“If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. And they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me.” (JN 15: 20-21)

We are just servers of Our Lord’s word. We keep it alive and proclaim it because it is not ours but His. And if people listen to us when we proclaim God’s word, it is not because of us but only because of Him.

“If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.” (Gospel Acclamation)

“I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. 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)

In this commandment we receive a summary of all the commandments: from Moses’ commandments to the Church’s commandments—love one another; the essence of the Good News. Our Lord gave us this commandment because we are His friends. We become His friends by listening to God’s word, by accepting the fact that He chose us, and by going out to “bear fruit that will remain.”

“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)

The Liturgy of the Word is never afraid to proclaim the same message over and over again: “remain in my love.” Our Lord shares with us His love for His Father and His Father’s love for Him and for us; He shares not only the Father’s commandments to “remain in his love” but also His joy that our joy “might be complete.”

“My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me.” (Gospel Acclamation)

“The Apostles and the presbyters met together to see about this matter.” (ACTS 15, 6)

We can observe the beginning of the daily life of the Church, which needs to discuss matters when there is something difficult to understand, like today’s councils or synods.
In these months our Church is preparing for a Synod about marriage and family in October: “to see about this matter.” What we can do is to pray for the synod’s fathers to help them receive all the wisdom from Heaven to see clearly, with respect to God’s law, and to protect the truth. This is always the best response to Our Lord’s wish: “remain in me—to bring more fruits.”

“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)

We can’t eliminate from our lives difficult moments, unexpected turns of events or bad news. We can’t eliminate them, but we can be guardians of our hearts, which should be protected from any troubles or fears. Our hearts, united by prayer with God, will help us keep our faith and hope in Him, Who is our merciful and powerful Father and Who takes care of us in any kind of situation. Our hearts are responsible for directing us to Him as an answer and solution for all of these problems. We can find this theological sense in a popular song: “in every life we have some trouble, when you worry, you make it double, so don’t worry.”

“Christ had to suffer and to rise from the dead, and so enter into his glory.” (Gospel Acclamation)

A very special “Thank you” to the Team of Coach Couples: Mark and Blair (our absolutely fantastic hosts of the Program at St. Cecilia Parish), Patricia and Rob, and Stephanie and Jeremy.

Thank you all for your support and prayers.

May the testimonials after the Program be a reward for all of us.
See you soon in Omaha at Program 2: WE + FAMILY!

with prayer

Fr. Jay

Coach Couples

Participants and Coaches

Testimonies Part 1

Testimonies Part 2

“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: 26) 

The Holy Spirit, called here the Advocate—Parakletos, is also translated into English as Comforter or Consoler, which better describe His mission:  “he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.” And we know that Our Lord’s teaching was about God’s unconditional love for us. When we are in trouble or when we are under Satan’s attack,losing our hope, the Holy Spirit comes to remind us of God’s love. He comes as our Comforter and Consoler.

“The Holy Spirit will teach you everything and remind you of all I told you.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you.” (JN 15: 1-3)

We should remember that God prunes us so that we “bear more fruit.” God’s merciful love comes to us, makes us a new creation and from us goes out to our brothers and sisters. When we listen to His word, He can clean us and bring us closer to Him and to His love.

“Remain in me as I remain in you, says the Lord. Whoever remains in me will bear much fruit.” (Gospel Acclamation)

“On the following sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord.” (ACTS 13: 44)

Probably this is the best activity we can do on the “sabbath”: “to hear the word of the Lord.” He brings with every word the unconditional love of the Father to everyone. How different our world would look if “almost the whole city” could gather to hear. When we give a priority to “hear the word of the Lord,” there is less room for the evil patterns of our internal dialog. The more we listen to Him, the less we focus on us; the less we focus on ourselves, the more we listen to and respect others.

“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: 2-3)

Our Lord takes care of us not only here on earth but also prepares a place for us with Him in Heaven, and He is also for us the Way. He “will come back again and take us to Himself.” We are always connected and never alone because He likes to be with us: “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)