Monday, 18 May 2026
Tuesday, May 19, 2026 - Does my prayer show in action? How?
To read the texts click on the texts: Acts 20:17-27; Jn 17:1-11
Chapter
17, from which we will read today, tomorrow, and the day after, is titled “The
High Priestly Prayer” of Jesus. However, this may also be seen as a farewell
hymn of praise to God. This farewell is not simply the death of Jesus, but is
the “departure” from this world, a return to the Father, after completing the work
entrusted to him. It is thus a prayer of thanksgiving and confidence. Since is
the last prayer before the Passion Narrative, which begins in Chapter 18, it
must also be interpreted with this in mind. The intimacy that Jesus shares with
the Father shines through every sentence of the prayer. Jesus speaks in this
prayer directly to God.
The
prayer is divided into three parts. In the first (17:1-5), though it seems that
he is praying for himself, what Jesus is really doing is giving thanks to the
Father for his graciousness and love. In the second part (17:6-19), Jesus prays
for his disciples and, in the final part of the prayer (17:20-26), Jesus prays
for those who will believe because of the disciples preaching, i.e. future
generations of disciples.
The
prayer begins with Jesus adopting a formal posture of prayer, looking up to
heaven, and addressing God as “Father”. On the one hand, this shows that Jesus
now distances himself from his disciples and, on the other, indicates the
intimate relationship that Jesus shares with God. The announcement of the
“hour” at the beginning of the prayer points to the fact that the prayer will
be directed to God, keeping this in mind. It is the “hour” of glorification
because during it, Jesus will obey God completely, and in that obedience, God
will be revealed and glorified. Jesus, as Son, has revealed God’s gift of
eternal life to all who were willing to receive it. Jesus has completed this
work on earth and now, he has to return to the Father in order to complete the work
of glorification.
The
work of glorification included making the name of God known to all. Jesus has
revealed the Father as Father and God as a God of unconditional and bountiful
love. The disciples have been able to see God revealed in Jesus and thus, have
kept God’s revealed word. Since Jesus is not going to be in the world in the
same way in which he was with the disciples, he prays for their protection.
This protection is to be manifested in the oneness that the disciples will
share to show those who do not yet believe, that Jesus has indeed come from God
and is with God.
Prayer
is not primarily words, but an attitude. This is what Jesus displays in his
prayer. The manner in which one addresses God displays the relationship that
one shares with him. “Father” was the most intimate term for Jesus to use and
it shows the oneness that he felt with God. Each of us has to find our own
intimate term with which to address God. It is important to realize that, after
Jesus, God can never be looked at with fear or trepidation, but only with
confidence, courage, and hope.
Prayer
does not begin with “me” but with God and his glorification. However, the
glorification of God is complete when love abounds, because where love is,
there God is. The effect of our prayer has to be seen in tangible love,
expressed in deeds, like it was in the life of Jesus.
Sunday, 17 May 2026
Monday, May 18, 2026 - When faced with a seemingly insurmountable problem today will you believe that you, like Jesus, will overcome?
To read the texts click on the texts: Acts 19:1-8; Jn 16:19-23
Though
the disciples think that they have understood everything that Jesus has said,
and that it is plain to them, they actually misunderstand. While Jesus has used
many figures of speech to make his points, the disciples mistakenly think that
he has used only one. They also do not realize that Jesus had spoken of a
future time when he would speak plainly and when things would be clear, and
erroneously think of that time as the present. Where Jesus was appealing to the
heart, the disciples used their minds. Their knowledge is an intellectual
knowledge and thus, focuses only on the present and not on the future. They
forget that the whole story of Jesus can only be completed with the departure
to the Father. This is why Jesus has to reorient them and remind them again of
the “hour”. The “hour” here is the hour of death which will result in the
scattering of the disciples. They will all abandon him at his death. Yet, Jesus
will not be alone because he knows that the Father will be with him, even if no
one else is. Thus, even when faced with the most difficult situation, namely
death, Jesus can have peace and this is the peace that he will gift to the
disciples. This peace will enable the disciples to stand up to all the trials
and tribulations they will encounter.
The
last words of Jesus here are words of confidence and hope: “But take courage; I
have conquered the world.” Even as he goes to his death, Jesus knows that
victory will be his. He will overcome, through his cross, all the negative
powers that try to prevent his love from reaching the ends of the earth.
It
takes courage to believe when we are faced with seemingly insurmountable
obstacles and difficulties of life. It is at times like these that our faith is
tested and tried. It is at times like these when we have to ask ourselves
whether we believe that God is still working for our good. To have courage in
the face of adversity, to believe in the face of trials, and to trust and have
faith when everything seems to be going wrong, is to have the confidence in the
Father that Jesus had. This attitude can be ours if we open ourselves to God’s
abundant grace and realize the impermanence of all that assails us. It is to
know that, like Jesus, we too will overcome the “world”. The movement from
present sorrow, pain and trial, to future joy, peace and hope, is possible and
even guaranteed because Jesus has overcome.
Saturday, 16 May 2026
Sunday, May 17, 2026 - The Ascension of the Lord - Will you proclaim the WORD in ACTION?
To read the texts click on the texts: Acts1:1-11; Eph 1:17-23; Mt 28: 16-20
Though
the First and Second readings and the Responsorial Psalm are common for all
three years A, B and C, the Gospel readings differ on Ascension Sunday. In year
A the Church reads from Matthew, in year B from the longer and canonical ending
of Mark (Mk 16:15-20) and in year C from the last chapter and verses of Luke
(Lk 24:46-53). While Mark and Luke clearly mention the detail of Jesus
ascending into heaven, Matthew does not. Yet, the scene in Matthew conveys a
depth of meaning that the other Synoptic Gospels find difficult to match.
Matthew’s
text is made up of two parts. The first of these is the encounter of the
disciples with the Risen Lord on the mountain in Galilee and the second is the
commission which the Risen Lord gives to his disciples. The encounter with the
disciples is described as a matter of fact, as an event which takes place
ordinarily. The response of the disciples to the appearance of Jesus is worship
mixed with doubt. This is to indicate that the Risen Jesus comes to a Church
that while it worships also wavers, while it believes also hesitates, while it
has faith also doubts. This is the Church to which the commission is given and
by sacrificing sensationalism, the text focuses on the words of the Risen
Jesus. The universalizing “All” before the revelation which Jesus makes about
his authority, before the commission that he gives the disciples, and before
assuring them of his abiding presence, makes the whole scene universal in
scope. The local Mission of Jesus has become now universal.
The
first reading from the Acts of the Apostles already sets the tone for the
Universal Mission which the disciples are given. Here they are commissioned to
be witnesses not only in Jerusalem but to the ends of the earth. However, even
as they are commissioned they are cautioned about two things. The first is
patience. They must wait for the gift of the Spirit with openness and
receptivity. The second is that it not for them to know too many details about
time, place and the like. Their job is only to be witnesses. To use the words
of St. Francis of Assisi, they are called to “Proclaim the Gospel at all times.
When necessary, use words.” They were meant to be those who could give evidence
for what they have seen and heard. They could not be witnesses unless they had
met the Risen Christ and unless their lives have been transformed by him. Their
testimony was about him, not just about what happened long ago and far away.
They were to give evidence about what they themselves have heard, seen,
experience
The
evidence that they were to give and the message that they were to proclaim, was
good news. The message was hope and light and love. It was a message which
Jesus himself had taught them and this is what they were to teach. This was why
even before Jesus sent them out, he made explicit that the authority was his
and not theirs. Their job was not to usurp this authority, but simply to
welcome all peoples to make the same discovery that they had made in their
faith journey, the discovery of the God of light and of goodness, of mercy and
of compassion, of justice and of reconciliation -- and not impose their own
cultural values or their own cultural traditions in the process. It was
allowing others to make that discovery freely and joyfully. Authority has been
given to Christ.
This
was remembered by Christians in the first century as is evident in the
community living which resulted as a result of the witness to the words and
deeds of Jesus. They also realized that the Church was but the body of the
Risen Christ and so had to continue to be an extension of him who was raised.
The
missionary movement of the Church stemming from the Mission command of Jesus
continued and does so even today. There are moments in the Church’s history in
which we see truly gracious, noble, altruistic and selfless acts of dedication
and service. A lot of good has been done in every continent and corner of the
earth because the Church continued to take seriously the command of Jesus.
However,
it is also true that sometimes we as Church seemed to have forgotten the real
message and concentrated on getting converts to the faith at any cost. This has
left in some places a memory of hurt, pain, loss and even suffering. We have
sometimes missed the point. The mistake that we sometimes make is to forget
that the authority rests with Jesus and not with us. Our role continues to be
only that of proclaimers who will “disciple” peoples everywhere by teaching
them through our lives what Jesus has commanded us and done in us.
Friday, 15 May 2026
Saturday, May 16, 2026 - Do you remember to add at the end of your prayer the words “not my, but your will be done”?
To read the texts click on the texts: Acts 18:23-28; Jn 16:23-28
The
death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus will be the event that will enable
the disciples to pray, not only in Jesus’ name, but like he prayed. Through
this event, the disciples will enter into a new relationship with Jesus and
with God through him. This relationship will be a relationship of love. As God
showed his love for the world in sending Jesus, and Jesus showed his love for
the world by accepting the cross, so the disciples have shown love for Jesus
and God by accepting and believing that Jesus has come from God.
In
the last verse of today’s text the entire mission of Jesus is summarized. Jesus
has been sent by God and has come from God. After completing the mission
entrusted to him, he is returning to where he has come from: God. The story of
Jesus, which began with his coming from the Father ends, but also continues
with his ascending to the Father.
Prayer
in Jesus’ name and praying like Jesus means to believe, before we receive
something, that it will be given to us. It is a confidence that God is on our
side. We may not always be able to see at first glance how what we receive is
for our good, much like the cross that Jesus carried. However, it means that we
continue to trust and believe that all will be well because God is always in
control of any and every situation.
Thursday, 14 May 2026
Friday, May 15, 2026 - What causes sorrow in you? Can you be described as primarily a “happy” person? If Not, why not?
To read the texts click on the texts: Acts 18:9-18; Jn 16:20-23
Jesus
explains in these verses how the disciple’s sorrow will turn to joy. The
metaphor of child birth is used to explain the in-breaking of God’s kingdom.
Just as the birth of a child turns the pain of the mother into joy, so the
in-breaking of God’s kingdom will turn the disciples’ sorrow into joy. Jesus’
appearance to the disciples after his death will be the cause of their sorrow
turning to joy. This joy will not be temporary, but permanent, and no one or
event will be able to take it away. This is because the whole of life’s
perspective will change and the disciples will become a new people, a new
creation. On that day, all the questions of the disciples will cease because
nothing will need to be explained. It will be as clear as it needs to be.
Sorrow
and joy are common everyday experiences of all humans. Sorrow is caused when
things do not go the way we expect them to or when people do not respond in the
way we want them to. When our expectations are not met, we feel sad and upset.
However, after the resurrection of Jesus and his presence among us in his
Spirit, sorrow can never be an enduring experience for a believer. It is always
temporary. Joy is permanent. This joy is not caused by the happening or not
happening of events, it is not caused by our expectations being fulfilled, but
by a realization that, in Jesus, God always wants what is best for us and will
never do anything that is not for our good and for his glory. It is a
realization that, in Jesus, we are loved unconditionally by a God who is Father
and who always wants what is best for his sons and daughters.
Wednesday, 13 May 2026
Thursday, May 14, 2026 - St. Matthias, Apostle - Jesus revealed the Father as love. How will you reveal Jesus today?
To read the texts click on the texts: Acts1:15-17,20-26; Jn 15:9-17
There
is no mention of a Matthias among the lists of disciples or followers of Jesus
in the three synoptic gospels, but according to the first reading chosen for
the feast of St. Matthias, he had been with Jesus from his baptism by John
until his Ascension. In the days following, Peter proposed that the assembled
disciples, who numbered about one hundred and twenty, nominate two men to
replace Judas. After they had cast lots, the lot fell to Matthias; so he was
numbered with the eleven apostles
Though
no further information is available about Matthias in the New Testament, he is
identified with Zacchaeus and also with Nathanael.
The
Gospel text is from the Gospel of John and is part of the Discourse on the Vine
and the Branches and focusses on Jesus’ gift of love given to him by his
Father.
This
love which the Father has for Jesus is the same love that Jesus has expressed
and shown for his disciples. It is a love that is unconditional, a love without
end. It is not merely a verbal expression, or an emotion, but a love that is
shown tangibly and, in every action, that Jesus performs. The disciples have to
act in the same manner as Jesus in order to make this love visible. There is
only one commandment and that is the commandment to love. If the disciples keep
this commandment, it will result in their being like Jesus, their master, who
before them, revealed God’s love for the world.
This
love is expressed in the most perfect of ways in the willingness to go to one’s
death for the sake of a friend. The disciples are indeed friends of Jesus, as
has been manifested in their keeping his command to love. It is important to
note that Jesus is not placing a condition for friendship here (you can be my
friends only if…); rather he is stating what and who the disciples are (because
you are my friends, you do what I command).
The
friendship that the disciples share with Jesus is grounded in love. This means
that Jesus keeps back nothing from his disciples and reveals to them all that
they need to know. His primary revelation to them has been of God as a loving
and compassionate Father.
It
is Jesus who has taken the initiative in calling and choosing the disciples and
this fact reinforces the idea of grace. It is not one’s effort that can earn
discipleship but the grace of God which, when received, results in one living
out the call to discipleship. The living out of the call is not merely a once
for all act, but something that is done constantly and with perseverance. This
will ensure that the effects of their love are abiding and lasting. The last
verse of today, with its reminder to “love one another”, forms an inclusion
with the first.
The
relationship that we share with God because of Jesus is one of sons and
daughters. We are Jesus’ brothers and sisters, even friends. This is because he
has given us everything in all its fullness. He held nothing back, not even his
own self. The manifestation of this self-giving, which began with the
incarnation, was completed and continued on the cross, and through his
resurrection and ascension. He continues to give, even today.
However,
the giving is only one side of the story. Without a receiver, the gift has no
value. This is why, while the grace of God given as a gift in Jesus is first,
our reception of that gift is as important if the act of giving is to be
completed. We show that we have received this gift when we, like Jesus, also
dare to reach out in love. When we speak an enhancing word, perform a loving
action, behave a little less selfishly, and a little more selflessly, then the
gift is given and received, again and again.
Keeping
the commandment of Jesus is thus not a chore or burden but done willingly
because one has experienced this love first. The outcome of this sharing and
manifestation of love is unbounded joy.
Tuesday, 12 May 2026
Wednesday, May 13, 2026 - What contemporary symbol describes Jesus for you? How will you share this symbol with at least one other person today?
To read the texts click on the texts: Acts 17:15,22-18:1; Jn 16:12-15
The
Paraclete is mentioned for the last time in the Farewell Discourse in these
verses. Jesus has taught the disciples all that they are to know and understand
about the present time. There is nothing more about the present that he can say
to them. What they need to know about the future will be revealed to them at
the appropriate time and when the Spirit that is sent comes. This means that,
even when they are faced with the future which is uncertain, God’s presence
will be with them. They are not alone. The Paraclete is the “spirit of truth”
since he comes from Jesus, who is “the truth” and will guide the disciples into
the way of truth, into the way of Jesus. Since the Paraclete will be sent by
Jesus, he will only explicate and make clearer what Jesus has already said. He
will not give a new teaching but will continue what Jesus has begun. As Jesus
taught what he heard from God, so the Paraclete will teach what he hears from
Jesus.
He
will also declare “the things that are to come” which here means the
preparation of the disciples for the time after Jesus. This also indicates that
the words of Jesus are not time bound, but available anew for every succeeding
generation of disciples. The Paraclete always makes the teachings new and
relevant for the times. Just as Jesus made God visible through his words and
actions, so the Paraclete will make Jesus present through the inspiration and
support he provides to the disciples.
The
Paraclete thus makes Jesus present even after his death, resurrection, and
ascension to the Father. He is the teacher and witness of all that Jesus has
said and done. That is, the Paraclete enables the Christian community, at any
time in its life, to reach back to the teachings of Jesus and “remember,” and
bring Jesus’ teachings to life afresh with new understanding. However, the
Paraclete’s role as teacher is also creative. The Paraclete enables the word of
Jesus to move forward from its moment in history to the present life of the
church. The Paraclete gives new meanings to the teachings of Jesus as the
changing circumstances of faith communities and the world demand.
The
Paraclete that Jesus sent two thousand years ago is the same Paraclete that is
available to us today. The presence of the Paraclete will be seen and felt when
we make the teachings of Jesus relevant and alive today. The idiom, symbols,
and language that we use have to be understood by contemporary hearers. All too
often, language about Jesus is too pious and even outdated and so, does not
touch the lives of many. If we open ourselves to the working of the Paraclete
in our lives, we will be able to make Jesus present even now.
Monday, 11 May 2026
Tuesday, May 12, 2026 - If people heard you speak and saw your actions today, would they recognize you as a follower of Jesus?
To read the texts click on the texts: Acts 16:22-34; Jn 16:5-11
These
verses continue the farewell Discourse which was begun in 14:1. Since Jesus had
been physically present to the disciples, he did not need to give them
instructions about the time when he would not be with them. However, since that
time has now come, they need to be informed about how they are to handle the
future without him. They are dismayed and troubled, even though they know that
he is going to the Father. They must realize and accept that it is to their
advantage that Jesus goes. If he does not go, the Paraclete cannot come. Jesus’
departure, which means his death, resurrection, and ascension, must precede the
Paraclete’s coming. When this happens, Jesus will have completed the work given
to him by the Father and the Paraclete will continue the work begun by Jesus.
The
Paraclete’s work in the world will be to bring people to trial. This, however,
is only one of the many functions that the Paraclete performs. It will bring
out into the open the true meaning of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and the
“world”, which here means those who rejected Jesus, will be held accountable.
The
“world’s” sin is exposed because they have not believed in Jesus as the one who
was sent from, and by, the Father. This means that the focus is not on one
particular act, but on the attitude of rejection. Though the “world” might
assume that Jesus’ death is the end, it is mistaken and, in this is
righteousness exposed. Jesus’ death is not the end; rather, it is the
completion on earth of the work entrusted to him by the Father. It is to be
seen in the context of obedience to his Father’s will for him and the world.
The final judgment will be that of the “ruler of this world”. By his death,
resurrection, and ascension, the devil, the embodiment of all that is opposed
to Jesus, will be judged. It will be proved, through this decisive act, that
God has triumphed in his Son.
The
“world” continues to be opposed to Jesus and to love. However, Jesus continues
to be present to the world in his Spirit, made manifest in his disciples. It is
the task of the disciples inspired and guided by the Spirit to continue to
expose the sin of the world and bring the world to judgment. While this may be
done by verbal proclamation, it must also be, like in the case of Jesus, a
proclamation that is shown in action.
Sunday, 10 May 2026
Monday, May 11, 2026 - Will you persevere in love today? When you are repaid with ingratitude for your kindness, will you continue to love?
To read the texts click on the texts: Acts 16:11-15; Jn 15:26-16:4
This
is the third promise of the coming of the Paraclete in the Gospel of John.
Jesus had made the first promise in 14:16-17, and the second one in 14:26. The
Paraclete or Advocate is sent by Jesus and the Father. The Paraclete is sent by
Jesus, but is sent from the Father. The Paraclete is sent here to testify or
bear witness to Jesus. This means that the teaching of the Paraclete will not
be new teaching but a confirmation of what Jesus has already taught and done.
Just as the Paraclete bears witness, so must the disciples, since they have
seen and heard Jesus from the beginning. The Paraclete will give strength to
the disciples in their time of trial so that they will not fall away. The
Paraclete will work in and through the disciples. The work of Jesus continues
through the Paraclete working in the disciples.
Because
of this work of Jesus, the disciples will have to face persecution from those
who do not accept them. As a matter of fact, those who engage in such
persecution will think they are right and, by so persecuting the disciples,
will think they are, in effect, worshipping God. This is because they have not
understood the meaning of the incarnation and so, have not been able to
recognize God’s unconditional and gratuitous love made manifest in Jesus. Jesus
predicts these happenings, to both prepare the disciples in advance for what is
to come and also, to warn them about the consequences of following him. Their
perseverance and standing firm, even in the midst of persecution, will reveal
their love for him and the Father and will be the tangible expression of their
faith.
Believing
in Jesus is not easy. It is one thing to verbally profess faith in him and
another to live out all that he taught and did. It is especially difficult to
follow him when things do not go the way we want them to and when things happen
contrary to our expectations. When those to whom we are good repay us with
goodness, we are not surprised, because we expect them to do just that.
However, when those to whom we have reached out in love are ungrateful and
sometimes openly hostile to us, we get shocked at their behaviour, simply
because we did not expect them to react in that way. It is at times like these
that we must remember the predictions of Jesus made here. His love for the
world, shown in the most tangible manner on the cross, was spurned by most of
his contemporaries, yet that same love continues to be made new, even today,
two thousand years later. We, too, are called not to fall away but to persevere
in love.
Saturday, 9 May 2026
Sunday, May 10, 2026 - Sixth Sunday of Easter - Always with us: Jesus and his Spirit
To read the texts click on the texts: Acts 8:5-8,14-17; 1 Pet 3:15-18; Jn 14:15-21
Someone
once said tongue in cheek: “The reason mountain climbers are tied together is
to keep the sane ones from going home.” Whoever said that may have been joking,
but only partly. For, though we know that mountain climbers are tied together
to keep from getting lost or going over a cliff and even to support and
encourage one another, there is another piece of truth here. When things get
difficult up on the mountain, when the going gets tough, when the path is too
steep, when fear sets in, many a climber is tempted to say, “This is too
difficult! It’s crazy! I’m going home.” This is understandable and sometimes
even prudent.
The
life of faith can be like that. When doubts set in and despair overwhelms us,
the whole notion of believing in God seems crazy. Jesus was aware that his
disciples would have days like that, and so the focus in the opening verses of
this chapter (Jn 14) read last week was on the confidence that the disciples
are exhorted to have, since Jesus will overcome death and return.
Here
the focus is on two interconnected aspects. The first of these is the intimate
connection between the love which one has for Jesus and keeping his commandment
of love – a theme which begins and ends this text – and the second is the
promise of the Advocate, Helper, Comforter, Counsellor or Paraclete that Jesus
will ask for the disciples from the Father who will come to their aid and to
give strength and courage when the going gets tough and the road is steep.
In
the first, Jesus is explicit that the love of the disciple has to be a tangible
love that will express itself in action. It is to be an imitation of the love
that the first letter of Peter speaks about; the love of Christ who died for
the guilty to lead us to God. This kind of unconditional love will lead to the
disciple sharing in the Father’s love.
It
also leads to the second and connected aspect: the promise of the gift of the
Advocate who will abide not only with the disciples but also in them. The
Advocate can mean variously, “the one who comforts”, “the one who helps” and
“the one who makes appeals on one’s behalf”. This Advocate will not engage in
any new work, but will continue the work of Jesus. The Spirit will ensure that
the revelation of God begun in Jesus will continue forever. Though the Paraclete
will be with the disciples, Jesus himself will also return to accompany the
disciples.
While
not abandoning traditional beliefs – for instance, in the second coming and
judgement – John handles them in a way which relates them directly to the present.
The chief focus of his spirituality is not bigger miracles or stricter
commandments, but the expansion of the initiative of love which comes from God
and seeks to fill the world. This is why John’s account of Jesus’ last words
insists on the Spirit, relationship and resultant action on communities of love
which ‘speak for themselves’. The passage is framed by human anxiety about the
absence of Jesus and ultimately about the absence of God (14:1; 14:27). It does
not deny the anxiety and distress, but offers a promise of presence and sense
of meaning embedded in sharing God’s life and participating in God’s action in
the world, recognizable by its ‘Jesus-shape’. These parting words of Jesus are
not merely for his immediate disciples but disciples of all times.
This
is why even after the death of Stephen by stoning and the general persecution
of the Christian community, Philip, one of the seven chosen deacons, is aware
of this presence of the Risen Lord and is bold to proclaim Christ. The Spirit
working in and through him enabled him to both preach and act as Jesus himself
had done. The result of Philip’s actions through the guidance of the Spirit was
that people were made whole. This combination of healing word and action
resulted in great rejoicing, and many were drawn to Christ.
This
presence, in which the disciples lived, continued to sustain them and make an
impact on others. Since this was so, they are exhorted in the second reading of
today to be willing to share that hope. It is not to be a sharing that smacks
of condescension or a sharing which professes to have the whole truth, but a
sharing that has to be done in humility, courtesy and reverence for the other.
We are given as it were a starting point for inter-religious dialogue.
This
kind of sharing is the need of the hour in today’s world. In a world that is
already a global village but also where each community is becoming more closed
in on itself and parochial, the task of the Christian community is evident.
Convinced that the Risen Lord continues to accompany us on our journey in and
through his Spirit which abides in each of us, we must be able to communicate
this presence which is manifested in peace, joy, fellowship and justice for
all.
Friday, 8 May 2026
Saturday, May 9, 2026- How often has your comparison with what others have led you to feel jealous of them? Will you realize that you can be the most contented person if you so decide today?
To read the texts click on the texts: Acts 16:1-10; Jn 15:18-21
These
verses of the Discourse on the Vine and the Branches focus not on the
relationship of Jesus and the disciples, like the earlier verses did, but on
the relationship of the disciples with the “world”. Here, the word “world” is
used to represent, not the physical world, but those who are opposed to God’s
revelation in Jesus.
The
challenge of love will be truly encountered when the community faces the
“world”. The “world” will hate the disciples because of their relationship with
Jesus and because they live out his teachings. If the disciples want the world
to love them, they must give up the teachings of Jesus. However, because they
have been chosen by Jesus and set apart from the “world”, they too, like Jesus,
will have to endure the “world’s” hatred.
The
disciples must realize that following and obeying Jesus, as servants obey their
masters, will lead to persecution. What has happened with Jesus will be
repeated in the disciples’ lives. While the authority of the one sent is the
same as the sender, it is also true that the response to the one sent will be
the same as the response to the sender. Those who do not accept the word of
truth, spoken by God in Jesus, will indulge in persecution. Those who accept
the word will respond by living out that word in their lives. Rejection of the disciples means rejection of
Jesus because it is Jesus who sends them.
Rejection of Jesus means rejection of God who sent him.
In
a world in which the resonating message is to “have more”, it is not always
easy to speak and live Jesus’ message to “be more”. Those who do this are
labeled as crazy and out of touch with reality. Possession of things has so
possessed us that we do not even realize that, most of the time, it is things
that possess us rather than the other way round. We are held by the things we
want to possess and they will not let us rest. Often, it begins with a small
possession and then goes on to something bigger and soon gets so big that we lose
control of ourselves and who we are. Our identity is linked with what we have
and what we have achieved. In a situation like this, we need to take stock and
decide when enough is enough. We need to ask ourselves whether we will live our
lives moving from one possession to the next, often not even having the time or
energy to enjoy what we possess.
Thursday, 7 May 2026
Friday, May 8, 2026 - Have you received Jesus’ gift of unconditional love? Does this show in your sharing of that love?
To read the texts click on the texts: Acts 15:22-31; Jn 15:12-17
The
first verse of today’s reading repeats the love commandment of 13:34, which
there, was referred to as a new commandment. This love is expressed in the most
perfect of ways in the willingness to go to one’s death for the sake of a
friend. The disciples are indeed friends of Jesus, as has been manifested in
their keeping his command to love. It is important to note that Jesus is not
placing a condition for friendship here (you can be my friends only if…);
rather he is stating what and who the disciples are (because you are my
friends, you do what I command).
The
friendship that the disciples share with Jesus is grounded in love. This means
that Jesus keeps back nothing from his disciples and reveals to them all that
they need to know. His primary revelation to them has been of God as a loving
and compassionate Father.
It
is Jesus who has taken the initiative in calling and choosing the disciples and
this fact reinforces the idea of grace. It is not one’s effort that can earn
discipleship but the grace of God which, when received, results in one living
out the call to discipleship. The living out of the call is not merely a once
for all act, but something that is done constantly and with perseverance. This
will ensure that the effects of their love are abiding and lasting. The last
verse of today, with its reminder to “love one another”, forms an inclusion
with the first.
The
relationship that we share with God because of Jesus is one of sons and
daughters. We are Jesus’ brothers and sisters, even friends. This is because he
has given us everything in all its fullness. He held nothing back, not even his
own self. The manifestation of this self giving, which began with the
incarnation, was completed and continued on the cross, and through his
resurrection and ascension. He continues to give, even today. However, the
giving is only one side of the story. Without a receiver, the gift has no
value. This is why, while the grace of God given as a gift in Jesus is first,
our reception of that gift is as important if the act of giving is to be
completed. We show that we have received this gift when we, like Jesus, also
dare to reach out in love. When we speak an enhancing word, perform a loving
action, behave a little less selfishly, and a little more selflessly, then the
gift is given and received, again and again.
Wednesday, 6 May 2026
Thursday, May 7, 2026 - How often has fear ruled your actions? Will you dare to act from love today?
To read the texts click on the texts: Acts 15:7-21; Jn15:9-11
The
love which the Father has for Jesus is the same love that Jesus has expressed
and shown for his disciples. It is a love that is unconditional, a love without
end. It is not merely a verbal expression, or an emotion, but a love that is
shown tangibly and in every action that Jesus performs. The disciples have to
act in the same manner as Jesus in order to make this love visible. There is
only one commandment and that is the commandment to love. If the disciples keep
this commandment, it will result in their being like Jesus, their master, who
before them, revealed God’s love for the world.
Keeping
the commandment of Jesus is thus not a chore or burden but done willingly
because one has experienced this love first. The outcome of this sharing and
manifestation of love is unbounded joy.
The
word “love” has been a word that is used so often that it has been abused. We
speak of our love for the good things of life, and of our love for the members
of our family, and of our love for God in the same breath. “I love mixed
vegetables” we might tell our spouse and, in the next breath, say “I love you”.
Love is not primarily an emotion; it is not even a feeling, but reality. As a
matter of fact, the only reality is love. Fear, which is regarded as the
opposite of love, is not real, it is only an illusion. If there is fear, there
cannot be love, and where there is love, there is no fear (1 Jn 4:18). While
Paul gives a beautiful definition of love in 1 Cor 13:1-9, my own definition of
love is simple, but not simplistic. “In love, there is no “I””.
Tuesday, 5 May 2026
Wednesday, May 6, 2026- Do I consider myself as part of the vine or do I regard myself as an individual branch? How will I show that I am part of the vine?
To read the texts click on the texts: Acts 15:1-6; Jn 15:1-8
John
15:1-17 are the verses for today and the next two days. These verses contain
the final “I am” sayings in the Gospel (vv. 1, 5) and introduce the central
metaphor of this unit: the vine and its branches. Jesus uses, in the first
verse of Chapter 15, a common symbol of the world at that time: Vine. While in
15:1, the relationship with Jesus and the Father is stressed, in 15:5, when the
metaphor is used again, Jesus does so in the context of his relationship with
his disciples. Thus, the focus of the metaphor is interrelationship. If God is
the vine dresser, Jesus is the vine and the disciples are the branches. All
three are required for the production of fruit.
God,
as the vine dresser, is the origin or source and, because Jesus comes from the
Father, he is the true vine. God acts in his capacity as vine dresser and does
what is best for the vine. Those branches that do bear fruit are pruned and
those that do not, are cut away. This means that those of the community who
express their union with Jesus by acting it out in works of love are pruned,
whereas those who do not show their faith in action are cut off. The disciples
have been given an insight into how they must remain in the vine, through the
words that Jesus has spoken to them and through the loving actions that he
performed, symbolized in the washing of the feet. They must learn from these
actions and realize that, without abiding or remaining in Jesus, they can do
nothing. Their own power or effort will never be sufficient for the works they
have to perform. These can only be done if accompanied by the grace that Jesus
gives.
“I
am the vine, you are the branches” in 15:5 is not a repetition of what was said
earlier. Rather it stresses the relationship of the community with Jesus.
Without the vine, the branches are nothing. Mutual indwelling will result in
bearing fruit. If a branch decides that it wants to live apart from the vine,
it is in effect asking for death. Life apart from the vine is not possible for
any branch.
Mutual
indwelling is not merely with a single branch and the vine but with all the
branches in the vine with one another. This unity of the branches among
themselves will result in fruit bearing. This unity will also be a witness for
the world and the glorification of the vine dresser: God. When people see the
works of the disciples, it will lead them to glorify the Father.
All
too often Christianity has been understood as a religion that has only the
individual dimension. The communitarian dimension has been neglected. This is
seen in so many of the Sacraments (which are both individual and communitarian)
being treated and regarded as private devotions. The approach of many
Christians has often been: My God and I. This approach is to misunderstand
Christianity and all that Jesus stood for. The metaphor of today makes explicit
that mutual indwelling is at the heart of the preaching of Jesus, and that
Christianity, while it surely has an individual dimension, just as surely has a
communitarian dimension. I am, as a Christian my brother’s and sister’s keeper.
Their joys and sorrow, their trials and tribulations, their successes and
failures, have to be as real to me as my own if I am to be a Christian in the
true sense of the word. The Christian does make an individual commitment and
choice to follow Jesus but he/she makes it in and through a community.
Monday, 4 May 2026
Tuesday, May 5, 2026 - When adversity knocks at your door do you open with dread and fear or hope and courage?
To read the texts click on the texts: Acts 14:19-28; Jn 14: 27-31
A
new promise is given to the disciples. This is first occurrence of “peace” in
the Gospel of John. Peace here does not mean simply a wish, but must be seen as
a legacy or bequest that Jesus leaves behind for the disciples. This peace that
Jesus gives is not merely a sense of security, not merely the end of conflict
and strife, but it embraces every aspect of a person’s life. This peace makes
the weak strong and the fainthearted brave. It is a wholeness which makes one
courageous to face all the trials and tribulations of life without getting
overwhelmed. It is a peace which gives them the strength to face every kind of
adversity with equanimity and faith.
Even
as he offers this gift to them, Jesus reminds them of his departure because
this is what God wills and it must come to pass. It is a reality that cannot be
avoided and the peace given to them must make them able to accept it. The
disciples must accept this reality, not out of resignation but, with an active
joy. The reason for this joy is that Jesus goes to the Father after having
completed the work given to him. It is the Father who has sent Jesus and given
him the work to do - the work of making the Father known to the world - and
now, after completing it thoroughly, Jesus goes back to where he has come from.
The
foretelling of the events is Jesus’ way of preparing the disciples for what is
to come and also to reveal to them that Jesus continues to go to his departure
willingly and knowingly. It is not as if some unseen hand or “fate” is
responsible for what is to come. Since what will happen fits in with God’s plan
for Jesus and the world, Satan is never in control. He cannot have any power
over Jesus. Jesus does what he does willingly and in obedience to the will of
the Father.
The
event of the death of a loved one sometimes shatters our world. We find it
difficult to cope with the loss and wonder if the God we believe in really is a
God of unconditional love. Does our God really care what happens to us? If he
does, then why did he let this misfortune befall us? Where is he when we need
him most? Why does he not answer? The answers to these questions are provided
by Jesus in the Gospel text of today. He
tells his disciples, and us, to rejoice at such happenings because they fit in
with God’s plan for us and the world. We may not be able to see this plan at
first glance, like the disciples were not able to see it when Jesus spoke it to
them, but we also know that Jesus’ words are true because of his resurrection
and ascension and because of the transformation in the lives of his disciples
because of these events. We have to continue to dare to believe.
Sunday, 3 May 2026
Monday, May 4, 2026 - Do Jesus and the Father dwell in you? How will you show this through your actions today?
To read the texts click on the texts: Acts 14:5-18; Jn 14:21-26
To
be a true disciple of Jesus, it is not enough to make a verbal proclamation of
faith in him. One is also required to keep his commandments. It is important to
note here that one does not earn Jesus’ love by keeping his command to
love. It is because one has already
experienced that love that one wants to love and obey in return.
Judas
(not Iscariot) does not appear in any of the Synoptic Gospels. He is the one
who misunderstands here and asks a question about the revelation that Jesus is
to make, not realizing that the revelation has been made already. If the
disciples want to continue to experience the love that Jesus has made manifest
to the world, they must continue to love one another. It is in the love of one
another that they will experience the love of God and Jesus. This will result in
a mutual indwelling. Just as Jesus dwells in the Father and the Father in him,
so Jesus and the Father will live in the disciples and the disciples in them.
This abiding presence of God and Jesus within the disciples as a community is
both the foundation and the result of love expressed in deeds. Where there is
no love shown, Jesus and the Father cannot be made present.
Though
Jesus has made explicit what the disciples are to do if they are to make him
present, it is possible that they may not have grasped all the implications of
the command. The Paraclete or Advocate, only here in John identified with the
Holy Spirit, will “remind” them of Jesus’ teachings. This clearly indicates
that the Holy Spirit will not give new or different teaching, but only reinforce
all that Jesus has already taught. The Spirit will be sent in Jesus’ name and
so, like Jesus was the exegesis of the Father, the Spirit will be the exegesis
of Jesus.
To
keep the words of Jesus means to live them out in action. The ones who do that
have already experienced the indwelling of God and Jesus in them. This
indwelling will strengthen them and enable them to live out the word more fully
each day. This is not a linear but cyclic process. More living out means more
indwelling and more indwelling means more living out.
Saturday, 2 May 2026
Sunday, May 3, 2026 - To continue his work on earth
To read the texts click on the texts: Acts 6:1-7; 1 Pet 2:4-9; Jn 14:1-12
Though
we are in the Easter season, the Gospel reading is from the centre of the
Farewell Discourse in the Gospel of John which Jesus gives before his departure
from this life to the next. This is not as strange as it may appear at first
glance. One reason for the choice of this reading seems to be to prepare for the
Ascension (the departure of Jesus) and Pentecost (his return again through his
Spirit) which the Church will celebrate soon. Another reason seems to be the
content and meaning of the verses that make up this part of the discourse
The
focus in the opening verses is not so much on the departure but on confidence
which the disciples are exhorted to have. The reason for this confidence is
that even though it might seem that Jesus is being defeated by death, the
reality is that he will overcome death. Not only will he do that, but after
having prepared a place for every believer, he will return to take them with
him. This will prove (if proof is required) that he is alive and that with him
and the Father, all believers will continue to live in a relationship that is
governed only by unconditional love and mutual self-giving. Thus as disciples
of the Lord who was raised from the dead and who ascended into heaven, we are
called to that same confidence.
The
Way to this life is Jesus himself. However, Jesus is not merely the access
route to God but is also the embodiment of this life in his being the Truth and
the Life. He is so because in him as never before the Father is revealed. This
revelation is made in the words of love that Jesus speaks and also in the
loving actions that he performs. This is why to believe in God means also to
believe in Jesus. This kind of faith will lead to the disciples being empowered
and their continuing the work begun by Jesus which is to reveal to all the unconditional
and magnanimous love of God.
The
continuation of this work was not an easy task because of the very high
standard set by Jesus. This is evident in the first reading of today in which
we read of partiality, animosity and tension between two groups, both of whom
were followers of Christ and so Christians. However, because of what they had
learned from the Lord, they did not let this brief hiccup get them down, but
worked at it with practical wisdom and were able to overcome it and not only
restore unity but also continue to draw others to their fold. They were able to
do this because they continued to remember that Christ himself was the corner
stone and so the very foundation of their life and so the one who would
continue to sustain, nourish and nurture them on their journey.
Accepting
Christ as their foundation and following in his path by drawing inspiration
from him will mean that there will be hardships, trials and tribulations from
within and without. Perseverance, however, is the key, and they must continue
to persevere because they are a chosen race. They are related by blood, they
have a common origin and so a common Father. This makes them brothers and
sisters, members of one family. They have been called out of the darkness of
their sin to live in the wonderful and marvellous light of God’s magnanimous
and generous love and to make that love manifest to others.
Today
more than 2000 years later the call is the same and the challenge still
remains. It is true that when we look around us at the reality that confronts
us, we might be sometimes tempted to throw in the towel. As with the first
Christian community, division, partiality and selfishness exist both in the
world and in the Church. The lofty description of Church that the reading from 1
Peter states as a fact seems to be only a distant dream. On the contrary we
seem to be going the way the Church was going as narrated by the text from Acts
in the first reading.
However,
as Christians, we have been sanctified by the same Spirit that sanctified Jesus
and the first Christian community. Since this is so, we have the same
obligation or task that had been assigned to them, namely manifesting to all
those who do not yet believe, the forgiving love of God who is Father. We must
respond to the harsh realities around us with a practical wisdom and confidence
in the promise of Jesus as the first Christian community did even in the midst
of trails. This is done not merely by the words that we may speak but more by
the loving actions that we perform. We continue that which Jesus began for we
are now his body on this earth, making him present throughout the world.
When
we reach out to heal the sick, care for the poor, love the unlovable, and pour
ourselves out for the oppressed of the world, then indeed we are living out our
call and mission.
Friday, 1 May 2026
Saturday, May 2, 2026- Jesus revealed the Father as unconditional love. How will you reveal Jesus today?
To read the texts click on the texts: Acts 13:44-52; Jn 14:7-14
These
verses continue the teachings begun in 14:1. The one who knows Jesus also knows
the Father for Jesus reveals the Father as Father. In Jesus, one sees the
Father as never before because no one has revealed him like Jesus does. Like
Thomas before him, now Philip does not understand what Jesus is saying and in
his ignorance, asks a question. He does not realize that in seeing Jesus he has
seen the Father because of the revelation that Jesus makes of the Father. In
offering himself, Jesus has offered all the revelation that the disciples need
to identify the Father.
Jesus
can only do what the Father has told him and so his works are those of the
Father. Philip and the other disciples must be able to see Jesus as the
revelation of the Father, if not in his person, at least through the works that
Jesus does. The works flow from his person and are not separate from him but an
integral part of who Jesus is. The works, too, are works of revelation. They
show that the primary aim of God is not to condemn but to save and so are works
that enhance and build up.
Since
it is Jesus who sends the disciples, the works that anyone who believes in
Jesus will do will be the same as those of Jesus. In fact, these will be able
to do even greater works than Jesus. These works will make known the whole
story of Jesus as Word made flesh and so, will be greater than those which
Jesus does. Since these will be done after the whole Christ event – death,
resurrection, and ascension to the Father – they will continue the
glorification of Jesus. They will continue
to reveal Jesus to the world, sitting at the right hand of God. Jesus will
answer every prayer of the disciples made in his name and he will grant their
petitions.
As
Jesus made God known to the world through unconditional, magnanimous love, so
the disciples are called to do the same. The works that Jesus did have to be
continued today if Jesus is to be made present and is to be revealed to a world
that does not yet know him. It is the present community of disciples that has
the responsibility to continue the mission that Jesus began. Whenever an
enhancing word is spoken, whenever an action that heals is done, whenever love
is shown in a tangible manner, then the work of Jesus continues and Jesus
continues to be made present.
To
be sure, the revelation of God that Jesus made can also be recognized in the
depths of one’s heart, but this is not the whole story. It is a love that must
be shared and revealed to the world if it is to be complete and whole. The
incarnation was not a private revelation given to a select few, but an earth shattering
event made visible to the whole world. So the revelation of Jesus, today, has
to be done visibly and tangibly.
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