Archive for month: May, 2025
Let us pray that we practice the faith we profess in our lives: Ever-living God, help us celebrate our joy in the resurrection of the Lord, and express in our lives the love we celebrate. Grant this through our Christ our Lord. Amen.
(Sunday Missals)
Sunday Reflection upon Psalm 67 / John 14:23-29
Jesus, in his freedom, loved God and kept God’s word. Do we love and keep God’s Word? Last week, I pointed out that the Gospel of John summarizes the Word and command of Jesus thusly, “Love one another just as I have loved you.” May we keep this command in all our circumstances of life. May the Word of God be implanted into our hearts and lives as Psalm 119:11 notes: “Thy word I have hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” The Holy Spirit helps us remember the Word of God, guiding us in our understanding and application of it.
The Holy Spirit reminds us of what is in the Scriptures and the Church tradition about God’s Word, Jesus Christ. Through the presence of the Holy Spirit, God dwells within us and among us; the Holy Spirit deepens our understanding of God’s revelation in Jesus of Nazareth. We are not just recipients of God’s love but also its bearers who are empowered to share it with others. This empowerment is a testament to the transformative power of God’s love, a force that inspires and brings hope to all who listen to the Holy Spirit, who leads us in the way of Christ.
Let us pray that our love draw its strength from God’s own love: Loving Father, you revealed the depth of your love in Jesus Christ. Although our love remains brittle, fickle, and falls short, may we love one another the way Christ has loved us. May our love, like yours, be reliable, ever respectful of others, and always inviting and reaching out,
Amen.
(Claretian Publications, alt.)
Sunday Reflection upon John 13:31-35 and Revelation 21:1-8
John saw a ‘new heaven and a new earth’ where humankind and the cosmos transform into something beyond our imagination and biological existence. This new heaven and earth represent God’s faithfulness to creation, not his abandonment. As we anticipate this time that is beyond our imagination, we are not to sit around and wait for it. Jesus explicitly commands us while we are here in this enclosed time described as the first heaven and first earth: ‘Love one another as I have loved you.’ This commandment is always new because we have issues following it, but by loving others as Jesus loves us, we cast out evil and begin a new creation even today. The urgency of this commandment should motivate us and compel us to act, knowing that our love has the power to transform the world.
Let us pray that our life be a response to God’s love: God, source of all love you have made your love visible to us in the life, death and message of your Son and our brother Jesus Christ. May our life be a visible statement that we love you in return. Help us echo your love by caring for our brothers and sisters with a love freely given, even when it is not answered. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
(Claretian Publications)
Sunday Reflection upon Revelation 5:1-14
The book of Revelation starkly warns us of our inherent bent toward corruption on personal and social levels. In Revelation, ‘beastly’ images symbolize earthly systems of economics and politics that oppress the poor and most vulnerable while enriching and empowering the rich and most powerful who use violence to control others. The Book of Revelation cries out: Who is Worthy? Who is worthy to open the seal of judgment, a symbol of divine authority and justice, upon this world’s unjust, unfair systems? The one worthy to open the seal is not the world’s most powerful or politically well-placed; rather, the one worthy to open the seal of judgment is the one who became human and suffered, a stark contrast to the corrupt systems.
Revelation’s judgment is primarily directed at those who misuse their power and privilege. However, the ultimate judge is the one who never exploited his power or position for personal gain: Jesus, ‘the lamb slain from the foundation of the world.’ How will we, as individuals, and our society as a whole, stand before him? Will we be able to justify our actions? The book of Revelation calls us to turn away from violence, malice, greed, prejudice, and hatred, and instead, embrace the core values of love and kindness. Let this be our inspiration, hope, and guiding light: The path of the one slain from the foundation of the world.’
Let us pray that our lives respond to God’s love: God, source of all love, you have made your love visible to us in the life, death, and message of your Son and our brother Jesus Christ. May our life be a visible statement that we love you in return. Help us echo your love by caring for our brothers and sisters with a love freely given, even when it is unanswered. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
(Claretian Publications)
