May 18, 2014

Fifth Sunday of Easter

As the number of disciples continued to grow,
the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews
because their widows
were being neglected in the daily distribution.
So the Twelve called together the community of the disciples and said,
“It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table.
Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men,
filled with the Spirit and wisdom,
whom we shall appoint to this task,
whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer
and to the ministry of the word.”
The proposal was acceptable to the whole community,
so they chose Stephen, a man filled with faith and the Holy Spirit,
also Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas,
and Nicholas of Antioch, a convert to Judaism.
They presented these men to the apostles
who prayed and laid hands on them.
The word of God continued to spread,
and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly;
even a large group of priests were becoming obedient to the faith.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19

R/ (22) Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
Exult, you just, in the LORD;
praise from the upright is fitting.
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;
with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.
R/ Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
Upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
R/ Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R/ Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
or:
R/ Alleluia.

reading 2 1 Pt 2:4-9

Beloved:
Come to him, a living stone, rejected by human beings
but chosen and precious in the sight of God,
and, like living stones,
let yourselves be built into a spiritual house
to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices
acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
For it says in Scripture:
Behold, I am laying a stone in Zion,
a cornerstone, chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in it shall not be put to shame.
Therefore, its value is for you who have faith, but for those without faith:
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone, and
A stone that will make people stumble,
and a rock that will make them fall.
They stumble by disobeying the word, as is their destiny.

You are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood,
a holy nation, a people of his own,
so that you may announce the praises” of him
who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

Gospel Jn 14:1-12

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not let your hearts be troubled.
You have faith in God; have faith also in me.
In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.
If there were not,
would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?
And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come back again and take you to myself,
so that where I am you also may be.
Where I am going you know the way.”
Thomas said to him,
“Master, we do not know where you are going;
how can we know the way?”
Jesus said to him, "I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.
If you know me, then you will also know my Father.
From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Philip said to him,
“Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”
Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time
and you still do not know me, Philip?
Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.
How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?
The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own.
The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.
Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me,
or else, believe because of the works themselves.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever believes in me will do the works that I do,
and will do greater ones than these,
because I am going to the Father.”

From: Acts 6:1-7

The Appointment of the Seven Deacons

[1] Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in numbers, the Helle-
nists murmured against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the
daily distribution. [2] And the Twelve summoned the body of the disciples and
said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the Word of God to serve ta-
bles. [3] Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you seven men of good repute,
full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this duty. [4] But we will
devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the Word.” [5] And what they
said pleased the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith of
the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parme-
nas, and Nicholas, a proselyte of Antioch. [6] These they set before the Apostles,
and they prayed and laid their hands upon them.

[7] And the Word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied
greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.

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Commentary:

1-6. A new section of the book begins at this point. It is introduced by reference
to two groups in the early community, identified by their background prior to their
conversion — the Hellenists and the Hebrews. From this chapter onwards, Chris-
tians are referred to as “disciples”; in other words this term is no longer applied
only to the Apostles and to those who were adherents of Jesus during His life
on earth; all the baptized are “disciples”. Jesus is the Lord of His Church and
the Teacher of all: after His ascension into Heaven He teaches, sanctifies and
governs Christians through the ministry of the Apostles, initially, and after the
Apostles’ death, through the ministry of their successors, the Pope and the bi-
shops, who are aided by priests.

Hellenists were Jews who had been born and lived for a time outside Palestine.
They spoke Greek and had synagogues of their own where the Greek transla-
tion of Scripture was used. They had a certain amount of Greek culture; the He-
brews would have also had some, but not as much. The Hebrews were Jews
born in Palestine; they spoke Aramaic and used the Hebrew Bible in their syna-
gogues. This difference of backgrounds naturally carried over into the Christian
community during its early years, but it would be wrong to see it as divisive or
to imagine that there were two opposed factions in early Christianity. Before the
Church was founded there existed in Jerusalem a well-established Hellenist-
Jewish community — an influential and sizeable grouping.

This chapter relates the establishment by the Apostles of “the seven”: this is the
second, identifiable group of disciples entrusted with a ministry in the Church,
the first being “the Twelve”.

Although St. Luke does not clearly present this group as constituting a holy “or-
der”, it is quite clear that the seven have been given a public role in the commu-
nity, a role which extends beyond distribution of relief. We shall now see Philip
and Stephen preaching and baptizing—sharing in some ways in the ministry of
the Apostles, involved in “care of souls”.

St. Luke uses the term “diakonia” (service), but he does not call the seven “dea-
cons”. Nor do later ancient writers imply that these seven were deacons (in the
later technical sense of the word)—constituting with priests and Bishops the hier-
archy of the Church. Therefore, we do not know for certain whether the diaconate
as we know it derives directly from “the seven”. St. John Chrysostom, for exam-
ple, has doubts about this (cf. “Hom. on Acts”, 14). However, it is at least pos-
sible that the ministry described here played a part in the instituting of the dia-
conate proper.

In any event, the diaconate is a form of sacred office of apostolic origin. At ordi-
nation deacons take on an obligation to perform—under the direction of the dio-
cesan bishop—certain duties to do with evangelization, catechesis, organization
of liturgical ceremonies, Christian initiation of catechumens and neophytes, and
Church charitable and social welfare work.

The Second Vatican Council teaches that “at a lower level of the hierarchy are
to be found deacons, who receive the imposition of hands `not unto the priest-
hood, but unto the ministry’. For, strengthened by sacramental grace they are
dedicated to the people of God, in conjunction with the bishop and his body of
priests, in the service of the liturgy, of the Gospel and of works of charity. It
pertains to the office of a deacon, in so far as it may be assigned to him by
the competent authority, to administer Baptism solemnly, to be custodian and
distributor of the Eucharist, in the name of the Church to assist at and to bless
marriages, to bring Viaticum to the dying, to read Sacred Scripture to the faith-
ful, to instruct and exhort the people, to preside over the worship and the prayer
of the faithful, to administer sacramentals, and to officiate at funeral and burial
services” (”Lumen Gentium”, 29).

2-4. The Twelve establish a principle which they consider basic: their apostolic
ministry is so absorbing that they have no time to do other things. In this parti-
cular case an honorable and useful function — distribution of food — cannot be
allowed to get in the way of another even more important task essential to the
life of the Church and of each of its members. “They speak of it ‘not being right’
in order to show that the two duties cannot in this case be made compatible”
(Chrysostom, “Hom. on Acts”, 14).

The main responsibility of the pastors of the Church is the preaching of the Word
of God, the administration of the Sacraments and the government of the people
of God. Any other commitment they take on should be compatible with their pas-
toral work and supportive of it, in keeping with the example given by Christ: He
cured people’s physical ailments in order to reach their souls, and He preached
justice and peace as signs of the Kingdom of God.

“A mark of our identity which no doubt ought to encroach upon and no objection
eclipse is this: as pastors, we have been chosen by the mercy of the Supreme
Pastor (cf. 1 Peter 5:4), in spite of our inadequacy, to proclaim with authority the
Word of God, to assemble the scattered people of God, to nourish this people on
the road to salvation, to maintain it in that unity of which we are, at different levels,
active and living instruments, and increasingly to keep this community gathered
around Christ faithful to its deepest vocation” (Paul VI, “Evangelii Nuntiandi”, 68).

A priest should be avid for the Word of God, B John Paul II emphasizes; he
should embrace it in its entirety, meditate on it, study it assiduously and spread
it through his example and preaching (cf. e.g., “Addresses” in Ireland and the
United States, 1 October and 3 October 1979 respectively). His whole life should
be a generous proclamation of Christ. Therefore, he should avoid the temptation
to “temporal leadership: that can easily be a source of division whereas he
should be a sign and promoter of unity and fraternity” (”To the Priests of Mexico”,
27 January 1979).

This passage allows us to see the difference between election and appointment
to a ministry in the Church. A person can be elected or designated by the faith-
ful; but power to carry out that ministry (which implies a calling from God) is
something he must receive through ordination, which the Apostles confer. “The
Apostles leave it to the body of the disciples to select the [seven], in order that
it should not seem that they favor some in preference to others” (Chrysostom,
“Hom. on Acts”, 14). However, those designated for ordination are not represen-
tatives or delegates of the Christian community; they are ministers of God. They
have received a calling and, by the imposition of hands, God — not men — gives
them a spiritual power which equips them to govern the Christian community,
make and administer the Sacraments and preach the Word.

Christian pastoral office, that is, the priesthood of the New Testament in its va-
rious degrees, does not derive from family relationship, as was the case of the
Levitical priesthood in the Old Testament; nor is it a type of commissioning by
the community. The initiative lies with the grace of God, who calls whom He
chooses.

5. All the people chosen have Greek names. One of them is a “proselyte”, that
is, a pagan who became a Jew through circumcision and observance of the Law
of Moses.

6. The Apostles establish the seven in their office or ministry through prayer and
the laying on of hands. This latter gesture is found sometimes in the Old Testa-
ment, principally as a rite of ordination of Levites (cf. Numbers 8:10) and as a
way of conferring power and wisdom on Joshua, Moses’ successor as leader of
Israel (Numbers 27:20; Deuteronomy 13:9).

Christians have retained this rite, as can be seen quite often in Acts. Sometimes
it symbolizes curing (9:12, 17; 28:8), in line with the example given by our Lord
in Luke 4:40. It is also a rite of blessing, as when Paul and Barnabas are sent
out on their first apostolic journey (13:3); and it is used as a post-baptismal rite
for bringing down the Holy Spirit (8:17; 19:5).

In this case it is a rite for the ordination of ministers of the Church—the first ins-
tance of sacred ordination reported by Acts (cf. 1 Timothy 4:14; 5:22; 2 Timothy
5:22). “St. Luke is brief. He does not say how they were ordained, but simply
that it was done with prayer, because it was an ordination. The hand of a man
is laid [upon a person], but the whole work is of God and it is His hand which
touches the head of the one ordained” (Chrysostom, “Hom. on Acts”, 14).

The essential part of the rite of ordination of deacons is the laying on of hands;
this is done in silence, on the candidate’s head, and then a prayer is said to
God asking Him to send the Holy Spirit to the person being ordained.

7. As in earlier chapters, St. Luke here refers to the spread of the Church—this
time reporting the conversion of “a great many of the priests”. Many scholars
think that these would have come from the lower ranks of the priesthood (like
Zechariah: cf. Luke 1:5) and not from the greatly priestly families, which were
Sadducees and enemies of the new-born church (cf. 4:1; 5:17). Some have
suggested that these priests may have included members of the Qumran sect.
However, the only evidence we have to go on is what St. Luke says here.

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

From: 1 Peter 2:4-9

The Priesthood Common to All Believers

[4] Come to Him, to that living stone, rejected by men but to God’s sight chosen
and precious; [5] and like living stones be yourselves built into a spiritual house,
to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Je-
sus Christ. [6] For it stands in Scripture:
“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious,
and he who believes in Him will not be put to shame.”
[7] To you therefore who believe, He is precious, but for those who do not
believe,
“The very stone which the builders rejected
has become the head of the corner,”
[8] and
“A stone that will make men stumble, a rock that will make them fall”;
for they stumble because they disobey the Word, as they were destined to do.

[9] But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own peo-
ple, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of Him who called you out of dark-
ness into His marvelous light.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

4-10. Baptism makes us members of the Church. The sacred writer uses the
idea of constructing a building (verses 4-8) to explain that Christians together go
to make up the one, true people of God (verses 9-19). The whole passage is built
on quotations from the Old Testament, possibly ones used in early apostolic ca-
techesis.

The Church is like a spiritual building of which Christ is the cornerstone, that is,
the stone which supports the entire structure (cf. “Lumen Gentium”, 6). Chris-
tians have to be living stones united to Christ by faith and grace, thereby forming
a solid temple in which “spiritual sacrifices” are offered which are “acceptable to
God” (verse 5). The closer their union with Christ, the stronger the building: “All
of us who believe in Christ Jesus”, Origen explains, “are called ‘living stones’ [...].
For if you, who are listening to me, want to prepare yourself better for the cons-
truction of this building, and be one of the stones closest to the foundation, you
need to realize that Christ Himself is the foundation of the building we are des-
cribing. As the Apostle Paul tells us, ‘no other foundation can any one lay than
that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ’ (1 Corinthians 3:11)” (”In Iesu Nave”,
9, 1).

8. Applying to Christ what the prophet Isaiah says of Yahweh (cf. Isaiah 8:14;
note on 1 Peter 2:13), St. Peter shows how, for those who do not believe in Christ,
the cornerstone becomes “a stone that will make men stumble, a rock that will
make them fall”; Simon prophesied as much to the Blessed Virgin in the temple
(cf. Luke 2:34).

“As they were destined to do”: this does not mean that God predestined some
to damnation. God wants all men to be saved (cf. 1 Timothy 2:4), and that was
why Jesus Christ became man; but for someone to be saved, his free response
is necessary, and man can oppose God’s salvific plan and reject grace. It should
be remembered that in the language of the Bible, particularly the Old Testament,
sometimes no distinction is made between what God orders or wills and what He
simply allows to happen (cf. Romans 9:14-33 and notes on the same).

9-10. In contrast with those who reject faith (verses 7-8), believers form the true Is-
rael, the true people of God. In this people the titles applied to Israel in the Old
Testament find their full meaning: they are “a chosen race” (cf. Exodus 19:5-6), a
people convoked by God to sing His praises (cf. Isaiah 43:20-21). Their election
is something Christians should glory in; it makes demands on them: Christians
are set apart for God, they belong to Him (cf. 1 Corinthians 6:19), for the blood of
Christ has been paid as their ransom (cf. 1 Peter 1:18-21). So, they must not re-
main passive; they have to preach the greatness of God and bring many other
souls to Him: “the Good News of the Kingdom which is coming and which has be-
gun is meant”, says Pope Paul VI, “for all people of all times. Those who have re-
ceived the Good News and who have been gathered by it into the community of
salvation can and must communicate and spread it” (”Evangelii Nuntiandi”, 13).

In this people there is only one priest, Jesus Christ, and one sacrifice, that which
He offered on the cross and which is renewed in the Mass. But all Christians,
through the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation, obtain a share in the priest-
hood of Christ and are thereby equipped to mediate in a priestly way between God
and man and to take an active part in divine worship; by so doing they can turn all
their actions into “spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God” (1 Peter 2:5). Theirs is a
true priesthood, although it is essentially different from the ministerial priesthood
for those who receive the sacrament of Order: “Though they differ essentially and
not only in degree, the common priesthood of the faithful and the ministerial or hie-
rarchical priesthood are nonetheless ordered one to another; each in its own pro-
per way shares in the one priesthood of Christ. The ministerial priest, by the sa-
cred power that he has, forms and rules the priestly people; in the person of Christ
he effects the eucharistic sacrifice and offers it to God in the name of all the peo-
ple. The faithful indeed, by virtue of their royal priesthood, participate in the offe-
ring of the Eucharist. They exercise that priesthood, too, by the reception of the
Sacraments, prayer and thanksgiving, the witness of a holy life, abnegation and
active charity” (Vatican II, “Lumen Gentium”, 10: cf. “Prebyterorum Ordinis”, 2).

And the same Council says, apropos of those “spiritual sacrifices” (verse 5) by
which Christians sanctify the world from within, that “all their works, prayers and
apostolic undertakings, family and married life, daily work, relaxation of mind and
body, if they are accomplished in the Spirit—indeed even the hardships of life if
patiently borne—all these become spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through
Jesus Christ. In the celebration of the Eucharist these may most frequently be
offered to the Father along with the body of our Lord. And so, worshipping every-
where by their holy actions, the laity consecrate the world itself to God” (”Lumen
Gentium”, 34).

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

From: John 14:1-12

Jesus Reveals the Father

(Jesus said to His disciples,) [1] “Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God,
believe also in Me. [2] In My Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so,
would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? [3] And when I go and
prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to Myself, that where
I am you may be also. [4] And you know the way where I am going.” [5] Thomas
said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going; how can we know the
way?” [6] Jesus said to him, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; no one
comes to the Father, but by Me.” [7] “If you had known Me, you would have
known My Father also; henceforth you know Him and have seen Him.

[8] Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we shall be satisfied.” [9]
Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you do not know Me,
Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us
the Father?’ [10] Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in
Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the
Father who dwells in Me does His works. [11] Believe Me that I am in the Father
and the Father in Me; or else believe Me for the sake of the words themselves.

[12] “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me will also do the works that
I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

1-3. Apparently this prediction of Peter’s denial has saddened the disciples. Je-
sus cheers them up by telling them that He is going away to prepare a place for
them in Heaven, for Heaven they will eventually attain, despite their shortcomings
and dragging their feet. The return which Jesus refers to includes His Second Co-
ming (Parousia) at the end of the world (cf. 1 Corinthians 4:5; 11:26; 1 Thessalo-
nians 4:16-17; 1 John 2:28) and His meeting with each soul after death: Christ
has prepared a Heavenly dwelling-place through His work of redemption. There-
fore, His words can be regarded as being addressed not only to the Twelve but
also to everyone who believes in Him over the course of the centuries. The Lord
will bring with Him into glory all those who have believed in Him and have stayed
faithful to Him.

4-7. The Apostles did not really understand what Jesus was telling them: hence
Thomas’ question. The Lord explains that He is the way to the Father. “It was
necessary for Him to say ‘I am the Way’ to show them that they really knew
what they thought they were ignorant of, because they knew Him” (St. Augus-
tine, “In. Ioann. Evang.”, 66, 2).

Jesus is the way to the Father—through what He teaches, for by keeping to His
teaching we will reach Heaven; through faith, which He inspires, because He
came to this world so “that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life” (John
3:15); through His example, since no one can go to the Father without imitating
the Son; through His merits, which make it possible for us to enter our Heavenly
home; and above all He is the way because He reveals the Father, with whom
He is one because of His divine nature.

“Just as children by listening to their mothers, and prattling with them, learn to
speak their language, so we, by keeping close to the Savior in meditation, and
observing His words, His actions, and His affections, shall learn, with the help
of His grace, to speak, to act, and to will like Him.

“We must pause here...; we can reach God the Father by no other route ... ;
the Divinity could not be well contemplated by us in this world below if it were
not united to the sacred humanity of the Savior, whose life and death are the
most appropriate, sweet, delicious and profitable subjects which we can choose
for our ordinary meditations” (St. Francis de Sales, “Introduction to the Devout
Life”, Part II, Chapter 1, 2).

“I am the way”: He is the only path linking Heaven and Earth. “He is speaking to
all men, but in a special way He is thinking of people who, like you and me, are
determined to take our Christian vocation seriously: He wants God to be forever
in our thoughts, on our lips and in everything we do, including our most ordinary
and routine actions.

“Jesus is the way. Behind Him on this Earth of ours He has left the clear out-
lines of His footprints. They are indelible signs which neither the erosion of time
nor the treachery of the Evil One have been able to erase” (St. J. Escriva,
“Friends of God”, 127).

Jesus’ words do much more than provide an answer to Thomas’ question; He
tells us: “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life”. Being the Truth and the
Life is something proper to the Son of God become man, who St. John says in
the prologue of his Gospel is “full of grace and truth” (1:14). He is the Truth be-
cause by coming to this world He shows that God is faithful to His promises,
and because He teaches the truth about who God is and tells us that true wor-
ship must be “in spirit and truth” (John 4:23). He is Life because from all eterni-
ty He has divine life with His Father (cf. John 1:4), and because He makes us,
through grace, sharers in that divine life. This is why the Gospel says: “This is
eternal life, that they know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom
Thou has sent” (John 17:3).

By His reply Jesus is, “as it were, saying, By which route do you want to go? I
am the Way. To where do you want to go? I am the Truth. Where do you want to
remain? I am the Life. Every man can attain an understanding of the Truth and the
Life; but not all find the Way. The wise of this world realize that God is eternal life
and knowable truth; but the Word of God, who is Truth and Life joined to the Fa-
ther, has become the Way by taking a human nature. Make your way contempla-
ting His humility and you will reach God” (St. Augustine, “De Verbis Domini Ser-
mones”, 54).

8-11. The Apostles still find our Lord’s words very mysterious, because they can-
not understand the oneness of the Father and the Son. Hence Philip’s persistence.
Then Jesus “upbraids the Apostle for not yet knowing Him, even though His works
are proper to God—walking on the water, controlling the wind, forgiving sins, raising
the dead. This is why He reproves him: for not recognizing His divine condition
through His human nature” (St. Augustine, “De Trinitate”, Book 7).

Obviously the sight of the Father which Jesus refers to in this passage is a vision
through faith, for no one has ever seen God as He is (cf. John 1:18; 6:46). All ma-
nifestations of God, or “theophanies”, have been through some medium; they are
only a reflection of God’s greatness. The highest expression which we have of
God our Father is in Christ Jesus, the Son of God sent among men. “He did this
by the total fact of His presence and self-manifestation—by words and works,
signs and miracles, but above all by His death and glorious resurrection from the
dead, and finally by sending the Spirit of truth. He revealed that God was with us,
to deliver us from the darkness of sin and death, and to raise us up to eternal life”
(Vatican II, “Dei Verbum”, 4).

12-14. Before leaving this world, the Lord promises His Apostles to make them
sharers in His power so that God’s salvation may be manifested through them.
These “works” are the miracles they will work in the name of Jesus Christ (cf.
Acts 3:1-10; 5:15-16; etc.), and especially the conversion of people to the Chris-
tian faith and their sanctification by preaching and the ministry of the sacraments.
They can be considered greater works than Jesus’ own insofar as, by the Apos-
tles’ ministry, the Gospel was not only preached in Palestine but was spread to
the ends of the earth; but this extraordinary power of apostolic preaching pro-
ceeds from Christ, who has ascended to the Father: after undergoing the humi-
liation of the cross Jesus has been glorified and from Heaven He manifests His
power by acting through His Apostles.

The Apostles’ power, therefore, derives from Christ glorified. Christ our Lord
says as much: “Whatever you ask in My name, I will do it”. “It is not that he who
believes in Me will be greater than Me, but that only that I shall then do greater
works than now; greater, by him who believes in Me, than I now do by myself
without Him” (St. Augustine, “In Ioann. Evang.”, 72, 1).

Jesus Christ is our intercessor in Heaven; therefore, He promises us that every-
thing we ask for in His name, He will do. Asking in His name (cf. 15:7, 16; 16:
23-24) means appealing to the power of the risen Christ, believing that He is all-
powerful and merciful because He is true God; and it also means asking for what
is conducive to our salvation, for Jesus is our Savior. Thus, by “whatever you ask”
we must understand what is for the good of the asker. When our Lord does not
give what we ask for, the reason is that it would not make for our salvation. In
this way we can see that He is our Savior both when He refuses us what we ask
and when He grants it.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

Readings at Mass

First reading

Acts 13:44-52 ©

The next sabbath almost the whole town assembled to hear the word of God. When they saw the crowds, the Jews, prompted by jealousy, used blasphemies and contradicted everything Paul said. Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly. ‘We had to proclaim the word of God to you first, but since you have rejected it, since you do not think yourselves worthy of eternal life, we must turn to the pagans. For this is what the Lord commanded us to do when he said:

I have made you a light for the nations,

so that my salvation may reach the ends of the earth.’

It made the pagans very happy to hear this and they thanked the Lord for his message; all who were destined for eternal life became believers. Thus the word of the Lord spread through the whole countryside.

But the Jews worked upon some of the devout women of the upper classes and the leading men of the city and persuaded them to turn against Paul and Barnabas and expel them from their territory. So they shook the dust from their feet in defiance and went off to Iconium; but the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.

Psalm

Psalm 97:1-4 ©

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Alleluia!

Sing a new song to the Lord

for he has worked wonders.

His right hand and his holy arm

have brought salvation.

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Alleluia!

The Lord has made known his salvation;

has shown his justice to the nations.

He has remembered his truth and love

for the house of Israel.

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Alleluia!

All the ends of the earth have seen

the salvation of our God.

Shout to the Lord, all the earth,

ring out your joy.

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Alleluia!

Gospel Acclamation

Rm6:9

Alleluia, alleluia!

Christ, having been raised from the dead, will never die again.

Death has no power over him any more.

Alleluia!

Or	Jn8:31-32

Alleluia, alleluia!

If you make my word your home

you will indeed be my disciples,

and you will learn the truth, says the Lord.

Alleluia!

Gospel

John 14:7-14 ©

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘If you know me, you know my Father too.

From this moment you know him and have seen him.’

Philip said, ‘Lord, let us see the Father and then we shall be satisfied.’

‘Have I been with you all this time, Philip,’ said Jesus to him, ‘and you still do not know me?

‘To have seen me is to have seen the Father,

so how can you say, “Let us see the Father”?

Do you not believe

that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?

The words I say to you I do not speak as from myself:

it is the Father, living in me, who is doing this work.

You must believe me when I say

that I am in the Father and the Father is in me;

believe it on the evidence of this work, if for no other reason.

I tell you most solemnly,

whoever believes in me

will perform the same works as I do myself,

he will perform even greater works,

because I am going to the Father.

Whatever you ask for in my name I will do,

so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

If you ask for anything in my name,

I will do it.’

Pray a Rosary each day for our nation.

Pray the Rosary

1. Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

2. The Apostles Creed: I BELIEVE in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

3. The Lord's Prayer: OUR Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

4. (3) Hail Mary: HAIL Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen. (Three times)

5. Glory Be: GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Fatima Prayer: Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of your mercy.

Announce each mystery, then say 1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, 1 Glory Be and 1 Fatima prayer. Repeat the process with each mystery.

End with the Hail Holy Queen:

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve! To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears! Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus!

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Final step -- The Sign of the Cross

The Mysteries of the Rosary

By tradition, Catholics meditate on these Mysteries during prayers of the Rosary.
The biblical references follow each of the Mysteries below.

The Glorious Mysteries
(Wednesdays and Sundays)
1.The Resurrection (Matthew 28:1-8, Mark 16:1-18, Luke 24:1-12, John 20:1-29) [Spiritual fruit - Faith]
2. The Ascension (Mark 16:19-20, Luke 24:50-53, Acts 1:6-11) [Spiritual fruit - Christian Hope]
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-13) [Spiritual fruit - Gifts of the Holy Spirit]
4. The Assumption [Spiritual fruit - To Jesus through Mary]
5. The Coronation [Spiritual fruit - Grace of Final Perseverance]

May Devotion: Blessed Virgin Mary

Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. Toward the end of the eighteenth century a zealous Jesuit priest, Father Lalomia, started among the students of the Roman college of his Society the practice of dedicating May to Our Lady. The devotion, which others had promoted in a small way, soon spread to other Jesuit Colleges and to the entire Latin church and since that time it has been a regular feature of Catholic life.

INVOCATIONS

Thou who wast a virgin before thy delivery, pray for us. Hail Mary, etc.
Thou who wast a virgin in thy delivery, pray for us. Hail Mary, etc.
Thou who wast a virgin after thy delivery, pray for us. Hail Mary, etc.

My Mother, deliver me from mortal sin.
Hail Mary (three times).

Mother of love, of sorrow and of mercy, pray for us.

Remember, O Virgin Mother of God, when thou shalt stand before the face of the Lord, that thou speak favorable things in our behalf and that He may turn away His indignation from us.
Roman Missal

Thou art my Mother, O Virgin Mary: keep me safe lest I ever offend thy dear Son, and obtain for me the grace to please Him always and in all things.

FOR THE HELP OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

May we be assisted, we beseech Thee, 0 Lord, by the worshipful intercession of Thy glorious Mother, the ever-Virgin Mary; that we, who have been enriched by her perpetual blessings, may be delivered from all dangers, and through her loving kindness made to be of one heart and mind: who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.
Roman Missal

THE SALVE REGINA

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy, hail, our life, our sweetness, and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve! To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears! Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus! O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!
Roman Breviary

PRAYER TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

O blessed Virgin Mary, who can worthily repay thee thy just dues of praise and thanksgiving, thou who by the wondrous assent of thy will didst rescue a fallen world? What songs of praise can our weak human nature recite in thy honor, since it is by thy intervention alone that it has found
the way to restoration? Accept, then, such poor thanks as we have here to offer, though they be unequal to thy merits; and, receiving our vows, obtain by thy prayers the remission of our offenses. Carry thou our prayers within the sanctuary of the heavenly audience, and bring forth from it the antidote of our reconciliation. May the sins we bring before Almighty God through thee, become pardonable through thee; may what we ask for with sure confidence, through thee be granted. Take our offering, grant us our requests, obtain pardon for what we fear, for thou art the sole hope of sinners. Through thee we hope for the remission of our sins, and in thee, 0 blessed Lady, is our hope of reward. Holy Mary, succour the miserable, help the fainthearted, comfort the sorrowful, pray for thy people, plead for the clergy, intercede for all women consecrated to God; may all who keep thy holy commemoration feel now thy help and protection. Be thou ever ready to assist us when we pray, and bring back to us the answers to our prayers. Make it thy continual care to pray for the people of God, thou who, blessed by God, didst merit to bear the Redeemer of the world, who liveth and reigneth, world without end. Amen.
Saint Augustine

PETITION TO MARY

Most holy Virgin Immaculate, my Mother Mary, to thee who art the Mother of my Lord, the queen of the universe, the advocate, the hope, the refuge of sinners, I who am the most miserable of all sinners, have recourse this day. I venerate thee, great queen, and I thank thee for the many graces thou hast bestowed upon me even unto this day; in particular for having delivered me from the hell which I have so often deserved by my sins. I love thee, most dear Lady; and for the love I bear thee, I promise to serve thee willingly for ever and to do what I can to make thee loved by others also. I place in thee all my hopes for salvation; accept me as thy servant and shelter me under thy mantle, thou who art the Mother of mercy. And since thou art so powerful with God, deliver me from all temptations, or at least obtain for me the strength to overcome them until death. From thee I implore a true love for Jesus Christ. Through thee I hope to die a holy death. My dear Mother, by the love thou bearest to Almighty God, I pray thee to assist me always, but most of all at the last moment of my life. Forsake me not then, until thou shalt see me safe in heaven, there to bless thee and sing of thy mercies through all eternity. Such is my hope. Amen.
Saint Alphonsus Liguori

Magnificat Prayer
My being proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit finds joy in God my savior,
For he has looked upon his servant in her lowliness; all ages to come shall call me blessed.
God who is mighty has done great things for me,
holy is his name; His mercy is from age to age on those who fear him. He has shown might with his arm; he has confused the proud in their inmost thoughts. He has deposed the mighty from their thrones and raised the lowly to high places. The hungry he has given every good thing, while the rich he has sent empty away. He has upheld Israel his servant, ever mindful of his mercy; Even as he promised our fathers, promised Abraham and his descendants forever.
(Lk 1:46-55)

TO MARY, REFUGE OF SINNERS
Hail, most gracious Mother of mercy, hail, Mary, for whom we fondly yearn, through whom we obtain forgiveness! Who would not love thee? Thou art our light in uncertainty, our comfort in sorrow, our solace in the time of trial, our refuge from every peril and temptation. Thou art our sure hope of salvation, second only to thy only-begotten Son; blessed are they who love thee, our Lady! Incline, I beseech thee, thy ears of pity to the entreaties of this thy servant, a miserable sinner; dissipate the darkness of my sins by the bright beams of thy holiness, in order that I may be acceptable in thy sight.

FOR THE GRACE OF LOVE
O Mary, my dear Mother, how much I love thee! And yet in reality how little! Thou dost teach me what I ought to know, for thou teachest me what Jesus is to me and what I ought to be for Jesus. Dearly beloved Mother, how close to God thou art, and how utterly filled with Him! In the measure that we know God, we remind ourselves of thee. Mother of God, obtain for me the grace of loving my Jesus; obtain for me the grace of loving thee!
Cardinal Merry del Val

TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY FOR MAY

O most august and blessed Virgin Mary! Holy Mother of God! glorious Queen of heaven and earth! powerful protectress of those who love thee, and unfailing advocate of all who invoke thee! look down, I beseech thee, from thy throne of glory on thy devoted child; accept the solemn offering I present thee of this month, specially dedicated to thee, and receive my ardent, humble desire, that by my love and fervor I could worthily honor thee, who, next to God, art deserving of all honor. Receive me, 0 Mother of Mercy, among thy best beloved children; extend to me thy maternal tenderness and solicitude; obtain for me a place in the Heart of Jesus, and a special share in the gifts of His grace. 0 deign, I beseech thee, to recognize my claims on thy protection, to watch over my spiritual and temporal interests, as well as those of all who are dear to me; to infuse into my soul the spirit of Christ, and to teach me thyself to become meek, humble, charitable, patient, and submissive to the will of God.

May my heart bum with the love of thy Divine Son, and of thee, His blessed Mother, not for a month alone, but for time and eternity; may I thirst for the promotion of His honor and thine, and contribute, as far as I can, to its extension. Receive me, 0 Mary, the refuge of sinners! Grant me a Mother's blessing and a Mother's care, now, and at the hour of my death. Amen.

TO OUR LADY

Saint John Vianney, better known as the Cure of Ars, when asked how long he had loved Mary, said: "I loved her almost before I could know her." In this prayer he expresses that love.
O thou most holy virgin Mary, who dost evermore stand before the most holy Trinity, and to whom it is granted at all times to pray for us to thy most beloved Son; pray for me in all my necessities; help me, combat for me, and obtain for me the pardon of all my sins. Help me especially at my last hour; and when I can no longer give any sign of the use of reason, then do thou encourage me, make the sign of the cross for me, and fight for me against the enemy. Make in my name a profession of faith; favor me with a testimony of my salvation, and never let me despair of the mercy of God. Help me to overthrow the wicked enemy. When I can no longer say: "Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I place my soul in your hands," do thou say it for me; when I can no longer hear human words of consolation, do thou comfort me. Leave me not before I have been judged; and if I have to expiate my sins in purgatory, oh! pray for me earnestly; and admonish my friends to procure for me a speedy enjoyment of the blessed sight of God. Lessen my sufferings, deliver me speedily, and lead my soul into heaven with thee: that, united with all the elect, I may there bless and praise my God and thee for all eternity. Amen.
Saint John Vianney

ACT OF REPARATION

O blessed Virgin, Mother of God, look down in mercy from heaven, where thou art enthroned as Queen, upon me, a miserable sinner, thine unworthy servant. Although I know full well my own unworthiness, yet in order to atone for the offenses that are done to thee by impious and blasphemous
tongues, from the depths of my heart I praise and extol thee as the purest, the fairest, the holiest creature of all God's handiwork. I bless thy holy name, I praise thine exalted privilege of being truly Mother of God, ever virgin, conceived without stain of sin, co-redemptrix of the human race. I bless the Eternal Father who chose thee in an especial way for His daughter; I bless the Word Incarnate who took upon Himself our nature in thy bosom and so made thee His Mother; I bless the Holy Spirit who took thee as His bride. All honor, praise and thanksgiving to the ever-blessed Trinity, who predestined thee and loved thee so exceedingly from all eternity as to exalt thee above all creatures to the most sublime heights. 0 Virgin, holy and merciful, obtain for all who offend thee the grace of repentance, and graciously accept this poor act of homage from me thy servant, obtaining likewise for me from thy divine Son the pardon and remission of all my sins. Amen.

Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954

Memorare of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Remember O Most Gracious Virgin Mary!
That never was it known
That anyone who fled to thy protection,
Implored thy help or sought thy intercession
Was left unaided.

Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto Thee!
O Virgin of virgins, My Mother!

To Thee I come before Thee I stand,
Sinful and Sorrowful,
Oh Mother of the Word Incarnate,
Despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy,
Hear and answer me.

Amen

Who Is Our Lady of Laus? “My name is Mary” (CATHOLIC CAUCUS)
What Happened to the Virgin Mary After Pentecost? [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus)
Saint Thomas Aquinas on the Hail Mary (Catholic Caucus)
Yes, Mary DOES Know
How Can Mary Hear Thousands Simultaneously?
Fr Paul Schenck: Immaculate Conception Tells us Who Mary Is and Who We Are (Catholic Caucus)
Mary,Our Lady of Quatlasupe,She who crushes the head of the serpent, is leading...(Catholic Caucus)
MARY, MOTHER OF EVANGELIZATION [Cath-Orth caucus]
On Mary, Model of Faith, Charity and Union with Christ [Weekly Audience]
Why Don’t You honor Mary?
Columbus and the Virgin Mary [Catholic Caucus]

Pope Francis: Mary’s faith unties the knot of sin
Pope consecrates world to immaculate heart of Mary
Mary, Mother of God
Mary 'can only bring us to God,' expert says as entrustment nears
Pope Francis: "Mary, look upon us" (Mass in Cagliari)
Devotion to the Most Holy Name of Mary [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
Pope Francis: contemplate the “suffering humanity” of Jesus and the sweetness of Mary
Mary's Nativity Draws Tens of Thousands to Indian Basilica
Veneration of Mary in Luke 11:27-28
Pope at Mass: Learning from Mary to keep the Word of God

Pope: Mary is always in a hurry to help us (first pastoral visit to a diocese in Rome)
Catholic Word of the Day: MARY'S SINLESSNESS, 04-01-13
Letter #47: To Mary (Pope Francis prays at (tomb of Pope St. Pius V) [Catholic Caucus]
Catholic Word of the Day: MARY'S VIRGINITY, 02-26-13
Mariaphobic Response Syndrome: Part Two
Mariaphobic Response Syndrome: Part One
A Mother’s Love, The Blessed Virgin Mary Saying YES To God
Chesterton on devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary [Ecumenical]
The Perpetual Virginity of Blessed Mary
A Comparison is Instituted Between the Disobedient and Sinning Eve and the Virgin Mary..

Magnificat: The Hymn of the Blessed Virgin Mary [Catholic Caucus]
The Blessed Virgin Mary's Role in the Celibate Priest's Spousal... (Pt 2) (CATHOLIC CAUCUS)
The Blessed Virgin Mary's Role in the Celibate Priest's Spousal and Paternal Love (CATHOLIC CAUCUS)
Discovering Mary [Excellent New Book For Converts]
Beginning Our Lady's Month [Catholic Caucus]
Give it all to Mary [Catholic Caucus]
JESUS LIVING IN MARY: HANDBOOK, SPIRITUALITY OF ST. LOUIS DE MONTFORT, ROSARY [Ecumenical]
Mary, Tabernacle of the Lord By Archbishop Fulton Sheen(Catholic Caucus)
A Protestant Discovers Mary
Mary is our Mother and Queen of the New Davidic Kingdom (Scriptures Agree With Catholic Church)

Hail Mary
Holy Water Silhouette (Virgin Mary -video))
How could Mary be the Mother of God?
Mary, the Mother of God (a defense)
Calling Mary “Mother of God” Tells Us Who Jesus Is
The Holy Spirit And Mary (Catholic Caucus)
Mary, Our Cause of Rejoicing
Mary in Byzantine Doctrine and Devotion (Catholic / Orthodox Caucus)
Radio Replies First Volume - Devotion to Mary
The Blessed Virgin Mary and the Catholic Discovery of America(Catholic Caucus)

Mary is the star that guides us to holiness, says Holy Father during Angelus [Catholic Caucus]
The Efficacy and Power of One Hail Mary [Ecumenical]
When Did Belief in the Virgin Birth Begin?
Mary, Motherhood, and the Home BY Archbishop Fulton Sheen
On Mary, Mother of Priests
Benedict reflects on Mary and the priesthood [Catholic Caucus]
Radio Replies First Volume - Mary
Scholar says Baptists neglect lessons from Virgin Mary
Mary and the Sword Continued Part #2 by Bishop Fulton J. Sheen
Mary and the Sword by Bishop Fulton J. Sheen(Catholic Caucus)

Why Did Mary Offer a Sin Offering? [Ecumenical]
Mary and Intercessory Prayer
Mary: Holy Mother
Mary not just for Catholics anymore
Pope concludes Month of Mary in the Vatican Gardens
Consecration to Mary(Catholic Caucus)
Mary’s Marching Orders
Praying the Hail Mary Like Never Before [Ecumenical]
Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament [Catholic Caucus]
Catholic Caucus: The Catechism of St. Thomas Aquinas - THE HAIL MARY

Our Jewish Roots: The Immaculate Conception [Ecumenical]
The Blessed Virgin in the History of Christianity [Ecumenical]
Archbishop Sheen Today! -- Mary and the Moslems
Mary Immaculate: Patroness of the United States [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
"The Woman He Loved": Fulton Sheen and the Blessed Mother(Catholic Caucus)
September 12: The Most Holy Name of Mary and Militant Islam
Catholic Devotional: Feast of the Holy Name of Mary
A Homily on the Feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary
May Devotion: Blessed Virgin Mary
Catholic Caucus: Mary, The Power of Her Name [The Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary]

Zenit.org

Sunday Homily: You Are A Royal Priesthood

Fifth Sunday of Easter: Cycle A

Rome, May 16, 2014 (Zenit.org) Fr. Jason Mitchell LC |

Acts 6:1-7
Psalm 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19
1 Peter 2:4-9
John 14:1-12

At the Last Supper Jesus reveals to his Apostles that he departs to prepare a place for them to dwell in. This dwelling-place, this temple, this house of God, is the Church. Jesus' disciples will live and abide within the Church, the Body of Christ.

In his Letter, Saint Peter speaks about this spiritual house that God has built. Jesus Christ is the "living stone" and cornerstone that God has established in Zion. Jesus was rejected by men, but has been raised up by God as the cornerstone of a new creation. We are called to believe in him and in so doing, we will not endure the shame of death, but be built into this spiritual house of God.

From the beginning, all creation was supposed to be a temple where God was worshiped and glorified and where men and women entered into communion with God. By their sin, however, Adam and Eve disobeyed God and lost the grace of holiness and justice. Creation needed a redeemer so that man could once again worship and glorify his creator and enter into communion with him. God later established a covenant with the people of Israel and provided a model for the tabernacle, where he would dwell with his people. Like the Adam and Eve, the people of Israel broke God's covenant and sinned. They worshiped the golden calf instead of the God of their fathers.

Centuries later, God established a covenant with David and promised that one of his descendants will build him a house: "I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his father and he shall be my son" (2 Samuel 7:12-13). This promise to David is partially fulfilled through Solomon, David's son, who build the temple in Jerusalem, but is ultimately fulfilled through Jesus Christ, the Son of David. Jesus is the one who truly builds a house for God's name. Through Jesus, we can respond to God's original call to be a royal priesthood and a holy nation. This is what God wanted from the beginning.

Jesus, then, is the Way that leads to this communion with God. He is the Truth that reveals the Father. He is the Life, given to us on earth through faith and in the Eucharist. Through the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation we are consecrated to be a holy priesthood: "The whole community of believers, as such, is priestly. The faithful exercise their baptismal priesthood through their participation, each according to his own vocation, in Christ's mission as priest, prophet, and king" (CCC 1546). The common priesthood of the faithful is exercised by the unfolding of baptismal grace - a life of faith, hope, and charity - a life according to the Spirit.

Priests and bishops also share in the ministerial priesthood, which is at the service of the common priesthood of the faithful. The ministerial priesthood has the task not only of representing Christ - the Head of the Church - before the assembly of the faithful, but also of acting in the name of the whole Church when presenting to God the prayer of the Church and when offering the Eucharistic sacrifice. Deacons, mentioned in today's first reading, do not receive the ministerial priesthood (CCC, 1596), but do receive the first degree of the Sacrament of Holy Orders. They are configured to Christ who made himself the deacon or servant of all. They assist the bishop and priest in the celebration of divine mysteries (the liturgy), in the proclamation of the Gospel, and in dedicating themselves to ministries of charity.

As we contemplate the great mystery of our call to be a royal priesthood, we realize that each one of us is called in different ways to build up the Body of Christ and extend the Kingdom of God. The seven deacons offer to us an example as they responded generously to God's call. They welcomed the Holy Spirit into their lives and worked tirelessly at the service of the community and of the Gospel.

Arlington Catholic Herald

GOSPEL COMMENTARY JN 14:1-12

The way

Fr. Robert Wagner

Picture a family driving to the beach for vacation. The younger children cannot contain their excitement and so thus persistently ask, “Are we there yet?” Their focus is the destination, and it fills them with joy and anticipation. They care little for the preparation for the trip; they just want to get there and start having fun. The parents, on the other hand, concern themselves with the many tasks necessary for a smooth trip, such as packing suitcases and lunch boxes, filling the gas tank, planning the route and checking the traffic. For them, the joy of the destination often gets lost in the details. Yes, they want their children to laugh and play and have fun, but it takes a lot to make that happen, and such preparation often takes away from the joyful anticipation.

When we think of our journey through this earth to eternal life, we recognize something similar. We can get so caught up in our overwhelming schedules and responsibilities that we are distracted from our final destination. Jesus tells us that He will prepare a place for us with His Father in heaven, a promise that undergirds the courage of the martyrs and helps the saints remain joyful amid the difficulties and drudgery this life can offer. It should — and can — do the same for us. Like little children, we as Christ's disciples can revel in the destination that Jesus has promised us, even while we share the joys and sorrows of this life. However, like diligent parents, we also know there is a necessary preparation to reach heaven. We cannot simply expect to arrive there without knowing the way and being equipped for the journey.

When Jesus tells His apostles they are to follow Him to His Father’s house in heaven, the apostle Thomas asks, “We do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” Jesus responds, “I am the way and the truth and the life,” words which may have confused the apostles at first, but through the help of the Holy Spirit would provide strength, peace and joy for them in their trials to come. Two thousand years later, Jesus as the way, the truth and the life offers clarity on our journey, because He provides both the route and the preparation we need for our heavenly journey.

It is important to recognize that Jesus says He is “the way” and not “a way.” We hear St. Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, proclaiming: “There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved” (Acts 4:12). Jesus Christ is the way to salvation and eternal life. In Him alone we are saved.

Reflection on Jesus as “the way” bears much fruit, for it reveals the love He has for each of us and for His bride, the church. Jesus is the way to eternal life because He has redeemed us in our flesh and opened the gates of heaven for each of us. He is the way because our salvation comes through our encountering Him and His saving grace in the sacraments. Through His teaching, upheld by the church, Jesus provides the way of life that leads to the life He promises. Similarly, Jesus tells us He is “the truth,” so we know we can trust His teaching and His promises. He is the source of all truth, both revealed and scientific.

As Christians, we praise God for offering us not only the unimaginable gift of eternal life in heaven, but also the means of reaching that glorious destination in the only begotten Son of God — the way, the truth and the life. Let us ask Jesus for the enlightenment to always place our faith in the truth with which He guides us, especially in these times when so many of His teachings are attacked or diminished. Through His grace, we will follow His way with faithful perseverance, peace and joy.

Fr. Wagner is Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde’s secretary.

The Work of God

Year A - Fifth Sunday of Easter

I am the way, the truth and the life

John 14:1-12

1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me.
2 In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also.
4 And you know the way to the place where I am going."
5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?"
6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
7 If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him."
8 Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied."
9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works.
11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves.
12 Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. (NRSV)

Inspiration of the Holy Spirit - From the Sacred Heart of Jesus

I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.

I am the Way to your everlasting rest. Walk in my ways of humility, obedience, detachment, simplicity and Love.

I am the Truth, discover me in the light of my Word, search me in the Holy Scriptures, meet me in the Gospels, know me, the Truth, and I will set you free.

I am the Life. I am the Bread and Drink of Life. I am Emmanuel, God with you. Understand who it is that you are receiving in the Holy Eucharist, discern me and recognize your nothingness and my greatness.

I have come to give you life to the full. I love you all.

I am the Lord your God, your Master, the Way, the Truth and the Life. I have said that true worshippers will worship God in Spirit and in Truth because God is Spirit.

My child, I am the Way to the Father because my teachings are correct and continue to be correct in the Catholic Church.

I am the Truth, the only light that must shine in your life because I am your Salvation.
I am the Life of Creation. I am truly the life of the soul in my Sacramental Presence of the Holy Eucharist.

Worship me in Spirit, because my spirit dwells in you and prompts you to worship me. I am Love and I call you to love because this is how you adore me in truth: by loving me and by loving your neighbour.

Worship me in truth as you acknowledge and adore my Presence in you, because you have received me: body, blood, soul and divinity in the Holy Sacrament of my Covenant.

Be aware my child, there are many false voices spreading false doctrines and undermining the true faith that I left in my Church.

Beware of the many cults that could take you away from the true spiritual life that I have taught you.

Worship me in Spirit and in Truth, call on my Holy Name because I am your Salvation.

Jesus.

Author: Joseph of Jesus and Mary

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Readings at Mass

He is Risen! Truly Risen!

A blessed Eastertide to all!

Sunday Homily: You Are A Royal Priesthood

Fifth Sunday of Easter: Cycle A

Rome, May 16, 2014 (Zenit.org) Fr. Jason Mitchell LC |