Daily Mass Reflections - 5/18
The Lord has established his throne in heaven ~ Psalm 103
With Jesus’ Ascension having come to fruition, we find ourselves on the threshold of the pouring forth of the Holy Spirit, which will round out one of the core albeit more complex principles of our Catholic faith foundation, the Holy Trinity.
It is in fact through the Holy Spirit that we come to fully understand God the Father and God the Son, and in today’s Readings (Acts 25:13-21 and John 21:15-19), we encounter Jesus, the supreme being who connects Heaven and Earth whole he guides and encourages two of his key disciples as they seek to spread the Good News to a world in dire need of it.
These reading provide some insight into how, as Psalm 103 proclaims, “The Lord establishes his throne in Heaven.” ....it begins here on Earth.
In Acts 25:13-21, we once again look in on Paul as he continues to face the backlash, trials and tribulations which will ultimately lead to his martyrdom. In the Gospel (John 21:15-19) we encounter Jesus imploring Peter 3 times, in a nod to his thrice denial of Jesus on the eve of His Passion, to “feed my lambs”, “tend my sheep”, and “feed my sheep.”
It was through these disciples and through us in the year 2018 that our Lord methodically establishes his throne in Heaven. We truly are the mystical body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus here on Earth.
You’ll notice that in preparation of the Pentecost this weekend, each of the Daily Gospel selections this week delivered a very specific message pertaining to the gift and the power of the Holy Spirit, whether it be the Holy Spirit as the ‘Advocate’, or the Holy Spirit as the ‘Paraclete’ and so on.
it was only through this carefully worded and precise teaching that Jesus could have prepared his disciples for what they were to encounter. We come to learn that Christianity is not merely a set of beliefs, laws or convictions. It is instead about relationships, our relationship with Jesus as well as our relationships with the people that God has meticulously placed in our lives. Do we love? Do we forgive? Do we seek to, as Jesus implores us, to feed his lambs?
It is through the Holy Spirit that we can achieve all this and more, doing our part as the mystical body and blood of Christ here on Earth who in turn help our Lord in establishing his eternal throne in Heaven.