Saints Philip and James, Apostles Feast
May 3rd, 2010
"The Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything’
John 14. 26
During the Easter season the readings at Mass are taken from the Acts of the Apostles and St. John’s Gospel. In to-days story ( John 14 ) we see Paul preaching the word of God and healing a cripple. He is continuing the mission of the Lord, Jesus and like his Master he meets with opposition. But he keeps going, moved by the Spirit whom Our Lord has promised at the Last Supper.
Eventually Paul, like the other Apostles is put to death but he is succeeded by new apostles – men and women – who continue the mission of Jesus right up to our own time. Even today in some parts of the world missionaries suffer persecution and even death as they remain faithful in proclaiming the Good News.
Each of us through our Baptism is called to bear witness to the Resurrection of Jesus in our own lives. Like the Apostles we too have received the Holy Spirit who enlightens and strengthens us as we strive to build up God’s Kingdom in our homes and in our Parishes.
Prayer
Lord, you call us to be your witnesses in to-days world. May we experience the saving power of your Spirit in our daily lives so that we can build up your Kingdom of justice, love and peace. Amen.
The prayer for each day has been prepared by various members of the Holy Family Association. All who visit our website are remembered in prayer. If you would like us to pray for a particular need, simply complete and submit the form on the right hand side of this page. You may wish to leave a comment in the space below.
Just a Thought
How the Holy Family prayer: A Reflection by Pope Benedict XVI
“I would like to invite you to reflect on the place of prayer in the life of the Holy Family of Nazareth. The home of Nazareth, in fact, is a school of prayer where we learn to listen, to ponder and to penetrate the profound meaning of the manifestation of the Son of God, drawing our example from Mary, Joseph and Jesus.
Pope Paul VI during his visit to Nazareth said “we come to understand the need for a spiritual discipline, if we wish to follow the teaching of the Gospel and become disciples of Christ.” And he added: “First, it teaches us silence. Oh! That there would be reborn in us the esteem for silence, that wonderful and indispensable atmosphere of the spirit: while we are deafened by so many noises, sounds and clamorous voices in the frantic and tumultuous times of modern life. Oh! Silence of Nazareth, teach us to be resolute in good thoughts, intent upon the interior life, ready to listen well to the secret inspirations of God and the exhortations of the true masters.”
We can glean several insights on the Holy Family’s prayer and relationship with God from the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ childhood. We may begin with the Presentation of Jesus in the temple. St. Luke tells us that Mary and Joseph, “when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, brought the child up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord”(2:22). Like every observant Jewish family, Jesus’ parents go up to the temple to consecrate the firstborn son to God and to offer sacrifice. Moved by fidelity to the law’s prescriptions, they set off from Bethlehem and go up to Jerusalem with Jesus, who is now forty days old. Instead of a one-year-old lamb, they present the offering of simple families; that is two young pigeons. The Holy Family’s pilgrimage is one of faith, of the offering of gifts, a symbol of prayer, and of encounter with the Lord, whom Mary and Joseph already see in the son Jesus.”
