Tuesday 16 May
Tuesday of the 6th week of Eastertide First reading - Acts 16:22-34 “Late that night Paul and Silas were praying and singing God’s praises, while the other prisoners listened... All the doors flew open and the chains fell from all the prisoners.” Singing praises in a prison itself is a great act of faith. Faith in the Lord who is the Savior. Faith in the Lord who has a plan for everything. Faith in the Lord who transforms everything for good. Again, we see that the prison doors were opened, and the chains fell. This is what happens when you praise the Lord in the faith mentioned. When we sing praises with faith we will be liberated from our prisons and chains. Prisons and chains of fear, of sins and of our egoism. We will be liberated. We will have freedom of the sons and daughters of God. But there is something more. They are liberated so that they can preach the gospel. They were liberated but they did not run out because they were waiting for the gaoler to come. They wanted to preach the Good News to him, and he was converted along with all his family. Our liberation is for preaching the Gospel. Sing praises with faith for liberation and with liberation we can preach the Gospel. Let’s reflect: Am I able to sing praises in faith which liberates me to become a missionary?
Monday 15 May
Monday of the 6th week of Eastertide First reading - Acts 16:11-15 “She listened to us, and the Lord opened her heart to accept what Paul was saying”. How beautiful! We must aspire that this happens in us. From her part, Lydia was listening to the Word of God. We must listen to the Word of God like Lydia. When we have disposition, the Lord will also open our heart. We must listen with complete docility to the Word of God. The Word of God will open our heart. Often, we listen to the Word of God to hear that which substantiates our way of life or our actions. We don’t let the Word of God decide our actions. We must listen with complete openness to the Word of God and then the Word of God will open our heart. Let’s reflect: Am I listening to the Word of God with complete docility that it can open our heart?
Sunday 14 May
6th Sunday of Easter St Matthias, Apostle First reading - Acts 8:5-8,14-17 “they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit”. Faith in Jesus Christ must be confirmed with the Holy Spirit. Here we find the importance of the sacrament of Confirmation. In Baptism we are reborn with the life of Christ. But the life we received in the sacrament of Baptism must be animated by the Holy Spirit when we face choices in our life. And the Holy Spirit strengthens us in our decisions. And it’s important to cultivate a devotion and relationship to the Holy Spirit who accompanies us from the moment of our Confirmation. This devotion and relationship can be cultivated by turning to the Holy Spirit more often possible as a source of inspiration and strength. Let’s reflect: How often I turn to Holy Spirit for strength?
Saturday 13 May
Saturday of the 5th week of Eastertide Our Lady of Fátima First reading - Acts 16:1-10 “but as the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them, they went through Mysia and came down to Troas”. This is very interesting. Whatever we do for the Gospel, whatever we plan for the Gospel, the final answer is from the Holy Spirit. We may have very good ideas, but it’s the Spirit of Jesus which should prevail. All the things we cannot do. All the best ideas we cannot accomplish. All the great ideas we cannot implement. Because it’s not our Spirit which allows us to accomplish or to implement but it’s the Spirit of Jesus which gives us the choice. There are things which the Spirit of Jesus would not allow. So, they took a different direction. This is what is important. When the Spirit of Jesus prevents a relation, a route a direction, we must leave it. We must leave it and take a different direction. We must accept the Spirit of Jesus more than our choices. We must accept the Spirit of Jesus more than our desires. Let’s reflect: Am I listening of the Spirit of Jesus or just my selfish interest?