FRIDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK OF EASTER - 2022

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, says the Lord;
No one can come to the Father except through me. JN 14:6

ACTS 13:26-33 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

The fire of the Holy Spirit so consumed Paul that it compelled him to proclaim the Good News boldly and fearlessly. After his conversion, he believed as passionately in You and in the power of the resurrection as he had once just as passionately repudiated it. With Paul, there were no half measures - no obstacle could stop him from preaching and teaching that there was salvation in no other but in You.

He first preached to his own people - the Jews. He pointed to them how all the prophecies in Scripture pointed to You and found their fulfillment in You. However, not many believed. They rejected him just as completely as Paul himself had once rejected You and when he was convinced of this he took the message of salvation to the rest of the nations. He became an Apostle to the Gentiles. 

Every Christian has received the same mission that Paul and the Apostles did. All who profess to be Your disciples are commissioned to preach the Good News by the powerful witness of our daily lives in season and out of season. It is not optional. Sadly more often than not, we are a source of scandal to unbelievers around us. It takes humility and obedience to shine the light of truth despite all opposition. Like You, we must be prepared to lay down our lives and risk death in order to become true fishers of men for the glory of God. Grant us, O Lord, in full measure the passion, the fire, and the power of the Holy Spirit so we may fulfill our mission of spreading the Gospel to the ends of the earth so all may believe and be saved.

JOHN 14:1-6 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

You said:

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

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

There is no way around this absolute and unassailable truth - You said it and we must believe it. To do so would mean eternal separation from You. 

You say to every disciple through the ages until Your return, ‘In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!’

You give us the grace to be indomitable in the face of persecution, ridicule, discrimination, even imprisonment, and death because we bear Your Name. But nothing fazes the authentic disciple because we know in whom we believe and to whom we have entrusted our entire lives. You ask us not to allow fear entrance into our hearts. Not to be troubled no matter how unjust the world is to us. We are marked and sealed by the Lamb of God who has gone before us to prepare a place for us in Your Father's house because Your dearest desire is to take us with You so we may be where You are eternally. But first, we must walk the Way that You have shown us and do so faithfully each day.

Grant us the grace every moment of every day to strive through the immense graces received through the frequent reception of the Sacraments to shine Your Light in the world so all who see us see not us but You living us and thus come to believe the Truth of the Gospel that saves.