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“Let us stand fast in what is right, and prepare our souls for trial. Let us wait upon God’s strengthening aid and say to him: ‘O Lord, you have been our refuge in all generations.'”
— St. Boniface
//The Catholic Company//
SUNDAY, APRIL 25, 2021
“To look is not only to see, it is more; it also involves intention, will. For this reason, it is one of the verbs of love. A mother and father look at their child; lovers gaze at each other; a good doctor looks at the patient carefully… Looking is a first step against indifference, against the temptation to look the other way before the difficulties and sufferings of others. To look. Do I see or look at Jesus?”
Pope Francis
My children are light sleepers, so when they fall asleep on me in the rocking chair, it can be a real challenge to get them into their crib without waking them up. Over time I’ve learned the delicate art of pressing them close during the transfer. That way, even if the chair and the floor (and my knees!) all creak in unison, the stirring child quickly softens back to sleep as soon as I gently tighten my embrace.
I’ve often found that God holds us with the same closeness during the difficult transitions of our lives. And unexpected
people often emerge to lead us through the darkness. We see this when Christ met Saul, held him close, and led him to Ananias. Previously fearful of Saul’s murderous threats, Ananias lays his hands upon him, heals him, feeds him, even watches as he takes his first wobbly steps as a newly baptized Christian.
Jesus invites us to draw even closer: Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood remains in me and I in him. Christ’s very life, lavishly given to us at each and every moment. This lavish love is the foundation of our communion, which we are called to share—always and without exception—with others (even those breathing murderous threats against us). This is the hard work of the Christian life. And it is the place of the graced encounter with God in Christ, who holds us, carries us, and embraces us, even though all we may see is darkness.
//Michael J. Sanem – Apr 23, 2021 – 2 min(s) read//
Remain
By Julia Prins Vanderveen — Saturday, April 24, 2021
Scripture Reading: John 15:1-17
“Remain in me, as I also remain in you. . . .” John 15:4
We have grapevines in our backyard, and we often need to cut back the tendrils—threadlike spirals that help the plant attach to supports while it climbs. When we have cut the tendrils, we notice two things: moisture steadily drips from the vine where we made the cut, and the cut-off tendrils begin to wilt right away.
In our reading for today, Jesus describes something similar. He describes himself as a vine, and he says we are like the vine’s branches. This is a way of communicating the intimate connection between us and Christ. He is the source, and whoever remains in him will bear the fruit of his love. But if we do not remain in him, we will be like a branch cut off by the gardener, and we will quickly wither and die.
Jesus gives us this illustration while he is talking about our top priority in living for God in this world—that is, to love one another as he has loved us, and to share his love with everyone around us. As we do that, we bear good fruit for the world to enjoy—and all of this is for God’s glory. Jesus also says that in this world we will face troubles, but because we remain in him, we need not be afraid. The message is clear: we cannot control the outcome of anything, but God is in control—so we don’t need to live in fear about what might happen. We can simply remain in him, and we can see what he will do in and through us.
Loving Lord, where would we be without your presence? Thank you for every breath and for every good thing we receive through you. Help us to remain in you. In your name, Amen.
//Reframe Ministries//