Advocate and Mothers

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to take the risk to share the love we celebrate on Mother’s Day by becoming advocates for others in our love and service.

Sharing our Journey

The Reading from the Acts of the Apostles presents the Mission of Philip in Samaria.

* [8:1] All were scattered…except the apostles: this observation leads some modern scholars to conclude that the persecution was limited to the Hellenist Christians and that the Hebrew Christians were not molested, perhaps because their attitude toward the law and temple was still more in line with that of their fellow Jews (see the charge leveled against the Hellenist Stephen in Acts 6:13–14). Whatever the facts, it appears that the Twelve took no public stand regarding Stephen’s position, choosing, instead, to await the development of events.

* [8:3] Saul…was trying to destroy the church: like Stephen, Saul was able to perceive that the Christian movement contained the seeds of doctrinal divergence from Judaism. A pupil of Gamaliel, according to Acts 22:3, and totally dedicated to the law as the way of salvation (Gal 1:13–14), Saul accepted the task of crushing the Christian movement, at least insofar as it detracted from the importance of the temple and the law. His vehement opposition to Christianity reveals how difficult it was for a Jew of his time to accept a messianism that differed so greatly from the general expectation.

* [8:16] Here and in Acts 10:44–48 and Acts 19:1–6, Luke distinguishes between baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus and the reception of the Spirit. In each case, the Spirit is conferred through members of the Twelve (Peter and John) or their representative (Paul). This may be Luke’s way of describing the role of the church in the bestowal of the Spirit. Elsewhere in Acts, baptism and the Spirit are more closely related (Acts 1:5; 11:16). (Acts, ACTS OF THE APOSTLES |USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 66 praises God for powerful acts for Israel.

* [Psalm 66] In the first part (Ps 66:1–12), the community praises God for powerful acts for Israel, both in the past (the exodus from Egypt and the entry into the land [Ps 66:6]) and in the present (deliverance from a recent but unspecified calamity [Ps 66:8–12]). In the second part (Ps 66:13–20), an individual from the rescued community fulfills a vow to offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving. As often in thanksgivings, the rescued person steps forward to teach the community what God has done (Ps 66:16–20). (Psalms, PSALM 66 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Reading from the First Letter of Peter presents the hope in Christian Suffering.

* [3:13–22] This exposition, centering on 1 Pt 3:17, runs as follows: by his suffering and death Christ the righteous one saved the unrighteous (1 Pt 3:18); by his resurrection he received new life in the spirit, which he communicates to believers through the baptismal bath that cleanses their consciences from sin. As Noah’s family was saved through water, so Christians are saved through the waters of baptism (1 Pt 3:19–22). Hence they need not share the fear of sinners; they should rather rejoice in suffering because of their hope in Christ. Thus their innocence disappoints their accusers (1 Pt 3:13–16; cf. Mt 10:28; Rom 8:35–39).

* [3:18] Suffered: very many ancient manuscripts and versions read “died.” Put to death in the flesh: affirms that Jesus truly died as a human being. Brought to life in the spirit: that is, in the new and transformed existence freed from the limitations and weaknesses of natural human life (cf. 1 Cor 15:45). (1 Peter, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of John, Jesus promises the Advocate will guide our ministry.

* [14:16] Another Advocate: Jesus is the first advocate (paraclete); see 1 Jn 2:1, where Jesus is an advocate in the sense of intercessor in heaven. The Greek term derives from legal terminology for an advocate or defense attorney, and can mean spokesman, mediator, intercessor, comforter, consoler, although no one of these terms encompasses the meaning in John. The Paraclete in John is a teacher, a witness to Jesus, and a prosecutor of the world, who represents the continued presence on earth of the Jesus who has returned to the Father.

* [14:17] The Spirit of truth: this term is also used at Qumran, where it is a moral force put into a person by God, as opposed to the spirit of perversity. It is more personal in John; it will teach the realities of the new order (Jn 14:26), and testify to the truth (Jn 14:6). While it has been customary to use masculine personal pronouns in English for the Advocate, the Greek word for “spirit” is neuter, and the Greek text and manuscript variants fluctuate between masculine and neuter pronouns.

* [14:18] I will come to you: indwelling, not parousia. (John, CHAPTER 14 | USCCB, n.d.)

Rev. Andy Alexander, SJ, comments that the Greek word, “Paraclete,” has many connotations:  the Gatherer, the Comforter, the Protector, the Advocate, the one always at one’s side.   He also assures them that Jesus himself will remain in them.  They are not going to be left orphans.

“Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful

and kindle in them the fire of your love.” - Prayer to the Holy Spirit

They are not going to be left orphans (Alexander, 2026)

Don Schwager quotes “There is no love without the Holy Spirit,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"How, then, did the apostles love, but in the Holy Spirit? And yet they are commanded to love him and keep his commandments before they have received him and, in fact, in order to receive him. And yet, without having that Spirit, they certainly could not love him and keep his commandments. We are therefore to understand that he who loves already has the Holy Spirit, and by what he has he becomes worthy of a fuller possession, that by having more he may love more. The disciples, therefore, already had that Holy Spirit whom the Lord promised, for without him they could not call him Lord. But they had him not as yet in the way promised by the Lord... He was yet to be given them in an ampler measure [at Pentecost]." (excerpt from TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 74.1-2) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on John 14:15-21 comments that Jesus is telling us that two seemingly unrelated areas belong together and depend on each other: loving him and loving one another. We can’t love him, he says, if we are not caring for the people around us. To say that we love the Lord while we are holding someone in contempt or harboring hatred against someone is to miss the point of his gospel message. It’s to miss the point of his cross.

Do you want to observe Jesus’ commandments? And do you want to love him more fully? The answer may be as close as the person sitting across the dinner table from you or the person down the street who needs a helping hand.

“Jesus, help me to love you more deeply by loving others more faithfully.” (Meditation on John 14:15-21, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that in the Acts of the Apostles we hear how Philip went to Samaria, an area occupied by intermarried Hebrew people. This is a sign that the message is spreading beyond the traditional bounds. Peter and Paul get the gift of the Spirit often in dreams. In 1 Peter, we are supposed to evangelize with gentleness and humility without judgement. We die to ourselves to give witness to Jesus' death. In the Last Supper Discourses, we are instructed to keep the commandments. In John’s Gospel, that is often meant “to believe that Jesus is the Son sent by God and it is necessary to live the love of Jesus in our action”. Friar Jude comments that Jesus sends the Paraclete, an ambiguous word for “advocate”. All the action of the Spirit is witness to His presence on the earth after the Ascension.

Father Richard Rohr, OFM, praises the wisdom of the mystic Julian of Norwich (1342–ca. 1416), who experienced the motherhood of God and Jesus. Father Richard considers the archetypal human need for maternal care.

Julian helps me finally understand one major aspect of my own Catholic culture: why in heaven’s name, for centuries, did both the Eastern and Western Churches attribute so many beautiful and beloved places, shrines, hills, cathedrals, and works of religious art in the Middle East and Europe, not usually to Jesus, or even to God, but to some iteration of Mother Mary? Many people in Julian’s time didn’t have access to scripture—in fact, most couldn’t read at all. They interpreted at the level of archetype and symbol. The “word” or logos was quite good, but a feminine image for God was even better. (Rohr, n.d.)

Mirabai Starr translates one of Julian’s teachings on God as Mother:

Only [God] who is our true Mother and source of all life may rightfully be called by this name. Nature, love, wisdom, and knowledge are all attributes of the Mother, which is God. Even though our earthly birth is low and humble … [God] is the one responsible for the birth of all babies that are born to their physical mothers.

The kind, loving mother, aware of the needs of her child, protects the child with great tenderness. This is the nature of motherhood…. Whenever a human mother nurtures her child with all that is beautiful and good, it is God-the-Mother who is acting through her. [3] (Rohr, n.d.)

We pray the Spirit will fill our hearts with the Love that will drive our Baptismal Anointing as priest, prophet, and leader in the environment in which we live.

References

Acts, ACTS OF THE APOSTLES |USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings. Retrieved May 10, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/8?5 

Alexander, A. (2026, May 9). Daily Reflection May 10, 2026 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved May 10, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-may-10-2026 

John, CHAPTER 14 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 10, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/14? 

Meditation on John 14:15-21. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved May 10, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/05/10/1561422/ 

1 Peter, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 10, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1peter/3? 

Psalms, PSALM 66 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 10, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/66?1 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Motherhood of God. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved May 10, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/motherhood-of-god/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). The Counselor Will Be with You for Ever. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved May 10, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

Prayer Peace and Persecution

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today present the “Bread of Life” that is our source of peace when we endure persecution by living in Jesus Way.

Peace from Persecution

The Reading from The Acts of the Apostles describes the Persecution of the Church that initiates the mission of Philip in Samaria.

* [8:1] All were scattered…except the apostles: this observation leads some modern scholars to conclude that the persecution was limited to the Hellenist Christians and that the Hebrew Christians were not molested, perhaps because their attitude toward the law and temple was still more in line with that of their fellow Jews (see the charge leveled against the Hellenist Stephen in Acts 6:13–14). Whatever the facts, it appears that the Twelve took no public stand regarding Stephen’s position, choosing, instead, to await the development of events.

* [8:3] Saul…was trying to destroy the church: like Stephen, Saul was able to perceive that the Christian movement contained the seeds of doctrinal divergence from Judaism. A pupil of Gamaliel, according to Acts 22:3, and totally dedicated to the law as the way of salvation (Gal 1:13–14), Saul accepted the task of crushing the Christian movement, at least insofar as it detracted from the importance of the temple and the law. His vehement opposition to Christianity reveals how difficult it was for a Jew of his time to accept a messianism that differed so greatly from the general expectation. (Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 8 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 66 praises God for powerful acts for Israel.

* [Psalm 66] In the first part (Ps 66:1–12), the community praises God for powerful acts for Israel, both in the past (the exodus from Egypt and the entry into the land [Ps 66:6]) and in the present (deliverance from a recent but unspecified calamity …

* [66:5–6] cf. the events described in Ex 14:1–15, 21; Jos 3:11–4:24 and Ps 114. (Psalms, PSALM 66 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of John, up to Jn 6:50, “bread of life” is a figure for God’s revelation in Jesus;

* [6:35–59] Up to Jn 6:50 “bread of life” is a figure for God’s revelation in Jesus; in Jn 6:51–58, the eucharistic theme comes to the fore. There may thus be a break between Jn 6:50–51. (John, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB, n.d.)

Jane Stein comments that the early disciples teach us that faith is not a protected place; it is a movement outward, sometimes compelled by pain or loss. Each place of suffering becomes a new space for grace to unfold.

In the Gospel, Jesus identifies Himself as the Bread of Life—the one who satisfies all hunger and thirst. His words move us from an outward struggle to an inward promise. “Whoever comes to me will never hunger.” The same Spirit who scattered the disciples now gathers all who believe into communion with Christ. Here, joy is not the denial of suffering but the fruit of being united to the will of the Father, who desires that “none be lost” but have eternal life.

When I read these passages together, I sense a call to trust in God’s transforming purpose. Even in times of fear or uncertainty, the divine pattern holds: persecution leads to witness, hunger leads to fulfillment, loss leads to resurrection. The story of the early Church is our story too. Christ feeds us with His presence so that we, nourished by the Bread of Life, can bring joy to the cities and hearts we touch today.

Blessings and Happy Easter! (Stein, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Possessing the Scriptures”, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"When you understand anything in the Scriptures, it is love that is manifesting itself to you. When you fail to understand, it is love that is hiding itself from you. Those, therefore, who possess charity possess both what is manifest in the divine words and what is hidden in them." (excerpt from Sermon 350,2) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on John 6:35-40 we can still struggle to understand and believe what Jesus says about his being the Bread of Life.

“Jesus, I believe that you are offering your very self—the gift of heavenly bread—to me. In faith I receive you, both at the altar and throughout my day. Help me to consume you at every moment. Help me to delight in knowing you. Help me to find in you the fulfillment of my longing for eternal life, with you and your Father and the Holy Spirit. This, Lord, is the food I long for. This is the only food that will satisfy my every hunger and thirst.”

“Lord, give me this Bread always!” (Meditation on John 6:35-40, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that in Acts a great persecution is occuring in Jerusalem. The Hellenistic Jewish Christians fled. Philip acts to heal and exorcise evil. Many flee but instead Philip proclaims to the people in difficult times. We can use difficulty to reach out with empathy and kindness. We lighten their burden by carrying it with them. The Bread of Life discourse continues in the Gospel of John leading to the revelation of the Bread of Life as His Nature. Now He proclaims how much God loves us and if we embrace that we are one with Jesus and the Father we are acquiring communion with God. Friar Jude notes this is the vertical dimension of Eucharist.

Brian McLaren describes a favorite place in nature from his childhood. He honors the grief that arises when the places we have known and loved change.

Several years ago, I was in the old neighborhood again…. The trail was still there, but now it was broad and paved for bicycles. The wetland had disappeared…. As I sat on one of the benches and looked around, I was overcome by sweet grief for the delight I once enjoyed as a boy, a lost magic boys and girls today will never know, at least, not there….

I’m returning to this precious place in my memory, this sacred swampy ground. I’m appreciating it, praising it for what it was, all the more because it has been lost…. You have your lost places unknown to me. I have mine unknown to you. We could not protect them. But we do not let these good creations disappear only to be forgotten, unappreciated, unpraised, unlamented. Our love for them outlasts their existence. So together, we remember them in grief. We feel them more fully revealing themselves to us in their passing away….

Stay with grief long enough to feel its sweetness, long enough for the sweetness and grief to deepen our sensitivity to the exquisite agony and ecstasy that we call appreciation, praise, love … and life. (McLaren, n.d.)

We ponder the meaning to us of Christ as the “Bread of Life” and how our faith offers us hope that we are nourished by the vertical nature of our Communion to support the horizontal action to which we are commissioned as salt and light in the world.

References

Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 8 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved April 22, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/8? 

John, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved April 22, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/6? 

McLaren, B. (n.d.). Beauty, Memory, and Grief. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved April 22, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/beauty-memory-and-grief/ 

Meditation on John 6:35-40. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved April 22, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/04/22/1548287/ 

Psalms, PSALM 66 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved April 22, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/66?1 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). I Will Raise You up at the Last Day. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved April 22, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

Stein, J. (n.d.). Daily Reflection. Creighton On Line Ministries. Retrieved April 22, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-april-22-2026