Paul's Reflections 9th May, 2010 Sixth Sunday of Easter - C

9th May, 2010      Sixth Sunday of Easter - C

 

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This weekend, actually Saturday the  8^th May, its “VE Day”  anniversary….    In 1945, on the 8^th May, the World War II Allies formally accepted the unconditional surrender of the enemy Armed forces in Germany…. // it is reported that greater than one million people took to the streets to celebrate upon the news that the end had come to the European part of the war.  One could hardly comprehend the thanksgiving, joy and relief on this date…  although also all too aware of the enormous job still ahead and the enormous cost of fighting for freedom and for the values that we all cherish…..   It is so important to mark this day’s such as this.

 

This reminds me of a parable I recently read…   a young man goes to visit the war memorial in Canberra…  and he goes in to see the many, many lists of those who have given the ultimate sacrifice….  When he goes in… he sees an elderly man who is weeping uncontrollably….   He gently stands beside him and, after the elderly man regains his composure, the young man asks him, “is one of these your?.....    to which the elderly man relies…  “no!  All of them.” 

 

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That is quite a moving thought. Jesus PRAYS that all shall be one, healed of division, etc. he prays that we might love as he loved..  and will all to be saved…..  

 

We pray that the Lord, and particularly the Holy Spirit which makes all of what we do effective./..  that we might HAVE the peace that only God can give….  That God will bless and strengthen us…  and help us to love as Jesus asked….

 

This weekend at the different masses, we have our young ones who are continuing their preparation to receive their Confirmation and first holy communion …..  

 Jesus encourages us to walk the path of love, and loving service……..Jesus walks along with us on our life journey… he is always interested to hear us tell him of our hopes, our fears… our disappointments and our failures… and he is there to reassure us and give us strength and to assure us that if we keep trusting in him, the love of God has the final word in our life….    and it lasts forever…..

 

whenever we gather at Mass, we come together as disciples and friends of Jesus and we break the bread and drink from the cup….and we believe that this is not just a SIGN of our connection to Jesus, that God forgives us, renews us and commissions us… we believe that Jesus comes to us in what looks like bread and wine, that Jesus is really present in this sacrament,  and that Jesus comes into our hearts and we become more and more part of Jesus’ life…. and then we go out into our daily lives to live his commandments to show love and care for each other…    

 

 

 

 

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REFERENCES:

 

·          FR. PAUL W. KELLY

·          MONASTERY OF CHRIST IN THE DESERT. ABBOT’S HOMILY.