Thankyou. And so true. My love for Jesus is growing literally by the day. "Jesus, I love and trust in You."
I find it interesting that it's greed that motivates both sons but with the father it's unconditional love.
Mondays Gospel Reading. Please share what this means to you. I love reading others points of view, sometimes it can be the light I am looking for. John 4:43-54 Jesus Heals an Official’s Son 43 After the two days he left for Galilee. 44 (Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country.) 45 When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, for they also had been there. 46 Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. 47 When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death. 48 “Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.” 49 The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” 50 “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.” The man took Jesus at his word and departed. 51 While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. 52 When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.” 53 Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and his whole household believed. 54 This was the second sign Jesus performed after coming from Judea to Galilee.
Jane...verse 48 sticks out to me. Unfortunately I am too consumed with seeing signs and wonders to believe. At least to believe deeply. It's like Jesus was looking right at me walking on the path with Him when he said this.
I really need to get off this computor.. But, what you said. How often do you feel as if Father is talking directly to you during his Homily? You'd swear that he knows what you've been up to. What one person get out of a reading can be so different to another. Isn't it wonderful to share?
I am also very skeptical so I am not easily taken in by the signs and wonders. I am probably too skeptical. I push aside too many small signs that seem to be clear graces.
So I am a strange bird. I am too consumed with needing signs and wonders to believe yet even when I get them I am too skeptical...haha.
Before I look at the Monday Gospel you posted, I had one more thought on the prodigal son. As I mentioned before, it is my belief that this is nothing less than the whole story of our fall, and of His plan of salvation and Grace for mankind. Many of us can tend to put ourselves in the position of the older brother, if we start comparing ourselves with "sinners" (unrepentant sinners I suppose, since it would be wrong not to include ourselves with the sinners). We want to imagine judgement day, and how we will feel when last minute conversions occur, in contrast to "a life of faith" that we presume to live... I think this is not who we are. We are ALL the lost son. Not one of us are the older brother. We are ALL in exile here. Some of us receive more light, and with it comes more responsibility. Some receive less light, and we should not judge. We do not know the temptations others have known. Did Jesus choose souls like Saint Faustina because of how meritorious she was? Did she have much more light than us because she deserved it more? I think most of us have read enough lives of saints to know the answer. No. We are not the older brother. We would ALL remain here in exile without the father running out to meet us the moment we turned back toward Him. In fact, I think the older brother represents part of the order of creation that never fell, thus was never in exile. Part of the angelic order, I think.
It is bad theology, probably, but often I think the more we sin the more He loves us. It seems that way anyway.
It really isn't bad theology if we understand that His Love, as it manifests for us here in exile, IS Mercy. Therefore when we pray "...especially those who have most need of Thy Mercy", we could insert "Thy Love" and it would mean the same. No, we don't want to reject His Mercy, and give ourselves over to sin and unrepentance, but God enters time and space in this world and state of our exile, as Mercy incarnate, in Jesus Christ. So when he desired to express, through the Divine Mercy revelation, the depth if His nature, and the limitlessness of His Mercy, He DID say that the greatest of sinners had priority over access to His Mercy....because they are "those who have most need" of His Mercy. ...A lot like the story of your mother and your brother.
Don't feel bad Jimmyiz... I'm the same way. I pray to the Holy Spirit for the grace to determine the answer to a question and then I'll read a scripture verse or hear from someone, which could very well be my answer but I have a hard time trusting that I am getting the answer to my question. I have trust issues.
I have met many people who have great difficulty in accepting His great love for us on the cross.. and I would count myself among them.. Sometimes I think I am responding to that love but sooner or later realise I have a self centered motive behind my good intention.. I think I have found a way around it though.. I offer all my responses to Our Lady and ask her to purify them before presenting them to Jesus.. I only hope she has something left to present when she has all the corners knocked off
As long as we keep trying to respond to that love. They say the just man falls 7 times a day.. .. But the point is to keep trying, to keep responding to His love, that is... to contemplate His love for us, and then to love others like that.. YIKES!! But we can do it... one step at a time.
Our time is 14 hours ahead of New York. So when I post this in my afternoon, I know you are still the evening before. Tuesdays Gospel. Jesus is still being accused of 'working on the Sabbath.' But what I thought to be sad, was the man who said he has "no man to put him in the pool." Why wouldn't anyone help? Where was a friend? John 5:1-3 5-16 5 After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Hebrew called Beth-za′tha,[a] which has five porticoes. 3 In these lay a multitude of invalids, blind, lame, paralyzed.[b] 5 One man was there, who had been ill for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him and knew that he had been lying there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” 7 The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is troubled, and while I am going another steps down before me.” 8 Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your pallet, and walk.” 9 And at once the man was healed, and he took up his pallet and walked. Now that day was the sabbath. 10 So the Jews said to the man who was cured, “It is the sabbath, it is not lawful for you to carry your pallet.” 11 But he answered them, “The man who healed me said to me, ‘Take up your pallet, and walk.’” 12 They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your pallet, and walk’?” 13 Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. 14 Afterward, Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse befall you.” 15 The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. 16 And this was why the Jews persecuted Jesus, because he did this on the sabbath.
WEDNESDAY'S GOSPEL Jesus tells me everything in the Gospel readings. I need to read Gospel readings more than once in the day, this way it becomes clearer. Mary said in Cana "Do whatever He tells you." John 5:17-30 17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working still, and I am working.” 18 This was why the Jews sought all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the sabbath but also called God his own Father, making himself equal with God. 19 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever he does, that the Son does likewise. 20 For the Father loves the Son, and shows him all that he himself is doing; and greater works than these will he show him, that you may marvel. 21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. 22 The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me, has eternal life; he does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. 25 “Truly, truly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself, 27 and has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of man. 28 Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment. 30 “I can do nothing on my own authority; as I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.
THURSDAY'S GOSPEL 5: 31-46 Testimonies About Jesus 31"If I testify about myself, my testimony is not valid.32There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony about me is valid.33"You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth.34Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved.35John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light.36"I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the very work that the Father has given me to finish, and which I am doing, testifies that the Father has sent me.37And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form,38nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent.39You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me,40yet you refuse to come to me to have life.41"I do not accept praise from men,42but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts.43I have come in my Father's name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him.44How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God ?45"But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set.46If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me.47But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?"
With all the talk of false prophecy. Can I suggest you forget them for a moment, and fill your minds with truths. Jesus is the truth and the light. What does these words of Jesus mean to you?
Today was another day I wish I could have recorded Father's Homily. He said something about recognising Jesus being loving, kind and merciful. But many people rather see Him as someone who wants to punish us. Father said if you don't see Jesus is all good, you commit a terrible sin. Jesus said in the Gospel, speaks of how we listen to others (false prophets) but not Him...... 43"I have come in my Father's name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him.44How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God ?"
Due to not having my car available, I couldn't go to Mass this morning. It doesn't happen very often, but when it does, my day feels as if something is missing. Not everyone can go to daily mass. So I'm happy to share the days Gospel reading and hear other peoples thoughts on it. Sadly, today I don't have Fathers influence with the homily. Last week Jesus was talking about forgiveness. This week He seems to want us to recognise Him, the true Christ. John 7: 1 - 2, 10, 25 - 30 1 After this Jesus went about in Galilee; he would not go about in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill him. 2 Now the Jews' feast of Tabernacles was at hand. 10 But after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly but in private. 25 Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, "Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? 26 And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ? 27 Yet we know where this man comes from; and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from." 28 So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, "You know me, and you know where I come from? But I have not come of my own accord; he who sent me is true, and him you do not know. 29 I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me." 30 So they sought to arrest him; but no one laid hands on him, because his hour had not yet come.
