4th Week of Easter
1st Reading: Acts 1:15-17, 20-26
Peter stood up in the midst of the brothers and sisters (there was a group of about one hundred and twenty persons in the one place). He said, “My brothers and sisters, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand through the mouth of David, concerning Judas, who was the guide for those who arrested Jesus. Judas was numbered among us and was allotted a share in this ministry. For it is written in the Book of Psalms: Let his encampment become desolate, and may no one dwell in it. and: May another take his office. Therefore, it is necessary that one of the men who accompanied us the whole time the Lord Jesus came and went among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day on which he was taken up from us, become with us a witness to his resurrection.” So they proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. Then they prayed, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this apostolic ministry from which Judas turned away to go to his own place.” Then they gave lots to them, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was counted with the Eleven Apostles.
Gospel: Jn 15:9-17
Jesus said to his disciples: “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. “I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. This I command you: love one another.”
REMAIN IN MY LOVE: Today we celebrate the feast of St Matthias, one who was chosen to take the place of Judas among the Twelve. The sole criterion for this selection was that he was among those who were with Jesus right from the time He began his public ministry until the time He was taken up to heaven. Matthias was a witness to the resurrection of the Lord. Judas, on the other hand, left Jesus from the last supper into “the night” (Jn 13:30), never to return. Today, Jesus is inviting us to remain in his love. Discipleship is remaining in his love. And remaining in his love is intrinsically tied up with loving one another as He has loved us. He has loved us to the cross. We too ought to love one another up to the cross. A challenge we need to be open to, by His grace.
Prayer: Lord, help me experience your love so that I can also love my brothers and sisters.
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DIVINE EMPOWERMENT IN BELIEVING: To know is to be aware, and is to have the power that comes from knowledge. Knowing Jesus Christ is synonymous to knowing the Father. This is because they are one and Jesus perfectly manifests the Father in whatever he is and does. This knowledge is extended to those who believe in, and seek to know Jesus. Once true knowledge is realized, the disciples will be able to do even greater things. This is the promise of Jesus as he prepares to return to the Father leaving his disciples to continue his mission on earth. The disciples are Christ’s Church on earth, where each is called to play their part in the mission. Knowledge of the fullness of life in Jesus our Saviour propels every Christian forward into the joy and light of the Good News. When we pray in the name of Jesus we are not appealing to some magical powers; we are asking for something with the same mind and heart as Jesus, as we abide in him through the Spirit.
DAILY GOSPEL 