

April 22, 2021, Thursday
Thursday of the Third Week of Easter (White)
CYCLE B - YEAR I
Lectionary: 276

Reading I
Acts 8:26-40

The angel of the Lord spoke to Philip,
“Get up and head south on the road
that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza, the desert route.” 
So he got up and set out. 
Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch,
a court official of the Candace,
that is, the queen of the Ethiopians,
in charge of her entire treasury,
who had come to Jerusalem to worship, and was returning home.
Seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah.
The Spirit said to Philip,
“Go and join up with that chariot.” 
Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and said,
“Do you understand what you are reading?” 
He replied,
“How can I, unless someone instructs me?” 
So he invited Philip to get in and sit with him. 
This was the Scripture passage he was reading:
    Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter,
        and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
            so he opened not his mouth.
    In his humiliation justice was denied him.
        Who will tell of his posterity?
            For his life is taken from the earth.
Then the eunuch said to Philip in reply,
“I beg you, about whom is the prophet saying this?
About himself, or about someone else?” 
Then Philip opened his mouth and, beginning with this Scripture passage,
he proclaimed Jesus to him.
As they traveled along the road
they came to some water,
and the eunuch said, “Look, there is water. 
What is to prevent my being baptized?” 
Then he ordered the chariot to stop,
and Philip and the eunuch both went down into the water,
and he baptized him. 
When they came out of the water,
the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away,
and the eunuch saw him no more,
but continued on his way rejoicing. 
Philip came to Azotus, and went about proclaiming the good news
to all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

Responsorial Psalm
66:8-9, 16-17, 20

R.    (1)  Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

or:

R.    Alleluia.

Bless our God, you peoples,
    loudly sound his praise;
He has given life to our souls,
    and has not let our feet slip.

R.    Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

or:

R.    Alleluia.

Hear now, all you who fear God, while I declare
    what he has done for me.
When I appealed to him in words,
    praise was on the tip of my tongue.

R.    Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

or:

R.    Alleluia.

Blessed be God who refused me not
    my prayer or his kindness!

R.    Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

or:

R.    Alleluia.

Alleluia
Jn 6:51

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

I am the living bread that came down from heaven, says the Lord;
whoever eats this bread will live forever.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL
Jn 6:44-51

Jesus said to the crowds:
“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him,
and I will raise him on the last day.
It is written in the prophets:
    They shall all be taught by God.
Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me.
Not that anyone has seen the Father
except the one who is from God;
he has seen the Father. 
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever believes has eternal life. 
I am the bread of life. 
Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died;
this is the bread that comes down from heaven
so that one may eat it and not die. 
I am the living bread that came down from heaven;
whoever eats this bread will live forever;
and the bread that I will give
is my Flesh for the life of the world.”

REFLECTION:

We live two lives - the flesh and the spirit, earthly and eternal. Faith in God is life-giving. It gives energy to every day, to the commonplace. The struggle to do good and to live a gospel-centered life is nourished by our faith. Prayer is a time to be aware of the life that is eternal. Moments of prayer bring us in touch with the eternal within us, and the eternal around us, the atmosphere of the risen Christ.

Jesus lives in the shadow of eternity and calls on our faith that we will live forever. The call of love and the experience of love in life hints at something more than human, of a mystery totally linked to God. The bread of life is the gift of God's life on earth. In opening ourselves to the word of God and the bread of God we are gifted and graced with the love that lasts forever.

PRAYER:

Lord, you are starting to open to me what the Eucharist can mean: a pledge of eternal life, and nourishment for my daily journey, as well as the viaticum that will strengthen me for my last journey, to you.