May 16, 2023.

"Praises break chains"

Jesus consoles His disciples, who had become distressed by His imminent departure. He assures them, about
the coming of the Holy Spirit, who would teach them the truth. It is the Holy Spirit, who gives us the inner and
firm conviction, to witness to the Lord even in times of distress. It is the Spirit at work in Paul and Silas, that
gave them the doggedness, which moved them to prayer and praises despite been held bound. Their exercise of
power of praise, broke loose the chains which held them captive. In any situation we may find ourselves, we
must trust that the Holy Spirit will never leave us unattended. And so, we must pray and praise, until
something happens.

May 17, 2023.

"When the Spirit comes…"
Jesus promises the Holy Spirit, who he says: comes to lead us to the complete truth. It is the Spirit that helps us
to listen, and to understand the Lord, whenever he speaks to us. The Holy Spirit can help us, because He shares
the divine nature with the Father and the Son. Only by His help can we come to a gradual understanding of
God’s revelation. Do we ignore the Spirit, or do we allow the Spirit to guide us? Let us ask the Spirit of truth,
to help rid from us every falsehood, and give us the virtue of authenticity.

May 18, 2023.

"The Ascension of the Lord"
The ascension marks the end of Jesus' earthly ministry, and it gives credence to our belief in the resurrection.
The ascension gives us hope; that where He our Lord and master has gone, we hope to follow. Jesus ascends
into heaven but He is not one who abandons us. We are not hopeless at His leaving, for he promises to be with
us always (Matt. 28:20). He is present with us in the Holy Spirit. He challenges us on the mission to make
disciples of all nations, by inviting humankind to fix their gaze on Him. If we want to be where Jesus is, like
the disciples, we must fix our gaze on Him. As we celebrate the Ascension, let us beg the Lord, to lift the world
above these difficult times.

May 19, 2023

No one shall take away you joy
The text of St. Paul in Rom.8:18 is popular and quite apt: the sufferings of this present time, are not worth
comparing to the glory that is to be revealed. The promise of Jesus today comes only after he reminds us of the
challenges we must face. He assures us: when I see you again, your sadness would turn to joy and that joy no
one shall take from you. So we are sure that we shall see him and that we shall be surprised by joy. On this first
day of the novena to the Holy Spirit, let us pray for a fresh out pouring of the Spirit in our Church. Come O
Holy Spirit, come.

May 20, 2023

A Complete Joy
The Lord awakes the disciples, to a necessity of prayer. He firmly assures that whatever is asked of the Father,
He grants. This is because the Father, as Jesus makes known to us; loves and cares for us. And so we could ask
for whatever we need. He says: Ask and you will receive so that your joy may be complete (Jn. 16:24). Joy is a
fruit of the Holy Spirit. And as Pope Francis reminds us: "It is a gift of God to be nourished by a life of
prayer...."Only the Lord, can give us; and sustain within us, that inner most joy that comes along with receiving
what we ask for: a joy that is complete and cannot be stolen. Come O Holy Spirit, come afresh upon the world.

MAY 21, 2023

"Jesus Prays for his flock"
Jesus prays, first about his mission given him which had been brought to completion. Again, for his apostles, to
have the strength to carry out the task before them. And finally for everyone who had come to believe in him.
Like Jesus, we must always learn to make recourse to God in prayer. Jesus knows that the enemy may want to
destroy his works, hence he commits all to the Father in prayer. Come O Holy Spirit, come afresh upon us, and
teach us how to pray.

MAY 22, 2023

"Be brave I have conquered the world"
It is in the midst of the challenges the world poses to us, that we are called to give credible witnessing. Jesus
says to us: be brave, I have conquered the world (Jn. 16:33). Braveness and not ‘wokeness’ is what we need, to
overcome the timidity of sin and the antics of the devil. The actions associated with sin are often timid, not
bold enough to want to come into the category of the known. Braveness over this timidity of sin actions, it is
the only means to attain peace in Christ. Let us pray a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon our Country.
Come O Holy Spirit, come.

MAY 23, 2023.

"Eternal life is to know God"
The goal of all earthly enterprise, ought to be eternal life. All of Jesus' mission was to introduce, and make us
part of that eternal kingdom by showing us the way to the Father. Without knowing God and believing in Jesus,
we cannot attain this eternal life, which is simply communion with God. Jesus prays to the father, for us, that
we may constantly and convincingly translate our knowing God and believing in him, into concrete
testimonies of witnessing in the world. If we live in heaven, while here on earth, eternity will not take is by
surprise. Come O Holy Spirit, come upon the leaders of the World.

May 24, 2023.

"Praying for missions"
Every genuine missionary enterprise, cannot do without the recourse to God in prayer. Jesus always found time
to talk to God in prayer. He continues to intercede on behalf of the disciples. He prays for them and for their
mission in the world. The stark reality of evil, no doubt takes its clang on missionary endeavors. And evils as
we know, can be defeated by prayer. Like Jesus, we all, actively involved in missions, must pray for ourselves
and for all engaged in evangelization. For it is only in prayer, that we can overcome the devil and all wolves in
sheep or shepherd's clothing, wooing us with a pervasion of truth.
Come O Holy Spirit, come upon all families.

May 25, 2023.

"May they be one"
Unity is the source of courage and strength. Jesus prays for unity for all believers. He affirms that only Godlike
unity could help in the authentic practice of Christianity. This unity of purpose and will, with the Lord, is what
must guard our daily routine. Christian unity is only achieved in a constant union with God. In a world torn
apart by orchestrated divisions, only a sincere union with the Lord, can help strengthen divisive hearts. If we
all live like Jesus, and He lives in us, then we all can become one. Let us implore the Holy Spirit, come and
bring healing to divisive tendencies. Come O Holy Spirit, come heal all divisions.

THAT THEY MAY HAVE LIFE.

May 26, 2023.
"Do you love me"
Love is the most popular word, yet the least understood. Our experience of God, shows his inestimable love for
us. Jesus offers us a love that is sacrificial (Jn.3:16), a love that mends our wrecked relationship with God.
Love gives vitality to any relationship. Thus Jesus asks of us: Do you love me? Our love for God must
translate into the ways we make him known and loved in others. Only our actions of love can speak saying:
'Lord... you know I love you.' Come O Holy Spirit, come restore hope to the hopeless.
May 27, 2023.
"You are to follow me"
Today's 'see it, believe it' society, has affected our willingness to totally trust, in the task of following the Lord,
this in turn impedes the task of evangelization. In the midst of the quest for verifications, the risen Lord
extends an invitation to us. He says: you are to follow me. To follow the Lord, is to let him lead us, and in
truth, it is the most fruitful of all enterprise. The Evangelist reminds us that the Bible contains only a fraction
of the many things done by Jesus. While the Scriptures serve as a guide of life, following the Lord; as He asks
of us, means that we resolve, to let our lives become another written scriptures; a bold testimony, to the many
unwritten things done by the Lord. Come O Holy Spirit, renew in us your gifts and your fruits, come afresh on
us

MAY 28, 2023

"Walk by the Spirit"
Pentecost marks 50 days of the resurrection, and the end of the Easter season. It marks the coming of the Holy
Spirit, upon Church in fulfilment of Jesus' promise to his disciples. The Church was officially launched into the
world, with power, to become a witness to the Lord, even to the ends of the earth. The Holy Spirit is the Third
Person of the Godhead, whose essence and role in the world can never be done without. At birth, each of us
received the Spirit. At Baptism and confirmation, we are renewed in the Spirit as his witnesses in the world. It
is the same Spirit we receive at baptism that falls afresh on us at Pentecost. But how often are we conscious of
the Spirit? How often do we let him lead the way? How often do we let him teach, sanctify and advocate for
us? In a broken world like ours, we need a renewal of the Holy Spirit, to lighten the hidden darkness of our
lives and our world. Let us implore the Spirit to re-energize us that we may give courageous witnessing for the
Lord in the world. O Holy Spirit, penetrate the hidden corners of our lives, and make all things new.
Come O Holy Spirit, blow where you will.

May 29, 2023.

"Mary, mother of the Church"
No one can tell the narrative of the birth and nurturing of Church as well as Mary can. She is mother of the
Church, present from its beginnings till now. At the foot of the cross she receives this responsibility of
motherhood from the Lord -"Woman behold your son" (Jn. 19:26). The son Jesus makes reference to, signifies
all of us baptized Christians. We all, are brothers and sisters of Jesus, and so are children of Mary. Mary also,
is model of true discipleship for all Christians.
O Holy mother, never was it known that anyone who has recourse to thee, was left unaided, intercede for the
Church and the world.

MAY 30, 2023.

"We have left everything"
Jesus promises a hundred fold reward, for those who have left everything to follow him. Today's society in
which many persons are valued by the amount of resources possessed, makes leaving everything and following
Jesus sound unwise. However beautiful and enticing worldly possessions and relations maybe, they cannot
move beyond this passing world in which we are pilgrims. Letting go of everything, after Jesus, is not an
invitation to laziness or poverty, it simply means whatever we have and hold dear, must impede us from going
after Jesus. This following comes with its own price. The Lord makes an assurance concerning those who
have left everything: they will reap a hundred fold and gain eternal life. Whatever sacrifice we make for the
Lord, shall never go unrewarded. We may be last in worldly things, but our faithfulness will place us first in
God's kingdom.
Let us ask for grace, that we may prize heavenly rewards over earthly benefits.

May 31, 2023.

"The Almighty has done great things for me"
Today's gospel text, tells the story of how Mary hastily set out, to render assistance to her cousin Elizabeth, in
whom the God of all possibilities, had caused life to spring up in, despite her advanced age. In Elizabeth, Mary
sees the power and the testimony of God's greatness, and in Mary, Elizabeth experiences the presence of the
Savior. Mary's visit to Elizabeth brought untold joy to her, a joy shared even by the child in her womb. Mary
showed concern for Elizabeth. Our blessings, positions and privileges are useless, if others cannot see God’s
love through us. In the magnificat, we see Mary's humble and grateful praise in honor and acknowledgement
of what only God can do. We learn from that those who open themselves to the Lord, in a humble and sincere
way, will always experience the manifestation of the Lord upon their lives.