Fifth Sunday of Easter

May is the Month of Mary, Dedicated to Devotion to the Blessed Mother

In other years: Saint John Beverley (-721); Blessed Albert of Bergamo, OP (1214-1279)

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Prologue 39-44

Mass: Acts 6:1-7; Resp Ps 33; 1 Pt 2:4-9; Jn 14:1-12

Praise from the upright is fitting.

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL,

MARY, CAUSE OF OUR JOY,

MARY, GATE OF HEAVEN,

OUR LADY OF FATIMA,

PRAY FOR US.

I am the true vine and you are the branches, says the Lord.

Whoever remains in me, and I in him, bears fruit in plenty.

Alleluia.

(Communion Antiphon, Mass)

Welcome to the Fifth Sunday of Easter. It occurred to me during mediation this morning that these little reflections are really just pep talks for myself that I pass on to you. There is strength in numbers you know. ☺ For where two or three are gathered in Jesus' name, there He is in the midst of them (see Mt 18:20). 

With today's Communion Antiphon in mind and heart, there is certainly no reason to let your hearts be troubled. As Jesus tells us, You have faith in God; have faith in me also (Jn 14:1). Jesus is the way and the truth and the life (Jn 14:6). Follow Him, cling to Him, the true vine, just as the branches of the glorious flowering tree in today's photo cling to the stem. I mow around this beauty so am quite familiar with the strength of it. It is easy to get overwhelmed with the daily and not keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. And in so many situations in which we find ourselves, understandable, especially for those with family, work, community, and social responsibilities, or a combination of all of them. Jesus is in the Father and will lead you to Him. Believe in Jesus, do the works that He does, and yes, you will do greater ones than even He did. After all, the Lord has called us out of darkness into His wonderful light (see 1 Pt 2:9). Practically speaking, we can turn to the wisdom of loved by many Father Paschal Cheline, OSB (1926-2015), who said, "One definition of heroic virtue is just to continue doing what is asked of us in our state in life over a sustained period of time." Or perhaps more colloquially, keep going! And you just never know how many more will become obedient to the faith (see Acts 6:7). With the grace of God, we go forth. 

And lastly, as is now a weekly custom, I pass along a few voices for the week. United in faith and prayer, "what is not possible to us by nature, let us ask the Lord to supply by the help of His grace ... we must run and do now what will profit us forever ... as we progress in this way of life and in faith, we shall run on the path of God's commandments, our hearts overflowing with the inexpressible delight of love" (Rule of Saint Benedict, Prologue 41, 44, 49).

God loves us, insignificant as we are. Indeed, the smaller and more insignificant we feel, the more He loves us. He loves each one, adapting Himself, so to speak, to each personality. In heaven, John is John and Peter is Peter, sanctified, Christ-like, and yet still each himself. Our Master wants us there with all that is good in us, all that makes us truly ourselves, unchanged; only the sinfulness, what is unchildlike, is to fall away ...

(Father Bonaventure Perquin, OP, d. 1970)

Only God knows the good that can come about by reading one good Catholic book.

(Saint John Bosco, 1815-1888)

Things were in God's plan which I had not planned at all. I am coming to the living faith and conviction that - from God's point of view - there is no chance (coincidence in life) and that the whole of my life, down to every detail, has been mapped out in God's Divine Providence and makes complete and perfect sense in God's all-seeing eyes.

(Saint Edith Stein/Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, 1891-1942)

Whether or not our prayer is heard depends not on the number of words, but on the fervor of our souls.

(Saint John Chrysostum, 347-407)

Prayer is ...

 "a holy familiarity, a sacred union of a human being with God. It is in prayer that He imparts Himself to the souls He loves, that He deals with them in secret, that He speaks with them heart to heart. It is in these times [of prayer] that He fills them with His favors, that He keeps nothing back from them, and that He takes pleasure in making them feel, by the ineffable outpourings of His trust and love, the effect and fulfillment of these words of the prophet: 'My delight is to be with the children of men' (Pr 8:31)."

(Armand-Jean le Bouthillier de Rance, 1626-1700)

Do not be troubled if you do not immediately receive from God what you ask Him; for He desires to do something even greater for you, while you cling to Him in prayer.

(Evagrius Ponticus, 345-399)

Contemplative prayer [oracion mental] in my opinion is nothing else than a close sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with Him who we know loves us.

(Saint Teresa of Avila, 1515-1582)

Contemplatives know that if they have God they will have everything that is good. Rather than focusing on anything on particular, they concentrate on God alone. Let God's grace help you do the best you can with this. Think only of God. Seek nothing other than God ...

in contemplation, there are no limits. Engage in it tirelessly for the rest of your life.

(The Cloud of Unknowing, late 14th century)

Judging others, pronouncing them good or bad, is God's business. We may evaluate behavior, but not the person.

(The Cloud of Unknowing, late 14th century)

Kindness is free. Sprinkle that stuff everywhere.

(Anonymous)

SAINT JOHN BEVERLEY,

BLESSED ALBERT OF BERGAMO,

BLESSED CHRISTIAN DE CHERGE,

BLESSED CATHERINE OF SAINT AUGUSTINE,

BLESSED JOHN SULLIVAN,

BLESSED ALOYSIUS RABATA,

BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, MEDIATRIX,

SAINT GEORGE PRECA,

SAINT JOHN OF AVILA,

SAINT DAMIAN OF MOLOKAI,

SAINT COMGALL,

SAINT ANTONIUS OF FLORENCE, OP,

THE CARTHUSIAN MARTYRS,

SAINTS NEREUS AND ACHILLEUS,

SAINT PANCRAS,

BLESSED JANE OF PORTUGAL, OP,

SAINT ERCONWALD,

BLESSED IMELDA LAMBERTINI, OP,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: All His works are certainly trustworthy. 

© Gertrude Feick 2023