Monday, April 30, 2018

Acts 14:5-18, Psalm 115:1-4, 15-16, John 14:21-26

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

The Holy Spirit will teach you everything
and remind you of all I told you. Jn 14:26



Acts 14:5-18, Psalm 115:1-4, 15-16, John 14:21-26


Acts 14:5-18

Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,

Paul was a powerful preacher not only because this charism was the Gift of the Holy Spirit but also because of his conviction that You are indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world. Prudence, wisdom, and common sense must go hand in hand as we see in this instance. The Gentiles and the Jews in Iconium wanted to do kill them so they went to other cities and continued to preach the Gospel wherever they went. Were it not for the persecution the people of these places may have never heard the Good News that saves. 

In this miracle, we see that faith is necessary in order to see the power of God at work. The cripple believed in the Good News, Paul recognized that the man could be healed and so he commanded him to walk and he did. The rest of the crowd were so taken up by what they had just witnessed they declared Paul and Barnabas to be gods and were preparing to offer sacrifices to them.

The two Apostles immediately refuted them and tried to make them understand that what they had witnessed was the power of the one true God. History is littered with rogue evangelists who take personal credit for the work of miracles, signs, and wonders that is clearly of God. This is why You have warned us to beware of wolves in sheep's clothing. 

Paul explained to the people that they have always known the true God even while they were worshipping false ones. He was evident in all that was around them in nature and the seasons, and all the good things they enjoyed from their beauty and bounty. 

Grant O Lord that Your servants never steal the glory that is due to You alone.

Psalm 115:1-4, 15-16

Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,

Thank You for Your Presence everywhere. Not only do You come to us in Bread and Wine but Your handiwork is all around us. All of creation tells us of Your goodness, Your mercy, and Your love and our hearts ought to swell always in joyous praise.

There are many in the world who bow down before idols made of silver and gold. They put their faith in the handiwork of artisans who fashion beautiful, inanimate objects and worship them.

Catholics are accused of being idol worshippers if this were true Beloved, then the iconoclasts would have succeeded in their attempt many centuries ago in their attempt to rid our churches of so much beauty. We are creatures and You understand our need to look at images of You, Mary, and the saints. Icons are sacred images that remind us of our history. They fill our senses and move our hearts to look beyond them to You whom the heavens cannot contain. 

John 14:21-26

Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,

If I truly loved You then I would find it easy to turn away from all the frivolous pastimes that separate us. Your Word is clear, "Whoever keeps my commandments is the one who loves me. If he loves me, he will also be loved by my Father; I too shall love him and show myself clearly to him.”  There have been times Beloved when I have with Your help been able to keep myself away from the things of the world and I have seen the difference it has made in my life yet, fool that I am, I am unable to sustain this way of living for long. I go back to old ways and find myself once again with leaden feet and I am unable to soar with the Holy Spirit on the wings of the eagle.

You have said, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word and my Father will love him; and we will come to him and live with him." Can it get any clearer than this Beloved? Yet, I drag my feet. I do not love as I ought to, as I desire to. I want to be consumed by the fire of divine love but just desiring it is not enough. Hell is full of those with good intentions but who took them no further than desire. 

Beloved, it is the will of the Father that we know and love You, for in knowing and loving You we know and love Him. You then make us this awesome promise for You know that there are many weak, sinful, foolish people like myself. "From now on the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things, and remind you of all that I have told you."

Grant O Lord that I may receive a fresh outpouring of Your Holy Spirit this Pentecost and not only me Lord, but Your Church and the world. Amen.












22 Judas—not Judas Iscariot—asked
Jesus, “Lord, how can it be that you
will show yourself clearly to us and
not to the world?” 23 Jesus answered
him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep
my word and my Father will love him;
and we will come to him and live with
him. 24 But if anyone does not love me,
he will not keep my words; and these
words that you hear are not mine, but
the Father’s who sent me. 25 I told you all this while I am still
with you. 26 From now on the Helper,
the Holy Spirit whom the Father will
send in my name, will teach you all
things, and remind you of all that I
have told you.


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