Abandon Ship

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/041616.cfm) reminds me that following God is all in.

They say that when things are going well, when you're on top of the world, you will have lots of friends. However, when you're down, when there are a lot of problems and when you're unpopular, that's when you know who your real friends are. This is true in a lot of times, and sometimes this is how we react with God's commandments. 

In the gospel, as Jesus was going deeper into his teaching, a lot of his disciples found it hard to believe him. They found it hard to follow him. As a result, they abandoned him and went back to their old way of life. This is sometimes how we react to God's commandments. This is sometimes what we do to God. 

Following God should be all in. 

We cannot choose which commandments we want to follow. We cannot just follow Him when its comfortable for us, or when it works for us. We cannot just follow some commandments, and disobey the others. God needs us to be all in. If we want to follow him, we should follow him entirely. 

This is what the rest of his disciples did. And we see in the first reading what this does. Peter followed him wholeheartedly. And as a result of this, we see how filled he was with Jesus. We see its effects when he was able to heal a lot of people. 

It is not always easy to follow God in everything. But it is what God wants. May we be reminded and inspired to follow him the way he wants us to, not the way we want to. 

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to love and serve you. Thank you for another weekend. Thank you for the reminder. Lord, I am sorry for the many times I act like the disciples in the gospel. Sorry for choosing what I want to follow. Sorry for following you and doing good only when i want to, when it works for me, when it is comfortable for me. Help be live right. Help me follow you and serve you the way you want me to, not the way I want to. as I try to do this, I ask that you use me to glorify your name. Amen. 

Blessed weekend!

In Christ,

-g-

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April 16, 2016
Saturday of the Third Week of Easter
Lectionary: 278

Reading 1 Acts 9:31-42

The Church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria
was at peace.
She was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord,
and with the consolation of the Holy Spirit she grew in numbers.

As Peter was passing through every region,
he went down to the holy ones living in Lydda.
There he found a man named Aeneas,
who had been confined to bed for eight years, for he was paralyzed.
Peter said to him,
“Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed.”
He got up at once.
And all the inhabitants of Lydda and Sharon saw him,
and they turned to the Lord.

Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha
(which translated is Dorcas).
She was completely occupied with good deeds and almsgiving.
Now during those days she fell sick and died,
so after washing her, they laid her out in a room upstairs.
Since Lydda was near Joppa,
the disciples, hearing that Peter was there,
sent two men to him with the request,
“Please come to us without delay.”
So Peter got up and went with them.
When he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs
where all the widows came to him weeping
and showing him the tunics and cloaks
that Dorcas had made while she was with them.
Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed.
Then he turned to her body and said, “Tabitha, rise up.”
She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up.
He gave her his hand and raised her up,
and when he had called the holy ones and the widows,
he presented her alive.
This became known all over Joppa,
and many came to believe in the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm PS 116:12-13, 14-15, 16-17

R. (12) How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?
or:
R. Alleluia.
How shall I make a return to the LORD
for all the good he has done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD
R. How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?
or:
R. Alleluia.
My vows to the LORD I will pay
in the presence of all his people.
Precious in the eyes of the LORD
is the death of his faithful ones.
R. How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?
or:
R. Alleluia.
O LORD, I am your servant;
I am your servant, the son of your handmaid;
you have loosed my bonds.
To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
R. How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?
or:
R. Alleluia.

Alleluia See Jn 6:63c, 68c

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life;
you have the words of everlasting life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Jn 6:60-69

Many of the disciples of Jesus who were listening said,
“This saying is hard; who can accept it?”
Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this,
he said to them, “Does this shock you?
What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?
It is the Spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail.
The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life.
But there are some of you who do not believe.”
Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe
and the one who would betray him.
And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me
unless it is granted him by my Father.”

As a result of this,
many of his disciples returned to their former way of life
and no longer walked with him.
Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?”
Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life.
We have come to believe
and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”