Fourth Week of Easter

On the Fourth Sunday of Easter we reflect on the Paschal Mystery more deeply. Psalm 118 says, “The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” Peter quotes this psalm in preaching that the crippled man was healed, “in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead.” In John's Gospel, Jesus tells us, “A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

Thursday is the Memorial of Saint Catherine of Siena, Virgin and Doctor of the Church.

The first readings this week continue the story of the growth of the community, through the Acts of the Apostles.

On the Fifth Sunday of Easter we have the wonderful gospel about Jesus as the vine. We are the branches that are pruned to bear more fruit. The powerful invitation is to remain connected with Jesus, that we might make our home in him, and bear much fruit.

Daily Prayer This Week

This is potentially a powerful week for entering into how available Jesus is for us. He promises to be with us, to make us one with him, even to make his home in us. He promises to keep us safe and to bring us to our true home to be with him forever. The opportunity we have this week is to accept this offer of deepening our relationship with our Lord. We accept it if we let his availability to us seep more and more deeply into our consciousness each day. We do this by beginning each day focusing our first thoughts of the day in a simple recognition that we are not alone: “Thank you for this day, Lord. I know you want to stay close to me, to guide me and support me today. I need some real strength and courage to face some of the challenges of this day. Help me to keep connecting with you throughout this day, to remember your presence and love.” This 20 second prayer will open our day to a Lord who invites us to surrender our troubles to him.

At various times of the day - especially when we approach a particularly challenging responsibility, or an occasion or situation in which we habitually lose our peace or give in to temptation - we can be renewed by another 20 second prayer. Each time we turn to the Lord, our “moment of connection” can become more specific, more intimate, and more confident. If we find ourselves sidetracked and distracted all day, or for several days, it is easy to get right back on track by pausing, while doing almost anything, and asking our Lord to remind us of his constant presence. We will quickly return to a sense that Jesus knows us, understands us, and wants to be with us in whatever troubles our hearts. And, each night, when we give thanks to our Lord for his fidelity to us throughout the day, we will be given the grace to know, again, that we are never alone.