Monday, 18 May 7th Week of Easter A.   Acts 19:1-8; Jn 16:29-33.   Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God

Laudato Si’ 231. “Love, overflowing with small gestures of mutual care, is also civic and political and it makes itself felt in every action that seeks to build a better world. Love for society and commitment to the common good are outstanding expressions of a charity which affects not only relationships between individuals but also macro-relationships, social, economic and political ones. Social love is the key to authentic development and is part of our spirituality.”

Reflection: In the Gospel passage there is the sudden realization, the disciples now believe that Jesus came from God. This is divine inspiration, calling us not merely to a personal journey but is vividly expressed in our interactions with others and the environment. This is a call to a new world where we see Jesus as the Messiah united to His Father and summoning all creation to redemption. It is this beatific vision that caused St Francis of Assisi to sing praises in the Canticle of Creation, in the realization that all this is made by God. Our Christian obligation compels us to resist the evil forces through love, promote peace over ego, mercy over judgment and simplicity over prestige. Each individual person and family is called to be responsible for transforming communities and restoring life, creating a better world through love, justice and truth. During this Franciscan Jubilee, let us do so with hope and ready for action.

A question to consider: How can the virtues of humility, gentleness, patience and tolerance, as mentioned in the letter to the Ephesians, help us as believers to navigate and overcome divisions within our local Christian communities?

The power is not in perfection. The power is in participation.

Prayer for Families and Ecological Life: God of love, who inspires sustainable livelihood, instill in us the courage to look beyond ourselves. Let us, as families, be seeds and signs of hope and first fruits in the world. Open our hearts and eyes to see the valuable existence of every living creature, redeemed by the blood of Christ, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.