God so loves Me

God loved the world so much, he gave us his only Son, that all who believe in him might have eternal life.
Jn.3:16

Jesus reveals to Nicodemus what is in the heart of God the Father. It is love for his creation.

To sacrificially give a son is such a great act of love I can hardly get my head around it. To take it up a notch, he gave his son for me.

God loves me so much, he gave his only Son, that I may believe in him and have eternal life.

Wow!

I walk into today a son loved by my Father. This changes everything. Hope and joy are mine.

Thank you Father for your great love for me. Help me be a prophet of hope and joy to all I meet today.
Saint Nicodemus, please pray for me.

Lift Him Up

The Son of Man must be lifted up as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.

Jn.3:14,15

Jesus meets with Nicodemus in the dark of night proclaiming that he, Jesus, must be lifted up in the daylight.

Jesus doesn't want to be the world's greatest secret. He desires to be lifted up for all to see and live.

Today I live not as a Jesus denyer but a Jesus proclaimer.

Come Holy Spirit. Fill me with zeal to proclaim the Good News about Jesus.

Combat Strangely Ended

Death with life contended: 

combat strangely ended! 

Life’s own Champion, slain, 

yet lives to reign. 

 - Easter Sequence -

Here we are on the fifth day of the Easter Octave and the joy and wonder of Jesus' resurrection from the dead continues to reverberate around the world like Easter bells. The combat of death against life strangely ended indeed!

I walk into today as an Easter person. Christ is risen indeed, Alleluia Alleluia!

What Things?

‘What things?’ he asked.
Lk.24:19

The two disciples returning home after Christ's cruel death are downcast. The risen Jesus joins them and invites them to open up and share how they're feeling. That is when healing begins to take place.

"What things?" Such a simple phrase, yet such a powerful invitation to unburden. It's like lancing a boil. The pus must come out before healing can take place.

This is a practical way I can be Jesus to those I meet "on the road". Offer no advice. Just listen, then invite the Holy Spirit into the situation. Our gaze then shifts from down to up.

Thank you Jesus that you walk alongside me, that you ask "What things?" and then listen. 

Called by Name

Jesus said, ‘Mary!’ She knew him then.
Jn.20:16

Mary Magdalene is taken from despair to joy by Jesus saying one word to her. Mary!

Jesus didn't call out to Mary by the generic term woman. He called her by name. He drew on the intimacy of their relationship. Friendship does that. She knew him and he knew her.

Likewise, Jesus calls out to me by name. Yes, he is my God, but on a personal level he is my friend. He knows me. He is for me. He loves me.

Thank you Jesus for your friendship. You know me and I know you.

Do Not Be Afraid

Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid'.
Mt.28:10

First the Angel in the empty tomb then the risen Jesus has a primary message for the women. Do not be afraid.

Fear stifles action and Jesus wants action from his disciples. "Go Tell" he says to the Church, he says to me. In the first reading today we see Peter the sandpile transform into Peter the rock at Pentecost. Fear has left him.

Also, the absence of fear gives room for peace. I desire the peace that Jesus gives, a peace beyond understanding. 

Thank you Jesus for the peace you give me today. 

My Way

We had all gone astray like sheep, each taking his own way, and the Lord burdened him with the sins of all of us.
Is.53:6

Isaiah prophesies the passion of Jesus, highlighting  what is wrong with us and right with Jesus. We do it our way. Jesus does it God's way.

The song sung to Hell is, "I did it My Way". My way is not God's way and when I follow it I'm just a brainless sheep doing what everyone else does. 

Good News! Jesus has paid the price for my sinful stupidity. The way is made clear for me to come back to God's way. 

Praise to you Jesus. You have rescued me.

Glory

When he had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 
Jn.13:31

Judas leaves in the night. At the moment of betrayal Jesus declares he is glorified. 

It seems strange that Jesus declares himself glorified in what I would call the darkest point in Jesus' life so far. The betrayal by one of his close associates is hardly an illuminating moment in Jesus' ministry. Yet he lifts this moment up as a time of his glorification.

His glory comes from doing his Father's will, even when it's tough. I can be glorified by knowing God the Father's will and doing it, no matter what.

Holy Spirit. Help me know the Father's will and then give me strength to do it.

Dark before Dawn

It was as high priest that he made this prophecy that Jesus was to die for the nation – and not for the nation only, but to gather together in unity the scattered children of God.
Jn.11:51,52

Caiaphas the High Priest unwittingly prophesies Jesus ultimate triumph. Jesus' death on the cross was and is a victory to be claimed by all humanity who have faith to grasp it.

Holy Week is about to play out the drama of injustice, treachery, envy, hatred, cruelty, abandonment and then... victory. It's a week to enter the sorrow of my despicable role in the affair while keeping one eye firmly on the outcome. Resurrection! The dawn is coming.

Thank you Jesus for dying that I may live!

Jesus - My Friend and my God

We are not stoning you for doing a good work but for blasphemy: you are only a man and you claim to be God.

Jn.10:33

The Jewish leaders understand clearly Jesus' claim about himself. They just can't believe it.

This is the great point of difference between Jesus and other founders of world religions. They all say, "Don't look to me, look to God". Jesus says, "Look to me and you see God". 

Jesus didn't leave us the option of saying he was simply a great teacher. We either accept him as God, or not. If he's not then he was either deluded or evil. There is no evidence suggesting Jesus was either of these.  

So, Jesus is God, he is alive and he does love me. What great truths on which to step out into my day.

Jesus, my Lord and my God. I place my trust in you.

Timing

They would have arrested him then, but because his time had not yet come no one laid a hand on him.
Jn.7:30

The stage is set but the time is not yet right, both for the Jewish leaders and for Jesus. Why is it that God, who is outside our time domain (the same yesterday, today and forever), is interested in timing?

Maybe it's so the institution of Holy Mass at the Last Supper could happen at the Feast of the Passover. So many of the incidents of Jesus' passion and death happened as the result of timing. 

Maybe while I'm living within the constraints of time I should be more conscious of timing. Rather than reactionary, I should be more intentional. There is a time for every purpose under heaven.

Jesus, I want to be in sync with you. Holy Spirit, guide my time. Father, my times are in your hand.

Authentic Follower

 

They have made themselves a calf of molten metal and have worshipped it and offered it sacrifice. “Here is your God, Israel,” they have cried, “who brought you up from the land of Egypt!” 

Ex.32:8

God is heartbroken at his children's disobedience. Like any parent, that heartbreak is expressed in anger.

When I take God out of my life what am I left with? A lifeless hunk of metal, a facsimile.  Like a headstrong child I demand to be separate from God. I want to do it my way (the song to hell). 

When I choose God's way I have life and that in abundance. Hope and joy become my Hallmark, as they were always intended. As Blessed Carlo Acutis said, "All people are born as originals, but many die as photocopies,".

Jesus, I want to be an authentic follower of you.

Sing!

I tell you most solemnly, whoever listens to my words, and believes in the one who sent me, has eternal life;
Jn.5:24

What is the source of eternal life? Listen and believe. 

I had to "hear" God's Word before I could believe. Many people in my life made up that beautiful chorus, each with their own instrument and voice. The resulting harmonic chorus eventually swept away my doubts and I believed. 

What am I singing today and who is hearing it? 

Jesus, I want to be part of your chorus. I want to sing  that all who hear will believe and have eternal life.