Daily Reflection for Thursday, May 14, 2020
Peace and Blessings, Friends and Parishioners,
We encourage you to reflect on Thursday's readings at this link:
http://usccb.org/bible/readings/051420.cfm
If you prefer to use your own Bible, the readings are:
First Reading: Acts 1:15-17, 20-26
Responsorial: Psalm 113:1-8
Gospel: John 15: 9-17
Our reflection on Thursday’s readings:
“This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.” John 15:12
During this pandemic lockdown and with our March-like weather, sometimes I forget that it is Easter, time to rejoice in our risen Lord. Today is Thursday of the Fifth Week of Easter. It has been thirty-two days since Easter Sunday, and there are seventeen days until Pentecost when the Holy Spirit comes to revitalize us and the Church. Alleluia!
In our first reading from The Acts of the Apostles, Peter leads the Church in prayer to discern which person would replace Judas Iscariot as the twelfth Apostle. Matthias was chosen and today we celebrate the Feast of Saint Matthias, Apostle. Even before Pentecost, in the aftermath of betrayal and death, the Holy Spirit was working through Peter moving the Church toward healing to fulfill the mission of Christ. There are twelve Apostles again. Alleluia!
When I was a child of about six years old, I can remember the experience of feeling the loss of grace. If I fought with my brother or allowed anger or hate to enter my heart I felt like a dog stepping through an invisible fence. I felt as if I stepped through a force-field into an electrically charged zone of tension. Did God love me any less? No, but I had willfully left the state of grace and could not feel His love.
In today’s Gospel from John, Jesus tells us, “If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.” Jesus then tells us twice which commandment is vital for us to follow; “Love one another.”
Expressing that love is more challenging in our no-handshaking, no-hugging, pandemic world, but prayers are always virus-free.
Let us pray: Lord, help us to love those most in need of your mercy.
Love, Deacon John McShea