GOSPEL READINGS FOR MAY 2005

1. Sun 6^th after Resurrection. A. Jn 14, 15-21.

Nobody wants to go through difficulties of any kind, but in order to witness to the Father, as Jesus did, we will also follow him in being opposed and sometimes persecuted. Our advocate in such situations is the Spirit of Truth, or the Consoler or Advocate. Jesus gives him these three names.

2. Mon Jn 15,26--16, 4.

3. Tue 16, 5b-11.

4. Wed 12-15.

5. Thu 16-20.

6. Fri 20-23a.

7. Sat 23-28.

8. Sun 7^th after Resurrection. Jn 17, 1-11.

According to John’s gospel, before beginning his last sufferings, Jesus started a prayer for his followers who remained in the world, for you and I, asking the Father for protection especially against divisions, so that we may witness to the unity of the Three Persons, in order to build the One family of the Father.

9. Mon Jn 16, 29-33.

10. Tue 17, 1-11a.

11. Wed 11b-19.

12. Thu 20-26.

13. Fri 21, 15-19.

14. Sat 20-25.

15. Sun Pentecost. Jn 20, 19-23.

The Spirit of Truth, Consoler and Advocate, (the Holy Spirit) will defend us against division. For this purpose Jesus sent us to bring the Gift of forgiveness and reconciliation to Humanity.

16. Mon Mk 10, 17-27.

17. Tue 28-31.

18. Wed 32-45.

19. Thu 46-52.

20. Fri 11, 11-26.

21. Sat 27-33.

22. Sun The Trinity. Jn 3, 16-18.

A “mystery” is not anything difficult to understand which has to be explained. A mystery is something hidden, which needs to be revealed. The Mystery of God’s Mercy and of the fact that God does not condemn, but saves Humanity, is hidden by human fear and blindness. Jesus, through his life, death and resurrection, shows us that the three Divine persons exist for us, to save us.

23. Mon Mk 10, 17-27

24. Tue 28-31

25. Wed 32-45

26. Thu 46-52

27. Fri 11, 11-26

28. Sat 27-33

29. Sunday 9^th. of Ordinary Time. Mth 7, 21-27.

To pray is not so much to talk to God, as to listen to Him with the attitude and intention of fulfilling what He says, as Mary did.

30. Mon Mk 12, 1-12

31. Tue 13-17

“He who comes to me will never go hungry,

and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.”

Concerning the “story” of the loaves and the fishes, John’s gospel is also different from the other gospels. Only John’s gospel connects clearly the sign of the loaves and the fishes with the Eucharist, that is, Jesus giving himself to us as food and drink so that we can have life and do the same. At the beginning chapter 6 of John’s gospel we see the same pattern and process as in the other gospels: Jesus, with the twelve, looking at the crowds from the mountain—＞inviting the disciples to give the crowd something to eat—＞the disciples realizing that what they had was insufficient—＞Jesus taking the insufficient food the disciples had—＞blessing it and giving thanks for it and finally—＞sharing it with the crowds. The result and fruit of this process was that a great multitude of people had enough to eat and there was left more than what they had at the beginning.

Following this event, there are several reactions: 1. The crowds only paid attention to the practical result: “you ate the loaves and had your fill” as Jesus told them the next day. They had not paid attention to the process described above. They wanted Jesus to become their king so that they would not have material problems in the rest of their lives. 2. Jesus realized the reaction of the crowd. It seems that he was surprised about it, as he had expected them to “see the sign”, the above said process. 3. The apostles had participated in the process and were clear about it, but they could not understand how that process could produce such result. When we, human persons come across situations of insufficiency in any aspect—not enough money, not enough time, not enough mutual knowledge and understanding, not enough cooperation, not enough love, forgiveness and so on, we give up. It is as is we tried to walk on the water but we sunk. But, when Jesus comes across similar situations of insufficiency, he can continue, as if he could walk on the water.

Farther on in the same chapter (which is a whole) Jesus discusses the question with the crowds and he explain farther where the secret is: “he who comes to me will never be hungry, he who believes in me will never be thirsty”. To move towards him and to believe in him. To believe in him must be, not a mere assent of the mind, but to live and act like him. This reminds of what he asked them in the last supper: Do this in memory of me, of do what I have done. The leaders listened to what Jesus discussed with the crowds and were caught in what Jesus said about himself: I am the bread that comes from heaven. They did not accept that he, the carpenter of Nazareth, the son of Mary and Joseph, had come down from heaven. They thought that such an ordinary man could have neither the power nor the mission to be their messiah. So, they rejected him. Jesus insisted that, unless they ate his flesh and drink his blood, they would not have life. This must mean to accept and believe this kind of Messiah; so different from the one they were dreaming.

Finally, many disciples left Jesus for the same reason as the leaders. The two Emmaus disciples who were going back home after Jesus was killed must be some of them. Then Jesus asked the twelve: You are not leaving, are you? Then, Peter, with the power of the gift given by the Father and the mission given by Jesus of strengthening the faith of his brothers, said: Where can we go? Only you have words of eternal life. The words of eternal life must be symbolized by the suggestions and instructions Jesus gives them during the process at the beginning of the chapter. That process, in itself, was real life, life being given for others, life which accepts human insufficiency, blesses it, gives thanks for it and shares it with others. This dynamic life produces abundant food for others. The words of Jesus, inviting them and empowering them to do it, are the words of ‘eternal’ life, the life of God.

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