The Great Commission

 

Mk 16:15-20

 Preach the Gospel to All

¹⁵ He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. ¹⁶ Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. ¹⁷ And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; ¹⁸ they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

¹⁹ After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. ²⁰ Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

As we celebrate the Feast of St. Mark, we receive the task of preaching the Gospel to all creation, a huge task that is still in progress. The latest figures estimate 1.3 billion Catholics and overall,  2.6 Christians in a world of 8.1 billion  people.  There is much work to do.  May I do my best to teach others and lead them to the Faith by my living it sincerely, so that my "actions speak louder than my words."  The Apostles began this work 2,000 years ago; it' s up to us to continue it.

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, help me to take my role as a teacher of the Faith by living it as best I can. Amen.

The Light of the World

 Jn 12: 44-50

Jesus Speaks for the Father

⁴⁴ Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. ⁴⁵ The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. ⁴⁶ I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

⁴⁷ “If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. ⁴⁸ There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. ⁴⁹ For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. ⁵⁰ I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”

A quick look  at our world reveals darkness, confusion, foolishness and even despair. Wars, incredible destruction of life and property, the loss of respect for life and for God himself are frightening and seem to have no answer or possibility for resolution. But Jesus tells us that he has come into the world as light so that anyone who believes in him should not stay in darkness. Believing in him, following his teachings is the answer to the world's chaos and enables knowledge of and contact with the Father.  Only in Him does life make sense. May we wake up and see the Light and live by it!

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, you are the Light of the Word; guide us to Truth and Life. Amen.

 

Jesus Protects His Sheep

 

 Jn 10:22-30

Further Conflict Over Jesus’ Claims

²² Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, ²³ and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. ²⁴ The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

²⁵ Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, ²⁶ but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. ²⁷ My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. ²⁹ My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. ³⁰ I and the Father are one.”

Jesus is the Messiah and the Good Shepherd of those who hear his message and live it. May we this day seek to put our trust more and more in our Good Shepherd, to listen to his voice and to follow him wherever he leads us.  He will not allow us to make wrong choices or go astray.  If, perchance we do, he will do all he can to bring us back to the fold. 

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, you are the Good Shepherd: I place my life in your loving care. Amen.  

 

I Am The Gate

 

  Jn 10:1-10

The Good Shepherd and His Sheep

10 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. ² The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. ³ The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴ When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. ⁵ But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” ⁶ Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.

⁷ Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. ⁸ All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. ⁹ I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. ¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

How blessed are we to have such a caring, protective shepherd! These verses are full of assurance, care, and love. Jesus assures us that he knows us, will guard and guide us, as does a Good Shepherd, and keep us from all harm. May we put our worries, concerns and fears aside and give ourselves confidently over to the care of our loving Shepherd,

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, you guide and care for me and keep me from harm. May I live this day without fear and confident in your loving care. Amen.

I Know My Sheep

 

 Jn 10:11-18

The Good Shepherd

¹¹ “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. ¹² The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. ¹³ The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

¹⁴ “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— ¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. ¹⁶ I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. ¹⁷ The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. ¹⁸ No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

The beloved and popular image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd still speaks to us who have little or no contact with sheep, nor do we consider ourselves as sheep.  Yet, the tenderness, protectiveness, loyalty and love of the Good Shepherd console us and encourages us when we feel lost, adrift or unsure. Our Good Shepherd not only protects us, guides us to green pastures and seeks us when we are lost, but has laid down his life for us. What a consolation, what a motivation to proceed fearlessly and confidently. May our reflection on these few verses and our experience of the Good Shepherd's presence and care in our lives encourage us to walk with confidence into the unknown or each day as well as inspire us to be good shepherds to those in our care or to those who are actually lost...for the moment.

Dear Jesus, you are my beloved Good Shepherd; help me to be a good shepherd to others. Amen.

 

To Whom Shall We Go?

 

  Jn 6:60-69

Many Disciples Desert Jesus

⁶⁰ On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”

⁶¹ Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? ⁶² Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! ⁶³ The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. ⁶⁴ Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. ⁶⁵ He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”

⁶⁶ From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.

⁶⁷ “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.

⁶⁸ Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. ⁶⁹ We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”

After listening to Jesus describe himself as the "Bread of  Life" which will be available as food for the journey of life, many found this too much to accept and turned away from Jesus. They could not accept nor believe. Peter answered for the Twelve, and for us, "To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life..and are the Holy One of God." Where do I stand? With those who who walked away or with those who stayed?

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, let grant me the faith and fidelity to remain with you despite the challenges I face daily. Amen.

 

 

Eat This And Live Forever

 

  Jn 6:52-59

My Flesh Is Real Food

⁵² Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

⁵³ Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. ⁵⁴ Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. ⁵⁵ For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. ⁵⁶ Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. ⁵⁷ Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. ⁵⁸ This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” ⁵⁹ He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

What a great gift: food that will enable us to live forever! Yes, Jesus no long walks this earth, but remains with us in the HOLY EUCHARIST. He wants to be with us as intimately as he can, so he enters our bodies, our hearts and souls, as food and drink so that he can be truly one with us. How can we not take advantage of this as often as possible, even daily?  Can we not arrange our days to include time to participate in the celebration of the Eucharist? Jesus wants to be one with us, part of our daily lives.How can we deny him?

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, thank you for this great gift, your presence in the Holy Eucharist. Help me to partake of it as often as possible. Amen.