Category: Daily Prayer

“Do you love Me?” –John 21:15, 16, 17 Mass Readings: May 18 First: Acts 2:44-47;Resp: Psalm 131:1-3;Gospel: Luke 12:22-31 Listen to the Mass Readings Simon Peter honestly believed that there was no reason to doubt that he loved Jesus. That’s why “Peter was hurt because [Jesus] had asked a third time, ‘Do you love Me?’ ” (Jn 21:17) Although Peter had denied Christ a few weeks before this encounter (see Lk 22:57ff), Peter assumed that this was no reason for Jesus to doubt Peter’s love for Him. Moreover, Peter had returned to the fishing business he was working in before...

“They were deeply distressed to hear that they would never see his face again.” –Acts 20:38 St. Paul knows he is about to die. He is not concerned with himself. He had long ago repented of all sin and abandoned himself into God’s loving hands. Paul is concerned that his followers remain grounded in the truth. He wants them to guard themselves and others against those savage wolves who will try to lead his flock astray with false teaching after he dies (Acts 20:28-30). Jesus is about to die. He is not concerned with Himself, having daily abandoned Himself into...

“I am on my way to Jerusalem, compelled by the Spirit and not knowing what will happen to me there.” –Acts 20:22 St. Paul met with the leaders of the Ephesian church for the last time. They would never see his face again (Acts 20:25). Each of us also regularly see people for the last time. Under these circumstances, can we say what Paul said? Can we say that we’ve “told the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth”? (see Acts 20:20, 27) Have we “insisted solemnly on repentance before God and on faith in our Lord Jesus”?...

“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...