13 May
Mon 		7th Week of Easter
Acts 19:1-8
Ps. 68:2-3,4-5ac,6-7ab
Jn. 16:29-33
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The apostles were puzzled by the figurative language used by Jesus. He read their doubts and fears about the future and assured them of His protection, and help from the Holy Spirit. They replied: 'Now we know that you know all things . . . we believe you came from God'. Jesus warned them that their faith based merely on His knowing their thoughts, would fail in times of trial. They would abandon Him. However, Jesus was never alone; the Father was with Him.

Jesus did not scold the apostles for running away instead of standing by Him. He loved them as they were, with all their weaknesses. As if to forestall any despair they might have had for their cowardice, Jesus says (as it were): I know what's going to happen. Your disloyalty will not destroy my love. When you think about this afterwards, remember that I still love you. In me you will find peace.

The final words of Jesus' 'last discourse' also ring with divine power. The apostles would see the world do its worst to Jesus, and yet it would be conquered by His amazing love and forgiveness. They too could possess the courage and victory of Calvary.


Lord Jesus, by Your Cross and Resurrection help us to love and forgive one another as You love and forgive us.

DAILY OFFERING
Eternal Father, I offer You everything I do this day; my thoughts, words, joys and sufferings. Grant that, vivified by the Holy Spirit and united to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, my life this day may be of service to You and to others. I also pray that all those preparing for marriage discover in Sacrament the source of Christ's grace for living a fithful and fruitful love. Amen.

PRAYING WITH THE CHURCH
INTENTION
That Christians may live their faith coherently and so be credible witnesses of the hope of the Gospel
Elaboration

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P R A Y I N G    W I T H    T H E    C H U R C H    

INTENTION : That Christians may live their faith coherently and so be credible witnesses of the hope of the Gospel

That we may live a "coherent faith" that is a faith which produces the testimony of good works is the ecumenical intention of the Holy Father. In the Joint Declaration on the doctrine of justification signed between the Catholic Church and the World Lutheran Federation in 1999 it is stated that "only through grace, by means of faith in Christ and his salvific work, and not through any merit of ours, we are accepted by God and receive the Holy Spirit which renews our hearts, enabling us to perform and leading us to good works".

It has to be understood that no human effort is capable of buying salvation. It is fundamentally a gift of God for which we have a duty to respond and co-operate through "faith-in-action" or "practised faith".

Hence, the strengthening of one's inner faith through prayer and the sacraments will assist in the growth of charity which leads us to live the new commandment of love more fervently. Now is the time to look at charity in a new way. It is not a matter of doing the same thing in the same way. It is a time to seek and find new expressions of love for every human being. Then we become "credible witnesses of evangelical hope"



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