"STAY WITH US, LORD" (Luke 24:29)

1st Reading    Acts 15:1–2,22–29 Resp. Psalm   Ps. 67 2nd Reading   Rev. 21:10-14, 22-23 Gospel             Jn. 14:23-29 BE TEACHABLE Dear friends, we are still within the last days of Jesus' life on earth after his Resurrection. The disciples recieve words on how they will live their lives in relation to one another and to God. Today, Jesus draws a difference between two groups of people as regards their response to his Words. There are those who keep his word (v. 23) and those who do not (v. 24). To them that keep his word on account of their love for Jesus, there is an experience of the Trinitarian life. Three things will happen to such a person. 1. The Father will LOVE him  2. We will COME to him (erchomai) 3. We will make our HOME with him (monē) Monē (home or abode) speaks in a metaphorical sense about the Holy Spirit's indwelling in the person who KEEPS (tēreo), thus guards and gives careful attention to God...

1st Reading        Acts 14:21–27 Resp. Psalm       Ps. 145 2nd Reading      Rev. 21:1–5a Gospel                 Jn. 13:31–33a, 34–35 "LOVE LIKE JESUS" As we enter into the 5th Week of Easter we also draw closer to Ascension Day. This is brought to better perspective when Christ spoke about his soon departure (Jn. 13:33). In view of this, Jesus tells his disciples about what he demands of them. What he demands of them is summed up under the subject of LOVE (àgapē, love of persons and things). One interesting thing to note is that the command of Jesus is a familiar law to his contemporaries. The disciples he is addressing are already aware of the law of love. In Lev. 19:18, it is evident that "you shall love your neighbour as yourself". This is not a new thing to the Jew. Infact, they are required to Love God (Deut. 6:5). What then is new about Jesus' command? What qualifies it to be a new ...

1st Reading       Acts 13:14,43–52 Resp. Psalm      Ps. 100: 3b 2nd Reading     Rev. 7:9,14b–17 Gospel                Jn. 10:27–30 Two Key Features of a Good Sheep, a Good Disciple Happy Sunday! We are still in the season of Easter and today we celebrate Good Shepherd Sunday. We thank God for giving us Shepherds (leaders) to whose care we have been entrusted. The image of the Good Shepherd is clear in Christ who laid down his life for us. The Gospel is very short. Inspite of its brevity, it is dense with messages to help us attain blessed happiness.  We can understand the text within a broader scope from vv. 22-30. Here, some Jews supposed to have been wondering whether Jesus is the Messiah asked if he is actually the one. These Jews do not believe that Jesus is the Messiah even when Jesus said it (v. 25). They cannot reconcile their belief in Jesus with the works of Jesus as testimony that he...