“Deepening our love and conviction in the Amazing Love of the Father Who sent His Only Son for us, and strengthens us, every moment, by His Holy Spirit!”
(Based on Acts 8:5-8, 14-17, 1 Pt 3:15-18 and Jn 14:15-21 – Sixth Sunday of Easter)
A young man was to be sentenced to the prison for a serious offence.
The judge had known him from childhood, for he was well acquainted with his late father.
His father was a famous legal scholar and the author of an exhaustive study entitled, “The Law of Trusts.”
“Do you remember your father?” asked the magistrate.
“I remember him well, your honour,” came the reply.
Seeking to probe further, the judge said, “As you are about to be sentenced and as you think of your wonderful dad, what do you remember most clearly about him?”
There was a groaning pause.
Then the judge received an answer he had not expected.
“I remember when I went to him for advice.
He looked up at me from the book he was writing and said, ‘Run along, boy; I’m busy!’
When I went to him for companionship, he turned me away, saying “Run along, son; the writing of this book must be finished!’
Your honour, you remember him as a great lawyer.
But I remember him, only as a lost friend!”
The magistrate muttered to himself, “Alas! He finished the book, but lost the boy!”
The busyness of the father resulted in the boy failing to receive love, and thus ended up into bad ways of living.
Every person longs for love…
Every person longs to be cared for…
The father in this story, achieved great success in his worldly life, but failed miserably to love and care for his son.
However, in absolute contrast, we have our Heavenly Father, who is deeply in love with us, His children, and who never ceases to express His caring affection to us, at every moment.
Our Heavenly Father is also busy…
… but busy in loving His children, and expressing His constant care.
The Gospel of the Day is a testimony of Jesus affirming the assuring and loving presence of God, our Heavenly Father…
… Who would send the Holy Spirit amidst us, in order to always keep alive the presence of Jesus in our hearts.
Jesus assures: “And I will pray to the Father, and He will give you another Counsellor, to be with you, forever…” (Jn 14:16)
The context of this Gospel Passage is the talk with the disciples at The Last Supper.
This is the last discourse that the Lord has with His disciples, before His agonizing moments of the Passion.
He does not leave His chosen ones in desperation or dejection
Instead, He assures them…
… of His continual Presence
… of the Abiding Love of the Father
… of the Guiding assistance of the Holy Spirit
The early Church continually experienced this bountiful presence of the Lord –as seen in Acts 8:14-17
“Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit!” (Acts 8:17)
Later, in this discourse, the Lord will go on to declare: “… the Father Himself loves you…” (Jn 16: 27a)
These are beautiful words, which ought to be inscribed in golden shades, on the canvas of our hearts!
This is indeed one of the mightiest and loftiest truth that we all need to know, experience, be convinced of, and live constantly in its assurance…
… the truth that “The Father Himself loves us!”
… the truth that the “Triune God is always with us!”
Every person longs for love and longs to be cared for…
Human love, however, sometimes fails to answer to this basic and essential need.
Sometimes people around us get too busy, to even care for us…
Sometimes, people from whom we expect love, fail to understand our need…
Sometimes, people who ought to care for us, fall short of their responsibility….
All this…
… could leave a feeling a hurt within us.
… could imprint a wound of sadness inside of us.
But in such moments of feeling lonely and desperation, Jesus assures and promises us that we are not abandoned or left lonely…
Instead Jesus emphatically proclaims that just as He was loved by His Father, we too are loved by our Heavenly Father – “He who loves me, will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him” (Jn 14:21)
It is confidence in this tremendous love of the Father…
… that will make us to be strong in weak moments, knowing that the Lord is always with us – “I will not leave you desolate” (Jn 14: 18)
It is conviction in this unconditional love of the Father…
… that will make us to enjoy a deep sense of joy and bliss, knowing that in any situation of gloom or sadness or tension or worry, the Lord will take us through
Our Heavenly Father – our Abba – is in deep love with each one of us…
The Crucifix is the proof of this “mad love” of the Father.
Let us therefore orient ourselves to always seek and do the Will of the Father, as St Peter beautifully reminds us: “For it is better to suffer for doing right, if that should be God’s will, than for doing wrong!” (1 Pet 3:17)
May we, with His grace, deepen our love and conviction in the Amazing Love of the Father.
He is busy…
… but busy expressing His tender love to us.
He is busy writing…
… writing His letters of His precious love to us.
May we be privileged to hear:
“Wow!! He finished his/her life, and gained eternal life!”
God Bless! Live Jesus!
📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
THE CELEBRATION OF THE CHRISTIAN MYSTERY – THE SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY – THE CELEBRATION OF MARRIAGE
In the Latin Rite the celebration of marriage between two Catholic faithful normally takes place during Holy Mass, because of the connection of all the sacraments with the Paschal mystery of Christ.
In the Eucharist the memorial of the New Covenant is realized, the New Covenant in which Christ has united himself for ever to the Church, his beloved bride for whom he gave himself up. (CCC # 1621)
Reflection Capsules 