The Catholic Calendar for Friday, May 12, 2006
The Fourth Week of Easter
Sts. Nereus, Achilleus, Pancras, martyrs

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

A reflection on today's Scripture. . . .

"I am the way, the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)

The theme of today's readings is "conversion," a heartfelt change of attitude that allows man to see his sin and need for God's forgiveness and Christ's saving power. This is made evident in our first reading in which Paul (Saul) speaks of how Jesus was betrayed and how His death and resurrection indicated that He, indeed, was the Israelites' awaited Messiah. This was a radical conversion, for last week's reading saw him working to destroy Christ's Church. The risen Jesus then confronted him and he was struck blind by the brilliant vision of Christ's glorified body. Through Ananias, God restored both his physical and spiritual sight and enabled him to become a powerful witness of Christ especially to the Gentiles.

Conversion in the Christian life is a gradual and ongoing process that reveals God's truth and love and deepens our knowledge of Him and of ourselves. It is prayer that gives this process its impetus. By reading chapter 14 in John's Gospel entirely, we see such a step being taken by the Apostles. Jesus is preparing them for His death; but though He must depart from them, He will not leave them orphaned. He will send them His Holy Spirit to strengthen them and remind them of all He, the living Word of God, had taught them.

We learn too that those who have come to know Jesus also know the Father, since the two are actually one; then, joined together by the Holy Spirit they are the One True God who has chosen to manifest Himself in three distinct Persons. True believers, those who actually live in the love and truth revealed to us by Jesus, will be indwelt by the Trinity. As the grace of God works in us, with our cooperation, our souls are transformed (converted) in the image of Christ. It is our task to make Him (God) visible in this world by sharing with others His healing love and His freeing truth as revealed and given to us by Jesus.

Father of Christ our Lord, attune our minds and hearts to recognize Your Son's voice. May we then walk this changing and uncertain path of life with fearless faith and trust in You. Amen.

- Marie Bocko, OCDS
(mlbocko at earthlink dot net)