THURSDAY OF THE SIXTH WEEK OF EASTER - 2023

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

I will not leave you orphans, says the Lord;
I will come back to you, and your hearts will rejoice. JN 14:18

ACTS 18:1-8

My Soul's Beloved,

There is so much to learn and emulate as we read how Paul lived and carried out his mission from the First Reading of today. 

Paul met fellow Jews, a couple, who had recently come to live in Corinth from Italy. They practiced a similar trade as they were tentmakers. Paul stayed and worked with them until his companions Silas and Timothy joined him. Until that time he only went every sabbath to the synagogue and engaged in discussions with both Jews and Greeks about the Good News that he believed in and professed. We too like Paul must make use of any opportunity to gently, wisely, and prudently lead our conversations to matters of faith relying wholly on the guidance and inspiration of the Holy Spirit. 

The work of converting hearts and minds to You, Lord, is Yours, all we are required to do is to witness to the Word of God through our lives. We carry Your Light in us and this light must radiate brightly so people are drawn to You through it. If people are hostile and they oppose and persecute us it is not us they reject but You, we can leave with a clear conscience entrusting them to Your mercy. All You ask us is to faithfully preach and teach the results we entrust to You.

However, if we are steadfast and zealous, if we keep our gaze on You and not focus on our own inadequacies but make ourselves available, we will see grace at work in the most unlikely people for it is the Holy Spirit who prepares hearts and minds to receive with faith the Gospel of Truth, Light, and Life.

Crispus, the synagogue official, came to believe in the Lord
along with his entire household, and many of the Corinthians
who heard believed and were baptized.

PSALM 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4

My Soul's Beloved,

God has made Himself known to us since the foundations of the world. We do not grope in the dark. God speaks and we can hear Him. The invisible God makes Himself visible, tangible, and accessible in You, His Son. The power of the Spirit of God is given to us in Baptism and we receive the fullness of His life through the Sacraments administered by the Church You founded on the Rock of Peter.

This is why we are a people of praise and thanksgiving. 'We are a Resurrection People,' as St. Pope John Paul II declared, and 'Alleluia is our song.' 

You destroyed death. You crushed the head of the Enemy. You have triumphed over sin. You are victorious and triumphant and all who believe in You share in Your victory and triumph. Thank You, for laying down Your life for us, dying for us, and saving us while we were yet sinners because God is good, kind, and faithful. Grant us this grace of being always aware of what it cost God to redeem us and give thanks and praise to You always.

JOHN 16:16-20

My Soul's Beloved,

This phrase in today's Gospel passage is so reassuring and comforting,  'Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him.' You always know but You desire us to be open with You like little children. You desire us to have a childlike faith, trust, and confidence in Your love for us. To know that You will always hear us, always answer us, always comfort and reassure us and You will give us exactly what we need when we need it, and the manner in which we need it. Thank You.

As we reflect on Your final farewell discourse with Your Apostles and disciples, we take great comfort in what You say to them. You had to leave for Your salvific work of redemption was complete - it was now time for You to send us Your Holy Spirit who would lead us into the whole Truth giving us wisdom and understanding and all the other gifts necessary to live a life of grace. It is the Holy Spirit who enables us to believe, to have faith, to live out that faith with courage, to be bold, to realize our weaknesses, and our brokenness, leaning on Him to help us as we make our way from this valley of tears into the everlasting life that awaits us in Your Kingdom.