Thanks for the Visitation

The Roman Catholic Lectionary today offers texts which shed light on the person of Mary who will become the Mother of Jesus. The feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Elizabeth marks the recognition by Mary of the great joy which her cousin Elizabeth is experiencing in carrying a child after many barren years. The blessing is proclaimed in the words of the prophet Zephania and is also a celebration of the continuing and promised graciousness of God in the Covenant relationship with Israel. The character of Mary’s proclamation is magnificent. The prayer of praise is known as the Magnificat. The role of Mary as model for all of living the deeply intimate relationship with which the Divine seeks to encompass humanity today reveals the centrality of thanksgiving to that New Life in the Spirit. The Magnificat highlights the many aspects of everyday life in which the Presence of the Divine acts in human affairs. The response to this gracious love can only be thanksgiving. This thanksgiving also drips from the words of the prophet Isaiah as he considers the relationship God has maintained with Israel. Give thanks!

Moving on Mondays

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today reveal some typical experiences in the lives of believers. The Book of Acts tells of the encounter of the Paul and his disciples with Lydia in Philippi. The attraction of Lydia to the Word being proclaimed by Paul is to some extent an attraction presented and demonstrated by the person of Paul. We need to be aware of our role as antennae of the Spirit. Our lives can focus and attract the energy of Life. We understand the thirst of humanity for understanding and meaning. The ‘place of prayer’ mentioned in Acts along the river is a type of refuge and respite destination sought by believers and non-believers. We may be able to radiate our intimacy with the Spirit in those public places where people go for reassurance and comfort. The psalm is a prayer of the people of Israel to praise the action of God in their lives. The relationship with God has brought and they expect will continue to bring joy and triumph to the faithful ones. The Gospel of John provides the advice, which is in the experience of believers, that the message will not be received warmly by all. When we have the opportunity to explore the resistance we encounter, it is striking how many who thirst also have a hurt which is associated with previous experience with the “people of God”. Our care and concern for all does not guarantee there will be no hurts and no hatred but it is the model of Jesus which is given witness by the resonance of our indwelling Spirit with the Spirit.

Hope and another Counselor

The Roman Catholic Lectionary today presents texts to help us in the everyday task of being a believer. The Book of Acts recalls the success of the visit of Philip to Samaria where many “received the Holy Spirit” after the invocation in prayer by Peter and John. The people of Samaria were attracted by the witness of Philip, which Fr Larry Gillick SJ describes this week as “We are invited to live in hope so distinctly that people will ask us for an explanation.” The hope expressed by the psalmist today is in the saving power of God who “turned the sea into dry land;

men passed through the river on foot”(Psalm 66:6). This is evidence to the psalmist of the steadfast love of God. The first letter of Peter offers believers advice on how to respond to the interest people may express in the hope of believers. “Always be ready to make your defence to anyone who demands from you an account of the hope that is in you; 16yet do it with gentleness and reverence.* Keep your conscience clear” (1 Peter 3:15-16) The Gospel of John proclaims the link with the Divine which will empower our visible hope as believers.

He will send a kind of “holy Lawyer” to be their Advocate, Consulter, Inspirationer, and Encourager. The Spirit is sent to confirm the world in the simple truth that we are in Christ Who is in the Father. Keeping Jesus’ commandments by our doing things, begins with our receiving firstly the command that Jesus is. This Command is to allow ourselves to be loved and to accept our being in Christ by His being Savior. Jesus saves us first from false identities and being lost in the search. The Spirit is sent to continue our becoming more in Christ. (Gillick, 2011)

The intimate relationship with the Divine through the resonance of our indwelling Spirit with the Spirit is our becoming one who abides in the Christ who is in the Father. Pentecost is the feast, two weeks away when we celebrate our human community in the Spirit.

Gillick, L. (2011, May). Daily Reflection. Retrieved May 29, 2011, from Creighton University On Line Ministries: http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/052911.html

Taking the Way demands trust

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary present the challenge of deciding who is in charge of the spiritual journey. We are thoughtful, worldly, experienced people we have abilities to analyse and reason. We need to hear the words of John’s Gospel ‘A servant is not greater than his master.'(John 15:19) In the trust and obedience to the inspiration of the intimate relationship with the Divine we are able to act as the Shepherd praised in the psalm directs. The joy we experience in following the will of God is to be shared with all the lands. In the process of sharing we will confront the established wisdom in groups, regions, traditions and tribes. The reluctance we will have to follow those shepherds will cause us to be places among the outcast and hated. There seems to be tension in the methods we will use to be attractive to others yet without abandoning the guidance of the resonance of our indwelling Spirit with the Divine Spirit. We need to “be all things to all people” as we observe the will of the Father. Our zeal and our certainty about action needs to be reviewed in the context of the apparent contradictions and paradox which actually document the progress of the Way as in the Book of Acts.

Knowing the Way

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today give some insight into how we are able to comprehend and act on revelation for change. The Gentiles of Antioch were thankful in the passage from Acts to receive the written instructions delivered by people with experience in the struggle that set down the practices from Judaism which would apply to the Gentiles. Perhaps the ‘written instruction’ has too much authority in the method we use to decide on our actions and behaviour. It is the tension between the Spirit and the Law. We are comfortable with having an understanding of the boundaries. We can even rejoice and be thankful about good law. The psalmist hints that keeping our understanding of the Divine tied to the law may mean that we miss the inspiration for the great charismatic anthem that is based on these verses “For thy steadfast love is great to the heavens, thy faithfulness to the cloud. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let thy glory be over all the earth!”(Psalm 57:10-11) The Divine is not bound by the written instructions of humans. John continues Jesus dialogue with His disciples after the Last Supper with the passage which reveals an invitation to be in the intimate relationship with Him as ‘friends’. The understanding in that relationship is more that words can express as the understanding between human friends cannot be expressed in words. Those who experience this understanding, who transcend words are aware that they strive to honour their Friend through the ancient commandment of loving God with whole being above all other ‘gods’. Action to live this commandment is witnessed through much more than words or adherence to written laws.

Tell us what we need to do

The question which we often ask of those who are leading us is “Tell us what we need to do”. The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today offer some opportunity to reflect on how this question should be addressed. We often seek a direct answer as the believers sought from the first Council in Jerusalem about the religious practices required by Gentiles. It is challenging to separate religious practice from spiritual intimacy. Some practices are aids for our human nature to dispose our attitude to be receptive to the movement of the Spirit. Listening in prayer and meditation on the Word are two religious practices which ‘tune our receiver’ to the channel of love. The psalmist presents a second practice to generate our attitude of gratitude. We should “Declare God's marvelous works among all the peoples!” The Gospel of John presents Jesus response to our concern or fear that we will “mess it up” and disconnect ourselves from the intimacy we experience with the Divine through the resonance of our indwelling Spirit with the Spirit as we live in the Body of Christ. The response is to us as it was to Israel. We must love God. We must place that Love before everything. Simple? Yes! No! Of Course!

Pruning to purify

Where do we go? How do we prepare? These questions are part of the necessary prelude to the possibility of encountering the Divine. Perhaps we respond to the attraction to a holy place like the psalmist from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today proclaims about Jerusalem. The passion of a people for a holy place can create conflict as is witnessed today in Israel. The preparation of our sinful flesh through purification rituals has also been a source of discrimination of the chosen from the others. Jesus dialogue in the Gospel of John compares the relationship with God as that of vine and branches. John begins his Gospel with the proclamation that the Word has become flesh. The Incarnation is the purification ritual from the will of God. This indwelling of the Spirit, like the branch taking life from the vine has the location of the human being. The universal catholic Body of Christ is the intimacy for which the preparation is done.

Leaving with peace

The texts in the Roman Catholic Lectionary show us the violence and discontent which can arise among people who fight over ideas. It seems that religious ideas have a particular ability to enflame passion and promote strife. The crowds often seem to be fickle and their loyalty swings from one idea to another. But Jews came there( Lystra and Derbe) from Antioch and Iconium and won over the crowds (Acts 14:19) The refrain of the psalm today reminds believers to “. Make known to the sons of men, O Lord, the glorious splendor of thy kingdom.”. The action of the disciples to make known the Word to all the world is the Christian commission. The dialogue of Jesus in John chapters 13 -15 gives us some insight into the manner of the evangelization we do. He consoles “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives.” (John 14:27). The peace of the Shepherd, who gives all for the sheep, allows that there may be opposition as Paul and Barnabas encounter but that the relationship with Jesus will capture the indwelling Spirit of people and bring an inner life which responds to the call to be the Body of Christ in peace sometimes in persecution.

Taught by the Counselor

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary offer guidance to position our understanding of the relationship between God and humanity. The episode from Acts underlines that we are the agents of the Transcendent and when the action of God is associated with our work, we need to retain the understanding proclaimed by the psalmist today that “ Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness.”(Psalm 115:1) How are we to sort out the will and the power which we experience in our intimacy with the Divine? The Guide, Counselor and Advocate is promised in the Gospel of John “But the Advocate,* the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.” (John14:26) The resonance of the indwelling Spirit with the Divine Spirit prepare our humanity to be effective witnesses to the Presence in the world.

Relationship Qualities

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary focus on an aspect of intimate relationship which has to do which reassurance in the face of trouble or turmoil. The passage from Acts details the actions of the Apostles to reassure the Hellenists that they need not be troubled over the needs of their widows. The psalmist echoes the refrain that the steadfast love of God is an experience from which the people can continue to hope in God. The letter of Peter invites people to see that the “The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner,” (1 Peter 2:7b). The “Rock”, Peter, is to lead the Church with stability. He points to the Scriptural description applied to Jesus as the security and stability offered in an intimate relationship with the Divine. The passage from the Gospel of John reassures many with the phrases “‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe* in God, believe also in me. 2In my Father’s house there are many dwelling-places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?*”( John 14:1-2). This portion of Chapter 14 is part of the longer dialogue of Jesus in John chapters 13 -15. The rich context of this message is excellent meditation as the Church will draw test from these chapters on the way to celebrate Pentecost.

Watch the Works of the Father

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary present one measure of reassurance when believers act to follow Divine will. The apostles including Paul and Barnabas were attracting a lot of attention in Antioch. The religious authorities pressured them to leave. The text records that they made a fundamental decision to bring the Word to the Gentiles. (Acts13:52)” And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit” is the assurance of the appropriateness of the decision . The Gospel of John continues the dialogue of Jesus about the relationship between he and the Father. The people are persuaded to look at the works of Jesus when they consider His intimacy with God. Jesus proclaims that the works will also be a testimony of the intimacy of His followers with the Divine. The psalmist recalls the ancient understanding of humanity about God “O sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvellous things” From our experience comes some understanding!

Many Rooms of my Father

The texts of the Roman Catholic Lectionary today show the process of revelation of the nature of Jesus to the Apostles. The passage from the Book of Acts relates the story of Jesus mission, rejection and resurrection. The journey of Jesus draws the conclusion which resonates with the proclamation of Psalm 2 that “You are my Son; this day I have begotten you”. This intimacy of Jesus with the Father is extended through the invitation in John’s Gospel to those who hear the call of the Shepherd to follow the Way to the Father’s House. The apprehension which might exist about being worthy or qualified for intimate relationship with the Divine is reduced by the assurance that “(John 14:1-2)‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe* in God, believe also in me. 2In my Father’s house there are many dwelling-places.”.

Receiving the Promise

The texts of the Roman Catholic Lectionary today present the preaching of Paul when he was invited to speak in the synagogue in Antioch. Paul recalls the salvation history of the Jews and presents Jesus as the fulfillment of the promise to David to send a Saviour. The understanding of the mission of the Messiah differed among the religious authorities. The Gospel of John today continues the narrative on the relationship of Jesus and Father. The concept of Trinity to understand God and the relationship between Father, Son and Spirit is at once simple and sophisticated. John relates Jesus teaching that those who receive Jesus messengers receive Him and the One who sent Him. The intimacy of this linkage is the Promise and the push that moved some away from acceptance of the gift. The tension of God with mighty hand and outstretched arm from Whom the Covenant, praised by the psalmist is promised and maintained, and God who is intimate with sinful humanity through the indwelling Spirit remains for us to ponder.

Moving Word and Spirit

The texts of the Roman Catholic Lectionary today express the nature of the movement of the experience of intimacy with the Divine as the Apostles responded to the resonance between their indwelling Spirit and the Holy Spirit. The physical evidence is recorded as greater numbers of people joining in the experience and specific missions being launched throughout the world. The praise of the psalmist that God continues to bless the whole world is visible. The text from the Gospel of John is entitled “Summary of Jesus’ Teaching”. This summary emphasizes hearing, attending to the Word, which John proclaims at the beginning of the Gospel is made flesh in Jesus, which is eternal, is the Love of the Father. The intimacy of Creator and creature is Transcendent so the movement of Word through Spirit is Presence.

Antioch flock

The psalmist in the texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today proclaims “All you nations, praise the Lord”. The psalm is titled “The Joy of Living in Zion”. The joy of the relationship with the Divine is intended by God for all nations. After the persecution of those who followed the Way in Jerusalem, the Spirit led Paul and Barnabas to Antioch where the Good News was ‘heard’ by the Gentiles and eventually the community there began to be called “Christians”. The Gospel of John proclaims the message that was difficult to hear by many “[John 10:30] the Father and I are one.” The implications of this proclamation offer to bring the joy expressed by the psalmist to Transcendent expression. The Body of Christ is the intimacy that slakes the thirst of humanity. The Word is Present. Hear O, Israel!

One flock one Shepherd

The texts today from the Roman Catholic lectionary are reminders of the universal thirst of humanity for God. Peter recounts how inspiration through the indwelling Spirit revealed to him the mission to bring the Good News to the Gentiles. He witnessed the same Spirit in them as he knew in the Apostles. The will of God evidenced in the action of the Spirit freed Peter to accept those considered “outside the Law” as heirs with the Apostles to the intimacy with the Divine through Jesus. John’s Gospel exclaims that “I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd” (John 10:16). We cannot avoid considering how the divisions among people over how to respond to the invitation of God to communion are heretical and scandalous. The sense of these texts does not seem to be leading to a strategy to force all to believe in the “one true faith”. It appears that our main task might be to listen. Our listening may be more effective if we understand as the psalmist describes “O send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling” that our relationship with the Divine is the action plan for the Shepherds we can be in leading all to the Fold.

enter the sheepfold by the door

What is the straightforward encounter? It is direct. What is needed to receive direction? Listen. The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary invite us to consider the message of the Word without sophisticated analysis. In the Book of Acts, Peter is fortified by the Spirit to tell it like it is. He relates his experience and his invitation to the people in a clear and concise manner. The truth and the life that his person witnesses to the people are available to all who will hear the call of the Divine to receive the Promise of Life. The ancient and rich verses of Psalm23 provide comfort. The psalmist convinces us that “I shall not want”. The evidence is in the fruit of trusting the leadership of the Divine. Still waters and green pastures are graces in life, the rod and the staff supports our failings and through our trust of the Shepherd we experience the banquet of life in the presence of those who may be against us. Our journey will likely not be free of persecution and pain. The Presence remains through difficulty and our ‘strength’ to patiently endure is the Life of the indwelling Spirit connecting us with the continuing action of the Shepherd. How do we know the Shepherd? The Gospel of John puts it plainly. The One comes to us directly. We are invited to follow. The fruit of following the Shepherd is the participation in the Transcendent understanding that “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever”. (Psalm 23 meets John 10:10!)

Nature of the Call to Ministry

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary inform our sense of how to be witnesses of the Life of Christ in the world, that is, Christians. The Book of Acts presents the neeed of the Apostles to replace Judas in the “twelve”. The ‘calling‘of Matthias is a choice of the community for one to serve them in ministry. This choice is made with the guidance of the Holy Spirit in resonance with the indwelling Spirit of the Apostles. In the Gospel from John, Jesus presents the commandment for behaviour which will bring fruit to the endeavours of followers of the Way who are ministering to people, “love one another”. The Gospel stresses that the “friends” of Jesus who are commissioned to bear fruit in the work have been chosen by God for the work. Our tendency to “choose our work” and be in control of our time, talent and treasure seems to be out of step with the sense of “being called”.

How close is the Divine?

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today encourage reflection on the magnitude of the desire of God to be in intimate relationship with people. The episode from Acts relates the conversion of Paul on the “Road to Damascus”. This road has special meaning in the description of human events. In common speech we speak of this place as symbolic for a radical change in direction and or behaviour. The initiator of Paul’s conversion is the Transcendent God. The events he experiences are his personal “strong hand and mighty arm”, of which as a learned Pharisee, he was deeply aware. The psalmist echoes that the actions of the Divine in our lives are instances of the eternal pattern of steadfast love and faithfulness which is Divine nature. The will of the Father is expressed in the Life of Jesus. The intimacy offered by Jesus, the Incarnate, through the power of the Spirit of the Transcendent is physical. It is cellular and molecular. It expresses Divine desire for closeness to people which is our being now in a Transcendent communion which is also eternal.

Guide Me

‘How can I, unless someone guides me?’ This is the response of the Ethiopian eunuch to the query of Philip as presented in the Acts of the Apostles from the Roman Catholic Lectionary for today. Those who involved or concerned about Christian catechesis reflect on best practice to help encourage the understanding “of the faith”. The text from John’s Gospel is part of Jesus teaching on being called to a relationship with God. This should be the catechetical mission. The Gospel indicates that all who are in a relationship with Jesus are drawn by the Father. Jesus Presence is the Life which is experienced through the Spirit by those ‘drawn’ by the Father. What is the role of teacher or catechist? It is to bring the Presence of Jesus through the reality of membership in the physical Body of Christ and in living the Way to be the one who guides.

Terribly Transcendent

The text from the Gospel of John from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today reminds us of the stirring hymn “I am the bread of Life”. “He who comes to Me shall not hunger, He who believes in Me shall not thirst.” The transcendent promise of Jesus in the chorus for these lyrics and in the Gospel is ”And I will raise him up, And I will raise him up, And I will raise him up on the last day”. The Book of Acts recounts what may seem to be a terrible scenario. The heading “Saul Persecutes the Church” contains details of zealous persecution of the followers of the Way including imprisonment of women and children. As life experience often testifies the ‘resurrection’ follows death and the next heading in Acts reveals “Philip Preaches in Samaria”. The transcendent Presence is praised by the psalmist as “ He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the river on foot. There we rejoiced in him, who rules by his might for ever, whose eyes keep watch on the nations— let the rebellious not exalt themselves. (Psalm 66:6-7)”. He does raise us up! The ‘little resurrections’ are evident even before the ‘last day’.

Stiff necked satisfy hunger

The response of some to the message proclaimed by Jesus and the Apostles is described as ‘stiff necked” in the texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today. The learned scholars to whom Stephen makes his case in the episode from Acts are enraged, especially by reference to the stiff necked who refused the direction of Moses, and stone Stephen to death in this rage. What is the extent to which we will go to defend against what we conclude is an attack on our way and our life style. The ‘heresy’ in the views of others is often not as offensive to us as the challenge to our own comfortable beliefs. The prayer of the psalmist for refuge is the assurance we witness in Stephen that the Way of his journey, though through persecution and death, is the Way of Life. The plea of the psalmist may be misinterpreted as protection against controversy and challenges to belief. That would put the psalmist in the group of stiff necked who continue to miss the point. The Gospel of John tells of Jesus proclamation to be the Bread of Life. The relationship with Him, through the indwelling Spirit, brings the Life of which Stephen is the witness. The crowds around Jesus seek to see again the bread of Moses which requires that they maintain their necks in the current direction and do not seek the faith to trust that the Life which satisfies hunger requires a change of attitude.

Disturbing Signs

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary offer insight into the motives of some which are difficult to encounter. The message of Stephen was rejected by some in power who heard him and who witnessed “wonders and signs” associated with his ministry. There are many possible explanations for the response of the powerful to Stephen. Is it jealousy, simple need to eliminate competition or the well meaning protection of the “tradition” from heresy? In this trail, we observe the calm of Stephen and the radiance which was observed as he lived in the Spirit of Christ. The psalmist advises that meditation on our relationship with the Divine is path to sustain believers in persecution. The Gospel of John has Jesus question the motives of some who were following Him out of desire for personal gain and fortune. Our energy and activity can be easily peeked by opportunities for quick gain. Jesus presents a possibility for long term life in relationship with the Divine which will require faith and faith which allows and welcomes the need to trust God in times of trial.

The Presence is Joy and Direction

The texts today in the Roman Catholic Lectionary bring us to reflect on the Presence of Jesus. Father Larry Gillick SJ comments “The “womb”, the “Tomb”, and our “bodies” are blest by His presence. All three are delivery places. He was born, lived, died, was buried and rose that His body might give life and vision to this world. The womb and tomb could not hold Him. We who do hold Him, do not hold Him back, but hold Him forth, hold Him sacredly toward His sisters and brothers. We hold Him and yet He too holds us together and with a sense of having to do something good. We hold Him so that others may behold Him in how we live as His Body.” (Gillick SJ, 2011)

The Spirit which brought life to Peter’s proclamation of the mission and anointing of Jesus as the descendant of David, presented in the Scripture, as the one who would be raised by God and not know death is the Presence which the on lookers experience as they gather to investigate the commotion of Pentecost among Jesus followers. The psalmist praises God in words “In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures for evermore.” The joy of the psalmist is expressed in the letter of Peter as a knowledge of a new direction which involves both an exodus from the ways of the ancestors and a living ‘reverent fear” which is the response of the person to the revelation that Life, Truth and Way are intimately linked to the relationship to the Presence of Jesus. The Spirit is the channel through which our indwelling Spirit connects with the Presence. The disciples on the road to Emmaus have been overcome by the cares and concerns of the day when confusion, expectation, hope and despair have all been raging in their being. The walk is a very human activity which begins to sort and sift the inputs and interference in our consciousness. Could He be Present? The pursuit of this question by the inquiry of the “stranger” brings them to the living of the intimacy with Him activated and implanted by the ‘breaking of the bread’. The understanding expressed in Vatican II of the Eucharistic celebration where we ‘become what we are” is evidenced as the disciples “put on Christ” and are joyfully energized to be bring Jesus Presence to their companions.



Gillick SJ, L. (2011, May). Daily Reflection. Retrieved May 8, 2011, from online ministries creighton university: http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/050811.html

Some help along the Journey

The words of the psalmist in the texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today tie together the episode of the appointment of deacons from the Book of Acts with the calming of the storm by Jesus as the apostles make their way across the Sea of Galilee in the text from John’s Gospel. The psalmist proclaims [Psalm 33:18-19] Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, that he may deliver their soul from death, and keep them alive in famine. The Providence which graces humanity as we journey is delighting in us. Our attention to this intimacy reveals the events in our life through which we come with our indwelling Spirit in communion with the Divine Spirit.

Waiting for Revelation

The truth of a situation sometimes comes to light after some patient waiting. Gama’li-el in the text from the Book of Acts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary for today encourages the religious authorities to wait and see if the actions of the followers of Jesus are supported by God. If they are, they will endure and opposition to them will be futile. So often we are sure what things are “of God” and what things are not. Some friends attribute getting a parking space downtown or catching the bus at the right time as being circumstances arranged by the grace of the Divine. It is an alternate viewpoint to try and see the Divine in all life events so that the graced times are many and not unusual. The psalmist exhorts believers to take courage and wait for the Lord! In the Gospel of John, the people of the other side of the Sea of Galilee experience the grace of a visit by Jesus. as the nourishment of their persons continues, the message of holiness is presented in actions which attend to the whole person and which indicate the desire of the Divine to be in an intimate and life giving relationship to all including but not limited to the ‘twelve tribes” of Israel. All who attended and waited on the Lord received their fullness to move toward personal holiness.

Decide to participate

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary enlarge the seriousness of the question posed to people as a consequence of the relationship with the Divine. In the Book of Acts (Acts 5:29-31) the answer is presented “But Peter and the apostles answered, ‘We must obey God rather than any human authority. The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Saviour, so that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins” It is not as we might prefer a question of “personal preference”. The choice is to participate in the liberation of people from sin and death or to deny that mission and move away from the relationship with the Father through Jesus and the Spirit as John indicates in the Gospel. The psalmist proclaims the security which is experienced by the souls who make their boast in the Lord. The model given by Jesus and those who have demonstrated the holiness which is a component of the intimate relationship of our indwelling Spirit with the Divine is ‘not my will but Your Will be done’.

Our link to 3-16

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary offer the opportunity to consider our experience of John 3:16. Sports fans will perhaps recall seeing people in the stands with posters, banners and T-shirts bearing the “John 3:16” phrase. At the surface, it is a very strong proclamation of the depth of Love desired by God in relationship with people. The text from Acts presents the evidence that this intimate relationship compels people to spread the Good News. In this desire to involve all people, we are delivered and strengthened as the psalmist concurs that our fears become radiant movement to involve the afflicted and release the oppression in people. We desire to spread the freedom our souls are experiencing. The impact of John 3:16 is that those who are experiencing how “God so loves the world” are drawn to wave signs, wear T-shirts and proclaim their joy. We join in the proclamation!

Who is He?

The texts of the Roman Catholic Lectionary today, on the Feast of Saint Philip and Saint James, invite particular reflection into Who is Jesus? Paul tells the Corinthians of his experience of the death of Jesus and the appearance of the Resurrected Christ to Peter, James and others. The psalmist draws our attention to the magnificent cosmos which has proclaimed the handiwork of the Divine for all generations. The text from the Gospel of John prods us to consider the intimate relationship with the Divine through our indwelling Spirit which becomes the Way, the Truth and the Life as the Body of Christ. This relationship reveals the works which continue as the Trinity of Father, Son and Spirit is in our life.

Those Born of the Spirit

The texts today, from the Roman Catholic Lectionary, present the response of the rulers and authorities to the evidence of Divine Presence. The rejection of Jesus, in his time, recalls the rejection of the ‘anointed’ of the Lord proclaimed by the psalmist. The Will of God in both cases is not thwarted by the actions of humans to reject it. The kingdom of David becomes the evidence of the Promise of God to ‘set my king on Zion’.(Psalm 2:6) The Kingdom of Heaven is presented to Nicode’mus by Jesus as the relationship which God desires to establish through the Spirit with humanity. The resonance of the indwelling Spirit with the Spirit of God requires and creates a “new man”. The ritual of baptism uses water to extinguish the old life and ignite the Life in the Spirit. The Spirit brings the strength, as celebrated by the Apostles in the passage from Acts, to live in communion with Life that “blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes”.(John 3:8)

Born Anew to a Living Hope

This day opens on many important events. It is the Second Sunday of Easter, Divine Mercy Sunday, Beatification of John Paul II, and International Workers Day It is possible that the texts from the Roman Catholic lectionary might be able to tie together these important celebrations. The titles from the text include Jesus Appears to the Disciples, Jesus and Thomas, A Living Hope and Life among the Believers. John Paul II often encouraged people not to be afraid to be saints. The canonization of Saints during his pontificate became an example of the personal holiness to which John Paul encouraged all to strive. The psalmist proclaims the “(Psalm 118:22) the stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.” This truth is certainly applies to Jesus as we continue with the 50 days of the Easter season. John Paul II extended the observance of Divine Mercy Sunday, the reflection on the forgiveness of sin through the infinite mercy of God as is initiated as visible Sacrament in the words of the text from John’s Gospel. Peter reflects on the ‘living hope” which is the fruit of Jesus Resurrection. This hope continues his journey to deepen holiness even as some trials are suffered along the way. The “boots on the ground” to be living in pursuit of holiness through the intimate relationship with Jesus include the workers who are recognized today. John Paul wrote in one of his encyclicals of the ability of work to be the means whereby we can participate as “co-creator” of the physical and social world which may become the setting described in Acts as “Life among the Believers”.