God With You

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/042817.cfm) reminds me that if God is with us, nothing can be against us. 

Gamaliel in the first reading tells us a very insightful thought. Human effort is not enough to sustain groups. It should be blessed by God to be able to continue and flourish. God should be present and should be the center for a group to flourish and survive. The Apostles who experienced Jesus as they were proclaiming God's kingdom are the very early fathers of our church. Their acts and service to God lived on, and until now that group they were referring to in the first reading, the group that believes in God still exist. We still exist, more than 2000 years from the time of the Apostles, so we know this has God's blessings, and that God is truly in our midst. 

If God is with you, nothing can destroy you. 

The first reading also says that fake groups not founded on God were eventually destroyed. They died a natural death. Needless to say, groups with God in the center can withstand anything. They can withstand everything. This should inspire us and strengthen us. If God is really in us, in our midst, then we would always be safe. 

We need not experience something like the gospel. No miracle is needed. No physical presence of Jesus is needed. These are not needed for us to know that God is alive in us. History shows he is. And if we do our part, we will make God's presence more alive and more real in this world. In the same way that Jesus took what the boy had, the little that he had, and used it mightily, God too will take whatever little we are able to give and use it mightily for his kingdom and glory. 

May we be willing to offer what little we can, and have faith that God can use it to make him more alive and real in our lives, so indeed people can see God is truly in our midst. 

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another weekend coming up. Thank you for all the blessings. Lord, sorry for the times I doubt your love, power and protection. Sorry for letting myself be overwhelmed. And sorry for keeping things to myself. Lord, help me be willing to share like the boy. I may not have a lot, but your touch can change everything. I don't have great talents lord, but i offer myself and I have faith that you will take the little i have and use it mightily to glorify your name. Use me to make you more alive and more real in our midst. I also ask that you increase my faith and remind me that as long as you are with me, nothing can go against, that I will always have your protection. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

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April 28, 2017
Friday of the Second Week of Easter
Lectionary: 271

Reading 1ACTS 5:34-42

A Pharisee in the Sanhedrin named Gamaliel,
a teacher of the law, respected by all the people,
stood up, ordered the Apostles to be put outside for a short time,
and said to the Sanhedrin, "Fellow children of Israel,
be careful what you are about to do to these men.
Some time ago, Theudas appeared, claiming to be someone important,
and about four hundred men joined him, but he was killed,
and all those who were loyal to him
were disbanded and came to nothing.
After him came Judas the Galilean at the time of the census.
He also drew people after him,
but he too perished and all who were loyal to him were scattered.
So now I tell you,
have nothing to do with these men, and let them go.
For if this endeavor or this activity is of human origin,
it will destroy itself.
But if it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy them;
you may even find yourselves fighting against God."
They were persuaded by him.
After recalling the Apostles, they had them flogged,
ordered them to stop speaking in the name of Jesus,
and dismissed them.
So they left the presence of the Sanhedrin,
rejoicing that they had been found worthy
to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.
And all day long, both at the temple and in their homes,
they did not stop teaching and proclaiming the Christ, Jesus.

Responsorial PsalmPS 27:1, 4, 13-14

R. (see 4abc) One thing I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life's refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
R. One thing I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
One thing I ask of the LORD
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple.
R. One thing I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
R. One thing I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.

AlleluiaMT 4:4B

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
One does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GospelJN 6:1-15

Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee.
A large crowd followed him,
because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick.
Jesus went up on the mountain,
and there he sat down with his disciples. 
The Jewish feast of Passover was near.
When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him,
he said to Philip, "Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?"
He said this to test him,
because he himself knew what he was going to do.
Philip answered him,
"Two hundred days' wages worth of food would not be enough
for each of them to have a little."
One of his disciples,
Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him,
"There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish;
but what good are these for so many?"
Jesus said, "Have the people recline." 
Now there was a great deal of grass in that place. 
So the men reclined, about five thousand in number.
Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks,
and distributed them to those who were reclining,
and also as much of the fish as they wanted.
When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples,
"Gather the fragments left over,
so that nothing will be wasted."
So they collected them,
and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments
from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat.
When the people saw the sign he had done, they said,
"This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world." 
Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off
to make him king,
he withdrew again to the mountain alone.