“They traveled through the Phrygian and Galatian territory because they had been prevented by the Holy Spirit from preaching the message in the province of Asia. When they came to Mysia, they tried to go on into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them, so they crossed through Mysia and came down to Troas.” (ACTS 16: 6-7)
Like it was promised by Our Lord, He didn’t leave the Apostles alone—the Holy Spirit, the “Spirit of Jesus” leads them, instructs them and protects them. When we are on our missions or when we are sent, we can always expect the assistance of the Holy Spirit.
“If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. This I command you: love one another.” (JN 15: 15-17)
Our Lord called us friends, “because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.” And we can summarize the words of the Father to the most important: “love one another.” This is the “fruit that will remain,” what He expects from us; this is why we are “appointed to go,” and why “He chose us.”
“I call you my friends, says the Lord, for I have made known to you all that the Father has told me.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“As the Father loves me, so I also love 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 joy might be in you and your joy might be complete.” (JN 15: 9-11)
We can’t be happy having objects (even the most prestigious); we can’t be happy having people or positions, and we can’t be happy being self-sufficient. The only way for us to be happy is to be related and especially in relationship with God, our Creator and Redeemer, our Father who art in Heaven and loves us so much. Our Lord’s joy is to be united with us: “that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete.” When we keep Our Lord’s commandments, we “will remain in His love, “just as He kept His Father’s commandments and remain in his love.” Without love and without being in relationship with God, we are not complete.
“My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.” (JN 15: 4-5)
Our Lord reminds us that “whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit.” Our evangelization is based not on action firstly, but on relationship. Whoever remains in Him is like a branch connected with a vine, “because without Him we can do nothing.” He is our Creator and Redeemer; He chose us and sent us to bring fruits, and only those who remain “in Him will bear much fruit.”
“Remain in me, as I remain in you, says the Lord; whoever remains in me will bear much fruit.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.” (JN 14: 27)
Two kinds of peace—one comes from Our Lord and the other from “the world.” Our Lord wants only the best for us—His peace: “my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you.” Our Lord’s peace comes from His “suffering” and from “rising from the dead” and brings His blessing, His presence and His strength to our hearts: “do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.”
“Christ had to suffer and to rise from the dead, and so enter into his glory.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“I have told you this while I am with you. The Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name— he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.” (JN 14: 25-26)
Our Lord didn’t leave us without help. He promised that “the Father will send in my name” the Advocate, the Holy Spirit. With Him we understand more and we know where to go.
“The Holy Spirit will teach you everything and remind you of all I told you.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“You are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises” of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 P 2: 9)
Our Lord knows us perfectly: He knows our temptations, our weaknesses, our darkness and sorrows. But also He, who created us, selected us to be His “’chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own’” and leads us “into his wonderful light.” This light is more powerful than our darkness.
“I am the way, the truth and the life, says the Lord; no one comes to the Father, except through me.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“On the following sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and with violent abuse contradicted what Paul said.” (ACTS 13: 44-45)
So sad: “almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord,” and because “the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and with violent abuse contradicted what Paul said.” How many times human weaknesses tried to stop evangelization. Fortunately, “the word of the Lord” comes with love, compassion and forgiveness, and there is no force to stop this. Finally, Our Lord will prevail.
“If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, says the Lord.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be.” (JN 14: 2-4)
We are expected in Heaven; Our Lord personally is preparing a place for you and me: “I am going to prepare a place for you.” And when everything is ready—a place and us—He “will come back again and take us to himself” because we are His beloved children, and “where I am you also may be.”
“I am the way and the truth and the life, says the Lord; no one comes to the Father except through me.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it.” (JN 13: 16-17)
These words were spoken after Our Lord had washed the Apostles’ feet to protect them and to give them the right perspective: we are sent, not proclaiming our wisdom or our ideas—we are sent to share with everyone God’s love for us. God is the focus and Our Lord is the focus, not us. We are “slaves” and “messengers” only.
“Jesus Christ, you are the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, you have loved us and freed us from our sins by your Blood.” (Gospel Acclamation)
