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View Readings abba-power “I solemnly assure you, the man who has faith in Me will do the works I do, and greater far than these.” —John 14:12 The Lord promises us that we will do far greater works than He did (Jn 14:12). We know of Jesus raising people from the dead, healing countless sick people, driving out legions of demons, walking on water, multiplying the loaves and fish, transforming the most hardened hearts, etc. How can we do these things? How can we surpass these works? The answ...

an open-book test “If anyone hears My words and does not keep them, I am not the one to condemn him, for I did not come to condemn the world but to save it. Whoever rejects Me and does not accept My words already has his judge, namely the word I have spoken — it is that which will condemn him on the last day.” —John 12:47-48 Jesus clearly reveals that the Word of God will be the standard by which we are judged “on the last day” (Jn 12:48). It’s like those times in school when the ...

the through-way “My solemn word is this: I am the Sheepgate.” —John 10:7 Jesus is not only the Good Shepherd (Jn 10:11); He is also the Lamb of God (Jn 1:29) and even the Sheepgate. Don’t marry anyone who tries to enter your life apart from Jesus through mere friendship or sexual attraction. Don’t let people into your life just because of business or money. TV personalities, athletes, and entertainers have a major influence in millions of people’s lives, but have they entered throug...

the company line “From this time on, many of His disciples broke away and would not remain in His company any longer.” —John 6:66 What on earth could Jesus have possibly said that would result in many of His disciples refusing to remain in His company? He said something “hard to endure” and take seriously (Jn 6:60): “I Myself am the living bread come down from heaven. If anyone eats this bread he shall live forever; the bread I will give is My flesh, for the life of the world” (Jn...

when sheep make shepherds “Look around among your own number, brothers, for seven men acknowledged to be deeply spiritual.” —Acts 6:3 “They presented these men to the apostles.” —Acts 6:6 Did you notice that the leaders of the early Church placed the responsibility for finding deacons on the “community of the disciples”? (Acts 6:2) That’s us! We need to be on the lookout for those who would make good leaders in the Church. This was new for the early Christians. Jewish priests ...

confession “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive men’s sins, they are forgiven them.” —John 20:22-23 In the evening of the day on which He rose from the dead, Jesus came to His disciples, showed them His nail-scarred hands and wounded side, breathed on them, gave them the Holy Spirit, and sent them out (Jn 20:19-22). Jesus sent His disciples out not to just make a general announcement of His Resurrection but to specifically invite us to confess our sins and be forgiven (see Jn 20:23;...

it doesn’t add up Jesus “took them to task for their disbelief and their stubbornness, since they had put no faith in those who had seen Him after He had been raised.” —Mark 16:14 In the Gospel reading, the apostles who had been with Jesus did not believe in His Resurrection (Mk 16:11, 13). In the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, after the descent of the Holy Spirit, those who had been with Jesus were those who did believe in Him (Acts 4:13). What was the difference that ca...

ghost story “They thought they were seeing a ghost.” —Luke 24:37 The apostles thought that Jesus was a ghost. He was not. Yet the apostles were on to something profound in thinking of the presence of a ghost. A “ghost” was in the upper room, the Holy Ghost, and the apostles would be filled with this Holy Spirit in seven weeks at Pentecost in that same upper room (see Acts 2:4). Jesus and the Holy Spirit opened the minds of the apostles to understand the Word of God. Then the apostles ...

my rabbouni (see jn 20:16) “Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned to Him and said [in Hebrew], ‘Rabbouni!’ (meaning ‘Teacher’).” —John 20:16 Jesus had told Mary of Bethany to keep her perfume for His burial (Jn 12:7; Mk 14:8). Perhaps Jesus had told something similar to Mary Magdalene, for she came to Jesus’ tomb to anoint His buried body on the third day after His death (see Lk 24:1, 10). Mary was determined to find His body and anoint it. Then she saw the risen Jesus and ...

believe and witness “This is the Jesus God has raised up, and we are His witnesses.” —Acts 2:32 Jesus once made the statement that even if a person should rise from the dead, some will not be convinced (Lk 16:31). He was referring to those who would not believe the Scriptures. The soldiers who took the money knew well Jesus had risen from the dead; they knew no one could have stolen the body. They also had been paralyzed with fear at the appearance of the angels. Even the chief priests k...