THURSDAY OF THE FIFTH WEEK OF EASTER - 2022

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice,
says the Lord,
I know them and they follow me. JN 10:27

ACTS 15:7-21 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

A delegation led by Paul and Barnabas came to Jerusalem to confer with Peter, the apostles, and elders about whether or not the new Christians had to obey the Mosaic law of circumcision. A Council led by Peter had lengthy discussions at the end of which Peter stood up and addressed the members of the Council and made the following proclamation as the Head of the Church, 

‘My brothers, 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.’

The testimony of Paul and Barnabas and the words of the scriptures were enough to convince James that Gentiles also were to belong to the new people of God. The revelation that God was just as powerfully at work among the pagans through many signs and wonders convinced the assembly that the prophecies concerning pagans in scripture were being fulfilled.

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.

James addressed the Council as well saying: 

‘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.’

The Church is and has always been a wise, tender, and loving Mother who will not lay unnecessary burdens on her children.

JOHN 15:9-11 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

To be a disciple we must remain in Your love - this means that we keep Your commandments.  What is the commandment that we are called to keep? It is to love You in the same measure as You love us and that measure is the Father's love for You. Just as You remain in Your Father's love by keeping His commandments You invite us to remain in Your love by keeping Your commandments. 

Your Father's commandment to You was to submit Yourself to death on the Cross so we could live. To become one like us and take upon Yourself the weight of the sins of the whole world and St. Paul tells us that we must be like You:

PHILIPPIANS 2:5-8

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
who, though he was in the form of God,
   did not regard equality with God
   as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
   taking the form of a slave,
   being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
he humbled himself
   and became obedient to the point of death—
   even death on a cross.

Perfect joy in this life is possible if we submit to Your will in all things, and love one another as You love us. Grant us the Holy Spirit in full measure, Lord so we may remain in Your love till the end.