Category: Bible Study

“The saying in Scripture uttered long ago by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of David was destined to be fulfilled in Judas.” –Acts 1:16 Before the Holy Spirit came at the first Christian Pentecost, Jesus’ disciples needed to resolve several problems related to leadership. They: recognized Peter as the leader of the apostles despite his three denials of Christ, accepted the apostles as leaders despite their abandonment of Christ before His death, discerned that they should replace Judas, who betrayed Christ and committed suicide, discerned that Judas’ replacement should be someone who was with Jesus throughout His public ministry...

“Until now you have not asked for anything in My name…” –John 16:24 When I take my youngest son to piano lessons, he always asks me to buy him an ice cream cone. Sometimes I have no money or time; other times I do buy him the cone. Yet even if it’s been weeks without a cone, he never neglects to ask. Jesus Himself tells us: “I give you My assurance, whatever you ask the Father, He will give you in My name” (Jn 16:23). Often Christians are disappointed when the answer to a sincere prayer request was not what...

“On that day you will have no questions to ask Me.” –John 16:23 When we are with Jesus in heaven, all the difficult questions will pass away. We won’t need to know why bad things happen on this earth. Seeing Jesus face-to-face will be more than enough. Being with Jesus will cause all else to melt away. Until that day in heaven for which we long and sacrifice, we do not have the answers we want. Rather, we have the Answer, that is, the Holy Spirit. Today begins the Pentecost Novena, nine days of prayer to prepare for receiving the...

“Every sabbath, in the synagogue, Paul led discussions in which he persuaded certain Jews and Greeks.” –Acts 18:4 Mass Readings: May 10 First: Acts 18:1-8; Resp: Psalm 98:1-4; Gospel: John 16:16-20 Listen to the Mass Readings It’s not unusual to see people talking in church in the USA. People greet one another before or after Mass. They talk about their children, politics, sports, the obituaries, school, the weather, etc. Some even discuss church-related things, such as parish politics or issues about the parish school. How many people in church talk about Jesus? Every week, St. Paul talked in church about...

“I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.” –John 16:12 Mass Readings: May 9 First: Acts 17:15,22–18:1; Resp: Psalm 148:1-2,11-14; Gospel: John 16:12-15 Listen to the Mass Readings We need the Pentecost Novena, which starts in two days, because we are not ready to hear what Jesus desires to tell us. No matter how close we are to the Lord, He always has “much more” for us (Jn 16:12) – more ministry, more peace, more stretching. We may already be stretched as far as we think possible. Like a woman in the last month of...