Good morning good people!
May the Risen Lord give you peace, and blessings. It is 15th May 2025.
We reflect on Acts 13:13–25 and John 13:16–20.
Responsorial Psalm: “I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord.” (Psalm 88:2)
In today’s first reading, St. Paul rises as a courageous voice, unpacking the mystery of the Scriptures to a Jewish audience. With great wisdom and reverence, he traces the thread of God’s covenant and leads his hearers to encounter the person of Jesus Christ, crucified and risen. Paul, though learned, becomes a servant of the Word, not its master—guiding others, not with pride, but with purpose.
St. Thérèse of Lisieux guides us, “It is not hard to obey when we love the one whom we obey.”
The Gospel, taken from John’s Book of Glory, places us in the Upper Room, in the afterglow of the foot-washing moment. Jesus, our Lord and Teacher, reminds us:
“Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them.” (John 13:16)
A young seminarian once served in a hospice for the dying. Among the patients was an old man, once wealthy and powerful, now frail and forgotten. One day, the seminarian brought a basin and towel and gently washed his feet. The man wept. He said, “All my life I had people at my feet. But no one ever touched them with love.” The Gospel is not proclaimed through a microphone—but through the quiet splash of water, the hidden gesture of humility, the basin and towel we carry daily.
The message is loud and clear: our Christian life must mirror Christ’s humble love. We are not here to advertise our goodness, but to embody His. The hallmarks of our discipleship must be love, kindness, compassion, obedience, faithfulness, and forgiveness. We do not cleanse ourselves—we bend low to wash the feet of another. This is the mark of authentic Gospel living.
Pope Francis, in Evangelii Gaudium no. 78, cautions us: “The spiritual life comes to be identified with a few religious exercises… which do not encourage encounter with others, engagement with the world or a passion for evangelization.”
This is a wake-up call: do not become a Messiah—be a messenger. Stay humble. Stay grounded. Be a learner in the school of love, not its self-appointed teacher. True greatness lies not in being seen, but in serving in silence, like Jesus did on His knees.
May we become servants of the Word like Paul, and friends of the poor like Jesus—loving, kneeling, and serving—not for applause, but for the glory of God.
Have a beautiful, grace-filled day. God bless you.