I Am The Way

John 14: 1-6

Jesus Comforts His Disciples

14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. ² My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. ⁴ You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Jesus the Way to the Father

⁵ Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

⁶ Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

This comforting passage from St. John is quoted time and time again.  No wonder, it sums up all that is needed to be a disciple:  Put Jesus First, put all our marbles in his basket, have faith in him, trust him.  We repeat this formula over and over, but still fall short of living it. It helps to keep praying with it and over it, asking God for the grace to live it and focusing our attention to it during the day.  Stop what you are doing at 11 am and pray: Jesus, you are the way, the truth and the life.  Am I keeping aware of that as I pursue my work?  As you drive home later today, repeat the verse.  As you prepare for sleep tonight, look back and see if Jesus was at the center of this day, and, if not, pledge to try again tomorrow to give him his proper place,  the first place!

Bro, Rene

 

 

Following the Master

 John 13: 16-20

¹⁶ Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷ Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Jesus Predicts His Betrayal

¹⁸ “I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill this passage of Scripture: ‘He who shared my bread has turned against me.’

¹⁹ “I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am who I am. ²⁰ Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.”

As we celebrate the Memorial of St. Catherine of Siena, we  return to the Last Supper.  Jesus has just washed the feet of his disciples, having given them a prime example of servant leadership. He warns them of his  upcoming betrayal in order to strengthen their faith before the torturous ordeal of his betrayal and death take place, and as we know, sets the stage for their own future sufferings and martyrdom.

While we may not be called to walk such a dramatic path, but there are "little martyrdoms" daily that purify us, draw us closer to Jesus and deepen our understanding of what he went through for us and what we are called to do for others.  It is not an easy path; we would opt out of it if we could, but following in the footsteps of Jesus, even the painful footsteps, is the least we can do for him who did so much for us. "No servant is greater than his master." (Jn 13:16) St. Catherine learned this lesson well and serves as an example for us.

Bro. Rene

The Light of the World

 John 12:44-50

Faithful To God's Command

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.”

Sometimes it appears that the darkness is overpowering the light: headlines of mass shootings, prominent people stealing or cheating, political slings and arrows, depression, discouragement.  Every era has the same dark clouds, but yet time marches on and we somehow manage to keep a bit of light shining. The real light, however, comes from Jesus.  His fidelity to the Father, his trust in him, his confidence that despite the obstacles...and he had many all along the way....he put his trust in the Father and invites us to do the same.  May our faithfulness to God's plan, God's command, bring light to our world.

Bro. Rene

Seeing Is Believing?

 John 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.”

The skeptics refuse to accept Jesus even though they have seen his good works.  There is more to believing than just seeing.  It's a matter of the "listening heart" which knows deeply within and accepts on faith as well as with sight. "My sheep listen to my voice, I know then, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand." (Jn 10: 27-28). May our daily prayers and our living in the Presence of God, assure us that Jesus is who he said he is, and dwells with and in us.  He is our rock, our strength, our hope and our joy.  Why question, why doubt?

Bro Rene

That They May Have Life

 John 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.

It's no wonder that the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd and Psalm 23 (The Lord is my Shepherd) are so popular and provide so much spiritual support.  Those who heard Jesus knew from their own experience the qualities of a good shepherd and the bond that exists between the shepherd and his sheep. Even if we, in our present day circumstances, don't have this experience, the tenderness Jesus describes touches us and comforts us.  When we feel "lost" Jesus assures us that he is there with his rod and staff to protect us and guide us to the green pastures of "life to the full." Dear Jesus, may I never wander from your welcoming gate, and if I do, remind me that you have not wandered away from me.

Bro. Rene

I Know Mine

 

John 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.”

Not many of us today are familiar with raising or caring for sheep, yet this image of the Good Shepherd continues to captivate us because it  gives us a vivid picture of a caring, loving protector who will stop at nothing, even to laying down his life, to assure our well-being and safety. What comfort this brings to us when we are seeing more and more disconnect between people, as the isolation of the Pandemic takes its toll on our ability to BE with one another.  We need to re-learn the lesson of the Good Shepherd:  to know and care for others selflessly, to be willing to sacrifice our time, use our talents, or share whatever we have that they may know through our gestures how much our God loves them, loves US.  Let's use this Sunday to Be good to one another, to be Good Shepherds.

Bro Rene

To Whom Shall We Go?

 John 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.”

It's not hard to understand the difficulty the some of the disciples had with the extraordinary teaching of Jesus that he is the "Holy One of God."  For centuries, the Jews had believed in ONE God, as opposed to the many gods in the pantheons of other civilizations.  Now here is this "upstart" claiming to be one with the Father and the Spirit, too much for many of them to accept, so, sadly for Jesus, they turned away. Peter spoke for the Apostles, and, hopefully for us, affirming belief in Jesus as the Son of God, however vague that might still have been in their minds at that time, and staying with him.

In this day and age when so much is being questioned and revised, may we stick to the truth that Jesus is the Son of God and dwells very much with us, and in a special way, under the appearance of bread and wine.

Bro. Rene

Life Eternal

 John 6: 52-59

Eat This Bread and Live Forever

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.

Don't we always think of "Life Eternal" as the NEXT life, the reward for living a good life here on earth? Yet, Jesus teaches us that we can have a foretaste of that life NOW!  When we eat his Body and drink his Blood, we are not only in the Divine Presence, but the Diving Presence is IN us!  We are in heaven! Perhaps because we don't think of it this way, we don't feel it or realize it, for receiving Holy Communion can become so routine that it loses its impact.  If that is the case, then it's time to stop, retool and start over again.

Bro. Rene

Unless the Father Draws Us

 

John 6:44-51

My Flesh for the Life of the World

⁴⁴ “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. ⁴⁵ It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. ⁴⁶ No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. ⁴⁷ Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. ⁴⁸ I am the bread of life. ⁴⁹ Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. ⁵⁰ But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. ⁵¹ I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

 

Jesus continues his elaboration on the Bread of Life, the amazing gift that feeds us on our journey and brings us into the closest union with him possible until we pass on to Eternal Life. He repeats, like a good teacher, for this is a difficult lesson to comprehend:  his Flesh becomes our Food!  It is not just a memorial action, but one that makes his Body and Blood present under the appearances for bread and wine so that we might actually ingest it. A great gift that is available weekly, if not daily. May the Father draw us more frequently to this meal and may we be graced to accept his invitation.

Bro. Rene

 

The Bread Of Life

 John 6: 35-40

Believe and Be Saved

³⁵ Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. ³⁶ But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. ³⁷ All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. ³⁸ For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. ³⁹ And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. ⁴⁰ For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

Verse 35 should pump enough fuel into our tank to keep us going not for just today, but for the rest of our lives. God wants us to be with him forever; that's why he created us. To make sure it happens, he gives us "Food" for the journey, one fraught with challenges, disappointments and failures.  We need this heavenly food to make life's trek successfully. Let us renew our efforts to go to Jesus, believe in him, not in words but in a faith put into action, and never stop until he clasps his arms around us at the Gate of Heaven.

Bro. Rene

Signs and Wonders

 

 Note:  There should be two slices of bread today....Again I missed the cutoff deadline yesterday.  It has changed once more.  Today I'm safely within it...Enjoy the double dose!

 

.Courtesy of Marc Pelletier

I Am the Bread of Life 

John 6: 30-35

³⁰ So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? ³¹ Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”

³² Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. ³³ For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

³⁴ “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”

³⁵ Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

Several ingredients come together for today's slice:  This beautiful "Easter photo" taken by colleague, Marc Pelletier, to help us savor the glory of the Resurrection; the martyrdom of St. Stephen (Acts7: 51-8: 1a), and part of the Discourse on the Eucharist.  All signs and wonders, all food for the soul. Beauty counterbalances the ugly side of life, and reminds us, "through a glass darkly" of the wonders that await us, a poor man's glimpse of what Stephen saw as he was being stoned to death. The declaration of Jesus as the Bread of Life tops off this faith-building trio and outweighs them all.  We can actually partake of the Bread of Life and never go hungry or thirsty.  If possible (and even more difficult during the Pandemic) might we take advantage of this gift as often as we can, even daily, or at least weekly. How can we deny our souls this taste of beauty, this life-giving bread?

Bro. Rene

Believe In The One He Sent

 John 6: 22-29

²² The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone. ²³ Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. ²⁴ Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.

Jesus the Bread of Life

²⁵ When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”

²⁶ Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. ²⁷ Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”

²⁸ Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”

²⁹ Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

Jesus instructs like a master teacher, and that  he is for sure.  Through tangible signs, he arouses questions that lead to the explanation he has marked as the goal of his lesson plan.  After being miraculously fed, and after his unexplained presence on the other side of the lake, without the benefit of their boat, the Apostles were ready for his lesson on faith in action.  To do the works of God,  we must believe in the one he sent.

How many times have we be surprised by the answer to a prayer we have repeated for weeks, months, years? All of a sudden the answer is there, and we walk deeper into the way of faith.  We will pray with more confidence and assurance the next time we approach the Lord for his help. Although we question the depth of our faith, God sees that it is growing and encourages us to proceed. Let our daily prayer always include the prayer of the desperate father:  "Lord, I do believe, help my unbelief."  (Mk 9: 24)

Bro. Rene

Help My Unbelief

Luke 24:36-48

Jesus Appears to the Disciples

³⁶ While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

³⁷ They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. ³⁸ He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? ³⁹ Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

⁴⁰ When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. ⁴¹ And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” ⁴² They gave him a piece of broiled fish, ⁴³ and he took it and ate it in their presence.

⁴⁴ He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”,

⁴⁵ Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. ⁴⁶ He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, ⁴⁷ and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. ⁴⁸ You are witnesses of these things.

If I were among the gathered group of the Apostles, trying to unravel the facts of the empty tomb and the appearances of Jesus, and lo, and behold, there he was in front of me, I too would have been frightened and perplexed. Once dead, always dead, isn't it?  What is this, who is this I see before me?  A new experience needing concrete confirmation, as in the eating of broiled fish, and the opening of the mind to comprehend this unique phenomenon.   When the Holy Spirit descended upon them, the apostles finally "got it" and proclaimed the Good News without hesitation, giving their lives for it.

Will I allow myself to remain stupefied, or will I join the fearless Apostles in spreading the Good News?  The ball is in my hands.

Bro. Rene   

 

 

John 6:16-21

Jesus Walks on the Water

¹⁶ When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, ¹⁷ where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. ¹⁸ A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. ¹⁹ When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened. ²⁰ But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” ²¹ Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.

When we are being tossed about by the storms that arise in our families, communities or workplaces, these few verses remind us that our fears will not calm the tumult; only the Presence of Jesus will. In due time he will appear, even without our asking, for his eyes and heart are always with us.  May we learn to trust and await his calming Presence.

Bro. Rene

 

Caring For Our Needs

 

John 6:1-15

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

6 Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), ² and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. ³ Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. ⁴ The Jewish Passover Festival was near.

⁵ When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” ⁶ He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

⁷ Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”

⁸ Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, ⁹ “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”

¹⁰ Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). ¹¹ Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

¹² When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” ¹³ So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

¹⁴ After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” ¹⁵ Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.

While Philip was perplexed with the dilemma of feeding this huge hungry crowd, Jesus already knew what he was going to do and left us with preview of the Eucharist and an assurance that he well knows our needs and will take care of them  better than we. Learning to put our TRUST in his loving care requires, as with any effective lesson, repetition and a slow build up of trust and confidence. It's a life-long process, it seems, for no matter how many times we find ourselves overwhelmed, perplexed, or backed into a corner, we still question how we can solve this dilemma.  May we take heed of this simple line, "he already had in mind what he was going to do," and continue moving forward with the confidence that, as St. Julian of Norwich put it,  "All Shall Be Well." 

Bro. Rene

Guiding Spirit

 John 3: 31-36

Life in the Spirit

³¹ The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. ³² He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. ³³ Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. ³⁴ For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. ³⁵ The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. ³⁶ Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.

When listening to Jesus talk about the Spirit, we seem to hit a brick wall. We can't grasp the breadth and length of this teaching.  At Pentecost, when the Spirit descended upon the Apostles, clarity arrived as well.  Not only tongues of Fire, but the fire of enthusiasm fueled by understanding and courage, or as we say now, the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, set the Apostles a-preaching, and effective preaching, as well we know.  For us right how, however, as we continue to meditate on the Resurrection during this Easter season, what do we do?  We ponder, we wait, we pray that the Spirit will give us understanding and direction, courage and patience.  Our prayer might be:  Holy Spirit, what do you want me to do?  Guide me, strengthen me, set me free to do you will."

Bro. Rene

Live in the Light

(Note:  There should be two slices of Daily Bread...Yesterday's did not meet the deadline)

John 3:16-21

 

For God so loved the world

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. ¹⁸ Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. ¹⁹ This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. ²⁰ Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. ²¹ But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

This consoling passage offers us much hope and the incentive to live clean, pure and productive lives in a world that daily seems to grow darker.  Mass shootings, headlines shocking us with revelations of heinous crimes performed in secret by respectable leaders, tales of unhappy people saturating our TV screens. and reports of the never-ending Pandemic. Not very encouraging on a  Monday morning. But the reminder that God gave us his only Son to keep us from perishing under the weight of all of this and urges us to remain faithful in small as well as big things. to trust that the Light will prevail. Let us make it a point to turn away from every cloud of darkness and seek with all our hearts to live in the light. The seeking, the desire, will not be ignored; Jesus will fill in whatever is lacking. "Ask and you shall receive." (Mt 7:7)

Bro. Rene

Eternal Life

 John 3: 7b-15

Born of the Spirit

⁷ You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ ⁸ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

⁹ “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

¹⁰ “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? ¹¹ Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. ¹² I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? ¹³ No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. ¹⁴ Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, ¹⁵ that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”

We can imagine how a well-educated man like Nicodemus was struggling to digest this strange concept of being born again.  Did Jesus mean it literally?  And, if not, what did this "born of the Spirit" mean?  Certainly, at that time, no one understood the Holy Spirit as we do today, and even now our understanding is incomplete and keeps growing.  Yes, we must be echoing with Nicodemus, "How can this be?"  We won't fully understand until we leave this life and enter Eternal Life, but in our communities and through prayer, we can know, feel, and experience his Presence.  When impossible situations are resolved "mysteriously" in answer to our prayers, we can assume that it's the Spirit. When we are guided on the right path during our "journey" through life, it's the Spirit. Again and again, let us pray for the coming of the Spirit into our daily lives, making each day a "mini-Pentecost." 

Bro, Rene

Bro. Rene

Born Again

 John 3: 1-8

Jesus Teaches Nicodemus

3 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. ² He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

³ Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”

⁴ “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

⁵ Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. ⁶ Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. ⁷ You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ ⁸ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

The notion of being born again has fascinated humans for ages.  Reincarnation intrigues us, and for Hindus, is a "given."  Is that the new life, the "being born again" that Jesus speaks of?  No, it is a new life in the Spirit, which brings us into a deeper relationship with him, the Father and all others "born of the Spirit."  It is the new life of grace, the life that enables us to do what we thought was impossible, to bring the Presence of God into our world to help others find purpose, meaning, and their own personal relationship with the Father. We can be born again, we must be born again.  Now that we have risen with Jesus, we look ahead to Pentecost, and the "baptism" of the Spirit.  "Come, Holy Ghost, Creator blest, and in our hearts take up thy rest."

Bro. Rene

 

My Lord And My God

 

John 20:19-31

Jesus Appears to His Disciples

¹⁹ On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” ²⁰ After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

²¹ Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” ²² And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³ If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

Jesus Appears to Thomas

²⁴ Now Thomas (also known as Didymus^[a]), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. ²⁵ So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

²⁶ A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” ²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

²⁸ Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

²⁹ Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

The Purpose of John’s Gospel

³⁰ Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. ³¹ But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

The Easter Octave ends with these unforgetable appearances of Jesus, in which he gives his apostles the power to forgive sins and draws this life-changing confession of faith from "Doubting Thomas".  We have looked at all the post-resurrection appearances and come today with Thomas to profess our faith along with him, "My Lord and my God."

Pope St John Paul II designated this as "Mercy Sunday", a day on which we seek God's mercy and renew our efforts to be merciful to others. May we pray with Thomas for an increase of faith, and along with others who gather world wide, pray for God's loving mercy and for the grace to be merciful.

Bro. Rene  

 

Our Mission

(Note:  Due to a lack of technological finesse, I was not able to post a slice of Bread yesterday.  Instruction from a young knowledgeable young man has helped me get back on track.)        

Mark 16: 9-15

Go Preach the Gospel

When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. ¹⁰ She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. ¹¹ When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it.

¹² Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. ¹³ These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either.

¹⁴ Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.

¹⁵ He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation."

The more we read these accounts of the Resurrection, the more we see how difficult it was for the followers of Jesus to accept it. We are so accustomed to hearing about it that its impact is partially lost.  We get some flavor of how astounding it was for the first hearers.  An event that was not part of human experience.  Yet, Jesus doesn't dismiss his "chosen ones" because of their difficulty in coming to believe, but with his usual patience, accepts them where they are, giving them more than a nudge, while they awaited the coming of the Holy Spirit. A lesson for us as we sometimes want to kick ourselves for our lack of belief or are impatience with others because of theirs. And, above all, our mission, despite our weak or wavering faith is to preach the Gospel.  May we learn to focus our attention on that call rather than on the many paralyzing questions that can prevent us from accomplishing it.

Bro. Rene

Jesus Cooks Breakfast

 John 21: 1-14

 The Third Apparition

 Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way: ² Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. ³ “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

⁴ Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.

⁵ He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”

“No,” they answered.

⁶ He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.

⁷ Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. ⁸ The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. ⁹ When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.

¹⁰ Jesus said to them, " Bring some of the fish you just caught. So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. ¹² Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. ¹³ Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. ¹⁴ This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

What a wonderful and comforting scene:  Frustrated apostles, Jesus filling their empty nets and cooking them breakfast!  How often do we find ourselves frustrated, even exasperated, when things are not going our way, yet Jesus is there to take care of our needs and remind us that there's no need to fret. As much as we may say, "I'll never doubt again," we do,  We need to put ourselves on the shore with Jesus and let him cook for us.  Evidently, he's most willing to do so.  "Feed me, Lord, I'm starving!"

 Bro Rene

Peace Be With You

Luke  24: 35-48

³⁵ Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.

Jesus Appears to the Disciples

³⁶ While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

³⁷ They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. ³⁸ He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? ³⁹ Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

⁴⁰ When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. ⁴¹ And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” ⁴² They gave him a piece of broiled fish, ⁴³ and he took it and ate it in their presence.

⁴⁴ He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”

⁴⁵ Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. ⁴⁶ He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, ⁴⁷ and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. ⁴⁸ You are witnesses of these things.

Jesus asks us as he asked the disciples, "Why are you troubled, and why do you have doubts in your mind?" (Lk 24: 38) We might answer, the Pandemic, the Political climate, the social and economic inequality that is cause so much division, or simply my own insecurity.  These are not easy times in which to remain stable or hopeful.  We seem to be cut off from our foundation, set adrift.  Who cut off whom? Who set whom adrift?  If we are seriously interested in recovering Peace, we need to accept the Presence of Jesus, eat with him, believe in him,  This passage bears much reflection and prayerful meditation; for it invites us to open our doors, our hearts, our lives to welcome Jesus and accept his offer of Peace.

Bro. Rene

 

Recognizing Jesus

 Luke 24: 13-35

On the Road to Emmaus

¹³ Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles^[a] from Jerusalem. ¹⁴ They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. ¹⁵ As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; ¹⁶ but they were kept from recognizing him.

¹⁷ He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”

They stood still, their faces downcast. ¹⁸ One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

¹⁹ “What things?” he asked.

“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. ²⁰ The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; ²¹ but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. ²² In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning ²³ but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. ²⁴ Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”

²⁵ He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶ Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” ²⁷ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

²⁸ As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. ²⁹ But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.

³⁰ When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. ³¹ Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. ³² They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

³³ They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together ³⁴ and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” ³⁵ Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.

We might look upon this passage as a description of a Mass for it entails the breaking open of the Scriptures as well as the breaking of the bread. As with these two disciples, we often come to Mass preoccupied with concerns, problems, worries, decisions, and all sorts of "weights" that keep us from focusing on the proclamation of God's Word and the wonder of the Eucharistic meal.  Understandable, for we are human and do not live in a perfect, "germ free", "worry free" bubble.  We come as we are.  Reading this story, however, causes me to want to experience a "burning heart", one filled with ever-growing love and admiration for Jesus. Let us pray that we might carry this hunger to the Mass, ask that we might be distraction-free and be able to recognize Jesus, to fully concentrate on and participate in this marvelous gift 

Bro. Rene  

Mary's Joy and Ours

 John 20:11-18

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb

12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”

14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.”She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ”

18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her. 

 

Can we appreciate the depth of joy Mary Magdalene experienced when she recognized the voice of Jesus? Her sense of loss at the death of Jesus was compounded now by the absence of his body. It's no wonder that she who loved him so much, should be so distraught.  But not for long, hearing her name in a voice she knew so well reversed her anguish, as she expressed her joy by embracing Jesus.

May these Easter Octave days deepen our love for and confidence in our Risen Savior.  May we hear his voice call us by name, and may our fears and doubts be displaced by the Presence of the Risen Christ in our midst.

Bro. Rene  

 

 

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They Clasped His Feet

 Matthew 28: 8-15

⁸ So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. ⁹ Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

The Guards’ Report

¹¹ While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. ¹² When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, ¹³ telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ ¹⁴ If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” ¹⁵ So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.

What would my reaction have been if the Risen Jesus appeared to me after I had discovered the empty tomb?  I would be on the ground with the women, clasping and kissing his feet.  My beloved lives! All that he promised came true.  Would I ever doubt again?

This week is an on-going reflection on the Resurrection; let us use the time to let it's meaning, and particularly the Presence of Jesus, penetrate our hearts, minds, and thinking,  and cast away the fears that keep creeping into our lives. He has risen as he said; may doubts and fears disappear, even as we look ahead at the tasks before us this day.  All shall be well!

Bro. Rene

Slow To Understand

John 20: 1-9

The Empty Tomb

20 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. ² So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

³ So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. ⁴ Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. ⁵ He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. ⁶ Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, ⁷ as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. ⁸ Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. ⁹ (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)

Having celebrated Easter our whole lives, it's hard to put ourselves in the shoes of Mary Magdalene, Peter and John that first morning at the empty tomb.  Their confusion, though understandable, is hard for us to grasp.  Yet, how would we react if we were the first to encounter an empty tomb?  Tombs do not usually empty themselves  If the body is not there, then someone must have taken it. That would be our conclusion,  Yet, slowly the pieces came together...Jesus had predicted this, and now they knew what he meant. He was not there, the cloths that enrwrapped him were, but he was not.  He had truly risen from the dead.  Now what?  By the end of the day, he had appeared to them and it was clear and certain. He was alive!  

When our doubts seem to be getting the best of us, or as we continue with the COVID-19  restrictions and long for "normal living", let's keep in mind, RESURRECTION.  What seemed like the end of a happy trail was reversed.  Jesus was ALIVE and a whole new life for the Apostles and US, began and continues today. So will it be in our POST-COVI-19 lives.  Let us repeat over and over, 'HE IS RISEN. ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA!"

 

Waiting

 Mark 16: 1-7

Jesus Has Risen

16 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. ² Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb ³ and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”

⁴ But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. ⁵ As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

⁶ “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. ⁷ But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”

Liturgically, this is the quietest day of the year.  No Mass, empty tabernacles, patient waiting, expectation and hope. Truly a day of rest between the tragic, gut-wrenching events of Good Friday, and the glorious joy of the Resurrection tomorrow (or tonight at the Easter Vigil).  This is why Jesus became man, 30 years of preparation, 3 years of ministry...all to show us God's immeasurable love and invite us into a new and everlasting life, the one for which WE were created.  All else palls before this great mystery.  May we not be so pre-occuppied that we miss it. Let us be calm, peaceful and prayerful today.

Bro. Rene