Life-giving Friend

Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months.
Lk.1:56

Mary's first response on learning that Elizabeth was with child was to go to her and stay with her. That's what love does.

Mary is still grappling with the news she is pregnant herself. She needed a friend's support. Elizabeth gives her that the moment they greet. This strengthens Mary to step up to her new role as Mother of God. Her Magnificat shows she is ready. 

I have three "Elizabeths" in my life, life-giving friends who speak candidly and prophetically into my life. I call them my 3:00 am friends. I could call them at 3:00 am for help and know I would receive it. I am blessed.

Who can I be an "Elizabeth" to today?

Saint Elizabeth, please pray for me.

What's in it for Me?

At that time Peter began to tell Jesus, ‘What about us? We have left everything and followed you.’
Mk.10:28

The rich young man has just walked away despondent at not being able to meet Jesus' challenge to give his wealth away.  Impetuous Peter speaks what's on all the disciples'minds... what about us? We gave everything away to follow you. What do we get in return?

What's in it for me? A very human response when the demands being made are big. Being overtly Christian costs me. Not as much as some truly persecuted believers in other countries but still, there's a price to pay in our secular society. We are regarded as a lunatic fringe group at best, dangerous bigots at worst. 

Jesus gives an answer. Everything is in it for you Mike, especially where it counts in eternity. 

Saint Peter the asker of good questions, please pray for me.

 

The Gospel According to Mike

There were many other things that Jesus did; if all were written down, the world itself, I suppose, would not hold all the books that would have to be written.
Jn.21:25

John puts down his pen after writing his account of the life and works of Jesus. Then he writes one last verse, a postscript, adding there is so much more to say but it would be impossible to record. 

Jesus is alive and still at work. His story continues to be told in the life of every believer, and continues to be told in my life. What will I write in the Gospel According to Mike today? 

Jesus, let me write about your love in my day today. 
Saint John the Apostle, please pray for me.

Speak Out

Jesus showed himself to his disciples, and after they had eaten he said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me.
Jn.21:15

The resurrected Jesus appears to the apostles and converses with Peter. Peter's three-time affirmation of his love for Jesus helps him move on from his earlier three-time denial and pick up his mantle of leadership in the fledgling Church.

There's power in voicing a belief. Speaking out makes the belief take deeper roots. A tree with deeper roots withstands the storm and can protect others. Jesus knew Peter would soon need to do this for the persecuted Church he was called to lead. 

How deep are my roots of faith? Where can I speak out in order to deepen them? Anywhere and everywhere. Anytime and all the time.

Jesus, give me courage to speak out my belief in you.
Saint Philip Neri, please pray for me.

Unity

Holy Father, I pray not only for these, but for those also who through their words will believe in me. May they all be one.
Jn.17:20,21

Jesus' final prayer is for those who "will believe". He is praying for me.

This makes my faith personal. My God is not a distant deity, he is a close friend. And he craves for me to be unified with fellow believers. This includes other denominations. 

There is a power in unity that is attractive. No one wants to join a group that squabbles. 

Lord, help me be an agent for unity today.

Saint Bede please pray for me.

In the world but not of it

I am not asking you to remove them from the world, but to protect them from the evil one.
Jn.17:15

In Jesus' final prayer for his disciples in the upper room he calls on God the Father's protection for them. They are in a hostile world, under attack from the evil one.

This "in the world but not of the world" reality continues for all believers today, for me today. The antidote for this hostility is love and joy. I'm to work in the opposite spirit. That's how Jesus' command to go make disciples is acted out. It's the reason I'm not being removed, not just yet.

Jesus, you promised to be with me always. With your promise I step out into a hostile world to win it for you with love and joy.
Saint Philip Neri, please pray for me.

Bother in Love

I tell you most solemnly, you will be weeping and wailing while the world will rejoice; you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy.
Jn.16:20

Jesus prepares his disciples for the trauma of his forthcoming death. The Cross will not be the end of his story, nor their anguish the end of theirs. 

The world wanted Jesus removed and rejoiced when it thought that had happened. Nothing has changed. Christians are an anathema because we challenge, or at least we should be challenging, the world's view on life. What we do inside the walls of our churches doesn't bother the world. It's when we bust out into the streets that we become a bother. 

Lord, give me courage to be a thorn in the side, a bother to the world today and help me bother in love.
Saint Peter, please pray for me.

Joy

You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy.
Jn.16:20

Jesus is giving a glimpse into end times. For a time, a short time, he will be physically absent from earth. But... he will return and our joy will return with him, never to depart. 

Jesus never promised the absence of pain, suffering and sorrow on earth. But he has promised he will return and sorrow will depart to be replaced with everlasting joy. Joy will have the final say and it's the final say that counts.

Thank you Jesus for your promise to return. This promise gives me joy today. 
Saint Paul, please pray for me.

Plan B

I still have many things to say to you...but when the Spirit of truth comes he will lead you to the complete truth.
Jn.16:12,13

Jesus knows he's running out of time. The cohort is already forming that will lead him to his passion and death on the cross. He has a plan B that will become plan A after his ascension. That plan is the Holy Spirit.

The "many things" Jesus wanted say have been entrusted to the Holy Spirit who in turn has entrusted them to Sacred Scripture, Mother Church's teachings and traditions and, dare I say, to me. When these all line up in agreement, we have a glimpse into the "many things". 

Pentecost is coming. Come Holy Spirit, fall afresh... 

Become a Believer

Become a believer in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, and your household too.
Acts16:31

High drama as an earthquake miraculously frees Paul and Silas from gaol. The gaoler is rescued from suicide and led to life as a believer, along with his household.

From death to life through Jesus. What a great story showing the dramatic change to life allowing Jesus in can have. My conversion was not so rapid but a Copernican revolution nonetheless, a 180 degree about turn to a fullness of life I had never previously experienced.

It's good to remember my conversion story. I walk into today with gratitude in my heart and a desire to call others into the fullness of life only found in Jesus.

Saints Paul and Silas, please pray for me.

A Friend of God

I call you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have learnt from my Father.
Jn.15:15

Knowing his death was imminent, Jesus ups the stakes he has with his disciples. They are no longer servants, they are friends.

There are no secrets with Jesus. He has told everything to us, his friends. Scripture, the teachings and traditions of Mother Church contain it all. Friendship with God has been given to me. What an outrageous claim that can be made in no other religion. 

I step into today and whatever it contains with this assurance. Beside me walks my friend, who is God.

Lord Jesus, I accept your offer of friendship. Holy Spirit, help me live as God's friend today.
Saint Peter, please pray for me.

Complete Joy

I have told you this so that my own joy may be in you and your joy be complete.
Jn.15:11

Jesus gives his great final discourse immediately before being arrested. His final gift to all believers is complete joy.

What is the "this" he has told? To remain in his love. His love has been given through the sacraments, starting with baptism, has been given in his Word, and has been given in his Church of fellow believers. Jesus' inference is that I can move away from his love. Indeed, I drift away from his love each time I sin. 

So, today I have the task of remaining in God's love and receiving complete joy. 

Thank you Jesus for your sublime and divine gift of complete joy.  
Saint Philip Neri, please pray for me.

Connected

I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me, with me in him, bears fruit in plenty; for cut off from me you can do nothing.
Jn.15:5

Jesus uses a powerful analogy of vine and branches to emphasise the relationship I am to have with him. Connected I bear much fruit. Disconnected I am dead wood.

This reminds me of Steve Green's classic song 'He'll take Care of the Rest' where there's a great verse... 

Remember he is de vine, and you are de branch,
He loves to get you through it if you give Him a chance
Just keep doing your best and pray that it's blessed
Jesus takes care of the rest.

Sometimes I judge I'm not bearing much fruit. This is a great reminder to "keep doing my best and pray that it's blessed" and let Jesus take care of the rest.

Saint Peter, please pray for me.

Filled with the Holy Spirit

For he (Barnabas) was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and with faith. And a large number of people were won over to the Lord.
Acts.11:24

Barnabas was entrusted by the Apostles to go and assess what was happening in Antioch. The Holy Spirit residing in him affirmed that the preaching to Greeks was producing good fruit.  

The Church is starting to grow and its growth was not from Jewish converts but from the pagans. This was unexpected and unsettling. Yet, on investigation it was seen as a genuine work of the Holy Spirit. 

It took good, Jewish men such as Barnabas, filled with the Holy Spirit, to let the early Church move in a new and fruitful direction. The Church eventually became a church not of the Jews but of the gentiles. 

It seems a prerequisite to being in the center of a move of the Holy Spirit is to be filled with the Holy Spirit. 

Come Holy Spirit, fall afresh on me.
Saint Barnabas, please pray for me.

Carried

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd is one who lays down his life for his sheep.
Jn.10:11

Jesus addresses Pharisees who are enraged by Jesus healing a blind man on the Sabbath. He highlights the difference between their shepherding and his. He is prepared to lay down his very life.

I associate with the sheep carried across Jesus' shoulders. I'm weak. I stray. I get lost. I follow my own path. I need such a shepherd.

Thank you Lord that you carry me home again and again. You are my good shepherd. I am your sheep.