St. Thomas

My Lord and my God! (John 20:28)

The apostle Thomas has an unfortunate reputation as the “Doubting Thomas.” For some of us, the first and only thing we remember about him is his statement: “Unless I see … I will not believe” (John 20:25). But earlier on, when Jesus told the Twelve that he was going back to a hostile Judea to help his friend Lazarus, Thomas rallied the other disciples to join him. “Let us also go to die with him” (11:16), he sa...

I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word.” (John 17:20)

When we enter into a time of intercessory prayer, it’s not uncom­mon to bring our own priorities to the forefront of our minds. We bring to God the issues that concern us and challenge us on a regular basis. How will I pay these bills? Can I trust my teenager to drive? How can I maintain a happy marriage? But if we look at Jesus’ prayer on the night before he d...

“I speak this in the world so that they may share my joy completely.” (John 17:13)

What would you pray for if you were facing a brutally painful, lin­gering death? Strength? Peace? The grace to endure it faithfully? Jesus prayed for his friends. He was con­cerned for what he had begun in their hearts. He wanted it to con­tinue and bear fruit until the day they were reunited with him. And guess what? He included us in his prayer. Us! With love and compas­sion, ...

"This is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.” (John 17:3)

In this wonderful prayer of Jesus, we get a glimpse of eternity: not harps and jewels but intimacy with God. Nor do we have to wait until we die to experience this. Jesus knows us inside and out, and he longs for us to know him too, to let his love begin to transform us here and now.

“I revealed your name to those whom you gave me,” he says t...

“No one will take your joy away from you.” (John 16:22)

Suppose you were to find a very old locket that was engraved inside. The words on the inscription may not mean much to you, but they were probably very special to the original owner of the locket. That is, after all, the nature of an engrav­ing: to convey a lasting message to a loved one.

Do you know that God has been engraving your heart with words of love since the day he created you? These declarations a...

“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.” (John 15:11)

It was one o’clock in the morning when the couple received news that their two sons would be returning home from the war in two months’ time. They were so excited that they stayed awake all the rest of the night reminiscing about their boys and making plans for their eventual reunion. They knew their sons were still in harm’s way, but there was no room for doubt an...

“As the Father loves me, so I also love you.” (John 15:9)

How many times have we heard these words, felt warmed by them, and yet not really grasped the radi­cal truth behind them? Let’s take a look, for instance, at what Jesus means when he says, “As the Father has loved me.” Let’s consider a few instances in Jesus’ life where we get a glimpse into how much the Father loves his Son.

When Jesus was baptized by John, the heavens opened, the Holy Spirit d...

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.” (John 15:1)

In Japanese culture, the art of growing a Bonsai tree is a lifelong and rewarding experience for the grower. The spectator is also greatly rewarded by the beauty of the tree’s appearance and shape. Each tree is carefully trimmed, pruned, clamped, defoliated, and grafted for the grower’s purpose and delight. The grower carefully removes unnecessary leaves, branches, or needles that hinder its beau...

“Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.” (John 14:27)

If you’ve ever watched a scary movie, you know how easy it is to let frightening images get stuck in your imagination. A movie, with its spe­cial effects and dramatic music, can make you forget you’re in the safety of your living room. Suddenly, you’re transported to a dangerous and scary place where everything seems malevolent.

The example may sound trite, but spiritually, there are always things ...

“Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit.” (John 15:5)

How comforting it is to know that we do not walk alone through this life! No matter how isolated or weak we may feel, the truth is that Jesus is with us and will never abandon us. With Jesus as “the vine,” we can be assured that we will receive every­thing we need to nourish and sustain us. With the Father as the “vine grower,” all the circumstances of our lives—both pleasant and difficult— becom...

Sts. Philip and James

Show us the Father. (John 14:8)

Philip and James, whose mem­ory we are honoring today, were among those Jesus had specially chosen as his apostles. So they had been with him for a few years already when Jesus told them and the rest of the twelve: “If you know me, then you will also know my Father” (John 14:7). But despite all their time together, they didn’t understand what he was talking about. So Philip asked: “Master, show us the Father” (14:8).

“I came into the world as light.” (John 12:46)

My brothers and sisters, I came to earth so that everyone who believes in me may not remain in the dark­ness. So come! Come into my light!

Come into my light so that you can see the path you should follow. Many of you are facing important decisions right now. You don’t have to make these decisions all on your own. Come into my light so I can help you find the way. Let me show you my hopes, plans, and dreams for you. So often, ...

“How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” (John 10:24)

The Jews gathered around Jesus, demanding to know, once and for all, whether he really was the Messiah. That kind of plea surfaces in every­one at times. We all want assurances from God—both about who he is and about our own lives. What job should I take? Whom should I marry? How should I manage my finances? We all want to do the right thing, to please him, and to trust him w...

“We are God’s children.” (1 John 3:2)

What a radical statement! How awesome it is that we mere mortals are children of the eternal, almighty God! What could be more wonder­ful than having the Creator of the universe as your own dad?

Being a child of God is not just a matter of doctrine or intellectual faith but of relationship—a relation­ship founded on love: “See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God” (1 John 3:1).

Being his d...

“It was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven… . I am the bread of life.” (John 6:32,35)

The Israelites were yearning for a romantic past. Selectively forget­ting the thirst and weariness of their long desert wanderings, they focused on remembering the miraculous manna that sustained them. Since Jesus was talking somewhat mysteri­ously to them about “true bread,” they demanded a sign similar to the manna their ancestor...

“What can we do to accom­plish the works of God?” (John 6:28)

Jesus had just fed a multitude of people, and the disciples had just seen him walking on water. Take a moment to think about the immensity of these two feats. First, Jesus was able to feed thousands of hungry people with just five loaves of bread and a couple of fish. Then, he completely overrode the laws of gravity and buoyancy by striding atop a stormy sea. And he did it all so casually, so matter-of-factly, as if...

“It is I.” (John 6:20)

The disciples were rowing in a strong wind. They were working hard, keeping the boat afloat despite the wind and the waves. The situ­ation wasn’t desperate. These were able watermen who knew the sea and had determined that they could make it to the other shore in these conditions. Still, something hap­pened, “and they began to be afraid” (John 6:19).

It wasn’t the wind or the waves that caused their fear. It was Jesus, appearing at a place they ...

“Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted.” (John 6:12)

The miracle of the loaves and fishes is one of the best examples of how Jesus works in our lives. In the story, Jesus put Philip to the test when, looking at the crowd that had gathered, he asked: “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?” (John 6:5). Jesus knew what he was going to do, but he wanted Philip and the others to feel some sense of the responsibility that Jesus constantly felt as h...

“The one who comes from above is above all.” (John 3:31)

O Lord, sometimes I feel trapped by all the pressure and stress of life. All I can see are my problems, my struggles, my challenges. I feel like I am drowning in a sea of trials. It’s so hard to look above all the things that are pressing on me, demanding my immediate attention!

But you, Jesus, are from above, and you are above all. You have the serenity that comes from your divine perspective, overseeing the raging se...

“God so loved the world that he gave his only Son.” (John 3:16)

Imagine a holy card that pic­tures God the Father—blazing with wrath—poised to blast this sinful world to oblivion. And next to him, straining to hold back the aveng­ing arm, God the Son, whose heart burns with love for fallen humanity.

Hopefully, you’re not carrying such an image in your prayer book! But are you carrying some version of it in your head? Do you some­times see the Father as severe and conde...

Divine Mercy Sunday

This is the one who came through water and blood. (1 John 5:6)

“Throughout the world the Second Sunday of Easter will receive the name Divine Mercy Sunday, a perennial invitation … to face, with confidence in divine benevolence, the difficulties and trials that human­ity will experience in the years to come.” Twelve years ago, Pope John Paul II used these words to inaugu­rate Divine Mercy Sunday, a feast to be celebrated every year on the sec­ond Sunday...

It is the Lord.” (John 21:7)

What a puzzling time this must have been in the disciples’ lives! They’ve followed Jesus on the way to the cross, only to hear reports that he has come alive again. Then he is suddenly in their midst with words of comfort and mission—but then he vanishes as quickly as he appeared. What’s next?

Not surprisingly, some of them go back to their work as fisher­men—something stable. But after a long night, they have caught noth­ing. Then a stra...

The resurrection of the Lord

They did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead. (John 20:9)

What a humble statement! Here is John, the beloved apostle, admit­ting that he hadn’t yet grasped the truth that Jesus would rise from the dead. And not only John but Peter and the other apostles doubted that possibility. Even Mary Magdalene, who saw the empty tomb, supposed that someone had stolen Jesus’ body (John 20:2).

Now, Jesus had told his apostles that t...

Good Friday

It is finished. (John 19:30)

What was finished? Jesus’ mission!

If we want to understand that mission we have to go back to the very beginning of the Bible. We have to start in Genesis, with its story of the fall of our first parents. From that point on, the human race was sepa­rated from God. Subject to sin and death, all Adam’s descendants would now live under a cloud. But God did not abandon us. He established a personal covenant with Abraham to form a people w...

“They gave a dinner for him.” (John 12:2)

Doesn’t it seem odd that Jesus would start the final week of his earthly life by attending a dinner party? You might have expected him, with good reason, to have spent extra time in prayer and conversation with his Father, or in some other way strengthening himself for the ordeal ahead. But no, he had dinner with his friends. He received their gener­osity and love. And he loved them back by spending time with them, even at a time whe...

“It is better for you.” (John 11:50)

Like missing a new exit ramp on a familiar highway, the high priest Caiaphas was about to miss the new work God was doing in Jesus. Both he and Jesus began well, with a deep respect for the Temple and the Law of Moses. As part of a priestly family, Caiaphas or a rel­ative may have presided when Joseph and Mary presented their infant son at the Temple. Perhaps he was acquainted with or even among those who, a dozen years later, marveled at ...

“Believe the works.” (John 10:38)

How can we know what God is like? How can we know him so inti­mately that we yield to his love and are changed? When Jesus said: “The Father and I are one,” he was call­ing people to examine his words and works so that they could know him and know the Father as well (John 10:30). In his earthly ministry, Jesus revealed the Father to us and pro­vided the way for sending his Spirit into our lives. If we ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten us...

“I am.” (John 8:58)

When Moses asked God his name in the burning bush, God replied: “I am who am”—a phrase that can also be translated as: “I will cause to be what I will cause to be” (Exodus 3:14). Ultimately, no translation is entirely satisfactory, because “this divine name is mysterious just as God is mystery … infinitely above everything that we can understand” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 206). And yet, in telling Moses his name, God gave the Israel...

“Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it pro­duces much fruit.” (John 12:24)

Have you ever seen a seed ger­minate? While it is in the soil, the skin encasing it splits open. Next, the seed itself splits in two, and the stem and root unfurl. Gradually, the seed grows smaller as it nourishes the new plant. Eventually, the seed disappears altogether. If you were to look at the plant after a while, you probably wo...

“Then each went to his own house.” (John 7:53)

The chief priests and Pharisees are stressed out. It’s the Feast of Tabernacles, and Jesus has been drawing crowds—captivating many people but agitating others. His opponents are buzzing like angry bees. But for now, they are in total disarray—divided, confused, and powerless to sting.

By the end of the day, these reli­gious leaders have been disobeyed by the Temple police (John 7:44-46), have argued over a basic point of ...

“We know where he is from. When the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.” (John 7:27)

The conflict about the origins of Jesus arose because of a popu­lar belief that the Messiah’s origins would be hidden. Since the people at the Temple claimed to know Jesus’ family and hometown, they con­cluded that he could not possibly be the Messiah. The problem was that the people were thinking about Jesus’ human and earthly origins, but Jesus was referring to his divin...

“Search the Scriptures.” (John 5:39)

Have you ever picked up your Bible, read a passage from it, and then sat back and wondered what in the world God was trying to say to you? It’s possible that you may have walked away and decided that the passage didn’t have any consequence for your life. But somewhere inside your heart, you probably also sensed that there was something in that pas­sage for you, but you just couldn’t place your finger on it.

God wants to reveal himself...

“… So that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father.” (John 5:23)

During his earthly life, Jesus repeatedly declared that his pri­mary purpose was to do only what the Father wanted of him and to speak only the words that the Father gave him (John 4:34; 6:38; 8:28). His whole life was dedicated to bringing honor to his Father—to the point that on the night before he was arrested, he asked the Father to glorify him through his death only “so that your son may glo...

“He made a whip of cords and drove them all out of the temple area.” (John 2:15)

Today’s Gospel tells us that Jesus was angry. But just a little more than a week ago, we read how Jesus told us not to get angry. So, did Jesus commit a sin here? Did he lose his temper? Or is there a place for anger?

Maybe St. Paul can help out here. “Be angry,” he wrote, “but do not sin” (Ephesians 4:26). So there is a type of anger that isn’t sinful. In fact, there are times when ange...

"BIG CHRISTMAS"

"Jesus performed this first of His signs at Cana in Galilee. Thus did He reveal His glory, and His disciples believed in Him." –John 2:11

Tomorrow, in many countries throughout the world, we celebrate the greatest day of the Christmas season, Epiphany. Sometimes Epiphany is called "little Christmas," but it is actually "big Christmas." Epiphany may be one of the greatest days in our lives and the beginning of one of our greatest years ever. However, the glory of Epiphany i...

GIFTED AND GIVING

"God gave us eternal life." –1 John 5:11

Throughout much of the world, today is the highlight of the Christmas season, the celebration of the Epiphany. Even if we are in a country which celebrates Epiphany on Sunday, the Lord will let us be part of the glories of Epiphany today.

The wise men gave Jesus three gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Mt 2:11). We too can give the Lord the gifts of our finances, prayers (see Rv 5:8), and sacrifices. We can give the Lord our ...

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LOVE LETTERS

"This, remember, is the message you heard from the beginning: we should love one another." –1 John 3:11

Love is laying down our lives for our brothers and sisters (1 Jn 3:16). If we have this love, we know we have passed from death to life (1 Jn 3:14). If we do not love, we are "among the living dead" (1 Jn 3:14). Love is not just talk, but actions (1 Jn 3:18). If we have love in action, we know "we are committed to the truth and are at peace before" God (1 Jn 3:19). Therefor...

LOOK OUT

"When Jesus turned around and noticed them following Him, He asked them, 'What are you looking for?' " –John 1:38

As we celebrate the last few days of the Christmas season and begin the New Year, Jesus turns around and asks us point blank: "What are you looking for?" What do we hope for in this Christmas season? What do we hope 2012 will bring? Some of what we are looking for is straight from the heart of God, but some of it is against the heart and will of God. We should differe...

SEEKING RECOGNITION

"I confess I did not recognize Him." –John 1:31

While in the womb, John the Baptizer was baptized in the Holy Spirit by Jesus, Who was in the womb of Mary (Lk 1:41, 15). John was a relative of Jesus. He was leading a great prophetic ministry and calling people to be baptized in repentance (Lk 3:3). John was the greatest person who had ever lived up to that time (Mt 11:11).

Nevertheless, John did not recognize Jesus, although Jesus was "the very reason" John was bapti...

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QUESTION BOX

"Who, then?" –John 1:21

We begin this new year with the question: "Who are you?" (Jn 1:19). This is a good question. How can we be what the Lord wants us to be this year unless we know who we are? However, the question of our identity is most difficult. One voice says we are God's children (see Mt 3:17; Jn 1:12; 1 Jn 3:2). We are called "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people He claims for His own" (1 Pt 2:9). But we don't feel like God's children or look ...

DESIGNATED DRIVERS AND DESIGNATED DRUNKS

"My reason for having written you is not that you do not know the truth but that you do, and that no lie has anything in common with the truth." –1 John 2:21

On this last day of the year, many people try to escape from reality by drinking alcohol, taking drugs, or staring at TV. Some feel so miserable they don't even think of not drinking. They resign themselves to despair and only hope they won't drive when they drink. They even promote "designate...

LOVE SUPREME

"This fellowship of ours is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ." –1 John 1:3

Christmas is a special time to begin or deepen our personal relationship with Jesus. Like John, we are running to Jesus and hope to end this Christmas season with a deeper faith in Jesus than ever before (Jn 20:8). We want Jesus to become so real to us that by faith we have heard His voice, seen His face, and touched His nail-scarred hands (1 Jn 1:1). Our Christmas prayer is "to grasp ful...

Mass Readings: September 29

ANGELS NOW MORE THAN EVER

"Thousands upon thousands were ministering to Him." –Daniel 7:10

Today's feast day honors the archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, the only angels mentioned by name in the Bible. We thank God for these three archangels. We need them now more than ever.

The only way to understand nearly forty years of killing millions of babies through ...

Mass Readings: September 15

THE SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN SORROWS OF MARY

"With sorrow my eye is consumed; my soul also, and my body. For my life is spent with grief." –Psa...

Mass Readings: August 24

KNOW BODY

"Do you believe just because..." –John 1:50

"When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, He remarked: 'This man is a true Israelite. There is no guile in him' " (Jn 1:47). Nathanael asked Jesus, "How do You know me?" (Jn 1:48) This is a revealing response. The typical response to a total stranger would be to ask: "How do you know this information abou...

St. Bonaventure tells how Francis of Assisi "burned with love for the Sacrament of our Lord's Body with all his heart, and was lost in wonder at the thought of such condescending love, such loving condescension. He received Holy Communion often and so devoutly that he roused others to devotion too. The presence of the Immaculate Lamb used to take him out of himself, so that he was often lost in ecstasy."

Of this continuing condescension Francis says, "Every day he humbles himself j...

You should adore our Lord Jesus Christ, who makes himself present to us on the altar, so that we might offer him the homage and adoration we owe. Pray that just as he changes the lower earthly nature of bread and wine into his body and blood he might change and transform also the sluggishness, coldness and dryness of our earthly and arid heat into the fire, tenderness and agility of the holy divine affections and dispositions of his divine and heavenly heart. Then you should remember...

3 Jn  —  FIGHTING IN CHURCH

"Therefore, if I come I will speak publicly of what he is doing in spreading evil nonsense about us." —10

John wrote to Diotrephes, the leader of a local church, to ask the church to provide hospitality for missionaries from John's community. Diotrephes not only refused to welcome the brothers himself; he even hindered those who wished to do so and expelled them from the church (10). So John told Gaius to defy Diotrephes and provide for the missionarie...

2 Jn  —  SPEAK THE TRUTH IN LOVE (Eph 4:15)

"In truth I love each of you — and not only I but also all those who have come to know the truth." —1

Love is not the permissiveness of letting everyone do their own thing. "Love is based on the truth" (2). True love is "tough love." We should love people enough to tell them the truth, and even to break off fellowship with them if they do not "remain rooted in the teaching of Christ" (9).

Prayer: Father, may I accept the suffering, s...

1 Jn 1  —  DO YOU KNOW HIM OR JUST ABOUT HIM?

"God is Light; in Him there is no darkness." —1:5

Some members of John's community did not have a deep personal relationship with Jesus. This left them open to all sorts of confusion and deception from the evil one. Some maintained they had fellowship with Jesus, were free of the guilt of sin, and even that they had never sinned. However, they were liars or self-deceived because they did not know Jesus personally.

Prayer: Jesus, ma...

Jn 1  —  CREATION AND RE-CREATION

"In the beginning was the Word; the Word was in God's presence, and the Word was God." —1:1

God created the world in seven days. Likewise, in seven days (see 1:29, 35, 43; 2:1), Jesus, God's Son, began the re-creation of the world by calling His first disciples and changing the water into wine (2:1ff).

Prayer: Jesus, may I be a new creation and be baptized "with the Holy Spirit" (1:33).
Promise: " 'Rabbi,' said Nathanael, 'You are the Son of G...