The Catholic Calendar for Friday, May 7, 2004
Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter

Scripture from Friday’s Liturgy of the Word:
Acts 13:26-33
Psalm 2:6-11
John 14:1-6

A reflection on today’s Sacred Scripture:

The Scripture readings after Easter reveal the explosive nature of the Christian religion. For centuries, Judaism had been an exclusive Covenant between God and Abraham, God and David, and God and His people. The risen Jesus challenged his Apostles to preach a revolutionary message, then empowered them to action. As a result, these weak and shaky followers were transformed into bold and courageous messengers of the Word. Having been shocked themselves into belief, they in turn shock and challenge their Jewish brothers and sisters to alter their convictions to include Jesus in the line of prophets, and, even more, to profess Him to be their Lord and Savior, equal to God, the Son of God.

Although most of us are “born” into belief, we must still, after many years in the Faith, act as newborns, always eager to adapt our thought concerning our world picture, expand our hearts to include more and more brothers and sisters, and speed up our activity in applying our new vision with ever-more fervent hearts.

Jesus never said it would be easy to be His follower. He said exactly the opposite. Are we willing to do it with alacrity, enthusiasm and joy? Let us pray for that grace today.

- Msgr. Paul E. Whitmore
(smartins at twcny dot rr dot com)

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posted by joachim at 4:07 AM