Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs (Memorial)

Paul . . . found some disciples. (Acts 19:1)

Try calling to someone across a field on a windy day, and you’ll find that the wind interferes with your ability to make contact. All that swirling air muffles your words. If you want to be heard, you need to come close enough for the other person to actually hear you.

Just as coming close to someone helps with all communication, it’s also an essential step in reaching out to someone with the love of Jesus.

The apostle Paul knew this firsthand. He spent years traveling from town to town so that he could be close to as many new believers as possible—people like the group he found at Ephesus in today’s first reading. These disciples of John the Baptist hadn’t yet heard about Jesus’ resurrection or his gift of the Holy Spirit. Their hearts were in the right place, but they needed someone like Paul to come close to them, pray with them, and take the time to share what he knew in order for them to take the next step in faith. They needed his presence and his personal touch to help them grasp what John meant when he called Jesus the “Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (1:29).

It’s not so different today. There are many different philosophies and religious ideas out in the world. There are so many distractions in the media and so many demands on people’s lives. Imagine how effective an encounter with sincere, loving followers of Jesus can be in cutting through all that interference.

You can be that connection. Believe it or not, you have much to offer people, starting with the witness of your own story. It’s only a matter of taking time to draw near as Paul did. And you don’t always have to say anything! Offering to mow a neighbor’s lawn, meeting fellow parishioners after Sunday Mass, listening to a troubled friend—these are only a few ways to reach out.

The world is a busy, noisy, windy place, but you have a message that is powerful and moving. Never doubt that the witness of your life and the story of your journey can touch people’s hearts and bring them closer to the Lord.

“Holy Spirit, help me to draw closer to people and share my story with them.”

Psalm 68:2-7
John 16:29-33

Saint Justin, Martyr (Memorial)

They took him aside and explained to him the Way of God more accurately. (Acts 18:26)

Apollos had many gifts. He knew Scripture inside and out and was an eloquent speaker. He also cared deeply about spreading the gospel. But his knowledge of the gospel message was limited to the preaching of John the Baptist. So two more seasoned apostles, Priscilla and Aquila, took Apollos aside and filled in the gaps for him.

How often have you had to offer feedback or advice—or even correction—to someone? Perhaps it was an employee at work or a fellow parishioner. Maybe it was one of your children. Whatever your situation, Priscilla and Aquila offer a good model to follow.

For one thing, they treated Apollos with respect and dignity. They didn’t interrupt one of his sermons or rebuke him in public. And neither did they demean him in any way for his lack of clarity. They just quietly “took him aside” and helped him see where his message was missing the mark (Acts 18:26). Maybe they began by focusing on all the good he was doing before steering him in a better direction.

God wants us to be open to helping each other grow in our gifts and talents—and he wants us to be open to receiving that help from each other. “Course corrections” may not always be pleasant, but there are times when they are necessary. That’s why the way we offer input is just as important as the input itself. As St. Paul wrote, we need always to keep “a gentle spirit” about us (Galatians 6:1). We should always be careful to build up, not tear down. Remember: you don’t want to limit someone’s willingness to use their God-given talents; you just want to help those talents continue to flourish and bear fruit.

You never know the profound effect your words may have on someone. Just look at Apollos: he went on to give “great assistance” to new believers everywhere (Acts 18:27)!

“Jesus, teach me how to give—and receive—feedback in a spirit of humility and gentleness.”

Psalm 47:2-3, 8-10
John 16:23-28

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Easter Weekday or The Ascension of the Lord (Solemnity)

You will see me. (John 16:16)

What a promise! Jesus was preparing to go away, but he would come back, and the apostles would see him once more. These words must have brought them a great measure of comfort.

And yes, they did see Jesus again—on Easter Sunday, when he appeared to them in the upper room. But the “seeing” Jesus was speaking of here meant more than just encountering him again with their physical eyes. Jesus was also talking about the way that the Holy Spirit would help them sense Jesus’ presence and his guidance even after he had ascended and was no longer visible.

But why would Jesus think it was important for us to “see” him again? Didn’t his cross and resurrection take care of our salvation? Wasn’t it enough for us to hear his gospel and be baptized into his name?

Simply put, no. And thank God for this truth! We need to “see” Jesus every day. We need to hear his voice, to receive his love, and to be formed by his wisdom. As St. Paul taught, Jesus gave us the Spirit “so that we may understand the things freely given us by God” (1 Corinthians 2:12).

The truth is that we could never grasp the price that Jesus paid for our salvation or the depth of his love for us on our own. We need the Spirit as well, to give us the grace we need to live out Jesus’ commands. Without the Holy Spirit, we limit both our understanding and our abilities.

This is why Jesus wants us to be baptized, or immersed, in his Holy Spirit. He knows it’s the only way we can know the power and presence of God in our lives.

So what did the apostles do after Jesus was taken away from them and they could no longer see him? Looking forward to the fulfillment of his promise, they joined together in prayer. They delved into the Scriptures. They prayed, “Come, Holy Spirit!”

Let’s follow their example. From now until Pentecost, let’s dive into Scripture, fix our eyes on Jesus, and persist in prayer. Let’s ask for the grace to see Jesus with new eyes, the eyes of the Holy Spirit.

“Come, Holy Spirit! Open the eyes of my heart!”

Acts 18:1-8
Psalm 98:1-4

BY: AGNES KOVAKS

In praying, we connect to God, who created us and is continually drawing us into His divi

Seasons of Prayer

“Teach us to pray,” we ask, as did the disciples of old. Yet prayer is more an attitude than a skill. It is more about our willingness to do it and less about how we go about it. Some guidance certainly helps, but it is important to know that there is no one right way to pray. Our prayer and prayer life will look different from that of others, depending on our personality, life experiences, and circum- stances. And we may find that what once t beautifully does not appeal anymore, for we have changed. Prayer changes us and changes with us. Prayer is an expression of our need to be in relationship with divine Love, here and now. Saint Augustine said it best: “Our heart is restless until it rests in you.”

Responding to the Divine

Prayer is integral to our Judeo-Christian heritage. Scripture reveals the Hebrew people as steeped in prayer. An entire book, The Book of Psalms, is dedicated to prayer. The Gospel accounts are full of references to Jesus praying. He prayed by himself and with others, in private and in front of thousands. He recited prayers from his Jewish heritage and offered his own. Prayer enabled Jesus to stay in tune with God the Father and gain strength for living his mission.

Liturgical and non-liturgical prayers of the disciples and the early Church were preserved and handed down through the centuries in historical documents such as the writings of the Church Fathers. Prayer is our sure way to connect to God who created us and is drawing us into the divine life.

Prayer can be a prelude to action or a response to unfolding events. Prayer is communication, with or without words.

Prayer is both listening to and responding to God’s invitation to be in relationship. Most of all, prayer is a state of being present to God.

Prayer is like a well-made tapestry that is tightly woven from yarns of different colors and types. The variation in these prayer threads creates an image, fosters multisensory engagement, and evokes a response.

Prayer comes in many forms and modes. Prayer can be communal or personal, verbal or silent, and it can involve movement, music, or stillness. It may rely on engagement with nature or emerge from the act of thinking; it may be the fruit of encountering others or going deep within ourselves. Prayer can be formulaic or freely composed; it may spring forth from memory, like prayers we know by heart, or it may be a new particular response to the moment.

Prayer is as varied as human beings are diverse. Whether we use silence, words, movement, music, the visual arts, or any combination thereof, prayer is an expression of our relationship with God.

A Prayer Practicum

Praying Spontaneously

Many Catholics find praying spontaneously in a group setting quite intimidating. They worry about finding the right words and putting them together to form a coherent prayer. While God surely sees what is in our hearts, it helps to have a few tools for expressing ourselves.

One formula that may ease anxiety about creating a prayer is ACTS.

A—adoration: “Almighty God, you are . . .”

C—contrition: “I am sorry for . . .”

T—thanksgiving: ”Thank you for . . .”

S—supplication: “I ask . . .”

Another formula follows the shape of the Collect prayers of the Mass: You-Who-Do-Through.

You—Name God

Who—Describe what God has done in the past

Do—Ask for God’s action now

Through—Finish with the Trinitarian formula: “Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.” Or “We ask this in the name of your beloved Son, Jesus, in the power of the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.”

With some practice, these formulas will become second nature and will enable us to offer prayers under any circumstances.

In our personal prayer, we do not need to use formulas. We can talk to God as if to a friend, sharing our daily joys and struggles without keeping to a set pattern. Many of the prayers that follow fall into this category. Keep in mind that they represent only one side of the conversation that is prayer.

This is a selection from Prayer Book for Catholic Women, by Agnes Kovaks, (The Word Among Us Press, 2018). Available from wau.org/books

6th Week of Easter

They came away with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him. (Acts 17:15)

It’s easy to see St. Paul as a “lone ranger” hiking alone down Roman roads, single-handedly establishing new churches. Today’s first reading might even cement that image in our minds, as Paul goes into Athens on his own to preach—except for the fact that he’s eagerly awaiting Silas and Timothy’s arrival. In reality, the picture of a lone, independent St. Paul is far from the truth.

From his conversion onward, Paul tried to surround himself with believers who supported him. Some of their names are familiar to us: Barnabas, Titus, Luke, Priscilla and Aquila. Others are not so well known: Sopater, Gaius, and Sosthenes. At one time or another, these brave men and women (and more) accompanied Paul on his missionary journeys. They proclaimed God’s word alongside him (Acts 13:5). They comforted him when he was crestfallen (2 Corinthians 7:6). And they energized him with their witness (Philippians 2:20). What’s more, most of Paul’s letters were works of collaboration, written with coworkers in ministry.

Far from being a lone ranger, Paul was a team player who saw the value in community. Consider one of the metaphors that Paul used to describe the Church: a body composed of many members, each of which was vital to the body’s functioning (1 Corinthians 12:12).

If Paul needed a community of believers shoring him up, so do we!

Are you a part of a group of other Christians who help support you in your faith? Maybe you’re involved in a parish renewal organization. Or perhaps you serve beside other Catholics in your community. If so, that’s great. Is there any way you can strengthen these relationships? Perhaps you could set up a monthly lunch gathering or start a text message thread devoted to praying for each other’s petitions. Or maybe you can just simply express how much they mean to you.

If you don’t belong to a group like this, how about looking to join one? You might start by looking at your church bulletin for a listing of existing groups. And you can always ask the Lord to open doors of friendship for you. Remember, you are not meant to be a lone ranger. You are a member of the body of Christ.

“Lord, thank you for the gift of friendship.”

Psalm 148:1-2, 11-14
John 16:12-15

6th Week of Easter

It is better for you that I go. (John 16:7)

Do you actually believe you have it “better” than the first disciples? It’s easy to wish we had been alive when Jesus walked the earth, but he tells us in today’s Gospel that we are actually better off with him in heaven.

This is another one of those puzzling remarks of Jesus that needs some unpacking. Jesus had just told his friends that he was about to be put to death. It’s natural to expect fear and grief to overwhelm them. Not only was their leader about to leave them—apparently without ushering in the kingdom they were waiting for—but their lives could also be in danger. And yet he tells them that it’s better for them that all of this happen. How is that possible?

The answer, as in so many other passages, is the Holy Spirit.

When Jesus walked the earth, he was in only one place at a time. He could say only one thing at a time. And there were times when he couldn’t say or do anything because he was asleep!

But following his death, resurrection, and ascension, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to live in his followers, the Spirit who never sleeps nor slumbers. This Spirit came to help the disciples understand and embrace all that Jesus had done for them. This Spirit enabled them to travel far and wide carrying the good news with them. Wherever they went, they prayed for new believers to be filled with that same Holy Spirit. Then those new believers extended God’s kingdom even farther. Jesus could not possibly have accomplished all that while still on earth.

Guess what? The Holy Spirit wasn’t just for the early Church. He’s in you as well! He is also at work in your family, your neighborhood, and your workplace. He’s there to help you understand God’s word in a deeper way. He’s there to help you listen patiently to someone who is hurting and feels alone. He’s there to inspire you with a solution for a persistent problem. He’s there to give you the strength to walk through the problems that have no solution. And through it all, he is there to help you love Jesus more.

It really is better that Jesus has gone and has sent the Holy Spirit, isn’t it?

“Jesus, thank you for making my life even better than the apostles’ lives!”

Acts 16:22-34
Psalm 138:1-3, 7-8

5th Week of Easter

It is the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us not to place on you any burden beyond these necessities. (Acts 15:28)

Today’s first reading is all about growing pains. With the conversion of many Gentiles to the faith, the Church had begun to experience dramatic growth, and that growth caused some controversy among the apostles. Because things had changed, they had to change as well, and not just in the way they led the Church. They had to change their hearts to welcome people they had once considered unclean and cursed by God.

So the apostles took a step back to pray, talk among themselves, and listen to the Spirit. In the end, they realized that God treated everyone equally, and so should they. They decided that not all Jewish practices were essential, circumcision in particular. All they asked was that Gentile believers refrain from some pagan practices that their Jewish brothers and sisters might find especially offensive.

Doesn’t this sound a lot like family life? First-time moms and dads frequently approach parenting with great enthusiasm and high expectations, both for their children and for themselves. They tend to be strict, holding to firm standards and clear lines about what is and isn’t permitted. But as their family grows both in size and in age, parents experience their own growing pains. They learn that some rules are still essential, but some aren’t. They may even decide that some of their earlier parenting strategies have been unhelpful.

What growing pains is your family experiencing? Maybe you’ve been used to praying before dinner, but everyone is scattered with different activities now. Perhaps it would be better to sit together at the end of the day and pray just one decade of the Rosary. Maybe some of your children are struggling, and reasoning with them isn’t helping. Perhaps it’s time to increase your intercession and look for opportunities to tell stories about how God has helped you.

Whatever the changes are, know that you are not going through them alone. The Holy Spirit is with you. Just follow the apostles’ example. Pray. Listen carefully to each other and to the Spirit. He can help you find the best way to reflect his love and mercy to each other.

“Holy Spirit, help every family to keep growing closer together and closer to you.”

Psalm 57:8-10, 12
John 15:12-17

Saint Rita of Cascia, Religious (Optional Memorial)

I remain in you. (John 15:4)

Throughout the Old Testament, we see times when God revealed himself to his people in a dramatic way. He dwelled in a tent (Exodus 27), a pillar of fire and a cloud (Exodus 13:21), and the Temple (1 Kings 6). There was no question that God was close to his people.

As wonderful as those manifestations of God were, Jesus reveals in today’s Gospel that it wasn’t enough for God to simply be near us. God wants to dwell in us. As Jesus told his disciples, “Remain in me, as I remain in you” (John 15:4, emphasis added).

This is one of the most comforting truths of our faith. From the beginning, God created each of us and called each of us by name so that he could dwell in us. He sent his Son, Jesus, to earth to proclaim the good news of his mercy. On the cross, Jesus poured out his life for us and then rose from the dead—all so that he could dwell in us.

The Hebrew word for “remain” is yashab, which means to “abide,” “settle,” “stay,” or “dwell.” In other words, Jesus is here to stay. He is not moving out. He wants to be with you forever.

As you ponder this amazing truth, you might be tempted to think “But I’m a sinner. I’m not worthy for the Son of God to dwell in me.” But Jesus didn’t come to abide in you based on your worthiness. He came to abide in you because he loves you. So even if you struggle until the end of your life with the same sin, he won’t abandon you. He is infinitely patient, always ready and waiting for you to come to him for mercy and grace.

That’s why Jesus kept telling his disciples to remain in him (John 15:4, 6, 7). He’s sticking around, and he doesn’t want you going anywhere either! The more you abide in him, the more he can pour his grace into your heart. Then his life in you will touch those around you. His presence in you will soften hearts that don’t know him.

So rejoice with Jesus. He’s right where he wants to be!

“Jesus, thank you for loving me enough to live in me forever.”

Acts 15:1-6
Psalm 122:1-5

Friendship with Jesus

Loving God and neighbor as the gateway to lives of peace

BY: HEIDI BRATTON

This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. This I command you: love one another. (John 15:12-17)

Everyday life has a way of isolating us from God. Although I certainly don’t mean to put God on the back burner, I can easily get swept up and away from him because of my general busyness. All manner of activities and objects vie for my affection (and my pocketbook). And, yes, even my love for my family can get in the way of my keeping the first commandment: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:1–3).

Perhaps you have never thought of busyness or of something as honorable as devotion to your family as a false god, but anything that becomes more important to us than our relationship with God becomes a type of idol, or false god, and over time it will rob us of our peace.

So what does keeping the first commandment look like in the life of a modern woman?

Thankfully, it can take on many forms. For some, putting God first has the very traditional look of attending daily Mass. Other women put God first and stay in sync with the Church by rhythmically praying the Liturgy of the Hours, the Angelus at noon, or the Divine Mercy Chaplet at three o’clock in the afternoon. For others, putting God first looks like reading Scripture daily, meeting with a Bible-study group weekly, or assisting at Mass on Sundays. One of my favorite ways of opening my heart to God each morning is to sing seasonally appropriate hymns with the family, either around the breakfast table or in the car on the way to school, and again before going to bed at night.

The common ingredient for all of these is that they are not programs or projects; they are simply ways to keep God in the forefront of our lives. Whether through traditional or newer prayers and devotions, we achieve lasting inner peace by continually putting ourselves in God’s presence and allowing his love to stabilize our souls.

Renowned poet Maya Angelou once wrote, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” (“Maya on Oprah,” Vibrant Word (blog), accessed August 10, 2014, http://www.vibrantword.com/maya_angelou.html)”

When I reflect on my life, this statement certainly rings true. To this very day, I can think of people in my life, such as teachers and bosses, who provided me with love and encouragement. Just the memory of their friendships lifts me up, calms me down, refreshes my strength, or restores my peace, depending on what is going on in my life at the time. I feel the same way when I reflect on my friendship with Jesus.

How does reflecting on your journey of faith, your friendship with Jesus, make you feel? I pray that your feelings are those of peace and love and not of anxiety and guilt. But if that’s not the case, then Pope Francis has some hopeful words just for you:

When preaching is faithful to the gospel, the centrality of certain truths is evident, and it becomes clear that Christian morality is not a form of stoicism, or self-denial, or merely a practical philosophy or a catalog of sins and faults. Before all else, the gospel invites us to respond to the God of love who saves us, to see God in others, and to go forth from ourselves to seek the good of others…

Everyone needs to be touched by the comfort and attraction of God’s saving love, which is mysteriously at work in each person, above and beyond their faults and failings. (Evnagelii Gaudium,39, 44).

It is God’s intention that you and I feel his love and know his peace, no matter what we may have heard to the contrary. In the end, our Catholic faith does not boil down to diligent rule keeping. Rather, we are called to generously respond to the love of God by loving him back through prayer and by seeking to share his love with others.

In reality, no matter how much we desire peace and want to be peacemakers, hurry, worry, and all sorts of big and little skirmishes get in our way. Peace is not a steady state of being but a dance with time, stress, conflict, money, misunderstanding, sorrow, and even outright evil. The real question is not “Are we at peace?” but “Can holding on tightly to Jesus, the Prince of Peace, keep us steady on our feet, even when forces to the contrary try to send us twirling in unexpected circles?”

The very first piece of good news is “Yes!” For those who embrace the peace of Jesus Christ, remaining steady on the dance floor of life is not only possible but to be expected.

Lord Jesus, you are my peace. Starting today, enkindle or renew my experience of your friendship so that I may experience your saving love and feel your peace.

This is a selection from Finding God’s Peace in Everyday Challenges by Heidi Bratton (The Word Among Us Press, 2015). Available online at wau.org/books

Saint Christopher Magallanes, Priest, and Companions, Martyrs (Optional Memorial)

It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God. (Acts 14:22)

St. Paul must have made quite an impact when he spoke these words. He had just returned from traveling to Derbe, Lystra, and Pisidian Antioch, preaching the gospel as he went. But the Paul who came back to them probably looked noticeably worse than the Paul who had first visited them a few months earlier. Not only had he been subjected to “violent abuse” by some of his detractors, but he had also been stoned and left for dead (Acts 13:45; 14:19)!

So there he was, a living illustration of what it meant to “undergo many hardships” for the sake of Christ (Acts 14:22). Let’s imagine what he might have said to them:

Brothers and sisters, look at me. Do you see the bruises on my face and how I still limp? Look, but don’t let the memory of the anger and violence of the crowd overtake you. Instead, think about Jesus and his power to heal and to save. If one person comes to faith in him, I will consider all these scars and bruises to have been worth it.

I stand before you today as a living reminder that believing in Jesus doesn’t shield you from hardship. Sometimes your faith will invite it! But try to follow my lead. After some people from Antioch and Iconium and Lystra tried to kill me, I didn’t give up. Instead, I returned to them later. It wasn’t easy, but I found the grace to forgive them, to overcome my fears, and to persevere.

My dear friends, I know that you also are undergoing hardships. You may be disturbed by the sexual immorality around you. You may be suffering from a family member’s mockery of your faith. You may be bearing unseen wounds in your heart. Persevere through all of these challenges! Never let go of your faith!

Remember that Jesus is indeed alive in you: in your hope, your joy, and your generosity to one another. He promised that your love would win people over. So hold fast to him, and let him sustain you.

“Jesus, help me cling to you in my hardships. Lord, I trust that you will not abandon me.”

Psalm 145:10-13, 21
John 14:27-31