Daily Catholic Reflection: Monday, May 20, 2024, Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, Year B

Gn 3:9-15, 20 or Acts 1:12-14

Ps 87:1-2, 3 and 5, 6-7

Jn 19:25-34                      Full Readings

Saint Bernadine of Siena

Mary Mother of the Church

Today's Memorial is right and fitting to be celebrated today because a church being born yesterday on Pentecost not only needs the Holy Spirit to fulfill its mission but also needs to lie in the hands of the loving mother who will always intercede for her to her Son and God the Father. On March 3, 2018, Pope Francis announced that a new memorial would be celebrated on the Monday after Pentecost Sunday, entitled “The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church.”  Henceforth, this memorial is added to the General Roman Calendar and is to be universally celebrated throughout the Church. In instituting this memorial, Cardinal Robert Sarah, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship, said:

Daily Catholic Reflection: Sunday, May 19, 2024, Pentecost Sunday - Mass during the Day

Acts 2:1-11

Ps 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34

1 Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13 or Gal 5:16-25

 Jn 20:19-23                        Full Readings

Saint Theophilus of Corte

God's Gift of the Holy Spirit

Brethren, today we celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost. Pentecost was a feast day in the Jewish culture. The Jews called it the Feast of Harvest or the Feast of Weeks. In the Old Testament, it is mentioned in five places in the first five books — in Exodus 23, Exodus 24, Leviticus 16, Numbers 28, and Deuteronomy 16. It was the celebration of the beginning of the early weeks of harvest or wheat harvest. It used to take place around mid-May 50 days after the First Fruits. This is the origin of Christian feast of Pentecost but more still as, Leo the Great says, from the Hebrew covenants with God:

Daily Catholic Reflection: Saturday, May 18, 2024, Saturday of the Seventh Week of Easter - Mass in the Morning

Acts 28:16-20.30-31,

Ps 11:4, 5 and 7

John 21:20-25                        Full Readings

Saint Pope John I

Beloved Disciple

Brethren, since Easter we have read and reflected on many Gospel passages from the Gospel of John and today, we conclude the Gospel. John's Gospel has chronologically presented Jesus forming and preparing His Apostles after resurrection for mission without Him physically, then praying for them, commissioning them as we saw yesterday commissioning Peter and today John presents to us the unnamed beloved disciple who would stay until Jesus comes again but according to the will of Jesus.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Friday, May 17, 2024, Friday of the Seventh Week of Easter, Year B

Acts 25:13b-21

Ps 103:1-2, 11-12, 19-20ab

Jn 21:15-19                         Full Readings

Saint Paschal Baylon

Mutual Love among us, Jesus and God

For a couple of days, we have been reflecting on Jesus' High Priestly Prayer (John 17) and today the Gospel presents a conversation between Jesus and Peter with a fundamental question "Simon of John, do you Love Me?...Feed my Sheep." After his resurrection, Jesus took a good time to prepare His Apostles for a mission without Him physically, and when it was done, he prayed for them in His Priestly Prayer and today, before the Spirit comes, he tells Peter which mission is to be undertaken, that is, feeding the flock of Christ. This was to prepare him for being the Head of the Church which started at Pentecost.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Thursday, May 16, 2024, Thursday of the Seventh Week of Easter, Year B

Acts 22:30; 23 :6- 11.

Psalm 16:1-2a and 5.7-8.9-10.11

John 17:20-26                         Full Readings

Saint Margaret of Cortona

Mutual Love among us, Jesus and God

Today's Gospel reading presents to us the final part of Jesus' Priestly Prayer. In this final part of the high priestly prayer of Jesus, he suddenly turns from concern for the circle of his disciples to concern for the wider circle of future disciples, and prays for their unity. The unity of the disciples was to be a sign not only horizontally, a sign of their love for one another, but also vertically, a sign of the love of Jesus for them and the mutual love of Jesus and the Father. It was to be a sign for the world, ‘that the world may believe that you sent me’.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Wednesday, May 15, 2024, Wednesday of the Seventh Week of Easter, Year B

Acts 20:28-38

68:29-30, 33-35a, 35bc-36ab

Jn 17:11b-19                         Full Readings

Saint Isidore the Farmer

That they May be One

The Gospel today presents the middle part of Jesus' High Priestly Prayer in John’s discourse after last supper. The high-priestly prayer of Jesus in John 17 has three parts. They correspond to the three parts of the ritual of the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16). “Jesus the high priest makes atonement for himself, for the priestly clan, and for the whole community of Israel, so Jesus prays for himself (John 17:1-5), for the Apostles (John 17:5-19), and finally for all who will come to believe in him through their word – for the Church of all times [John 17:20-26]. [Jesus] sanctifies ‘himself,’ and he obtains the sanctification of those who are his” (Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth: Vol. II, 78).

Daily Catholic Reflection: Tuesday, May 14, Feast of Saint Matthias, Apostle, Year B

Acts 1: 15-17, 20-26,

Ps 113:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8

Jn 15: 9-17                          Full Readings

Saint Matthias, Apostle

Friends With Jesus

Brethren, today we celebrate the feast of Saint Matthias, the Apostle, a man who was chosen to replace Judas Iscariot after he had chosen to go his way by betraying Jesus. Matthias was chosen not only after the intense prayer and guidance of the Holy but also he was a longtime friend of Jesus and his Apostles and from the first reading we see Peter saying that is is necessary to choose a man ”who accompanied us the whole time the Lord Jesus came and went among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day on which he was taken up from us, become with us a witness to his resurrection.” The celebration of today’s feast is not only the Apostleship of Matthias but also the friendship with Jesus that led him to be chosen as an Apostle.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Monday, May 13, 2024, Monday of the Seventh Week of Easter, Year B

Acts 19:1-8,

Psalm 68:2-3.4-5ac 6-7ab,

John 16:29-33                          Full Readings

Our Lady of Fatima

Have You Come to Believe in Jesus?

Today's Gospel reading brings to a conclusion the second version of the discourse after the Last Supper which began with John 15.1. It concludes with an inspiring re-assurance of the certainty of the teaching which has been given. All the teachings of Jesus to his Apostles and to us are meant to bring them peace both of mind and body all in Jesus Christ. This is why he says, "I have told you this so that you might have peace in me." The themes of the whole discourse are love and belief, which have been constant throughout the teaching of Jesus which we have read in the weeks of Eastertide. Now the disciples are to be scattered over the earth on their mission, and though the world will be full of trouble, they can still rest secure in Jesus because of his union with the Father and because of conquering the world. Now, we are ready, with the Apostles, for the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Sunday, May 12, 2024, Seventh Sunday of Easter, Year B

Acts 1:15-17, 20a, 20c-26 

Ps 103:1-2, 11-12, 19-20

1 Jn 4:11-16       

Jn 17:11b-19                          Full Readings

Saint Leopold Mandic

That they May be One

The Gospel today presents the middle part of Jesus' High Priestly Prayer in John’s discourse after last supper. The high-priestly prayer of Jesus in John 17 has three parts. They correspond to the three parts of the ritual of the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16). “Jesus the high priest makes atonement for himself, for the priestly clan, and for the whole community of Israel, so Jesus prays for himself (John 17:1-5), for the Apostles (John 17:5-19), and finally for all who will come to believe in him through their word – for the Church of all times [John 17:20-26]. [Jesus] sanctifies ‘himself,’ and he obtains the sanctification of those who are his” (Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth: Vol. II, 78).

Daily Catholic Reflection: Saturday, May 11, 2024, Saturday of the Sixth Week of Easter, Year B

Acts 18:23-28,

Psalm 47:2-3.8-9.1,

John 16:23b-28                                   Full Readings

Saint Ignatius of Laconi

Whatever You ask in My Name You Will Get 

The farewell speech of Jesus is drawing close to an end. Today he tells his Apostles that: "...anything you ask for from my Father he will grant in my name...so that your joy will be complete" Of course when Jesus was with them, they would lack nothing. They had everything they needed but since Jesus was going to the Father they had to start asking in the form of prayer. Their relationship was to be no longer physical but spiritual and the only way to communicate spiritually to God is through prayer.

Daily Catholic Reflection: May 7, 2024, Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Easter, Year B

Acts 16:22-34,

Psalm 138: 1ac-2a.2bcd-3.7c-8,

John 16:5- 11                                   Full Readings

Saint Rose Venerini

The Roles of the Holy Spirit

Brethren, Jesus continues to prepare his Apostles for his departure to his Father in heaven and today tells his Apostles that His going (ascension) to His Father is for their own good and our own good too. This is because when He goes will send us an Advocate, who will be with us forever. If Jesus does not go to His Father, the Advocate will not come.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Monday, May 6, 2024, Monday of the Sixth Week of Easter, Year B

Acts 16:11-15,

Psalm 149: 1bc-2.3-4.5-6a and 9bc,

John 15:26-16:4a                                  Full Readings

Saint Marian and James

The Spirit of Truth Will Be My Witness 

As days draw near to His ascension, Jesus is preparing His disciples for the life when He will not be with them physically. He is telling them what will really happen and prepares them in time so that they will not be surprised when the time comes. Today He tells His Apostles that they will be expelled from synagogues and even killed but no worry the Spirit of truth will be with them to strengthen them and give them what to say.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Sunday, May 5, 2024, Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year B

Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48

Psalm 98:1, 2-3, 3-4

1 Jn 4:7-10

John 15: 15:9-17                                  Full Readings

Saint Hilary of Arles

I Chose you to Go and Bear Fruit

Brethren, on this sixth Sunday of Easter, let us Reflect on Jesus' words: "You did not choose me: no, I chose you; and commissioned you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last." We all have at least an experience of being chosen among many, and we are all aware of how it feels to be among the chosen ones especially for the good. It's pleasing to behold and fills us with joy. On the other hand, it's too disappointing when you are not chosen, it hurts and leaves us with a judgmental attitude towards self. This reveals the desire we have to be among the chosen ones. Being among the chosen ones of Jesus, is the best thing to behold. The good news is that Jesus chooses each one of us, he chooses us, calls us by name and commissions us to a specific mission, so that we bear fruit. There is no one who is left unchosen in the face of Jesus.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Saturday, May 4, 2024, Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter, Year B

Acts 16: 1-10,

Psalm 100: 1-2.3.5,

John 15:18-21                                  Full Readings

Blessed Michael Giedroyc

The Reality of Following Christ

Brethren, today's Gospel reading presents to us the reality of following Jesus. It's Jesus Himself who speaks to us 'If the world hates you, remember that they hated me first...if they persecuted me, they will persecute you too.'

Daily Catholic Reflection: Friday, May 3, 2024, Feast of Saints Philip and James, Apostles

 1 Corinthians 15:1-8,

Psalm 19: 19:2-3.4-5,

John 14:6-14                                  Full Readings

Saints Philip and James

Jesus, the Way to the Father

Today my dear brothers and sisters in Christ, the Church celebrates the feast of the two apostles, Philip and James. Their relics are kept together in the Church of the Twelve Apostles in Rome and, from the day of its dedication in 565, these two apostles have been celebrated together. Not much is known about these two Apostles of Jesus. James, son of Alphaeus and cousin of the Lord, ruled the Church of Jerusalem, and probably authored the letter we find in the New Testament. He suffered martyrdom in the year 62.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Thursday, May 2, 2024, Memorial of Saint Athanasius, Bishop and Doctor of the Church, Year B

Acts 15:7-21

Psalm 96:1-2a, 2b-3, 10,

Jn 15: 9-11                                  Full Readings

Saint Athanasius 

The Joy of Christ 

Brethren, out of Jesus' unconditional and overflowing love to his disciple, he gave them and left with them only gifts which only God can give in full abundance. His love to his disciples was not only from him but from the whole the Trinity. So, the love he showed his disciples was the love of the Father through the Holy Spirit. We receive and experience the Father’s love through Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus told his disciples for he himself says: “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him” (John 14:23).