Daily Catholic Reflection: Wednesday, May 1, 2024, Optional Memorial of Saint Joseph the Worker on Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Easter, Year B

Acts 15:1-6,

Psalm 122: 1-2.3-4ab.4cd-5,

John 15 :1 -8   Full Readings

Saint Joseph the Worker

Remain in Me, and I in You

In today's Gospel Jesus says, " I am the true vine, you are the branches...my Father is the vine dresser...whoever remains in me, I will remain in him, and he will bear much fruits." These paraphrased words of Jesus speak to us in a deeper manner and encourage us to remain in Jesus, to abide in Him forever so that we can bear good fruits and have eternal life.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Tuesday, April 30, 2024, Tuesday of Fifth Week of Easter, Year B: Feast of Our Lady of Africa

     

Acts 14:19-28

Ps 145:10-11, 12-13ab, 21

Jn 14:27-31a  Full Readings

Saint Pius the V, Our Lady of Africa

The Peace of Christ

Brethren, we continue our reflection on the farewell discourse of Jesus and today we see Christ’s parting gift to his disciples: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you." At a moment this looks to be the end of the farewell discourse because after giving them peace, we see Jesus telling his disciples that he has no more to say to them (Jn 14:29) and after this he tells his disciples, "Get up now, let us go" (Jn 14:31b). This suggest that the gift of peace was the end of the farewell discourse and that the rest of the discourse (chapter 15-17) is another edition of the discourse. So why does Jesus give the gift of peace to his disciples as a parting gift just before he died? We see him repeating this peace greeting after resurrection, Why?

Daily Catholic Reflection: Monday, April 28, 2024, Memorial of Saint Catherine of Siena, Virgin and Doctor of the Church, Year B

Acts 14:5-18

Ps 115:1-2, 3-4, 15-16

Jn 14:21-26 Full Readings

Saint Catherine of Siena

The Indwelling of the Trinity 

Brethren, there are two important points we can take from today's readings as we continue to reflect on the farewell discourse of Jesus. Firstly, is what the love that Jesus talked about yesterday means and implies, and secondly, one of the four major roles of the Paraclete in the gospel of John: to teach. Let us look at each of them.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Sunday, April 28, 2024, Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year B

     

Acts 9:26-31

Psalm 22:26-27, 28, 30, 31-32

1 Jn 3:18-24

John 15 :1 -8  Full Readings

Saint Peter Chanel 

Remaining in Jesus

In today's Gospel Jesus says " I am the true vine, you are the branches...my Father is the vine dresser...whoever remains in me, I will remain in him, and he will bear much fruit...because without me you can do nothing...If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want, and it will be done for you. By this is my Father glorified" These paraphrased words of Jesus speak to us in a deeper way and encourage us to remain in Jesus, to abide in Him forever so that we can bear good fruits and have eternal life.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Saturday, April 27, 2024, Saturday of the Fourth Week of Easter, Year B

Acts 13:44-52

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

Jn 14:7-14          Full Readings

Saint Pedro de San Jose Bentancur

To See Jesus is to See the Father

Brethren, Jesus in today's Gospel explains how he is the way to the Father. In yesterday's reflection we saw three ways how Jesus is the way. Revelation of God, helping us to know the Father and the way through which we reach to Him. Jesus tells his disciples that whoever sees him sees the Father. Jesus is the perfect revelation of God, He is God indeed. When we believe in Him we have really believed in the Father. With him we know everything about God not only that but also what really His kingdom is.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Thursday, April 25, 2024, Feast of Saint Mark, evangelist, Year B

1 Peter 5 :5b-14

Psalm 89:2-3.6-7.16-17

Mark 16:15-20          Full Readings

Saint Mark the Evangelist 

Proclaim the Good News 

Brethren, today the mother church celebrates the feast of one of the great and early Evangelists, St Mark, who wrote the Gospel of Mark around 60-70 AD. It is believed that it is the first Gospel to be written though it is not the first in the canonical Gospels. His Gospel gives a short but full description and account of Jesus the Son of God, son of David, his life, ministry, passion, his death and burial in a unique way that he even becomes a source to the Gospel of Luke and Matthew. What a great Evangelist. 

Daily Catholic Reflection: Wednesday, April 24, 2024, Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Easter, Year B

Acts 12:24—13:5a

Ps 67:2-3, 5, 6 and 8

Jn 12:44-50                  Full Readings

Saint Fidelis of Sigmaringen 

Jesus the Light of the World

Brethren, light and darkness, eternal life and death just to say are outstanding themes in John's Gospel. After we have seen Jesus as the way to eternal life, John presents another theme, Jesus as the light who came into the world so that whoever believes in him should never walk in darkness. In today's Gospel John equates light as belief in Jesus, that is, when we believe in Jesus, we are walking in the light and no longer in darkness. Believing in Jesus is also believing in the one who sent him, his father in heaven.