5th Sunday of Easter (Cycle A, Year II)
Community Word: Love for God’s word emboldens our hearts for the New Evangelization.
Theme: Our hearts are emboldened for the New Evangelization when we have faith in God and do good works.
Promise: “See the eyes of the Lord are upon those who fear him, upon those who hope for his kindness, to deliver them from death and preserve them in spite of famine.” (Ps 33:18-19)
Reflection
Doing a task repeatedly over a period of time, has a way of stealing the zeal, passion and delight from one’s heart. When someone has been serving in a community for many years, he runs the risk of taking matters for granted and doing things routinely, sometimes losing sight of the reason behind the myriad of activities. BLD members are no exception. This is not what the Lord has in mind in today’s readings.
The followers of Jesus are meant to be the “living stones” of the Church, whose cornerstone is Christ Himself. A living organism constantly pulsates with life, dynamism and vitality. Where does our community stand today in this regard?
Our theme for the week is a call of the times: Our hearts are emboldened for the New Evangelization when we have faith in God and do good works. In the first reading, we see the first community of the Lord begin to take on life with the birth of the following ministries: Service, Word, and Intercessory. Each ministry has a specific focus, but all are essentially doing good works, borne out of faith in the risen Lord. The varied gifts given to community members are put to good use for the benefit of others. When Ministries are actively engaged and the gifts of the members are used recurrently, these are signs of life in a community. This is the new evangelization that the church is talking about.
A church is not made of brick and mortar but is made of flesh and blood and of the warm bodies of its members. It is a known fact that many big churches in Europe may look awesome and beautiful on the outside but are actually empty in the inside with hardly any church-goers in sight. This is the also the case in the United States where some churches have been closed for the same reason.
Being a living stone of the church is a big responsibility that entails many trials and difficulties along the way, no different from what the disciples experienced during the time of Jesus. To be His follower is never easy because it means following Him and making Him our way – our only way. “Jesus said to him, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)
It means dedicating our lives to doing good works by loving and serving others. It means bearing our crosses daily and doing everything in accordance to God’s divine will to proclaim His Kingdom here on earth. Despite the many struggles, we choose to follow Jesus. As living stones, we build and make up the church of God to give witness to His presence in our lives. This is in fact the BLD vision: “We are a community of disciples inspired by the Holy Spirit to be living witnesses for transformation in Christ…”
With this vision, we are part of a privileged group of people especially chosen by God to be His collaborators in the world’s salvation. “You are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises” of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9) The gospel reading reminds us to keep the faith burning in our hearts as we go about this task of bringing darkness into His light. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me.” (John 14:1)
Jesus likewise tells us that he is going to prepare a place for us in his Father’s house. “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.” (John 14:1-2)
This is enough incentive for anyone to persevere and keep on following Jesus. The Lord promises to deliver us from death and to welcome us to the mansion that He has prepared for us. “See the eyes of the Lord are upon those who fear him, upon those who hope for his kindness, to deliver them from death and preserve them in spite of famine.” (Ps 33:18-19)
Prayer:
Lord, whenever we get discouraged with the many struggles and obstacles we encounter here on earth, give us the grace and the wisdom to look beyond our worldly life. We believe that we are only transient travellers heading towards the mansion that You have prepared for us. We trust in Your word that You are awaiting our arrival. Whenever we forget, please remind us that we need to follow Jesus who is the only way to the Father. We offer our very lives to You Lord, in accordance to Your divine will. The journey is not easy but You have called us to be a chosen race and a royal priesthood. We cannot do it on our own and we need you to be with us each day. Hold our hand and show us the way to our eternal salvation. In Jesus mighty name we pray, Amen.
Reflection Questions:
1.What is currently bothering you in your life that keeps you from following Jesus? How do you plan to get over it?
2.What specific action can you do during this week ahead, tht will help prepare you to enter the Father’s mansion when
the time comes?
This Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:
May 18, 2014 (Sun) Acts 6:1-7/Ps 33:1-2,4-5,18-19/1Pt 2:4-9/Jn 14:1-12
May 19, 2014 (Mon) Acts 14:5-18/Ps 115:1-2,3-4,15-16/Jn 14:21-26
May 20, 2014 (Tues) Acts 14:19-28/Ps 145:10-11,12-13,21/Jn 14:27-31
May 21, 2014 (Wed) Acts 15:1-6/ps 122:1-2,3-4,4-5/Jn 15:1-8
May 22, 2014 (Thur) Acts 15:7-21/Ps 96:1-2,2-3,10/Jn 15:9-11
May 23, 2014 (Fri) Acts 15:22-31/Ps 57:8-9,10-12/Jn 15:12-17
May 24, 2014 (Sat) Acts 16:1-10/Ps 100:1-2,3,5/Jn 15:18-21
“Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ. Read your Bible daily!”
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