7th Week of Easter, Friday, 22-05-2026

Acts 25:13-21 / John 21:15-19     

When bringing up an issue or a problem, it is best to follow procedures.

Even when filing a complaint, it is good to raise the issue or problem to the next level first.

That would show that we respect the procedures and the levels of organization.

In the 1st reading, the discussion was about St. Paul’s case.

The Roman governor Festus had thought that St. Paul was charged with some crime.

But upon further investigation, Festus realised that it was a religious issue and about Jesus whom St. Paul alleged to be alive.

Festus had wanted St. Paul to be tried in Jerusalem, which was the next level of investigation.

But St. Paul appealed for his case to be reserved for the judgement of the august emperor.

Obviously, that would mean Caesar, but St. Paul could have someone else in mind.

Because in St. Paul’s mind, the highest emperor and king would be none other than Jesus Christ.

For St. Paul, Jesus Christ is the Divine Judge, and his life was in the hands of the Divine Judge, and not any other judge on earth.

So, when we have a problem, or an issue, or a complaint, let us first turn to Jesus and put our case before Him.

When we commend our lives into the hands of Jesus, let us also let Jesus show us how to resolve problems, issues and even complaints.   

7th Week of Easter, Thursday, 21-05-2026

Acts 22:30; 23:6-11 / John 17:20-26     

Being "caught between a rock and a hard place" is an idiom that means we are stuck in a very difficult situation where we must choose between two equally unpleasant, unfavorable, or risky options.

It is having to choose between the frying pan and the fire.

And it is in relationships that this often happens.

For example, it can happen when a man had to choose between listening to his wife or to his mother.

That is a situation that no man wants to be in.

In the 1st reading, St. Paul was freed by the tribune so that he can be brought before the chief priests and the Sanhedrin for questioning.

It was a situation that no one wanted to be in, especially having to face the big guns of the religious establishment.

But the Holy Spirit inspired St. Paul to see a crack in the beliefs between the Sadducees and the Pharisees, and he used it to his advantage.

Whenever we get caught between a rock or a hard place, or between the frying pan and the fire, let us turn to Holy Spirit who is our Advocate.

The Holy Spirit will see us through those difficult situations, so that we will bear witness to the wonderful and marvellous love of God for us.

7th Week of Easter, Wednesday, 20-05-2026

Acts 20:28-38 / John 17:11-19    

The greatest danger for a community or an organization is not a danger from the outside.

Dangers from the outside can be threatening and fearful.

But when the community or organization is united within, then the danger can be warded off.

But the greatest danger is from within the community or organization.

Because it is from within that traitors and betrayers may, and will arise, and that is what St. Paul is saying in the 1st reading.

And these traitors and betrayers will cause the greatest damage to the community or organization.

But why would some people become traitors and betray the unity of the community?

There can be many reasons but mainly it would be pride and selfishness.

They would break away from the truth and think that they are right.

They would tend to love themselves and also want others to love them.

Jesus said this in the gospel: I kept those you have given me true to your name. I have watched over them and not one is lost except the one who chose to be lost.

We belong to the faith community of the Body of Christ.

Jesus watches over us and protects us from the evil one and from the dangers of pride and selfishness.

Let us keep united in the truth and love of Jesus, and we will be at peace even in the face of dangers.

7th Week of Easter, Tuesday, 19-05-2026

Acts 20:17-27 / John 17:1-11  

It is difficult for us to imagine a life filled with misfortune and hardships.

If that is really the case, we would surely be moaning and groaning.

After all, what is there to look forward to, except to take one hit after another.

If we think that it is highly unlikely there would be such a person or such a life, then we may need to look again at the first reading.

After his conversion, St. Paul seemed to be going down the road of suffering, hardship and persecution.

He himself said that he had no idea what will happen to him when he goes to Jerusalem.

But the Holy Spirit had made it clear enough that imprisonment and persecution awaited him.

But St. Paul said this: Life to me is not a thing to waste words on, provided when I finish my race, I have carried out the mission the Lord Jesus gave me – and that is to bear witness to the Good News of God’s grace.

By his life, and with his life, he witnessed to what he said about himself.

We may not have to face the suffering, hardships and persecution that St. Paul faced.

But by our life, and with our life, may we be like St. Paul, bear witness to the Good News of God’s grace.

7th Week of Easter, Monday, 18-05-2026

Acts 19:1-8 / John 16:29-33    

A fundamentalist is a person who strictly and literally adheres to a set of basic, foundational principles.

But that set of basic, foundational principles may just be a part of the whole picture.

So, to stick strictly and literally to those limited principles can cause problems and even troubles.

In other words, a little bit of knowledge can be rather dangerous.

In the gospel, the disciples could see that Jesus knows everything and do not have to wait for questions to be put into words.

And because of that they believed that Jesus came from God.

But Jesus warned them that though they believed that He came from God, their faith will be put to the test.

And their faith will be shaken and they will be scattered, each going his own way and leaving Jesus alone.

If the disciples’ faith can be shaken, so can our faith be shaken too.

We may say that we believe in Jesus, but when troubles come our way, we will find it difficult to keep believing.

For all that we say about what we believe in, let us also admit that our faith is not that strong.

It is only when we admit that we are weak, then Jesus who conquered the world will make us strong.

7th Sunday of Easter, Year A, 17.05.2026

Acts 1:12-14 / 1 Peter 4:13-16 / John 17:1-11  

The month of June is just two weeks away. That might be important to know because the school break is in June. 

And along with the school break, then it is holiday time. 

Even though the current worldwide situation is unstable, even though prices from fuel to food has risen, the urge for going on holiday has grown greater. 

Maybe it is the “in” thing to do, and we want to be with the “in” crowd. 

Maybe it has got something to do with the syndrome called FOMO. 

FOMO stands for “fear of missing out”, and it is not just about going for holidays. 

It is the feeling of anxiety or worry that other people are having a great and exciting and enjoyable time without us. 

This often happens when we see things on social media like friends travelling, partying and having a good time and we are left out, or that we have missed some “in” thing. 

So, the fear of missing out stems from some insecurity that we are being left out, or that we are forgotten, or that we are not with the “in” crowd doing the “in” thing. 

For the disciples of Jesus, they were looked upon with suspicion, and consequently they faced rejection, and subsequently persecution. 

They were not with the “in” crowd doing the “in” thing, but they were not affected by the fear of missing out. 

Instead, they formed for themselves a community of faith that united them in prayer.

The 1st reading says that after the Ascension of Jesus, the apostles and disciples went back to Jerusalem and gathered in the upper room. 

Together with the apostles and disciples were several women, including Mary the mother of Jesus. 

This last mention of Mary together with the apostles and disciples, was an important and significant detail. 

Because Mary was together with the apostles and disciples in continuous prayer. 

The image of the early Church at prayer expressed what Jesus said in the gospel about knowing the one true God. 

And knowing the one true God and Jesus Christ whom He sent leads us to eternal life. 

Mary and the apostles and disciples were united in prayer because of their faith in Jesus Christ and in the one true God. 

With faith and prayer, the early Church was not affected by the fear of missing out. 

They didn’t have to be with the “in” crowd or doing the “in” thing. 

And it can be said that they were the opposite of FOMO, and that is JOMO, which stands for the “joy of missing out”. 

If they were missing out on what the rest of the world are doing, it is because they had the joy of being belonged to God. 

As Jesus said in His prayer to the Father: They were Yours and You gave them to me, and they have kept Your word. 

We are in the world, but we are not of the world. 

There is no fear of missing out, but we must be a people of prayer and be a Church at prayer. 

It is at prayer then we profess our faith in the one true God and in Jesus Christ whom He has sent. 

It is in prayer that we proclaim that God is above all. 

God must be above all, especially in the Church, or we will be nothing at all. 

May Mary and the Saints pray for us, that we can miss out on everything, but we must not miss out on God.

6th Week of Easter, Saturday, 16-05-2026

Acts 18:23-28 / John 16:23-28

We might think that if things go our way, life would be easy and we would be happy.

That would, of course, be very nice to imagine, that everything would be as we wanted it to be.

But we know that such is not the case, and it won’t ever be the case.

When we reflect and think deeper about it, if everyone has it their way, this world would be chaotic.

Because everyone has a personal opinion and wants things his way.

In the gospel, Jesus says this: I tell you most solemnly, anything you ask for from the Father, he will grant you.

That might sound too good to be true, but we also know that not everything that we asked God for was granted to us.

God will give us what is good for us because He loves us.

And if we love God, then we should ask Him to give us what is good for us, as well as what is good for others.

Let us pray that we will always love God and know what His will is for us.

When we are united in the love of God, then we will do things His way, and not want to have it our way.