COURAGE! DO NOT BE AFRAID

PRAYER TO OBTAIN THE GRACE OF ALL WORLD’S MASSES: IT IS I COURAGE

Eternal Father we humbly offer thee our poor presence and that of the whole humanity from the beginning to the end of the world at all the masses that ever have or ever will be prayed. We offer thee all the pains, suffering, prayers, sacrifices, joy and relaxations of our lives in union with those of our dear Lord Jesus here on earth.

May the Most Precious Blood of Christ, all his blood and wounds and agony save us through the sorrowful and immaculate Heart of Mary. Amen St. Philomena pray for us. Readings Lecture Reflection St John Neumann

First Reading 1 John 4:11-18

As long as we love one another, God’s love will be complete in us

My dear people, since God has loved us so much, we too should love one another. No one has ever seen God; but as long as we love one another God will live in us and his love will be complete in us.

We can know that we are living in him and he is living in us because he lets us share his Spirit. We ourselves saw and we testify that the Father sent his Son as saviour of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him, and he in God.

We ourselves have known and put our faith in God’s love towards ourselves. God is love and anyone who lives in love lives in God, and God lives in him. Love will come to its perfection in us when we can face the day of Judgement without fear; because even in this world we have become as he is.

In love there can be no fear, but fear is driven out by perfect love: because to fear is to expect punishment, and anyone who is afraid is still imperfect in love.

Gospel Mark 6:45-52

His disciple saw him walking on the lake

After the five thousand had eaten and were filled, Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to Bethsaida, while he himself sent the crowd away. After saying goodbye to them he went off into the hills to pray.

When evening came, the boat was far out on the lake, and he was alone on the land. He could see they were worn out with rowing, for the wind was against them; and about the fourth watch of the night he came towards them, walking on the lake. He was going to pass them by, but when they saw him walking on the lake they thought it was a ghost and cried out; for they had all seen him and were terrified.

But he at once spoke to them, and said, ‘Courage! It is I! Do not be afraid.’ Then he got into the boat with them, and the wind dropped.They were utterly and completely dumbfounded, because they had not seen what the miracle of the loaves meant; their minds were closed.

'Courage! it is I! Do not be afraid' My God, my Father in loving you, and your Son Jesus Christ there can be no fear. Fear is driven out by perfect love. To fear is to expect punishment. Anyone who is afraid is still imperfect in love. God is love.

Father we can experience your perfect love because we are living in Christ, and Christ is in us because he lets us share his Spirit. Father you sent Jesus Christ your Son as saviour of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him, and he in God.

God lives in us for we acknowledge your Son Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. Christ be our Light. Shine in our world.

Lord Jesus Christ I trust in you. Virgin Mary pray for me. Saint Joseph pray for me. St. John Neumann pray for me. God's Holy Angels pray for me. My Angel Guardian pray for me. Be my guide and guard.

Pray the Holy Rosary. May the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Christ pray for us.

TRUST GOD, TRUST IN ME

Fifth Sunday of Easter 'I am going now to prepare a place for you' First Reading Acts 6:1-7 They elected seven men full of the Holy Spirit About this time, when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenists made a complaint against the Hebrews: in the daily distribution their own widows were being overlooked. So the Twelve called a full meeting of the disciples and addressed them, ‘It would not be right for us to neglect the word of God so as to give out food; you, brothers, must select from among yourselves seven men of good reputation, filled with the Spirit and with wisdom; we will hand over this duty to them, and continue to devote ourselves to prayer and to the service of the word.’ The whole assembly approved of this proposal and elected Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, together with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus of Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these to the apostles, who prayed and laid th...

THE BREAD FROM HEAVEN

Tuesday week 3 of Eastertide - ‘I can see heaven thrown open’ First Reading 7:51-8,1 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit' Stephen said to the people, the elders and the scribes: ‘You stubborn people, with your pagan hearts and pagan ears. You are always resisting the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors used to do. Can you name a single prophet your ancestors never persecuted? In the past they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, and now you have become his betrayers, his murderers. You who had the Law brought to you by angels are the very ones who have not kept it.’ They were infuriated when they heard this, and ground their teeth at him. But Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at God’s right hand. ‘I can see heaven thrown open’ he said ‘and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.’ At this all the members of the council shouted out and stopped their ears with their hands; then they ...

YOU MUST NOT KILL

First Reading Ezekiel 18:21-28 I prefer to see the wicked man renounce his wickedness and live Thus says the Lord: ‘If the wicked man renounces all the sins he has committed, respects my laws and is law-abiding and honest, he will certainly live; he will not die. All the sins he committed will be forgotten from then on; he shall live because of the integrity he has practised. What! Am I likely to take pleasure in the death of a wicked man – it is the Lord who speaks – and not prefer to see him renounce his wickedness and live? ‘But if the upright man renounces his integrity, commits sin, copies the wicked man and practises every kind of filth, is he to live? All the integrity he has practised shall be forgotten from then on; but this is because he himself has broken faith and committed sin, and for this he shall die. But you object, “What the Lord does is unjust.” Listen, you House of Israel: is what I do unjust? Is it not what you do that is unjust? When the upright ma...

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