“And whatever you ask in My name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything of me in My name, I will do it.” (J 14:12-14).

Our Lord is always connected with His Father. Everything in His life has the same purpose – to glorify His Father’s name. When we pray His prayer “Our Father,” we comprehend how much He is concerned about our needs. Nothing is too small or banal, as when we ask for bread.

“I am the way, the truth, and the life, says the Lord; Philip, whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (Alleluia versus)

“Philip answered him, ‘Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little.’ One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, ‘There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many’?” (J 6, 7-9)

Both were afraid “it would not be enough”, and “what good are these for so many,” but there is one important difference between Philip and Andrew. Philip was looking for money, a large sum of money, Andrew started from what they could have now: “there is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish.” They weren’t even Andrew’s, but he was looking for anything. Just for the beginning, just for the start. For Jesus it was enough.
Many saints started from this point, like St. Teresa of Avila: “Teresa alone can do nothing, Teresa with Jesus can do everything”. When we give our “almost nothing,” “what good are these for so many” to Jesus, He can use it and make miracles.

“No one can lay a foundation other than the one that is there, namely, Jesus Christus, alleluia” (Communion Antiphon).

“…you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching” (Acts 5:28)

The goal: our countries, cities and towns filled with the teaching of Jesus Christ. The beginning is always very small. Like the first days of a child. In future, this child could be a nurse or a doctor, a blue or white-collar worker, a priest, pope or pilot. And he or she could change the world, like the Saints. When I am “filled with His teaching,” I can influence my marriage, my family, my neighborhood, my city… St. Joseph filled this world with Jesus and His teaching even though he was not a preacher; just a craftsman, a blue-collar worker. With can we fill Omaha, the Institute, and our families with?

“You believe in me, Thomas, because, because you have seen me, says the Lord; blessed are those who have not seen, but still believe” (Alleluia versus).

“Go and … tell the people everything about this life.” (Acts 5:20)

Who knows life better than its Creator and Redeemer? Who knows life better than the Apostles, who spent three years with Jesus Christ – who described Himself as the Way, Truth and Life? He invited them to proclaim the Good News about life. About its true destination, true meaning, methods of achieving it and sharing it. This mission continues in the Catholic Church. We are also invited to proclaim and spread Good News and “tell people everything about this life”.

“I have chosen you from the world, says the Lord, and have appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, alleluia” (Communion Antiphon)

“You must be born from above.” (Jn 3:7)

An everyday invitation. Once born, we should be born again “from above.” To change our perspective: from my point of view into the point of view from “from above;” to change our relations: from “expectations” to “gift of self”; to change our work: from “I have to work” to “I’d like to share and serve”; to change our prayer: from “change my life for better, now” to “help me understand my role” and from “I-need-it” to “thank-You”.

“If we walk in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of his Son Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin, alleluia.” (Communion Antiphon)

“And now, Lord, … enable your servants to speak your word with all boldness, as you stretch forth your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” (Acts 4:29 – 30)

“Enable your servants to speak your word with all boldness.” The greatest desire of every priest. We have received very unique gift: the ability to proclaim the Gospel – the Good News about His love to mankind. Every word in it was spoken out of love to us. His gift needs our cooperation, faithful listening and great concern to proclaim only His “signs and wonders.”

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

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope”… (1 Ptr 1:3)

You know how happy we are today, especially Poles. This Feast came from Poland through a Polish nun, Saint sister Faustina Kowalska and blessed Fr. Michael Sopoćko, was proclaimed by the Polish Pope (John Paul II), on this Sunday of Divine Mercy in 2011 that Pope was announced blessed, and today will be proclaimed Saint (with another Pope, John XXIII).

Our Lord, who asked sister Faustina to paint the vision of his Merciful Divinity being poured from His sacred heart also asked for a feast of Divine Mercy to be established on the first Sunday after Easter, so that mankind could take refuge in Him: “I want the image solemnly blessed on the first Sunday after Easter, and I want it to be venerated publicly so that every soul may know about it.” (Jesus’ words, Diary 341)

“I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain the complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which grace flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet.” (Diary 699).

We are also invited to practice mercy. St. Faustina reminds us three ways how we can do it: first—prayer, second—word, third—action. Let us celebrate!!! 🙂

“It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:20)

“Impossible … not to speak about what we have seen and heard.” But the beginning was so different. “When they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.” “They returned and told the others; but they did not believe them either.” “But later, as the Eleven were at table, he appeared to them and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart because they had not believed those who saw him after he had been raised. He said to them, ‘Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature’” (Mk 16:11. 13. 14-15).

Without the earlier unbelief, without the “hardness of heart,” without doubts and questioning – “proclaiming the Gospel to every creature” would be impossible.

In 1975 our beloved pope Paul VI made the powerful comment: “Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses.” We are invited to be in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. When we know Him only from books or we heard about him from others – we can’t speak about Him.

“All of you who have been baptized in Christ have put on Christ, alleluia” (Communion Antiphon).

“So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore full of one hundred fifty-three large fish. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.” (Jn 21:11)

I like those exact numbers in the Bible. I can even see the disciples counting. And we know that some of these numbers have also symbolic meaning: like twelve (tribes or Apostles) and forty (years or days).

“One hundred fifty-three” probably means apostolic universalism. At that time zoologists catalogued one hundred fifty-three different species of fish. And “even though there were so many, the net was not torn”. The Catholic Church is catholic, which means: universal. “I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.”

This is my daily observation here in the USA. So many nations, colors and accents, names from all over the world – and we pray together during the same Mass. My brothers and sisters in Poland, in Mexico, in New Zealand, UK or in Belgium celebrate the same mystery of Easter, say the same prayers and recive the same Body and Blood during Communion. “There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are able to be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

“Jesus said to his disciples: Come and eat. And he took bread and gave it to them, alleluia” (Communion Antiphon).

“And by faith in his name, this man, whom you see and know, his name has made strong, and the faith that comes through it has given him this perfect health, in the presence of all of you.” (Acts 3:16)

His name. Some of the Saints used to call on His name and showed it on small boards when preaching. If you pray the Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus, you will find strength and comfort in many worries. His name can make you strong, give you perfect health, improve your relationships, help you in temptations, and come to rescue in everyday troubles.

“O chosen people, proclaim the mighty works of him, who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light, alleluia” (Communion Antiphon).