Making Friends With The Lord Jesus

The Gospel of today tells us several things. First, Jesus spent more time, effort, and resources in training those who would speak and preach in His Name. How can we be good instruments of God's Word if we do not train ourselves more deeply. Then, Jesus reveals His coming Passion, Death and Resurrection. This is very much part of Jesus' life. Hence, we should not be shocked

The Church that Jesus founded was born yesterday Pentecost Sunday. But the Church as the Bride of Christ was born when Jesus died on the cross. To make sure Jesus had died, a soldier pierced his side with a lance. He withdrew that lance and out came blood and water. These two came to symbolize the two great sacraments that build the Church, namely, Baptism and the Holy Eucharist be

Pentecost means 50. In other words, fifty days after the resurrection of Jesus, the Holy Spirit descended upon the group of His followers in a bigger room adjacent to the cenacle they used for the Last Supper of Our Lord. As the scriptures narrate, the Holy Spirit descended on them under the appearance of tongues of fire. There was an antecedent strong wind that shook the dwelling.

Jesus is asked by Peter about what would happen to John, the youngest of the Apostles. Jesus had prophesied how Peter would die. Jesus tells Peter that he need not be concern about the future of John. He emphasized that Peter should simply follow Him. This shows us how we need to look at ourselves in front of God. We have been created as unique human beings. This means that there w

Jesus asks St. Peter whether he loved Him more than the others did. He replies in the affirmative. Jesus repeats this questions two more times, saddening Peter because He asked him this for the third time. While Peter always replies in the affirmative, Jesus tells Him to take care of His sheep since he was going to be occupying a governing position in the Church. This is what we ne

Jesus stresses the point of unity in His prayer to His Father. In fact, He assigns it so much importance that it signifies that the one possessing it is from God. Without it or lack of it would be a sure sign that God is not behind us wherever we may be. People need not believe us because we simply are at loggerheads with others in our church.

Today's Gospel tells us about Jesus' prayer to His Father that we all be one, as He and His Father are one. Unity is an essential attribute of God. There is only One God. Also, in God there is only one Divine Nature. There are three Persons in one God. Three Persons, not three gods. There can only be one God or one Divine Nature. Jesus prayed that we all be one as they are

Tossing lots was a Jewish custom. A fortuitous event was believed to show God's Will, as long as there was no manipulation by man. St. Matthias became an apostle because the lot fell on him. It was not because he was better than anyone one else. This way of determining God's will simply humbles us when we receive an office like Matthias. It is not because we are better than

This valley of tears that we all need to traverse is part of God's plan. The discomforts here should help us aspire for the definitive life in Heaven, where there is all perfection with God. There will be no more need for creatures to satisfy us. Heaven will satiate us without any cloying.

Several things should come to mind when we recall her apparitions to three shepherd children. There is God. God is offended by man's sins. We need to do penance, a lot of penance. God's victory in the end is assured.