Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter
Lectionary: 283
Lectionary: 283
When Paul came to
Antioch in Pisidia, he said in the synagogue:
“My brothers, children of the family of Abraham,
and those others among you who are God-fearing,
to us this word of salvation has been sent.
The inhabitants of Jerusalem and their leaders failed to recognize him,
and by condemning him they fulfilled the oracles of the prophets
that are read sabbath after sabbath.
For even though they found no grounds for a death sentence,
they asked Pilate to have him put to death,
and when they had accomplished all that was written about him,
they took him down from the tree and placed him in a tomb.
But God raised him from the dead,
and for many days he appeared to those
who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem.
These are now his witnesses before the people.
We ourselves are proclaiming this good news to you
that what God promised our fathers
he has brought to fulfillment for us, their children, by raising up Jesus,
as it is written in the second psalm,
You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.”
“My brothers, children of the family of Abraham,
and those others among you who are God-fearing,
to us this word of salvation has been sent.
The inhabitants of Jerusalem and their leaders failed to recognize him,
and by condemning him they fulfilled the oracles of the prophets
that are read sabbath after sabbath.
For even though they found no grounds for a death sentence,
they asked Pilate to have him put to death,
and when they had accomplished all that was written about him,
they took him down from the tree and placed him in a tomb.
But God raised him from the dead,
and for many days he appeared to those
who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem.
These are now his witnesses before the people.
We ourselves are proclaiming this good news to you
that what God promised our fathers
he has brought to fulfillment for us, their children, by raising up Jesus,
as it is written in the second psalm,
You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.”
Responsorial PsalmPS 2:6-7, 8-9, 10-11AB
R. (7bc) You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
“I myself have set up my king
on Zion, my holy mountain.”
I will proclaim the decree of the LORD:
The LORD said to me, “You are my Son;
this day I have begotten you.”
R. You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
“Ask of me and I will give you
the nations for an inheritance
and the ends of the earth for your possession.
You shall rule them with an iron rod;
you shall shatter them like an earthen dish.”
R. You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
And now, O kings, give heed;
take warning, you rulers of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice before him;
with trembling rejoice.
R. You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
“I myself have set up my king
on Zion, my holy mountain.”
I will proclaim the decree of the LORD:
The LORD said to me, “You are my Son;
this day I have begotten you.”
R. You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
“Ask of me and I will give you
the nations for an inheritance
and the ends of the earth for your possession.
You shall rule them with an iron rod;
you shall shatter them like an earthen dish.”
R. You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
And now, O kings, give heed;
take warning, you rulers of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice before him;
with trembling rejoice.
R. You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
AlleluiaJN 14:6
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the way and the truth and the life, says the Lord;
no one comes to the Father except through me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the way and the truth and the life, says the Lord;
no one comes to the Father except through me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelJN 14:1-6
Jesus said to his
disciples:
“Do not let your hearts be troubled.
You have faith in God; have faith also in me.
In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.
If there were not,
would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?
And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come back again and take you to myself,
so that where I am you also may be.
Where I am going you know the way.”
Thomas said to him,
“Master, we do not know where you are going;
how can we know the way?”
Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.”
“Do not let your hearts be troubled.
You have faith in God; have faith also in me.
In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.
If there were not,
would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?
And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come back again and take you to myself,
so that where I am you also may be.
Where I am going you know the way.”
Thomas said to him,
“Master, we do not know where you are going;
how can we know the way?”
Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Meditation: Do not let your hearts be troubled!
Do you allow any troubles to rob you of God's peace? As much as
we try to avoid it, we all inevitably encounter trouble and difficulties. Jesus
knew his disciples would have to face trials and persecution after he left them
to return to his Father in heaven. Adversity can make us lose hope and become
discouraged, or it can press us closer to God and to his promises for us.
"It is the LORD who goes before you; he will be with
you, he will not fail you or forsake you; do not fear or be dismayed"
(Deuteronomy 31:8).
A place for you in my Father's house
Just as God, who appeared as a Pillar of Cloud by day and a Pillar of Fire by night, went ahead of Moses and the Israelites to lead them safely through the wilderness to the promised land, Jesus tells his disciples that he is going ahead through his ascension into heaven to prepare a place for them in his Father's house - a place of lasting peace, friendship, and happiness with God. God's house is never closed nor over-crowded - there is plenty of room for everyone who believes in God and in his beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. The greatest fear in this present life - whether it be the separation and loss of a loved one or the threat to one's own life - is put to rest by Jesus' promise that we will live forever with him and the eternal Father. There we will be joined with a great company of saints and angels who will be our friends forever as well.
Just as God, who appeared as a Pillar of Cloud by day and a Pillar of Fire by night, went ahead of Moses and the Israelites to lead them safely through the wilderness to the promised land, Jesus tells his disciples that he is going ahead through his ascension into heaven to prepare a place for them in his Father's house - a place of lasting peace, friendship, and happiness with God. God's house is never closed nor over-crowded - there is plenty of room for everyone who believes in God and in his beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. The greatest fear in this present life - whether it be the separation and loss of a loved one or the threat to one's own life - is put to rest by Jesus' promise that we will live forever with him and the eternal Father. There we will be joined with a great company of saints and angels who will be our friends forever as well.
Do you know the way to the Father's house in heaven? Jesus
expected his disciples to know where his life was headed - to dwell in
everlasting glory with his Father in heaven. And he expected that his disciples
would recognize that this was their ultimate destination as well. Thomas, who
was both a doubter and a realist, spoke for all the disciples when he said,
"we neither know where you are going nor how we shall get there on our
own?" Thomas was a very practical "down to earth" kind of person
who wanted to see the map and landmarks showing the exact path that would lead
the way to the desired haven. Jesus assured Thomas that he would not only give
him everything he needed to complete the journey, he would be Thomas' personal
guide as well.
Traveling alone in unfamiliar or uncharted places can be
unnerving and bewildering without a companion or guide. And some places are
impossible to pass through without the right person who knows the way and who
can guarantee a safe passage. Several years ago I was invited by Christian
friends to visit their community in Lebanon. They were in the middle of a civil
war that would last for 15 years (1975-1990). Months and years of hardship,
exposure to danger, and the uncertainty of the war's outcome, as well as being
physically cutoff from outside contact with friends, was weighing heavily. I
was eager to visit to offer some support. Since I had never traveled there
before, nor spoke the local language, I knew that I was helpless without a
trustworthy guide. Fortunately a close Christian friend from Lebanon met me
half-way on my journey and personally guided me through some unfamiliar
territory, including check-points, road-blocks, physical danger, and some
social, religious, and political hurdles as well. My guide got me safely to my
destination. I literally owed my life to his safe-keeping. The Lord Jesus
promised his followers that he would be their personal guide and friend who
would lead them to the source of lasting peace, enduring friendship, and
abundant life.
MAY IS MARY'S MONTH
The month of May, with its profusion of blooms was adopted by the Church in the eighteenth century as a celebration of the flowering of Mary's spirituality. With its origins in Isaiah's prophecy of the Virgin birth of the Messiah under the figure of the Blossoming Rod or Root of Jesse, the flower symbolism of Mary was extended by the Church Fathers, and in the liturgy, by applying to her the flower figures of the Biblical books of Canticles, Wisdom, Proverbs and Sirach In the medieval period, the rose was adopted as the flower symbol of the Virgin Birth, as expressed in Dante's phrase, 'The Rose wherein the Divine Word was made flesh,' and depicted in the rose windows of the great Gothic cathedrals, from which came the Christmas carol, 'Lo, How a Rose 'ere Blooming.' Also, with the spread of the Franciscan love of nature, the rose of the fields, waysides and gardens, came to be seen as symbols of Mary. This month:
* Honor Mary with a Rosary each day.
* Read some inspiring literature about Mary.
* Set up a little Shrine to her outside or inside your house.
FRIDAY, MAY 1, JOHN 14:1-6
Easter Weekday
(Acts 13:26-33; Psalm 2)
Easter Weekday
(Acts 13:26-33; Psalm 2)
KEY VERSE: "I am the way and the truth and the life" (v 6).
TO READ: As Jesus approached his impending death, he prepared his disciples for the work that he would hand over to them. He told them that it was necessary for him to go so that he could prepare a place for them. Jesus assured them that they would know the way to the place where he was going. His anxious disciples were troubled by Jesus' words, and Thomas plaintively asked, "How can we know the way?" (v 5). Jesus assured them that he was the "way" to God's "truth," which he revealed by his words and deeds. He was the bridge to the Father and to "life" eternal. Jesus likened heaven to a huge mansion in which there were many rooms. He promised his faithful followers that he would "return" and take them to live with him there (Greek, Parousia, the second coming).
TO REFLECT: Is my life a light to show others the way to God's truth?
TO RESPOND: Risen Lord, guide me to the Father by your eternal truth.
Optional Memorial of Joseph the Worker
Despite his humble background, Joseph came from a royal lineage. He was descended from David, the greatest king of Israel. Joseph was chosen by God as the trustworthy guardian of his divine Son. Joseph was wholeheartedly obedient to God - in marrying Mary, in naming Jesus, in shepherding the family to Egypt, in bringing them to Nazareth, and in the undetermined number of years of quiet faith and courage. Joseph carried out this vocation with complete fidelity until at last God called him, saying: 'Good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord". There is much we wish we could know about Joseph - where and when he was born, how he spent his days, when and how he died. But Scripture has left us with the most important knowledge of who he was - "a righteous man" (Matthew 1:18)
Work is a good thing for one's humanity — because through work one not only transforms nature, adapting it to his or her own needs, but also achieves fulfillment as a human being and indeed, in a sense, becomes “more a human being.” —Pope John Paul II
Friday 1 May 2015
St Joseph the Worker.
DAY OF PENANCE.
Acts 13:26-33. You are my Son; this day I have begotten you—Ps 2:6-11. John 14:1-6.
DAY OF PENANCE.
Acts 13:26-33. You are my Son; this day I have begotten you—Ps 2:6-11. John 14:1-6.
Readings
The feast of St Joseph
the Worker is a favourite of many Catholics.
Joseph is traditionally
a model as a father and faithful spouse. With little written about him, we are
left to imagine what role he played in Jesus’ upbringing.
What is certain is that
Jesus’ intimate way of relating to his heavenly Father must have come from
somewhere. There is a good chance that Jesus derived some of this from his
stepfather, Joseph. In the same way he would have learnt the skills of
carpentry, Jesus would have watched Joseph pray to and praise God.
May this feast serve as
a reminder of the role parents play in nurturing the faith life and vocational
choices of their children.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
|
Abandoning Ourselves
|
Certainly it is the great secret of the spiritual life to abandon
to God all that we love by abandoning ourselves to all he wills. –St. Louise de
Marillac
May
1
St. Joseph the Worker
St. Joseph the Worker
Apparently in response to the “May Day” celebrations for workers
sponsored by Communists, Pius XII instituted the feast of St. Joseph the Worker
in 1955. But the relationship between Joseph and the cause of workers has a
much longer history.
In a
constantly necessary effort to keep Jesus from being removed from ordinary
human life, the Church has from the beginning proudly emphasized that Jesus was
a carpenter, obviously trained by Joseph in both the satisfactions and the
drudgery of that vocation. Humanity is like God not only in thinking and
loving, but also in creating. Whether we make a table or a cathedral, we are
called to bear fruit with our hands and mind, ultimately for the building up of
the Body of Christ.
Comment:
“The Lord God then took the man and settled him in the garden of Eden, to cultivate and care for it” (Genesis 2:15). The Father created all and asked humanity to continue the work of creation. We find our dignity in our work, in raising a family, in participating in the life of the Father’s creation. Joseph the Worker was able to help participate in the deepest mystery of creation. Pius XII emphasized this when he said, “The spirit flows to you and to all men from the heart of the God-man, Savior of the world, but certainly, no worker was ever more completely and profoundly penetrated by it than the foster father of Jesus, who lived with Him in closest intimacy and community of family life and work. Thus, if you wish to be close to Christ, we again today repeat, ‘Go to Joseph’” (see Genesis 41:44).
“The Lord God then took the man and settled him in the garden of Eden, to cultivate and care for it” (Genesis 2:15). The Father created all and asked humanity to continue the work of creation. We find our dignity in our work, in raising a family, in participating in the life of the Father’s creation. Joseph the Worker was able to help participate in the deepest mystery of creation. Pius XII emphasized this when he said, “The spirit flows to you and to all men from the heart of the God-man, Savior of the world, but certainly, no worker was ever more completely and profoundly penetrated by it than the foster father of Jesus, who lived with Him in closest intimacy and community of family life and work. Thus, if you wish to be close to Christ, we again today repeat, ‘Go to Joseph’” (see Genesis 41:44).
Quote:
In Brothers of Men, René Voillaume of the Little Brothers of Jesus speaks about ordinary work and holiness: “Now this holiness (of Jesus) became a reality in the most ordinary circumstances of life, those of work, of the family and the social life of a village, and this is an emphatic affirmation of the fact that the most obscure and humdrum human activities are entirely compatible with the perfection of the Son of God....this mystery involves the conviction that the evangelical holiness proper to a child of God is possible in the ordinary circumstances of someone who is poor and obliged to work for his living.”
In Brothers of Men, René Voillaume of the Little Brothers of Jesus speaks about ordinary work and holiness: “Now this holiness (of Jesus) became a reality in the most ordinary circumstances of life, those of work, of the family and the social life of a village, and this is an emphatic affirmation of the fact that the most obscure and humdrum human activities are entirely compatible with the perfection of the Son of God....this mystery involves the conviction that the evangelical holiness proper to a child of God is possible in the ordinary circumstances of someone who is poor and obliged to work for his living.”
LECTIO DIVINA:
JOHN 14,7-14
Lectio:
Saturday, May 2, 2015
Easter Time
1)
OPENING PRAYER
Lord our God,
you are distant and unknown, and yet so near
that you know and love and save us
through your Son Jesus Christ.
May he be present in us and in our actions
that we may do the same works
of justice, truth and loving service
and thus become the sign to the world
that your Son is alive
and that you are a saving God
now and for ever.
you are distant and unknown, and yet so near
that you know and love and save us
through your Son Jesus Christ.
May he be present in us and in our actions
that we may do the same works
of justice, truth and loving service
and thus become the sign to the world
that your Son is alive
and that you are a saving God
now and for ever.
2)
GOSPEL READING - JOHN 14,7-14
Jesus said to his disciples: "If you know me, you will know
my Father too. From this moment you know him and have seen him.
Philip said, 'Lord, show us the Father and then we shall be
satisfied.' Jesus said to him,
'Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do
not know me? 'Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father, so how can you say,
"Show us the Father"? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and
the Father is in me? What I say to you I do not speak of my own accord: it is
the Father, living in me, who is doing his works. You must believe me when I
say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe it on
the evidence of these works.
In all truth I tell you, whoever believes in me will perform the
same works as I do myself, and will perform even greater works, because I am
going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name I will do, so that the Father
may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
3)
REFLECTION
• John 14, 7: To know Jesus is to know the Father. The text of
today’s Gospel is the continuation of that of yesterday. Thomas had asked:
“Lord we do not know where you are going, how can we know the way?” Jesus
answers: “I am the Way, I am Truth and Life! No one can come to the Father
except through me.” And he adds: “If you know me, you will know the Father too.
From this moment you know him and have seen him”. This is the first phrase of
today’s Gospel. Jesus always speaks of the Father, because it was the life of
the Father which appeared in all that he said and did. This constant reference
to the Father provokes Philip’s question.
• John 14, 8-11: Philip asks: “Lord, show us the Father and then
we will be satisfied!” This was the desire of the disciples, the desire of many
persons of the communities of the Beloved Disciple and it is the desire of many
people today: What do people do to see the Father of whom Jesus speaks so much?
The response of Jesus is very beautiful and is valid even now: “Have I been
with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me! Anyone who has
seen me has seen the Father!” People should not think that God is far away from
us, distant and unknown. Anyone who wants to know how and who God the Father
is, it suffices that he looks at Jesus. He has revealed him in his words and
gestures of his life! “I am in the Father and the Father is in me!” Through his
obedience, Jesus identified himself totally with the Father. At every moment he
did what the Father asked him to do (Jn 5, 30; 8, 28-29.38). This is why, in
Jesus everything is revelation of the Father! And the signs and the works are
the works of the Father! As people say: “The son is the face of the father!”
This is why in Jesus and for Jesus, God is in our midst.
• John 14, 12-14: The Promise of Jesus. Jesus makes a promise to
say that his intimacy with the Father is not his privilege only, but that it is
possible for all those who believe in him. We also, through Jesus, can succeed
in doing beautiful things for others as Jesus did for the people of his time.
He intercedes for us. Everything that people ask him for; he asks the Father
and always obtains it. as long as it is to render service. Jesus is our
advocate, he defends us. He leaves but he does not leave us defenceless. He
promises that he will ask the Father and the Father will send another advocate
or consoler, the Holy Spirit. Jesus even says that it is necessary for him to
leave, because otherwise the Holy Spirit will not be able to come (Jn 16, 7).
And the Holy Spirit will fulfil the things of Jesus in us, if we act in the
name of Jesus and we observe the great commandment of the practice of love.
4)
PERSONAL QUESTIONS
• To know Jesus is to know the Father. In the Bible the word “to
know a person” is not only an intellectual understanding, but it also
presupposes a profound experience of the presence of the person in one’s life.
Do I know Jesus?
• Do I know the Father?
5)
CONCLUDING PRAYER
The whole wide world has seen
the saving power of our God.
Acclaim Yahweh, all the earth,
burst into shouts of joy! (Ps 98,3-4)
the saving power of our God.
Acclaim Yahweh, all the earth,
burst into shouts of joy! (Ps 98,3-4)
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