"They [Paul and Barnabas] strengthened the spirits of the disciples and exhorted them to persevere in the faith, saying, “It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” (Acts 14: 22).

Tuesday of the 5th week of Easter. Paul and Barnabas are busy traveling from city to city planting churches. Many of the new Christians were shocked when they meet brutal opposition in their efforts to evangelize. They consider it great anomaly. "This shouldn't happen. After all, we are preaching the Good News and everybody should be happy about it."

Have you ever been opposed or experienced obstacles in spreading the faith or doing corporal and spiritual works of mercy? The gruesome suffering and death of Jesus the Messiah all but wiped out the faith of His disciples. Jesus spent a lot of time after His Resurrection reassuring His disciples and strengthening their faith.

"JESUS said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures. And he said to them, “Thus it is written that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day." (Acts 24: 44 - 46).

Jesus prayed for Peter that his faith will not fail as a result of the massive assault of Satan on Peter and Satan's temporary victory. Jesus then said to Peter and to us:" "When you recover, strengthen your brothers and sisters."

"Father, You restored Your people to eternal life by raising Christ Your Son from death. Make our faith strong and our hope sure. May we never doubt that you will fulfill the promises You have made. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ Your Son." (Collect, Tuesday of the 5th week of Easter).

SeekFirstcommunity.com

"The Advocate, the holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name—he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you." (John 14: 26).

Monday of the 5th week of Easter. We are exactly three weeks to the end of the Easter Season and the Solemnity of Pentecost. In our Gospel of today, Jesus promises to send the Holy Spirit in His Name.
Today is the feast of St Bernadine of Siena (1380 - 1444), a Franciscan priest whose core ministry was witnessing to the power of the holy Name of Jesus. He worked in Italy and converted many through his faith in the power of the Name of Jesus.

Remember: "You are witnesses of these things." Jesus had said to His disciples:

#1 The Death of Jesus.
#2 Testimony of Scripture to the suffering and death of Jesus: (Luke 24: 44 - 46).
#3 The Resurrection of Jesus.
#4 The power of the Name of Jesus.

God gave St Bernadine of Siena a special love for the holy Name of Jesus. May God the Father give us a similar faith and love for this glorious Name.

The ancient Church sang this hymn when they met for Sunday Mass:
"Because of this, [humility of Jesus] God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth." (Philippians 2: 9 - 10).

SeekFirstcommunity.com

 "I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another." (John 13: 34).

Sunday of the 5th week of Easter. Short Gospel but powerful message. Jesus gives us a new commandment. Actually, the only thing that is new here is: "As I have loved you, so you also should love one another." This is what makes it tough and very challenging. When Jesus taught in His sermons on the mountain: "Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect," we thought this is a hyperbole. Now Jesus commands: "As I have loved you, so you also should love one another."

How has Jesus loved you and me? Let us search the Scriptures.

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
+
"It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  
+
"Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
+
"It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." (1 Corinthians 13: 4 - 7).

In 1 Corinthians 13: 4 - 7, we see the attributes of love.
This is how Jesus loves you and me. Is this how you love yourself? Your neighbor?

SeekFirstcommunity.com

“If you keep and obey My Word, then you are My followers for sure. You will know the truth and the truth will make you free.” (John 8: 31-32 NLV).

Saturday of the 4th week of Easter. We have two great Scriptures to delight and feed us from today's Liturgy. In the Gospel Acclamation, Jesus promises that if we truly stick to His word, that is His teaching in the Gospels and obey them, then we are guaranteed to have and enjoy true freedom and victory over sin, falsehood, deceit of riches, Hollywood fame, gambling and other types of disorders and addictions of modern life. Let us unpack the conditions for this great promise for this promise is absolutely true and worthy of trust.

#1 Make the word of God your home. Feed on it every day. Strive to understand its meaning for your life. Like the farmer, you need patience before you reap the fruits.

#2 You must obey the word. The Holy Spirit will help you to do this. The Holy Spirit works through the Sacraments especially the Eucharist and the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The more you use these wonderful medicines of immortality, the more you see the fruits of Salvation in your life.

To tell you the truth, the promises below from the Gospel of today are for those who fulfill the conditions of John 8: 31-32 above.

"Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father.  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." (John 14: 12 - 14)

SeekFirstcommunity.com