Joy that Sticks

So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. 
Jn.16:22

The night before his Passion, Jesus warns his disciples of their impending grief. But, he then promises a following complete and permanent joy due to his resurrection. 

Life is made from cycles of grief and joy, joy and grief. But the joy Jesus promises is deep and breaks the cycle. His resurrection gives me a joy that sticks. No one can take it away from me.

This gift of a joy that sticks is mine to take into my day and share with others.

Jesus, you are the source of my joy that sticks. All praise to you my Lord and my God.

The Winning Side

‘In a short time you will no longer see me, and then a short time later you will see me again.’
Jn.16:16

Jesus calls the disciples to an eschatological worldview. His impending death was not the end of the story.

It's said WWII was won on D-Day but it took another eleven months of "mop up operations" before the war finally ended. In a similar way, the war against evil has been won with Jesus' death and resurrection. We're living in the in-between times, fighting mop up operations before Jesus' final return to take us home.

Are two thousand years a "short time"? Well, for God to whom a thousand years are like a day, yes. The message here for me is; we're on the winning side, keep up the good fight, the final triumph over evil is coming, heaven awaits.

Church Militant will become Church Triumphant. Alleluia!

Love Lives within Me

Yet in fact he is not far from any of us, since it is in him that we live, and move, and exist.
Acts.17:28

Paul presents God as someone beyond any man made image or idol. He lives within us as he has created us. Without him we don't exist.

There is something beautifully intimate about my God living within me. Every breath I take, every beat of my heart occurs only because he wills it so. My breath and my heartbeat are constant reminders that God is with me, nurturing me, supporting me, guiding me, loving me. Indeed, love lives within me.

Today is a gift from my God who loves me.

Thank you Lord. It is in you that I live and move and have my being. 

He is Divine, I am de Branch

I am the vine; you are the branches.
Jn.15:5

There's no way around this. Connected to Jesus I thrive and bear fruit. Disconnected I'm just fuel for the fire, briefly giving heat then turning into lifeless ashes. 

He is divine, I am de branch. 

Stay connected!

The Way The Truth The Life

Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’
Jn.14:6

Thomas asks a fair question of Jesus. "How can we know the way?" Jesus' answer is unambiguous. "Follow me."

I've heard people say there are many paths to God. Jesus doesn't agree. I've tried other paths and they've all been dead ends. There's peace and joy in following Jesus that gives a hint of the glories yet to come. 

Thank you Thomas for your question. Thank you Jesus for your answer.

Saint Thomas the Apostle, please pray for me.

Less is More

After he had washed the feet of his disciples, Jesus said to them:

‘I tell you most solemnly,

no servant is greater than his master,

no messenger is greater than the man who sent him.

‘Now that you know this, happiness will be yours if you behave accordingly. 

Jn.13:16,17

Jesus demonstrates the key to happiness. Humility.

Striving for human approval is exhausting. Human exultation is temporary at best. In the Christian world, humility is held up as a virtue that  brings me closer to God, and that's where I want to be... closer to God.

Jesus, I want to be less that you may be more in my life.
Saint John the Baptist, 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

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.