Fifth Sunday of Easter. Year A - Sunday, May 7, 2023 (EPISODE-419 )

Fifth Sunday of Easter. Year A - Sunday, May 7, 2023 (EPISODE-419 )

Readings for Sunday, May 7, 2023 - Fifth Sunday of Easter. Year A
FIRST READING: Acts 6:1-7
Ps 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19. "Lord, let your mercy be on us as we place our trust in you."
SECOND READING: 1 Pet 2:4-9
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (John 14:6). Alleluia, alleluia! I am the way, the truth and the Life, says the Lord. No one comes to the Father except through me.
GOSPEL: John 14:1-12

Image Credit: Shutterstock Licensed. Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 2202541749 - ZURICH, SWITZERLAND - JULY 1, 2022: The fresco of Holy Trinity among the saints in the main apse of church St. Anton by Fritz Kunz (1921). Important information. Editorial Use Only. - Photo Contributor: Renata Sedmakova.
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Please listen to the audio recordings of the Mass – (Readings, prayers, and homily), for the Fifth Sunday of Easter. Year A - Sunday, May 7, 2023, by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-5a-fifth-sunday-of-easter-a-ep-419  (EPISODE- 419)
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Jesus said those famous words…  I am the Way, the Truth and the Life….. which also could be said as…  I am the ROAD, the TRUE Path and the meaning of truly and fully living…..

Robert Frost, in his poem "The Road Not Taken," tells about a decision he made:

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less travelled by,

And that has made all the difference."

During the Last Supper, Thomas and the other disciples were stunned into silence when Jesus announced he must leave them. Thomas asked for directions on how to get where Jesus was going. Tenderly, Jesus answered, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life."

Like Thomas, if we follow Jesus and live according to the values and principles he lived by…..  and do what Jesus has done, we too will have truth and life; we will be at home with him and the Father.

The road we choose to take must be one of faith. To travel the faith road, we must live lives which are "turned to God," – that is, dependent upon him for all that we do. Jesus has said that if we have faith in him, we have faith in the Father, for he and the Father are one.

Jesus has promised us that with faith we will be able to do his works. The works of the Father through Jesus were to teach, heal, and comfort.

They were the works of helping to discover truth, life, and love.

When we do these works, we can say to Jesus, "It is the Father who lives in me accomplishing his works."

The road of Jesus is not the road taken by those who live by the ways of the world…….

It is certainly a road less travelled…..  so we ought never to be afraid that we are diverging down a path that is not the 'trendy' path, not the common way of responding to the events of life or the action of others……. 

But the choice to follow this road will make all the difference.

it is good for us this week to spend some time reflecting on our lives and our path….. 
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How is the road of faith easy for you?

How is it difficult for you?
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• How do you feel when you make a decision that is different from that of your group of friends or different from the common direction that our present society tends to take…..? How does it feel to go down the road less travelled?

WHEN WE leave behind our selfishness, (we follow Jesus as the way)

When we overcome our fear, (we follow Jesus as our truth).

When we welcome the coming of Jesus daily in our life- we choose Jesus as our life!   

When we choose a path of mercy, compassion and respect, when the world around us advises revenge, the “survival of the fittest”, and 'every man or woman for themselves;   ….we walking with Jesus along his way!
And
When we take the risk to love and trust others,  - (we follow Jesus as the way, the truth, and the life).

Jesus’  WAY is love, compassion, mercy, kindness and justice.

Jesus’ TRUTH is the dignity of ALL creation and the right to dignity and reverence for all people as all are created in love by God.

And Jesus’ LIFE is service,  self-giving, self-forgetting, and sharing.

This path..  or WAY..  is true, like the poem says….    A very different and less travelled road than the usual –well worn – and wide roads of the world…
(we, too, stand in the forest –as in the poem -   faced with two paths…..    )

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less travelled by,

And that has made all the difference."

 

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References:

REFERENCES:  FR. PAUL W. KELLY;  Celebrating the Gospels.  By Gaynell Cronin.

 

Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 2202541749 - ZURICH, SWITZERLAND - JULY 1, 2022: The fresco of Holy Trinity among the saints in the main apse of church St. Anton by Fritz Kunz (1921). Important information. Editorial Use Only. - Photo Contributor: Renata Sedmakova.

 

To listen to the Sunday Mass each week (including homily) from Surfers Paradise Catholic Parish, please visit this link: Liturgy for you at Home (by SPCP) -  https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks

 

 Also found at -   https://tinyurl.com/FHLpwk

 

Fifth Sunday of Easter. Year A  (Sunday, May 7, 2023) (EPISODE- 419)

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
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{{Thanks for joining us for this time of prayer and reflection}}

My brothers and sisters, to prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries, let us call to mind our sins.
Lord Jesus, you raise us to new life: Lord, have mercy// //Lord Jesus, you forgive us our sins:Christ, have mercy//Lord Jesus, you feed us with your body and blood:Lord, have mercy//
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.  Amen.
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Ps 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19. "Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you."

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (John 14:6). Alleluia, alleluia! I am the way, the truth and the Life, says the Lord. No one comes to the Father, except through me.
Memorial Acclamation
3. Save us, Saviour of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free.
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PREFACE: Preface IV of Easter
Eucharistic Prayer One

(theme variation:  4)

(welcome cycle-   Good evening/morning. Welcome to this Eucharist as we celebrate the NNN Sunday in SSSSSS. Whether you have come to this church from near or far, and whether young or older, everyone is welcome in God's house. We hope you have a wonderful week. Please check to see that your mobile devices are switched off or turned to silent.  Our Presider tonight / today is Fr………………………… Please stand as we sing our entrance hymn: "__________" *)

(pre+post variation: v2-long)
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{Thanks for joining us for this time of prayer and reflection}

Go forth, the Mass is ended.

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Archive of homilies and reflections:  http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email:  paulwkelly68@gmail.com

To listen to my weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here:  https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks

You are welcome to subscribe to Fr Paul's homily mail-out by sending an email to this address:       Subscribe to mailing list to keep up-to-date

Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
"Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection"  - Led by Rev Paul Kelly

Prayers and chants  — Roman Missal, 3rd edition, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the liturgy. (ICEL)

Scriptures - New Revised Standard Version: © 1989,  and 2009 by the NCC-USA. (National Council of Churches of Christ - USA)

"The Psalms" ©1963, 2009,  The Grail - Collins publishers.

Prayers of the Faithful -   " Together we pray" by Robert Borg'.   E.J. Dwyer, Publishers, (1993) . (Sydney Australia).

Sung "Mass In Honour of St. Ralph Sherwin" -  By Jeffrey M. Ostrowski. The Gloria,  Copyright © 2011 ccwatershed.org.

REFERENCES:  FR. PAUL W. KELLY;  Celebrating the Gospels.  By Gaynell Cronin.

 

Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 2202541749 - ZURICH, SWITZERLAND - JULY 1, 2022: The fresco of Holy Trinity among the saints in the main apse of church St. Anton by Fritz Kunz (1921). Important information. Editorial Use Only. - Photo Contributor: Renata Sedmakova.

 

To listen to the Sunday Mass each week (including homily) from Surfers Paradise Catholic Parish, please visit this link: Liturgy for you at Home (by SPCP) -  https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks 

 Also found at -   https://tinyurl.com/FHLpwk 

 

- "Today I Arise" - For Trisha J Kelly.  Original words and music by Paul W. Kelly. Inspired by St Patrick's Prayer.  Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.

"Quiet Time."  Instrumental Reflection music. Written by Paul W Kelly. 1988, 2007. & This arrangement: Stefan Kelk, 2020.


Sound Engineering and editing -  P.W. Kelly.

Microphones: -      Shure MV5 Digital Condenser (USB)

Editing equipment:    NCH software - MixPad Multitrack Studio Recording Software
NCH – WavePad Audio Editing Software. Masters Edition v 12.44

Sound Processing:  iZotope RX 6 Audio Editor

[Production -  KER -  2023]
May God bless and keep you.
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