![]() Jesus offered Himself because He loves them, the same way that he loves us. Second reverence for the person to whom we speak for they are made in the image and likeness of God. First reverence of that which we speak for it is holy, and of God. The call for reverence is perhaps two fold. Jesus was gentile so when speaking of our “hope” we do so with gentleness. He did so as a Good Shepherd who knows his sheep by name and leads them with compassion and love. ![]() Third, Peter says to offer the explanation with “gentleness and reverence.” Jesus went about preaching and teaching, healing and forgiving, proclaiming and inviting. This is important for they also help to keep our focus on Christ Jesus. Before he speaks of that “reason,” he first gives some advice on how to do so. Peter is saying – give them the reason, it is meant to be shared. Living in a world where there are so many forces that try to rob one of hope (war, broken relationships, racism, hate, poverty, economic fragility, drugs, abuse, violence, killing of the innocent, etc.) that when people encounter a person of hope, they want to know the reason for that hope. Living a life of hope will naturally draw questions. Second, he writes: “Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope.” Here the author exhorts us to proclaim. The emphasis that is given here is that the profession of Christ as Lord takes place, first, “in your hearts.” It is an internal acknowledgement which brings with it commitment, the commitment to Him who loves. We acclaim Him Lord when we value Him above all else. ![]() We acclaim Him as Lord when we keep His commandments. We also acclaim Him as Lord when we make decisions based on Him who is “the Way, the Truth and the Life.” We acknowledge Him as Lord “in our hearts,” when we pray – in all the many forms prayer takes. The First Letter of Peter gives us some exhortations which help to keep Christ as the center.įirst, he says: “Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts.” This is an intentional thought. Keeping Christ as the center of our lives fills us with awareness – that we are loved, that we are never alone. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.” He says: “Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. This aspect is the keeping of His commandments, chief of which is the command to love. ![]() Jesus speaks of one aspect of this love in today’s gospel passage which is closely associated with His presence through the Spirit. He does so because He and the Father love us. We celebrate his return to the Father at the Ascension next Thursday and ten days later we celebrate Pentecost. The Spirit will dwell in and among the disciples, the Church, and so Jesus remains with them, with us. He is preparing the disciples for his return to the Father but also for the coming of the Holy Spirit whom He refers to, in this passage, as the Paraclete (translated in the Lectionary as “Advocate”). He says: “I will not leave you orphans I will come to you.” He says this in the context of preparation. The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.(Readings of the Holy Mass – Sixth Sunday of Easter) Start seeing the world through the lens of ScriptureĪ guided prayer to help you hear God’s voice in his Word With this podcast, you won’t just read the Bible in a year … you’ll finally understand how all the pieces of the Bible fit together to tell an amazing story that continues in your life today!įeel more confident about your understanding of ScriptureĮxperience the transformative power of God’s Word in your daily life Mike for a special episode that will help you understand the context of each reading. For each period in the timeline, Jeff will join Fr. Unlike any other Bible podcast, Ascension’s Bible in a Year podcast follows a reading plan inspired by The Great Adventure Bible Timeline, a ground-breaking approach to understanding salvation history developed by renowned Catholic Bible scholar Jeff Cavins. Mike Schmitz walks you through the entire Bible in 365 episodes, providing commentary, reflection, and prayer along the way.
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