That they may be one as we are one

Welcome to my blog. You will find the daily readings from the Bible which the Catholic Church under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit has chosen and provides for our spiritual nourishment. If we use them seriously each day, we will grow in our relationship with God – ‘in whom we live, move and have our being’ – and come to know Jesus who loved us and gave his life for us on the Cross. He gives us life and gives it in abundance.

How to pray with the Bible. 1. Set aside a time each day when alone or in a group, you can in silence listen to God speaking to you. He speaks gently as with Elijah (1 Kings 19:12), Jesus, (Rev 3:20). 2.Sit comfortably where you will not be distracted or disturbed. You are to enter into the presence of God who loves and cares for you. 3.Pray for the Holy Spirit who teaches us how to pray (Rom 8:26-27). Ask Mary to intercede with her Son to send the Spirit upon you. (Luke 11:13). 4. Read slowly in the Spirit who inspired the reading, asking him to speak to you too. Phrases will strike you. “Speak Lord your servant is listening” (1 Sam 3:11). “All Scripture is inspired and profitable for teaching… and instruction in righteousness” (2 Tim 3:16”. 5. Pray to Jesus with gratitude for the inspiration he has given you. 6. Go back in the Spirit of Jesus to your ordinary life.

Wednesday 27 May 2020

‘That they may be one as we are one’

Ps 46: 2

All peoples, clap your hands.

Cry to God with shouts of joy, alleluia.

Prayer

Father, may all those who believe in your Son be brought into one faith and worship by the Holy Spirit and thereby be a nation of priests for your service.

____________________

First reading

Acts 20:28-38 ·

I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, and its power

Paul addressed these words to the elders of the church of Ephesus:

‘Be on your guard for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you the overseers, to feed the Church of God which he bought with his own blood. I know quite well that when I have gone fierce wolves will invade you and will have no mercy on the flock. Even from your own ranks there will be men coming forward with a travesty of the truth on their lips to induce the disciples to follow them. So be on your guard, remembering how night and day for three years I never failed to keep you right, shedding tears over each one of you. And now I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace that has power to build you up and to give you your inheritance among all the sanctified.

‘I have never asked anyone for money or clothes; you know for yourselves that the work I did earned enough to meet my needs and those of my companions. I did this to show you that this is how we must exert ourselves to support the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, who himself said, “There is more happiness in giving than in receiving.”’

When he had finished speaking he knelt down with them all and prayed. By now they were all in tears; they put their arms round Paul’s neck and kissed him; what saddened them most was his saying they would never see his face again. Then they escorted him to the ship.

Prayerful reflection

The Church of Christ has been divided and this is what Paul warned against. For Paul unity in faith and worship was paramount. He is departing and these are his final words of advice to those who will have to take over the shepherding of the Church communities. They are to preserve the communities from division.

He also quotes a phrase of Our Lord which is not in any of the Gospels: that there is more happiness in giving than receiving. Let us then give our time, our energy, whatever we can in love for others.

A sign of a pastor, who has spent everything he had and himself also for the good of the flock entrusted to him, is that when at last he leaves them, they are so sad and feel lost. This is precisely what happens to Paul in today’s reading.

 Psalm (Make the psalm your prayer too)

Psalm 68:29-30,33-36

Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God.

Show forth, O God, show forth your might,

your might, O God, which you have shown for us.

For the sake of your temple high in Jerusalem

may kings come to you bringing their tribute.

Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God.

Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God, praise the Lord

who rides on the heavens, the ancient heavens.

He thunders his voice, his mighty voice.

Come, acknowledge the power of God.

Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God.

His glory is on Israel; his might is in the skies.

God is to be feared in his holy place.

He is the Lord, Israel’s God.

He gives strength and power to his people.

Blessed be God!

Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God.

Mt28:19,20

Alleluia, alleluia!

Go, make disciples of all the nations.

I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.

Alleluia!

Gospel

John 17:11-19

Father, keep those you have given me true to your name

Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said:

‘Holy Father,

keep those you have given me true to your name,

so that they may be one like us.

While I was with them,

I kept those you had given me true to your name.

I have watched over them

and not one is lost

except the one who chose to be lost,

and this was to fulfil the scriptures.

But now I am coming to you

and while still in the world I say these things

to share my joy with them to the full.

I passed your word on to them,

and the world hated them,

because they belong to the world

no more than I belong to the world.

I am not asking you to remove them from the world,

but to protect them from the evil one.

They do not belong to the world

any more than I belong to the world.

Consecrate them in the truth;

your word is truth.

As you sent me into the world,

I have sent them into the world,

and for their sake I consecrate myself

so that they too may be consecrated in truth.’

Prayerful reflection

Jesus is about to die. As for everyone, death will be the end of his natural way of living. His disciples will never see and talk with him again as thy have done during his life. He will come back, but to know him then they must have faith in his invisible presence. The previous four chapters are his last testament. He has spoken from his heart. His words are a special keepsake for those who will miss him tragically. Now he prays his final prayer. In it we will see what he holds most dear. He prays that his disciples be consecrated in truth. They are to belong to God and be one in God in love. They are to share in the life of the Three divine Persons. This oneness with God will reveal itself in everyday life through a unity in love of all believers.

Men and women, though created by God and dependent on him for everything including their very existence, desire their own will and pleasure. They have abandoned God and opposed him, as they listen to ‘the ruler of this world’, Satan. Such people are at enmity with God and with all those who belong to God. They will persecute God’s people as they persecuted Jesus, God’s only Son. His disciples must live in this hostile world alien from God. He prays that they will never lose faith and join the world, but be consecrated to God, who is the Truth and manifested in his own person.

Jn 15: 26-27

When the Paraclete comes, whom I will send you,

the Spirit of Truth who proceeds from the Father,

he will bear witness to me,

and you also will bear witness, says the Lord, alleluia.

____________________

Prayer

Father, through the Word of God which we have heard, purify our hearts and lives so that we may hunger for the Bread of Life, which Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament of the altar.

We make our prayer through your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.