Dear Lord God, since yesterday’s readings and the words of Fr. John McAuley’s in the video reflection, You have had me thinking about just what it means to walk with Jesus, to truly let Him into my heart. It is like You knew I needed more understanding about the struggles I am having. Then last night while listening to the Pod cast of the EWTN’s Journey Home, Fr. Benedict Groeschel talked about our spiritual journey starting with the concept of our two conversions, the first being when we decide to give up deliberate sin, both mortal – serious sin as well as the little sin, the little things we do. This a moral decision to walk in God’s light, converting our hearts to You Lord God acknowledging our belief in You and accepting that our peace and happiness is only in You and through You; if we are fortunate this conversions comes early enough in our life’s for us to enjoy time under the sun walking You. For me Lord God I regret that I waited fifty years, but thank You each day that it came with time for me to share with my love ones. Then comes the second conversion, this is the process of dying to one’s self, our ego, the pride, the selfishness, the anger, the ambition, the feelings of self importance, resentment, the acts of unkindness that lives within all of us. This conversion as Fr. Groeschel explains, and as was taught and believed by St. Paul and St. Augustine may only end when we are with You Lord God in Your Kingdom of Heaven, and not under the sun. It is so appropriate that I am sharing this with You today, Divine Mercy Sunday. For it is all the more reason that I pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and pray, In the name of the Father, the Son and The Holy Spirit, the prayers the Our Father, the Hail Mary and The Apostles Creed and pray to You, Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world. For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world. O Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world. Amen
EWTN Pod cast – Journey Home http://www.ewtn.com/podcast/index.asp also see www.chnetwork.org
The Father willed that his blessed and glorious Son, whom he gave to us and who was born for us, should through his own blood offer himself as a sacrificial victim on the altar of the cross. This was to be done not for himself through whom all things were made, but for our sins. It was intended to leave us an example of how to follow in his footsteps. Furthermore, let us produce worthy fruits of penance. Let us also love our neighbors as ourselves. Let us have charity and humility. Let us give alms because these cleanse our souls from the stains of sin.
— St. Francis of Assisi
12 Now many signs and wonders were done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico. 13 None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high honor. 14 And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women, 15 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and pallets, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. 16 The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.
Bible Study: [12-16] This, the third summary portraying the Jerusalem community, underscores the Twelve as its bulwark, especially because of their charismatic power to heal the sick; cf Acts 2:42-47; 4:32-37.
2 Let Israel say, "His steadfast love endures for ever." 3 Let the house of Aaron say, "His steadfast love endures for ever." 4 Let those who fear the LORD say, "His steadfast love endures for ever." 13 I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the LORD helped me. 14 The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. 15 Hark, glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous: "The right hand of the LORD does valiantly, 22 The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner. 23 This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. 24 This is the day which the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Bible Study: [Psalm 118] A thanksgiving liturgy accompanying a victory procession of the king and the people into the temple precincts. After an invocation in the form of a litany (Psalm 118:1-4), the psalmist (very likely speaking in the name of the community) describes how the people confidently implored God’s help (Psalm 118:5-9) when hostile peoples threatened its life (Psalm 118:10-14); vividly God’s rescue is recounted (Psalm 118:15-18). Then follows a dialogue at the temple gates between the priests and the psalmist as the latter enters to offer the thanksgiving sacrifice (Psalm 118:19-25). Finally, the priests impart their blessing (Psalm 118:26-27), and the psalmist sings in gratitude (Psalm 118:28-29).
9 I John, your brother, who share with you in Jesus the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet 11 saying, "Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Per’gamum and to Thyati’ra and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to La-odice’a." 12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden girdle round his breast; 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand upon me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one; I died, and behold I am alive for evermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. 19 Now write what you see, what is and what is to take place hereafter.
Bible Study: [9-20] In this first vision, the seer is commanded to write what he sees to the seven churches (Rev 1:9-11). He sees Christ in glory, whom he depicts in stock apocalyptic imagery (Rev 1:12-16), and hears him describe himself in terms meant to encourage Christians by emphasizing his victory over death (Rev 1:17-20). [19] What you have seen, and what is happening, and what will happen afterwards: the three parts of the Book of Revelation, the vision (Rev 1:10-20), the situation in the seven churches (Rev 2-3), and the events of Rev 6-22.
19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." 24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe." 26 Eight days later, his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said, "Peace be with you." 27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing." 28 Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" 29 Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe." 30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.
Bible Study: [1-31] The risen Jesus reveals his glory and confers the Spirit. This story fulfills the basic need for testimony to the resurrection. What we have here is not a record but a series of single stories. [19] The disciples: by implication from John 20:24 this means ten of the Twelve, presumably in Jerusalem. Peace be with you: although this could be an ordinary greeting, John intends here to echo John 14:27. The theme of rejoicing in John 20:20 echoes John 16:22.
13 [20] Hands and . . . side: Luke 24:39-40 mentions "hands and feet," based on Psalm 22:17. 14 [21] By means of this sending, the Eleven were made apostles, that is, "those sent" (cf John 17:18), though John does not use the noun in reference to them (see the note on John 13:16). A solemn mission or "sending" is also the subject of the post-resurrection appearances to the Eleven in Matthew 28:19; Luke 24:47; Mark 16:15. 15 [22] This action recalls Genesis 2:7, where God breathed on the first man and gave him life; just as Adam’s life came from God, so now the disciples’ new spiritual life comes from Jesus. Cf also the revivification of the dry bones in Ezekial 37. This is the author’s version of Pentecost. Cf also the note on John 19:30. 16 [23] The Council of Trent defined that this power to forgive sins is exercised in the sacrament of penance. See Matthew 16:19; Matthew 18:18. 17 [28] My Lord and my God: this forms a literary inclusion with the first verse of the gospel: "and the Word was God." 18 [29] This verse is a beatitude on future generations; faith, not sight, matters. 19 [30-31] These verses are clearly a conclusion to the gospel and express its purpose. While many manuscripts read come to believe, possibly implying a missionary purpose for John’s gospel, a small number of quite early ones read "continue to believe," suggesting that the audience consists of Christians whose faith is to be deepened by the book; cf John 19:35.
/ raangulo
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