COLLECT: “O GOD, WHO BY THE GLORIFICATION OF YOUR CHRIST AND THE LIGHT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT HAVE UNLOCKED FOR US THE GATES OF ETERNITY, GRANT, WE PRAY, THAT, PARTAKING OF SO GREAT A GIFT, OUR DEVOTION MAY GROW DEEPER AND OUR FAITH BE STRENGTHENED. THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, YOUR SON, WHO LIVES AND REIGNS WITH YOU IN THE UNITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, GOD, FOR EVER AND EVER. AMEN”.
Acts 25:13b-21; Ps 103:1-2,19-20ab and Jn 21:15-19.
Every genuine love is characterised by commitment, dedication, sacrifices and more so, such a love often expresses itself in concrete and practical terms. These in a way, are also some of the demands or costs of discipleship of Jesus. This is the sort of love Jesus had and continues to have for his followers. His love for us is so genuine. It is not like the love that most people claim to have for others, which is characterised by conditions, selfishness, exploitation, deception and so on.
Jesus’ questions to Peter are significant. First of all, these questions are to remove the cloud of Peter’s triple denial. Peter had denied Jesus three times and now, three times Jesus asks Peter if he loves him. Each answer Peter gives to Jesus attracts a responsibility, thereby, leading Peter to reaffirm his commitment, dedication and sacrifice for the sake of Jesus and the people who will be entrusted to his care as the leader of the Church. Peter is also to suffer and die (and be crucified) for the sake of Christ. Indeed, both Peter and Paul had been true, genuine and great disciples of Jesus. They were committed, dedicated and they selflessly served Christ and the Church, and eventually sacrificed their dear lives for the sake of Christ and humanity. Both were murdered or martyred in Rome: Peter was crucified upside down because he did not feel worthy of dying as his Lord and Master. Paul was murdered or beheaded and his head bounced three times.
We may not give ourselves up to be murdered or killed or crucified to show that we truly or genuinely love Jesus Christ. There are lots of things we could do to show that we truly and really love Jesus. We will truly love Jesus if we are committed and dedicated to our Christian calling and to our individual vocations, professions or jobs. Also, we will demonstrate that we love Jesus if we can do the best we can for Jesus and fellow human beings in our homes/families, at our workplaces, in our communities and in the world. Sacrifice is Key to true and genuine love for Jesus and neighbour. We pray that we may truly love the Lord and always be committed and dedicated to our Christian calling. May Saint Rita keep interceding for us. Stay blessed and happy feast to all who bear the name Rita.
WE MEDITATE TODAY, FRIDAY, ON THE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES: ‘THE AGONY IN THE GARDEN, THE SCOURGING AT THE PILLAR, THE CROWNING WITH THORNS, THE CARRYING OF THE CROSS AND THE CRUCIFIXION’ (WE PRAY FOR SORROW FOR SIN, PURITY, COURAGE, PATIENCE, AND PERSEVERANCE) “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you, blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus: Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us, sinners, now and the hour of our death, Amen”.
PRAYER: “O GOD, BY WHOSE MYSTERIES WE ARE CLEANSED AND NOURISHED, GRANT, WE PRAY, THIS BANQUET WHICH YOU GIVE US MAY BRING EVERLASTING LIFE. THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN.”
Rev. Fr. Aloysius Kpiebaya, Catholic Diocese of Wa, UW/R, Ghana. (00233) 0207867239/0545462863. Email: aloybaya20@yahoo.com.
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