Category: John

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Pentecost Sunday

The coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost draws a connection with the events of the Old Covenant.  Fifty days after the Passover lamb was sacrificed, Moses received the Law of God on Mt. Sinai.  Fifty days after Jesus’ resurrection, the New Law is given: the Holy Spirit.  The Spirit Himself is able to direct the lives of the baptized – the eyes of our heart are trained to fix themselves upon Him by our own acts of faith, hope and love.

This Spirit is none other than the Spirit of Jesus.  He is Jesus’ lasting gift to us, enabling us to be with Him forever – and already in this age.   This lasting gift takes the form of deep peace: burning away all anxiety and fear.  The worst fear we have to face is of the judgment beyond death.  The Spirit of God, a Spirit of forgiveness and peace brings us safely through that judgment and sets us on a mission to bring the grace of forgiveness to the world.  Jesus is the Word of peace, of forgiveness – the Word of the Father.  This Word abides in us and inspires us in the person of the Spirit.  The Spirit is the Witness, the Spirit unites us to the joy of God, the peace of eternal glory and victory. read more

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Friday of the Seventh Week of Easter

CHRYSOSTOM:

And so, Jesus entrusts to him primacy over his brothers. He does not bring up the denial, nor does he reproach him for what had taken place. Rather, he says, If you love me, preside over your brothers, and now show them the warmth of love that you have always shown and in which you rejoiced. And the life that you said you would lay down for me, now give for my sheep.

AUGUSTINE:

Peter made no other reply than that he loved him. The Lord asked no other question but whether he loved him. When Peter answered, our Lord did nothing else but entrust his sheep to him. read more

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Thursday of the Seventh Week of Easter

CHRYSOSTOM:

The Sadducees know of nothing incorporeal, perhaps not even God, so thick-headed are they. Consequently, they are also unwilling to believe that there is a resurrection.

Why didn’t [Jesus] appear to him before he fell into danger? Because, as always, it is in afflictions that God consoles. For then he appears more desirable, as he trains us even in the midst of dangers.

HILARY OF POITIERS:

[This passage] shows that since human beings cannot, so to speak, be fused back into God or themselves coalesce into one undistinguished mass, this oneness must arise from unity of will, as all perform actions pleasing to God and unite with one another in the harmonious agreement of their thoughts. Therefore, it is not nature that makes them one but will. read more