Complete Joy

I have told you this

so that my own joy may be in you

and your joy be complete.

Jn.15:11

Complete Joy. What is it I must do to obtain it? Keep Jesus' commandments, the greatest of these being 

the commandment to love.

The hallmark of authentic Christianity is joy. Not forced. A natural joy. A complete joy. 

I have met people with this kind of joy. They are great to hang around. Their joy is contagious. 

Lord Jesus, I want your complete joy so I can be an authentic witness for you. Help me love.

Saint Philip Neri, patron saint of joy, please pray for me.

A Good Man

for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and with faith. 
Acts.11:24

Barnabas, recognizing the Holy Spirit was at work, encouraged the Church of Antioch. He lived up to his name "Son of Encouragement".

What makes a good man? The Holy Spirit and faith. 

Come Holy Spirit, give me the gift of faith so I may be a son of encouragement to others.

If not You then Who?

Lord, who shall we go to? You have the message of eternal life.
Jn.6:68

After many disciples leave him because of his "intolerable language", Jesus challenges the twelve. "And you?" Peter replies, "If not you then who? You alone have the words of everlasting life".

Following Jesus is challenging. Lose your life. Love your enemies. Turn your cheek. Walk the extra mile. Forgive all. Eat my flesh. Drink my blood. 

Intolerable.

An yet... and yet... if I'm honest, each of these actions is lifegiving, brings joy, and imbues hope. "We believe" says Peter. Amen say I. With belief the intolerable becomes more than tolerable, it is essential. 

If not you Lord, then who? You alone have the words of eternal life.

Come and Eat - Come and Drink

Jesus said to the crowd, ‘I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.'
Jn.6:35

Jesus satisfies my hunger, no matter what form that hunger takes.

Hunger and thirst, the most basic of human needs that we strive to satisfy. Of course, Jesus is not talking about physical food and water. He's talking about spiritual food and water which is even more essential to a healthy life. 

So, how do I avail myself of Jesus' satisfying sustenance?  Jesus says, "come and believe". This is a daily initiative I can take action on. Come and believe. Morning prayer. Daily Mass. Sacred Scripture. These are all places where I can have my hunger satisfied, my thirst satiated. 

Jesus, you invite me to come and eat, come and drink. I accept your invitation.

The Way

I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one can come to the Father except through me.
Jn.14.6

Thomas has just said he doesn't know the way to the place of "many rooms" where his heart will not be troubled. Jesus puts his mind at rest. "Just follow me. I am the way".

Jesus doesn't give any options to him being the way. He doesn't say "I am one way". He is THE way. The way to where? The way home with the Father.

Like Thomas and the other apostles, my heart is not troubled when I follow the way to truth and life.

Jesus, I stumble along behind you. You are my way, my truth, my life. I place my trust in you.

Small made Great

There is a small boy here with five barley loaves and two fish; but what is that between so many?
Jn.6:9

Andrew is so blinded by the problem of feeding over five thousand people that he fails to see the solution standing in front of him.

Andrew looks at the boy and his five loaves and two fish and says, "Useless." Jesus looks at the boy and his offering and says, "Perfect!" Jesus is master at using anything to perform a miracle when it is offered in faith. This lesson would not have been lost on Andrew as he watched the miracle of the loaves and fishes unfold.

I remember leading music at Mass in fear and trepidation. I'm not a great musician, a "hit and hope" guitarist at best. Yet people told me afterwards how moved they were by the music. I am constantly amazed at how God uses me when I offer the little I have in faith. 

The little boy with his loaves is me.

Jesus, I am weak, small and insignificant. I offer to you again what I have. Use me Lord and be glorified.
Saint Andrew the Apostle, please pray for me.

Taste and See

Taste and see that the Lord is good. He is happy who seeks refuge in him.

Ps.33:8

The invitation is as old as time. Taste, come and see the Lord is good.

Jesus tells the Church to invite the world into a relationship with him. We are to go and tell. We are to invite all to come and see.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful. Kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created and you shall renew the face of the earth.