GOD MADE NO DISTINCTION

THURSDAY WEEK FIVE IN EASTER: REMAIN IN MY LOVE

First Reading Acts 15 :7-21

I rule that we do not make things more difficult for the pagans who turn to God

After the discussion had gone on a long time, Peter stood up and addressed the apostles and the elders.

‘My brothers,’ he said ‘you know perfectly well that in the early days God made his choice among you: the pagans were to learn the Good News from me and so become believers. In fact God, who can read everyone’s heart, showed his approval of them by giving the Holy Spirit to them just as he had to us. God made no distinction between them and us, since he purified their hearts by faith. It would only provoke God’s anger now, surely, if you imposed on the disciples the very burden that neither we nor our ancestors were strong enough to support? Remember, we believe that we are saved in the same way as they are: through the grace of the Lord Jesus.’ Lectures Readings

This silenced the entire assembly, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul describing the signs and wonders God had worked through them among the pagans. When they had finished it was James who spoke. ‘My brothers,’ he said ‘listen to me. Simeon has described how God first arranged to enlist a people for his name out of the pagans. This is entirely in harmony with the words of the prophets, since the scriptures say:

After that I shall return and rebuild the fallen House of David; I shall rebuild it from its ruins and restore it. Then the rest of mankind, all the pagans who are consecrated to my name, will look for the Lord, says the Lord who made this known so long ago.

‘I rule, then, that instead of making things more difficult for pagans who turn to God, we send them a letter telling them merely to abstain from anything polluted by idols, from fornication, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. For Moses has always had his preachers in every town, and is read aloud in the synagogues every sabbath.’ Reflections

Responsorial Psalm: Proclaim the wonders of the Lord among all the peoples

Gospel John 15:9-11 Remain in my love

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘As the Father has loved me, so I have loved 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 own joy may be in you and your joy be complete.’

Heavenly Father. My God I thank you for waking me up this morning, Thank you for your goodness over me. Thank you Father for loving me. Loving Father you made no distiction in the out pour of your Holy Spirit. May I love all your creatures. Father Fill me with your Holy Spirit. May your Spirit abide in me always that I may obey the instructions of my Savior and Master Jesus Christ your Son "Remain in my love" that I may remain in His love as I love my fellow creatures.

Father give me a heart filled with consideration to accept everyone irrespective of their color, race, tribe, religion, customs and traditions for we are all your creatures. Father you are loving and compassionate guide and direct my actions. Come Holy Spirit come and instruct me. Abide with me.

Lord Jesus Christ I trust in you. Blessed Virgin Mary pray for me. Blessed Saint Joseph pray for me. My Angel Guardian pray for me. Protect me, guide and guard me. God's Holy Angels pray for me.

Pray the Holy Rosary: Ave Maria. Hail Mary. Hail Holy Queen. Our Lady Queen of Angels pray for us. Mother of Jesus Christ bring us to your Son.

Your Birthday Saint: Saint Ives, Priest. May he pray for you as you celebrate your birthday today. Happy birthday to you.

GOD'S GIFTS

GOD'S GIFT Mathew 25:14-30 Jesus spoke this parable to his disciples: ‘The kingdom of Heaven is like a man on his way abroad who summoned his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to a third one; each in proportion to his ability. Then he set out. ‘The man who had received the five talents promptly went and traded with them and made five more. The man who had received two made two more in the same way. But the man who had received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. ‘Now a long time after, the master of those servants came back and went through his accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents came forward bringing five more. “Sir,” he said “you entrusted me with five talents; here are five more that I have made.” ‘His master said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have shown you can be faithful in small things, I will trust you with greater; co...

HE EXISTED BEFORE ME

First Reading 1 John 2:22-28 The anointing he gave you teaches you everything The man who denies that Jesus is the Christ he is the liar, he is Antichrist; and he is denying the Father as well as the Son, because no one who has the Father can deny the Son, and to acknowledge the Son is to have the Father as well. Keep alive in yourselves what you were taught in the beginning: as long as what you were taught in the beginning is alive in you, you will live in the Son and in the Father; and what is promised to you by his own promise is eternal life. This is all that I am writing to you about the people who are trying to lead you astray. But you have not lost the anointing that he gave you, and you do not need anyone to teach you; the anointing he gave teaches you everything; you are anointed with truth, not with a lie, and as it has taught you, so you must stay in him. Live in Christ, then, my children, so that if he appears, we may have full confidence, and not turn from him...

BE CURED

Prayer before Mass: Almighty and ever-living God, I approach the sacrament of Your only-begotten Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. I come sick to the doctor of life, unclean to the fountain of mercy, blind to the radiance of eternal light, and poor and needy to the Lord of heaven and earth. Lord, in Your great generosity, heal my sickness, wash away my defilement, enlighten my blindness, enrich my poverty, and clothe my nakedness. May I receive the Bread of Angels, the King of kings and Lord of lords, with humble reverence, with the purity and faith, the repentance and love, and the determined purpose that will help to bring me to salvation. May I receive the sacrament of the Lord’s Body and Blood, and its reality and power. Kind God, may I receive the Body of Your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, born from the womb of the Virgin Mary, and so be received into His mystical body and numbered among His members. Loving Father, as on my earthly pilgrima...

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