The Conviction of Jesus

May 6, 2022 Friday of the Third Week of Easter Readings for Today

Video The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his Flesh to eat?” Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood, you do not have life within you.”  John 6:52–53 Certainly this passage reveals much about the Most Holy Eucharist, but it also reveals the strength of Jesus to speak the truth with clarity and conviction. Jesus was facing opposition and criticism.  Some were upset and challenging His words.  Most of us, when we find ourselves under the scrutiny and wrath of others, will back down.  We will be tempted to be overly concerned about what others say about us and about the truth we may be criticized for.  But Jesus did exactly the opposite.  He did not give in to the criticism of others. It’s inspiring to see that, when Jesus was faced with the harsh words of others, He responded with even greater clarity and confidence.  He took His statement about the Eucharist being His Body and Blood to the next level by saying, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, you do not have life within you.”  This reveals a man of the utmost confidence, conviction and strength. Of course, Jesus is God, so we should expect this from Him.  But nonetheless, it is inspiring and reveals the strength we are all called to have in this world.  The world we live in is filled with opposition to the truth.  It’s opposed to many moral truths, but it is also opposed to many of the deeper spiritual truths.  These deeper truths are things such as the beautiful truths of the Eucharist, the importance of daily prayer, humility, abandonment to God, putting God’s will above all things, etc.  We should be aware of the fact that the closer we grow to our Lord, the more we surrender to Him, and the more we proclaim His truth, the more we will feel the pressure of the world trying to steal us away. So what do we do?  We learn from the strength and example of Jesus.  Whenever we find ourselves put in a challenging position, or whenever we feel as though our faith is being attacked, we must deepen our resolve to be all the more faithful.  This will make us stronger and turns those temptations we face into opportunities for grace! Reflect, today, upon the way that you react when your faith is challenged.  Do you back down, give into fear and allow the challenges from others to affect you?  Or do you strengthen your resolve when challenged and allow persecution to purify your faith?  Choose to imitate the strength and conviction of our Lord and you will become a greater visible instrument of His grace and mercy. My confident Lord, give me the strength of Your conviction.  Give me clarity in my mission and help me to serve You unwaveringly in all things. May I never cower when faced with the challenges of life but always deepen my resolve to serve You with all my heart.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Drawn to Jesus

May 5, 2022 Thursday of the Third Week of Easter Readings for Today

Video Jesus said to the crowds: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him on the last day.”  John 6:44 This Scripture passage reveals to us a wonderful spiritual principle we need to understand and live if we are to grow close to God.  It’s the principle of being drawn to Jesus by the Father. First of all, it’s important to understand the first part of what Jesus says: “No one can come to me unless...”  This tells us that coming to Jesus in faith, growing in that faith, and growing in our love of God is not something we can do on our own.  Coming to faith is a response to God’s action in our life.   This is important to understand if we wish to establish an authentic relationship with Christ because it reveals to us the fact that we have to let God take the first step in that relationship.  When we let Him do this, it’s our responsibility to then respond.    Of course this does not mean we just sit back in a passive way waiting for God to reach out.  God is constantly reaching out, constantly speaking and constantly drawing us to Himself.  So our first responsibility is to tune into His gentle “wooing.”  This comes in the form of gentle promptings of grace inviting us to turn more completely to Him and to surrender more fully each and every day.   In our busy world, it’s so very easy to let ourselves become distracted by the many competing voices.  It’s easy to hear the pulling, and even pushing, of the world and all its enticements.  The world has become quite good at penetrating our short attention spans and offering quick satisfactions that ultimately leave us empty. But God’s voice and His invitation are quite different.  They are found in interior silence.  However, we need not be in a monastery in order to achieve this interior silence.  Rather, it’s achieved by faithful periods of prayer each day, and a formed habit of turning to God in all things.  It’s achieved when we respond to God’s calling, and then do it again, and again, and so forth.  This builds a habit of being drawn, hearing, responding and being drawn in even closer so as to respond again. Reflect, today, upon how well you listen to God.  Try to find at least a few minutes (or more) of silence today.  Close your eyes and listen.  Listen to God speaking to you.  When He draws you, respond to Him with much generosity.  This is the best choice you can make each day! Lord of sustaining silence, please draw me in, draw me close and help me to recognize Your voice.  As I hear You calling, help me to respond to You with much generosity.  My life is Yours, dear Lord.  Help me to desire You all the more.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Never Rejected, Always Loved!

May 4, 2022 Wednesday of the Third Week of Easter Readings for Today

Video “I will not reject anyone who comes to me.”  John 6:37 This little line says much about our Lord’s Divine Mercy.  It is a line repeated often in St. Faustina’s Diary of Divine Mercy and it’s a statement that many people need to hear. Why is this important to hear?  Because, very often, we can carry the burden of rejection.  Without even realizing it, there are many who have experienced rejection in their life and, as a result, are afraid to be vulnerable in a relationship out of fear of being hurt.  Once you have been hurt in a relationship, you proceed with caution.  This hurt can come from a family member, spouse, friend or anyone we’ve tried to reach out to in love only to receive hurt and rejection.  And that hurts. Jesus’ words are especially important because they help to reassure us that Jesus is trustworthy.  It is true that we can come to Him, open our hearts to Him, become completely vulnerable to Him, and He will treat us with the utmost tenderness, respect, kindness and care.  Jesus will treat us with more care than we even treat ourselves! Reflect upon these words of Jesus today.  Say them over and over.  “I will not reject anyone who comes to me.”  Know that He wants you to come to Him and to open your heart to Him completely.  Doing so will allow Him to manifest His love for you and enable you to trust Him beyond what you ever imagined possible. My welcoming Lord, I want to come to You in my sufferings and rejection.  I know You are the Divine Healer and will bring comfort to my soul.  Help me to trust You and to let You love me.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Who Is the Real Jesus?

Two thousand years ago a man set foot on our planet who claimed to be from a place beyond space and time.

Although he had no credentials or political backing, his life and words changed our world. His name is Jesus Christ.

While most great people simply fade into history books, Jesus of Nazareth is still the focus of thousands of publications, documentaries and media controversy.

Two billion people today claim to be his followers, yet many still wonder, “Who is the Real Jesus Christ?”

Was Jesus a Real Person?

Although some skeptics have called Jesus a myth, historians acknowledge he was a real person. In fact, nine non-Christian historians and writers mention Jesus within 150 years of his death, the same number who mention the contemporary Roman Emperor, Tiberius Caesar.

In addition to that, over five thousand eight hundred New Testament manuscripts tell us about Jesus’ life and words. That’s far more than for any other person in ancient history.[1]

New Testament scholar, John A. T. Robinson concludes that the New Testament was originally written while eyewitnesses of Jesus would still have been alive.[2]

Regarding the reliability of the accounts about Jesus he states, “The wealth of manuscripts, and above all the narrow interval of time between the writing and the earliest extant copies, make it by far the best attested text of any ancient writing in the world.”[3]

So, who was this man, Jesus Christ, and why was so much written about him?

Was Jesus a Great Moral Teacher?

Of all the world’s great men, Jesus has been considered the supreme example of moral perfection in both his character and his teaching.

Jesus obeyed all of God’s commandments. And he selflessly demonstrated love and compassion to the needy.

Historian Will Durant said of Jesus that “he lived and struggled unremittingly for ‘equal rights.’‘[4]

Martin Luther King said of Jesus: “He did not seek to overcome evil with evil. He overcame evil with good. Although crucified by hate, he responded with aggressive love.” [5]

And renowned French philosopher, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, wrote: “When Plato describes his imaginary righteous man . . . he describes exactly the character of Christ. . .. .”[6]

Jesus’ impeccable moral character was reflected in his teaching. Whereas most moral teachers spoke of rules to live by, Jesus taught that our priority should be to love God and others above ourselves. A trait he continually demonstrated.

Was Jesus a World-Changing Leader?

Historian Philip Schaff summarizes the impact of Jesus’ life and words: “Jesus of Nazareth…shed more light on things human and divine than all philosophers and scholars combined; he spoke such words of life as were never spoken before or since.…” [7]

In just three years of active ministry, Jesus changed the world for the next 20 centuries. Other moral and religious leaders have left an impact—but nothing like that humble carpenter from Nazareth.

For example:

• Human rights have been founded upon Jesus’ teaching.[8]
• His words led to equal rights of women and minorities.[9]
• Slavery in Europe and America were abolished by Jesus’ followers.[10]
• Major universities such as Harvard, Yale and Oxford—were founded to proclaim his teaching. [11]
• Jesus’ compassionate words inspired countless charities and hospitals.[12]

Yale historian Jaroslav Pelikan writes, “Regardless of what anyone may personally think or believe about him, Jesus of Nazareth has been the dominant figure in the history of Western culture for almost twenty centuries. … It is from his birth that most of the human race dates its calendars, it is by his name that millions curse and in his name that millions pray.” [13]

Non-Christian historian H. G. Wells agrees. When asked who has left the greatest legacy on history, he replied, “By this test Jesus stands first.”[14]

Was Jesus the Promised Messiah?

Hundreds of years before Jesus was born, Old Testament prophets from Moses to Zechariah foretold of a coming Messiah. This Messiah, or Christ, was to pay the penalty for mans’ sin and be a light to the world. And, according to the prophet Isaiah, he would actually be God in human form. (Isaiah 9:6)

Jesus said his primary mission was first to suffer and die for our sins. Seven hundred years earlier the prophet Isaiah had foretold the Messiah’s suffering for our sins.

“He was wounded because of our rebellious deeds, crushed because of our sins…. each of us had strayed off on his own path, but the Lord caused the sin of all of us to attack him.” —Isaiah 53:5 & 6, NET

While on earth, Jesus fulfilled nearly 300 of these Old Testament prophecies, including his lineage, city of birth and miracles.[15]

As his followers saw him heal the lame, deaf and blind, they became convinced he was the promised Messiah. And when Peter proclaimed him as “the Christ (Messiah), the Son of the living God,” Jesus acknowledged his statement as true.

But Jesus also revealed another mystery about his identity that was so shocking it eventually led to his trial and crucifixion.

So, what was that mystery?

Who did Jesus Say He Was?

As a man, Jesus became hungry. He felt pain. He required rest. He was tempted. Yet he was never accused of a sin.

However, Jesus made claims that no ordinary man could make. He spoke of himself as one with God the Father (John 10:30). This so infuriated the religious leaders that they attempted to kill him.

Later when his follower Philip asked to see God the Father, Jesus replied: “I have been with you a long time now. Do you still not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. So why do you say, ‘Show us the Father?’” (John 14:9, NCV).

The name for God in Israel—“I AM” (Yahweh)—was so holy that no Jew would utter it. However, Jesus shocked the Jewish religious leaders by calling himself, “I AM.” After telling them he had preexisted the Jewish patriarch, Abraham who had lived two thousand years earlier, Jesus exclaimed, ‘The truth is, before Abraham was, I AM!’” (John 8:52-58). By using God’s name for himself, Jesus was claiming deity.

In Mere Christianity, C. S. Lewis reasons that if Jesus’ claims of deity are untrue, then he couldn’t have been a good man or great moral teacher. If Jesus isn’t who he claimed to be, he would have been either a liar or a lunatic.

Lewis explains, “I am trying here to prevent anyone from saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: ‘I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God.’ That is the one thing we must not say.” [16]

Jesus clearly claimed to be God. So was he lying, was he a self-deceived lunatic—or is he God’s Son, deity in human form?

Did Jesus Prove His Claims?

Toward the end of Jesus’ three-year ministry, he told his disciples that he would be condemned and killed in Jerusalem.

This was devastating news! The disciples had spent three years with him. They had seen his many miracles and listened to his teachings of God’s unconditional love and grace. They were stunned!

However, Jesus told them something else they didn’t fully understand. He said that after his death he would rise again.

His promise to rise from the dead put Jesus’ entire ministry on the line. If he defeated death, it would validate his claim to deity. And it would mean that everything he told us about God, himself and our purpose and destiny is true.

 Even his promise, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he dies, yet shall he live” (John 11:25, ESV).

Bible scholar Wilbur Smith explains, “When he said He would rise again from the dead, the third day after He was crucified, He said something that only a fool would dare say if He expected the devotion of any disciples – unless He was sure He was going to rise.”[17]

As Jesus predicted, he was taken prisoner, condemned to death by Pontius Pilate, and crucified on a Roman cross.

After hanging on the cross for six hours, Jesus died. A Roman guard pierced his side to make sure he was dead. Then, Jesus was buried in the tomb of a wealthy member of the Jewish council, Joseph of Arimathea. Roman guards were ordered to maintain a 24-hour watch at the tomb.

Jesus’ disciples had gone into hiding, fearing they, too, would be arrested and possibly executed like Jesus.

But on the third day, Mary Magdalene and other women hurried to the disciples claiming they had seen Jesus alive! Shortly afterwards the eyewitnesses tell us that Jesus appeared alive to Peter, John, and over 500 others. The disciples were suddenly transformed.

Peter Steinfels of The New York Times writes: “Shortly after Jesus was executed, his followers were suddenly galvanized from a baffled and cowering group into people whose message about a living Jesus and a coming kingdom, preached at the risk of their lives, eventually changed an empire. Something happened…But exactly what?” [18]

Who Moved the Stone?

One person who wanted to know what happened was English journalist and skeptic, Frank Morison who began research for a book to prove that Jesus’ resurrection was a myth. However, as he examined the evidence, Morison’s views changed as well as the theme of his book. What was it that changed Morison’s mind as well as his book?

Morison discovered Jesus’ death was verified by both Jewish and Roman historians. Morison then wondered if the disciples had conspired a plot to make it appear Jesus had risen. However, there are three main problems with that theory:

1. The tomb was secured by a large stone and a 24-hour trained Roman guard. It would have been impossible for the disciples to roll the stone away and remove Jesus’ body without notice.
2. A resurrection plot would have died out as soon as someone discovered Jesus’ body, yet that never happened. Tom Anderson, former president of the California Trial Lawyers Association, explains, “With an event so well publicized, don’t you think that it’s reasonable that one historian, one eye witness, one antagonist would record for all time that he had seen Christ’s body? … The silence of history is deafening when it comes to the testimony against the resurrection.”[19]
3. The disciples changed from being cowards into men who were willing to be tortured and martyred for proclaiming the risen Jesus. Professor J. N. D. Anderson, author of Evidence for the Resurrection, reasons, “Think of the psychological absurdity of picturing a little band of defeated cowards cowering in an upper room one day and a few days later transformed into a company that no persecution could silence – and then attempting to attribute this dramatic change to nothing more convincing than a miserable fabrication … That simply wouldn’t make sense.”[20]

It was the dramatic transformation in the disciples’ behavior that convinced Morison the resurrection really happened. He writes, “Whoever comes to this problem has sooner or later to confront a fact that cannot be explained away … This fact is that … a profound conviction came to the little group of people – a change that attests to the fact that Jesus had risen from the grave.”[21]

In a reversal of his skepticism, Morison changed the title of his book to, Who Moved the Stone, which documents the evidence that persuaded him the resurrection of Jesus Christ was a true historical event.

What Would a Jury Conclude?

Another scholar who wrote about evidence for Jesus’ resurrection was Dr. Simon Greenleaf, founder of the Harvard Law School. Greenleaf wrote the rules of evidence still used in our legal system today.

Applying those rules to the events surrounding Jesus’ death, Greenleaf concluded that any honest jury would render a verdict that Jesus’ resurrection really happened. As with Morison, it was the sudden change in the disciples’ behavior that persuaded him.

He writes, “It would have been impossible for the disciples to persist with their conviction that Jesus had risen if they hadn’t actually seen the risen Christ.”[22]

Jesus’ resurrection convinced his disciples that he was the Messiah who died for our sins, the great “I AM” who had spoken to Moses, “the only way to God,” and “the resurrection and the life.” They now knew Jesus alone had the power over life and death, and they gave their lives proclaiming him as the risen Lord.

Although he was originally a skeptic, Lewis explains how Jesus’ resurrection was unique among all events in human history.

“Something perfectly new in the history of the Universe had happened. Christ had defeated death. The door which had always been locked had for the first time been forced open.”[23]

So, what does Jesus’ resurrection mean to you and me today?

Why Is the Resurrection Important?

The apostle Paul, who was originally a skeptic of Jesus’ resurrection, explains its impact on our lives.

“For Christ has completely abolished death, and has now, through the Gospel, opened to us men the shining possibilities of the life that is eternal.” (2 Timothy 1:9, J. B. Phillips).

In other words, Jesus’ death and resurrection opened the door for us to have eternal life with Christ. But, there is an obstacle preventing us from going to heaven. The apostle Paul explains.

“You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions…” (Colossians 1:21b, NLT).

The obstacle to us having eternal life with Christ is that we have sinned and rebelled against a holy God. Although God loves us beyond our understanding, his perfect justice requires payment for our sins. The penalty is death.

Many wonder why an all-powerful, loving God can’t just forgive us without judging our sins. Why does he demand justice?

Imagine entering a courtroom and you are guilty of murder. As you approach the bench, you realize that the judge is your father. Knowing that he loves you, you immediately begin to plead, “Dad, just let me go!”

With tears in his eyes he responds, “I love you, son, but I’m a judge. I can’t simply let you go.”

Presenting the evidence against you, he bangs the gavel down and declares you guilty. Justice cannot be compromised, at least not by a judge. But because he loves you, he steps down from the bench, takes off the robe, and offers to pay the penalty for you. And in fact, he takes your place in the electric chair.

This is the picture painted by the New Testament. God stepped down into human history, in the person of Jesus Christ, and was crucified on the cross for us. Jesus is not a third-party whipping boy being punished for our sins, but rather he is God himself. Stated more bluntly, God had two choices: to punish us for our sin, us or to receive the punishment himself. In Christ, he chose the latter.

In other words, God’s perfect justice is completely satisfied by the death of his Son, Jesus Christ. All of our sins—no matter how bad they are or have been—are completely paid for by the blood of Christ. Paul writes,

“…yet now he has brought you back as his friends. He has done this through his death on the cross in his own human body. As a result, he has brought you into the very presence of God, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.” (Colossians 1:22a NLT).

But wait a minute, you say, “Don’t I have to do good deeds to go to heaven?”

Aren’t Good Deeds Enough?

Since eternal life is a gift from God, you and I can’t do anything to earn our way into heaven. Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, explains God’s amazing grace.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” —Ephesians 2:8-9, NIV

For a gift to be ours, we need to actually receive it. Like any gift, you can choose to accept or reject Jesus Christ’s pardon for the penalty for your sins. This was made clear by the apostle John.

“This is what God told us: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life, but whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” —1 John 5:11, 12, NCV

To become a Christian you must place your faith (trust) in Jesus’ death for your sins on the cross, and in His resurrection for your eternal life. It is a choice that you alone must make. No one else can do it for you.

You must honestly admit you have sinned, and want the forgiveness Jesus Christ offers you. The apostle John tells us that “If we freely admit that we have sinned, we find God utterly reliable—he forgives our sins and makes us thoroughly clean from all that is evil” (I John 1:9, J.B. Phillips).

 John tells us that whoever receives Jesus Christ becomes his child.

“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God”.

You can receive Jesus right now by asking him to come into your life and forgive your sins. If you haven’t ever invited Jesus into your life, simply pray the following words.

But remember, it’s not the words you say but the attitude of your heart that is important.

“Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for dying for all my sins—past, present, and future. Thank you for giving me eternal life. I receive you as my Savior by faith, and desire you to be Lord of my life. Make me the kind of person you want me to be.”

https://y-jesus.com/lp/0-real-jesus-ttn/

Jesus Calls the Weak

Tuesday, May 3, 2022 Feast of Saints Philip and James, Apostles Readings for Today

Video Philip said to Jesus, “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”  Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip?”  John 14:8–9 We honor two of the Apostles today, Philip and James the Lesser.  We know very little about James other than that he was chosen by our Lord for the apostolic ministry.  We also have one of his letters which is contained in the New Testament.  After the Resurrection, Jesus appeared to James who eventually went to Jerusalem and led the Church for a few decades, eventually being stoned as a martyr. Philip is known from some of his comments that appear to reveal a weakness of faith.  In addition to the comment above, recall when Jesus was preparing to multiply the fish and loaves and asked Philip, “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?” (John 6:5).  Philip’s response was, “Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little bit” (John 6:7).  But Jesus was testing Philip and, unfortunately, he failed the test. But Philip did not continue to fail in his faith.  Recall, also, that Philip is the one who was inspired to baptize the Ethiopian eunuch in the Acts of the Apostles.  Eventually, tradition states that Philip preached in Greece, Phrygia, and Syria.  He and Saint Bartholomew were said to have been crucified upside down.  Tradition holds that Philip preached upside down from the cross until his death. In the end, James and Philip gave their lives for Christ, holding nothing back.  But it took time for them to grow in faith and confidence in Jesus.  This is a significant witness for our lives. Ideally, our response to Jesus every day will be that of a complete submission to Him and perfect trust in His divine will.  Ideally, we will not lack faith. However, it’s most likely the case that all of us can look back at many moments in our lives and point to ways in which we have failed in our faith and trust in our Lord.  Though this is sin, it’s good to look at these moments of weakness in the light of the mercy of God.  Jesus saw the weakness of Philip, addressed it, but continued to love him and continued to call him down the path chosen for him.  Jesus does the same with each one of us. Reflect, today, upon any ways that you can identify with the doubts and weaknesses of the Apostle Philip.  See those weaknesses for what they are: your sin.  But allow yourself to grow in hope today as we honor Philip and James.  The Lord never gave up on them and He will not give up on you.  He continued to call them to a holy and sacred ministry, and He will continue to do the same for you. Lord, I thank You for never giving up on me, even when I sin and turn away from You.  Help me to persevere in my faith in You and to answer the call to radically follow You wherever You lead.  Sts. James and Philip, pray for us.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Seeking Jesus

May 2, 2022 Monday of the Third Week of Easter Readings for Today Saint Athanasius, Bishop and Doctor—Memorial

Video Jesus answered them and said, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled. Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.”  John 6:26–27 This Scripture goes straight to the heart of our priorities in life.  What are you working for?  Are you working hard for the “food that perishes” and only working slightly for the “food that endures for eternal life?”  Or vice versa? For some reason, we can easily become obsessed with working for the “things” of this world.  In the passage above, people were looking for Jesus because He had fed them the day before and they were hungry again.  They were looking for food, literally.  Jesus gently rebukes them, taking this as an opportunity to point out the real reason they should be seeking Him.  The real reason is that He wants to provide the spiritual food of eternal life.  What is the food Jesus wants you to seek?  That’s a question you must let our Lord answer in your heart. There are two key questions we should ponder here so as to let Him answer us.  First, “What do I want in life?”  Spend time with that.  Spend time all by yourself and try to be honest with this question.  What do you want?  What is your heart’s desire?  If you are honest and if you let yourself face your desires you will most likely find that you have some desires, or even many, that are not put in your heart by Christ.  Recognizing what these desires are is the first step to discovering what the true food is that Jesus wants to give you. The second key question is this: “Are you seeking Jesus for the right reason?”  When we are sick we seek a doctor for a cure.  When a child is hurt, this child often runs to a parent for comfort.  This is OK.  We do the same.  When we are lost and confused we often turn to God for answers and help.  But, ideally, we will eventually seek God for more than just healing or comfort.  We will ultimately seek God for the reason of love.  We will seek Him simply because we love Him and want to love Him all the more.   Reflect, today, upon your desire to seek Jesus, or lack thereof.  When you can begin to seek out Jesus simply because you love Him and want to love Him more, you are on the right road.  And as you walk down that road, you find it is a road of the utmost delight and fulfillment.   Jesus, help me to seek You.  Help me to seek You for the help and healing I need.  But more than that, help me to seek You out of love.  My Jesus, I do love You.  Help me to love You more.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Going All In!

May 1, 2022 Third Sunday of Easter (Year C) Readings for Today

Video So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad, and jumped into the sea.  John 21:7 Peter was all in, literally speaking.  This passage above is taken from one of the appearances of Jesus to the Apostles after His Resurrection.  They were fishing all night and caught nothing.  Jesus, from the shore, told them to cast the net off the right side of the boat.  When they did this they caught more fish than they could handle.  When John realized it was Jesus and said so, Peter could not contain his excitement and jumped into the water to go and meet his Lord. What a wonderful image this is to reflect upon.  Specifically, it’s wonderful to consider the interior excitement of Peter that led him to jump into the water and swim to the shore.  His excitement could not be contained. Would you jump into a lake to go to our Lord?  That may seem like an unusual question but it’s worth considering in a literal way.  If you encountered our resurrected Lord, would you be so excited to see Him that you would be compelled to enter into His presence, even if it meant you had to jump into a lake?  This action of Peter should be seen as a symbolic gesture for our own spiritual lives.  The fact that Peter did not hesitate reveals how we should react when we encounter Jesus. Obviously we do not encounter Jesus in His resurrected form in the way Peter did in this passage, literally and physically.  But we do encounter Him every day, if we only have eyes to see.  He is alive within our own hearts through prayer and by His indwelling presence. He is truly present in the people we meet every day.   And He is most certainly present in the Sacraments, especially the Most Holy Eucharist.   There are two questions you should consider regarding this passage.  The first is whether or not you actually do perceive Jesus’ presence throughout the day.  Peter did not recognize Him at first, even though Jesus spoke to him and the others in the boat.  It took the miracle for them to recognize it was Him.  The second question is how you react to His presence when you do perceive Him.  Are you indifferent?  Do you lack enthusiasm?  Or are you filled with much joy? Reflect, today, upon these two questions and resolve to become more attentive to the presence of our Lord every day, throughout the day.  Resolve, also, to react as Peter did when you see Jesus.  Let your heart and passion be drawn to Him and react with extraordinary joy and enthusiasm.  Don’t be afraid to go all in for our Lord! Lord, help me to see You, alive in my life, alive in the lives of others, and alive in Your Church, especially in the Most Holy Eucharist.  So often I am blind to Your divine presence all around me.  Help me to see You every day.  Help me also to respond with much joy and enthusiasm to Your divine presence.  I love You, dear Lord.  Help me to love You more.  Jesus, I trust in You.