29th May. Friday in Week 8

Our link with our ancestors

In Peter, the link with the ancestors is kept very firm. In cleansing the temple, Jesus also referred back to Isaiah. Peter advises us, “Be mutually hospitable without complaining; put your gifts at the service of one another, each in the measure that each has received.” Even while doing one’s best, we are not to be surprised if “a trial by fire” may occur..

28th May. Thursday in Week 8

The vigorous blind man

A lovely stained-glass window that I’ve seen in a church depicts today’s scene, the healing of the man born blind. At the bottom of the picture is written the exchange between Jesus and the man, “What do you want me to do for you?,” “Lord, let me see again.” Apparently this man almost did not get close enough to Jesus to really talk with him; some friends of Jesus scolded the man and told him to keep quiet…

26th May. Tuesday in Week 8

What’s to become of us?

Today’s gospel begins with a question from Peter, “What about us? We have left everything and followed you.” He and the rest of the twelve had given up a great deal to become followers of Jesus. They may have wondered if it was really worth it all. We too have responded to the Lord’s call, maybe not in the same very radical way that those first disciples had answered..

24th May. Pentecost Sunday

Source of the Higher Impulses

The Holy Spirit used to be the forgotten person of the Trinity. Perhaps he suffered from being a spirit, since for many of us, only concrete things are real. The Father and Son make an impact because one took flesh and the other was given a beard. Have you ever imagined the Holy Spirit with a beard? Whatever the reason, even among devout Christians the Holy Spirit had been overlooked.

21st May. Thursday in Week 7 of Easter

Church unity, a difficult goal

Jesus calls unity the most characteristic mark of his disciples, a vital goal of true faith, when he prayed: “that they may be one in us, so that the world may believe that you sent me.” Yet in the Acts, Saint Paul defends himself by deliberately stirring up debate, pitting the Sadducees pitted against the Pharisees on the subject of resurrection from the dead. Wherever he went there was controversy.

17th May. Sunday. The Ascension of the Lord

Last Will and Testament

The final paragraph of St Matthew’s gospel does not describe the ascension, but reports some of our Lord’s final instructions to his disciples before leaving them. Some of us may know families that became completely divided because someone hadn’t decided to clearly make their will. In today’s gospel, Jesus has little to say, but he is clear about what he has to say. This is in sharp contrast to the fact that, even at this last minute, some of his disciples still doubted.

16th May. Saturday in Week 6 of Easter

Priscilla and Aquila, Lay Apostles

While the gospel implies our dependence on the Holy Spirit, the Acts takes a different slant: our faith also needs guidance from our fellow human beings. Apollos was certainly on the way toward being a disciple of Jesus and showed great goodwill, but he needed the help of others. In the plan of God, he would be led into the mystery of Jesus through the ministry of the couple Priscilla and Aquila.