The Lord gives us eternal life, and as we focus on Heaven we have the opportunity to live for the Lord here on earth. We are pilgrims passing through this world, and all that we say and do is guided by the simple fact that this life is homework to prepare us for the life to come.
Mass Readings – Tuesday of the 4th Week of Easter
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Study: Recall a time in life when you were disconnected from God. What helped you restore your relationship with Christ?
Pray: How can you grow closer to the Lord today? What spiritual resources, sacraments, or fellowship can help you thrive?
Serve: Who in your life is disconnected right now? How can you reach out and help them?
Mass Readings – 5th Sunday of Easter
The relationship between vine an branches is simple: the branches, connected to the vine, draw their strength and nourishment from it. Cut off, they die.
Raising grapes and making wine were crucial at the time of Jesus (and still important today) and this gardening image provides a powerful insight in two crucial aspects of human life.
As branches connected to Christ, we draw the grace we need from the Lord. It’s his death and resurrection that gives us life; his forgiveness that restores our relationships with God and one another; and his power that we call upon when we confront the obstacles and stumbling blocks in the world. Our lives, dependent on Christ, thrive with his life within us – in the Scriptures, the Sacraments, private prayer, and fellowship with one another.
Yet we also serve as sources of support for others, and the strength of our relationship with God directs our ability to recognize and respond to others. We cannot give what we don’t have, and as we support one another we pass on the grace we receive from Christ and share it with those we meet. Who are these key people who look to us? Some examples:
Our lives are interconnected! Drawing strength from Christ – the central vine – we thrive; his strength in turn becomes the power which we extend into the hearts of those whose lives touch our own.
Today: draw near to Jesus and allow his love to fill our hearts! May we pour his love into the lives of each and every soul we meet!
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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
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Note: This post was originally published on May 3, 2015.
The Good Shepherd offers his life for the care and protection of the sheep. The Lord’s example inspires us: God calls us – in spite of our imperfections and weaknesses – to care and protect those entrusted to us. May we call upon the Shepherd for what we need as we continue his service in the world.
Mass Readings – 4th Sunday of Easter
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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
The crowds find the teaching of Jesus too hard, and many who followed him now leave and go back to their former ways. Rejection does not stop us from proclaiming the Good News; rather, it reminds us that people have the freedom to choose their path. May we keep inviting them to follow the Lord!
Mass Readings – Saturday of the 3rd Week of Easter
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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
The Lord teaches the people that those who eat His flesh and drink His blood have eternal life. May our frequent reception of Holy Communion strengthen us with God’s grace in the messiness of life and inspire us to live for Jesus Christ.
Mass Readings – Friday of the 3rd Week of Easter
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Jesus teaches the crowds that he is the “Bread of Life” that came down from Heaven. Whoever eats this bread will never hunger again. May we draw near to the one who feeds us so that strengthened by the Lord we can share His life with one another.
Mass Readings – Thursday of the 3rd Week of the Year
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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
Jesus states that he is “the Bread of Life” and when we draw near to Him we will never hunger nor thirst again. We need this spiritual nourishment to grow and thrive in this life…and in preparation for the next.
Mass Readings – Tuesday of the 3rd Week of Easter
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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
Study: How have I responded to rejection in my life? What has given me strength?
Pray: What challenges do I need to set before the Lord today?
Serve: Who is struggling with rejection in my life? How can I help and support another?
Mass Readings – 4th Sunday of Easter
At first glance these readings seem to be a jumble: what do stones have to do with shepherds? How are they connected to the person of Jesus Christ?
A quick overview might look like this:
What we discover points to Jesus as the Lord who has encountered rejection and triumphs through his saving sacrifice. The power he has comes from the Father, who sent his Son to save us, even when we didn’t understand. What’s more, God keeps reaching out to us – breaking through our ignorance, weakness and sin – to build a bridge that leads us to new life.
God comes to us, in our need, to save and set us free.
The invitation today is one of acceptance. Will we embrace the Good News of Christ? Will we respond to the faith, hope, and love of the Gospel and allow our lives to be touched by God’s blessing? Is there anything blocking me from reaching out to the Lord?
In the light of Easter glory I would like to suggest some possibilities for spiritual growth:
Thus, the path which the Lord walked becomes our own. Our spiritual compass – pointed toward Jesus Christ, inspires us to stay the course even when we are mistreated and misunderstood. Like the shepherd and the stone, we can face rejection with the promise of hope – for we draw strength from the one who triumphed in his struggles to bring triumph to our lives.
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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
One of the hallmarks of the Early Church was the transformation that took place in the hearts of the disciples. Standing before the Risen Lord, they were freed from the fear of sin and death as they opened their hearts to the power of repentance. Their example inspires us to call upon God for the grace we need every day to walk in the light His love.
Mass Readings – 3rd Sunday of Easter
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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
As the early Church began to grow new ministries were called for as needs were discerned. This is how the Church continues to thrive today: we recognize the need, call forth the people and are guided by key principles to direct our effort. Now get to work!
Mass Readings – Saturday of the 2nd Week of Easter
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Catholic Inspiration – Podcast Archives of Homilies & Talks
Three Great Things 