5th Sunday of Easter – May 7,2023
“Go and Proclaim : Believe that JESUS is the Only Way, the Truth and the Life to the FATHER”
First Reading: Acts 7:55-60
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 31
Second Reading: 1 Peter 2:4-10
Gospel Reading: John 14:1-12
GO AND PROCLAIM: BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE TO THE FATHER
(A RECAPITULATION BASED ON THE HOMILY OF +FR. ROMIE JUN PENALOSA)
“Do not let your hearts be troubled.”
Jesus reminds us of this everyday yet it does not get into our heads. Why? Because we allow so many things to occupy our mind.
“The thoughts we entertain and keep in our minds become our words; and the words we speak become the action of our lives; and the actions we do every day become a habit, and the habits we formed determines our character and our character determines our destiny in life.” (Fr. Jun)
If we want to be in heaven, we need have a character like Jesus.
When Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life…” He wasn’t referring to the process, or the concepts or of the principles in getting there. He simply means Him, a human-God. We need to know Christ to learn the way, and we can know Him only when we build a relationship with Him. The way to Him doesn’t refer to a geographic area – but a Person. We follow the Person when we know Him.
Speaking the truth will always bring persecution. St. Stephen’s life is an evidence of this. Understand that when we are in a relationship with Christ, we begin to see the truth, and we will only speak of truth about Him. We start to have a pure heart because we can now see Jesus clearly; we are no longer afraid of the truth. We learn to embrace the truth about ourselves that we make mistakes, we commit sin; but at the same time, we learn that we have a forgiving Father, a loving God who will never leave us nor forsake us.
He is the life. The second reading told us that we are living stones, and He is the chief cornerstone, the main component in building a house. This means that “we cannot live alone” because we were designed from the beginning to live together – with Jesus. We need to live as a community, not just liking each other – but loving each other! God is building us together in the Church, nurturing our relationships with our brothers and sisters, our family, and our community. So it is important that we need to be connected with each other, living that resurrected life – because the blessing of God is poured out on the fellowshipping that happens when we go together.
So church, let us walk in the way of Jesus, embracing the truth and living the life with each other.
Recap by:
MERCY DE LA CRUZ-ESPIRITU
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