April 30, 2023
So Jesus said again, “Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep.
Jesus is the Good Shepherd who keeps all his sheep safely together. He is also the gate through which we enter into this community of his followers.
April 29, 2023
Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”
Jesus is the Holy One of God. He is the only one who can sanctify us in truth by his words and his life.
April 28, 2023
Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.
Jesus is our Life. The Father has shared everything with him and he has shared everything with us including the gift of life both now and forever.
April 27, 2023
Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me. Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father.
Jesus is the one who has seen the Father. Because the Father and Jesus are united, the Father draws us to Jesus and Jesus shows us the Father.
April 26, 2023
Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me.
Jesus is someone who welcomes everyone who comes to him. He desires to give life to us even though this means that he will give up his own life.
April 25, 2023
But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.
Jesus is our fellow worker. He calls us to work to spread the Gospel but he doesn’t make us do this work alone. He accompanies us and gives us all that we need to share the Good News with every creature.
April 24, 2023
Other boats came from Tiberias near the place where they had eaten the bread when the Lord gave thanks.
Jesus is grateful. He gives thanks to his Father for all that he is and all that he has received. Being grateful is now made easier for us through the gift of the Eucharist which means thanksgiving. We now share in the thanksgiving of Jesus himself.
April 23, 2023
Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the Scriptures.
Jesus is the explanation of the Scriptures and the reason for them. Without a real encounter with Jesus, the Scriptures do not make sense. With Jesus, they become living and effective.
April 22, 2023
They wanted to take him into the boat, but the boat immediately arrived at the shore to which they were heading.
Jesus is our destination. When we have him with us, we are where we want to be.
April 21, 2023
So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat.
Jesus can transform all this things. Today he transforms a little into a lot, the disciples into servants and the hungry into the satisfied. He can take whatever we have, whatever we are and even whatever we lack and turn it into something miraculous.
April 20, 2023
“But the one who comes from heaven is above all. He testifies to what he has seen and heard.”
Jesus is the one who can tell us about Heaven. He has seen and heard everything about Eternal Life and has been sent by his Father to guide us home.
April 19, 2023
But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.
Jesus is the light that lights up the dark and broken places in order to heal them. If we come toward Jesus, his light shows us what to change and how to change it.
April 18, 2023
“If I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man.”
Jesus is the one who can tell us about Heavenly things. He came from God and existed always in the presence of his Heavenly Father. Therefore his words are “Spirit and life” and guide us to our Heavenly home.
April 17, 2023
“Amen, amen, I say to you, unless one is born from above, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
Jesus is the one who is from above. Yet he reaches down in mercy to our littleness and gives us new birth through the Holy Spirit. We must now seek the things that are above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Jesus lives now to make intercession for us. This should be a great source of hope for us.
April 16, 2023 Divine Mercy Sunday
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”
Jesus is Mercy. Jesus shows mercy to his disciples by trusting them with his mission even after they abandoned him on Good Friday. He dispels all their fear with his Peace by giving them the gift of the Holy Spirit. He not only forgives their sins but now gives them the power to forgive the sins of others. Jesus wants them to become the Mercy of God in the world.
April 15, 2023 Easter Saturday
He said to them, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.”
Jesus is a mission giver. He now wants us to carry on his Father’s work which is the salvation of the whole world. We must proclaim the good news that Jesus has risen and is alive to everything and everyone in the world even to the inanimate world. We preach the Gospel by our lives which should show forth the very person of Jesus.
April 14, 2023 Easter Friday
Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.”
Jesus is a wonderful provider. Not only did he show the disciples how to make a great catch of fish, he has prepared breakfast for them before they even arrive on shore. He shows us what to do, helps us to do it, provides everything that we need from the beginning to the end.
April 13, 2023 Easter Thursday
He stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
Jesus is our peace. When our lives seem very troubled, we should fix our eyes on Jesus who says to us as he said to the disciples, “Peace be with you.” This peace is a Heavenly peace that is the very life of the Trinity. Once we receive the peace of Jesus, we can give it to everyone we meet.
April 12, 2023 Easter Wednesday
Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.
Jesus is the unrecognized one. We go about our lives paying attention to our own thought and ideas. Meanwhile Jesus, our hope, walks by our side.
April 11, 2023 Easter Tuesday
She thought it was the gardener.
Jesus is the Gardener. Mary Magdalene is not entirely mistaken. Jesus created this world, redeemed it and watches over it with care. He wants to walk with us in this new and eternal garden.
April 10, 2023 Easter Monday
“Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”
Jesus is our Brother. He has experienced our life and our death and is now able to guide us to Eternal Life.
April 9, 2023 Easter Sunday
If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
Jesus is the one seated at the right hand of God. If you lift your thoughts up to him, then you too will appear with him in glory.
April 8, 2023 Holy Saturday
He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said.
Jesus is the Risen One. Alleluia!
April 7, 2023 Good Friday
Because he surrendered himself to death and was counted among the wicked; and he shall take away the sins of many, and win pardon for their offenses.
Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
April 6, 2023 Holy Thursday
He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end.
Jesus loves to the end. He takes the dirt of our sins upon himself. In exchange for our sins, he gives us his Body and Blood. He does not keep anything for himself.
April 5, 2023
“Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”
Jesus is the one who is betrayed. Yet he is always faithful.
April 4, 2023
“Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.”
Jesus is glorified. His Father has raised him up as someone worthy of all honor and praise.
April 3, 2023
Six days before Passover Jesus came to Bethany.
Jesus is a friend. He is the best friend because although he knows our hearts he still loves us.
April 2, 2023
And they placed over his head the written charge against him: This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.
Jesus is our King. He is a King who serves his people by giving them his life.
April 1, 2023
But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.
Jesus is the one who dies for the people. Even for the people who plot his death.