Without Christ, Without Direction
4th Sunday of Easter
“We are his people, the sheep of his flock.”Ps. 100
It’s quite understandable that Jesus wept over Jerusalem for not having welcomed the message that would lead them to peace, nor the messenger who came to be the way, the truth, and the life. Similarly, in another passage, He says He had compassion on them because they were wandering like sheep without a shepherd. Today, we see this reality more clearly than ever; every day we witness new madness, new foolishness invented and carried out by people who have no knowledge of God, as if they had no head or any sense at all.
This reminds us that we were expelled from paradise when we took the side of the devil, choosing to believe the devil over God. As a result, we suffer the dramatic consequences of being born with zero knowledge, with tendencies toward foolishness and every kind of sin, with the devil’s audacity to rebel against God and disobey Him as if we knew better than He does–so easily deceived by the devil and the world as we walk the path to hell, prepared for the devil and his angels (Mt 25:31), if we do not accept the path that Christ came to offer, which leads to salvation (Jn 14:6).
In other words, it’s not that God may condemn us–we are already condemned to the extent that we disobey Him and do not believe in Him as the way to salvation (Jn 3:18), for we are already on the path of condemnation, following the devil and choosing the path of disobedience that the devil took. The decision to receive or reject God’s salvation is in our hands, depending on whether we choose to listen to Him and follow Him or not. My sheep hear my voice and follow me.
“You say: ‘I am rich; I have prospered, and I need nothing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and ointment to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. I reprove and discipline those whom I love. Be earnest, therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant to sit with me on my throne…”Revelation 3:17
Jesus came to save us. He wants us to let Him in, to allow ourselves to be loved and saved by Him, to be part of His flock who hear His voice and follow Him, for He is the only way that can lead us to eternal life. We should not trust our human foolishness, which thinks one thing one day and another the next, from its partial knowledge. He deserves our complete trust. The more we obey Him, the less we will suffer and the better we will live—even now—His kingdom of love, joy, and peace within ourselves.
Retreat, Explained!
Spiritual retreats are an act of removing oneself from one’s daily life for a period of prayer and reflection, with the intent of returning to that daily life transformed.
It was Christ himself who was the greatest and earliest advocate of spiritual retreat. In the Gospels, he is constantly depicted as withdrawing from other people to be alone in prayer. Likewise, participants in a modern retreat most often go somewhere like a retreat center to seek silence, solitude and communion with God. There are many different varieties of retreats; they can be guided and take place in a group setting, or they can be undertaken alone by just one person. Some are focused on a specific topic or theme; some are defined by periods of total silence. Though clerics are compelled by canon law to go on retreat regularly, all faithful are encouraged to make retreat part of their spiritual life.
Prayer for Mothers
Heavenly Father,
from the beginning you have chosen to entrust the human person to mothers in a special way.
We thank and praise you for the gift of mothers; for their tenderness, care, and compassion, for their intuition and encouragement, for commitment and sacrifice.
Bless all mothers this day. Keep, strengthen, and refresh them in your loving care.
May they be blessed by our open-hearted love and gratitude.
Amen.
Weekly Readings
Sunday: Acts 13:14, 43-52/Ps 100:1-2, 3, 5 (3c)/Rv 7:9, 14b-17/Jn 10:27-30
Monday: Acts 11:1-18/Ps 42:2-3; 43:3, 4/Jn 10:1-10
Tuesday: Acts 11:19-26/Ps 87:1b-3, 4-5, 6-7/Jn 10:22-30
Wednesday: Acts 1:15-17, 20-26/Ps 113:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8/Jn 15:9-17
Thursday: Acts 13:13-25/Ps 89:2-3, 21-22, 25 and 27/Jn 13:16-20
Friday: Acts 13:26-33/Ps 2:6-7, 8-9, 10-11ab/Jn 14:1-6
Saturday: Acts 13:44-52/Ps 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4/Jn 14:7-14
Next Sunday: Acts 14:21-27/Ps 145:8-9, 10-11, 12-13 (see 1)/Rv 21:1-5a/Jn 13:31-33a, 34-35
Observances for the Week
Sunday: 4th Sunday of Easter; World Day of Prayer for Vocations; Mother’s Day
Monday: Sts. Nereus and Achilleus, Martyrs; St. Pancras, Martyr
Tuesday: Our Lady of Fatima
Wednesday: St. Matthias, Apostle
Thursday: St. Isidore
Saturday: Armed Forces Day
Next Sunday: 5th Sunday of Easter
