Follow Jesus

And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom, and he said to him: Follow me. And leaving all things, he rose up and followed him. And Levi made him a great feast in his own house; and there was a great company of publicans, and of others, that were at table with them. But the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying to his disciples: Why do you eat and drink with publicans and sinners? And Jesus answering, said to them: They that are whole, need not the physician: but they that are sick. I came not to call the just, but sinners to penance.
Luke 5:27-32 (Douay-Rheims Bible)

Prayer Reflection

Dear Father why is it so hard for those who live faith filled lives to comprehend your coming to those who sin. Or for that matter eating and drinking with them. Then I think about this and come to understand that when we live in your Will and follow your ways, you are pleased and the graces you give we often don't recognize because we have become so accustomed to you that we don't see your hand. Yet on the other side of this, the sinners seek deliverance and repentance. But Jesus will go in search of those who need that push to repent, the love to guide them back to you. They are the one's in need because those who often follow you forget them and shun them. They often forget to reach out to the lowly, maybe out of their fear of being soiled but your Son dear Father went after them to bring them home to you, so they could be saved as well as those who have lived faith filled lives. The clue was in Jesus answer, he came not to call the just, but the sinners to penance. Why do we in that regard look at the sinners as if they don't belong to the same family of God. But since those who are already following Jesus, how can he come to us and say, follow me, unless he is calling us to a vocation. Then we also must realize that he calls sinners to truly come and follow him to change their life and come back to God.

Taking Up Our Crosses

Saying: The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the ancients and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and the third day rise again. And he said to all: If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life, shall lose it; for he that shall lose his life for my sake, shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, and cast away himself?
Luke 9:22-25 (Douay-Rheims Bible)

Prayer Reflection

Dear Father your only Son took much in the way of suffering and rejection. He knew what was coming and spoke it. He tells us that if he can suffer and be rejected by others so can we endure the trials others put us through. We are to deny our sufferings as nothing and carry those crosses with grace. Denying our hurts and placing them at your feet dear Father we are rejoicing for the sake of your love. But many today dear Father follow the ways of the world as a way of looking to save their life without realizing the deeper they follow the world the farther they get from you. Instead of finding life they lose it, for Jesus is the life, the living water.

Third Sunday of Easter

At that time, Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias.
He revealed himself in this way.
Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus,
Nathanael from Cana in Galilee,
Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples.
Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.”
They said to him, “We also will come with you.”
So they went out and got into the boat,
but that night they caught nothing.
When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore;
but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.
Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?”
They answered him, “No.”
So he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat
and you will find something.”
So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in
because of the number of fish.
So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.”
When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord,
he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad,
and jumped into the sea.
The other disciples came in the boat,
for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards,
dragging the net with the fish.
When they climbed out on shore,
they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread.
Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.”
So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore
full of one hundred fifty-three large fish.
Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.
Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.”
And none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?”
because they realized it was the Lord.
Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them,
and in like manner the fish.
This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples

after being raised from the dead.
When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter,
“Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”
Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.”
He then said to Simon Peter a second time,
“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.”
Jesus said to him the third time,
“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was distressed that Jesus had said to him a third time,
“Do you love me?” and he said to him,
“Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.
Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger,
you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted;
but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands,
and someone else will dress you
and lead you where you do not want to go.”
He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God.
And when he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.”
John 21:1-19


Prayer

Dear Father we are your sheep that your Son Jesus tells Peter to feed. Our way of life is to "Follow You." May our hearts be filled with your love and compassion for all because you love us. How wonderful a life is when it is lived in your presence, when we follow you and love you and obey you. Make my heart yours so I too may be filled with such love to do what you ask of each of us, to follow you completely without reservation where every moment is with constant thought of your Kingdom. May my soul proclaim the glory of God most high. When the shephards of the Church feed us in mind, body and spirit, may we also be bearers of your saving grace when we are nourished with your Holy Word and Bread and Blood, the reality of your life and death and resurrection. Amen