6th Sunday of Easter, May 9, 2010 .

1st Reading, from the Book of Acts of the Apostles, 15:1-2, 22-29
-The Meeting in Jerusalem; The Letter to the Gentile Believers-
"And God who knows the thoughts of everyone, showed his approval of the Gentiles by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he had to us."
Peter, addressing the apostles and the elders.

Paul and Barnabas go on with their Jesus-given mission of preaching God's Good News. They discover that confusion exists in people's minds, regarding of what is required from the Gentiles, upon their conversion to Christianity. And they find out that the newly arrived Gentiles are not welcomed by those who have been there first. After meeting with the apostles and the elders, a letter is written just so the Gentiles will have an understanding of what is expected from them.

What happened then continues to happen today: people invading other people's territories. Confusion amongst new and old. The ones who are there first feel a certain entitlement or a form of seniority. They do not necessarily accept the newcomers, or their ways, much less their presence. This is how the Jewish people felt towards the Gentiles, whom for a long time, were not part of God's club. Then all of a sudden, and -according to the Jews- without merit, God changed the rules on everyone. Why would God do that to the Jews? First teaching them that they are the "chosen ones" and then changing the rules 180 degrees, turning the Gentiles from orphans into favorites.

Though it is not too hard to see the facts from the Jewish perspective, it is not too difficult to understand why God opened his arms towards the Gentiles. The Gentiles welcomed the Good News of the Kingdom of God without hesitation; they were ready to turn their lives around and follow God's commandments, no questions asked. The Gentiles opened, not only their minds, but also their hearts. Willingly! Lovingly! The Gentiles believed that the Kingdom of God had room for everyone.

May our hearts be as open and as welcoming towards newcomers, as the Gentiles hearts were towards God's invitation to be a part of his spiritual family.

*J**E**S**U**S*****T**H**E*****G**O**O**D*****S**H**E**P**H**E**R**D*

2nd Reading, from the Book of Revelations, 21: 10-14, 22-225
-The New Jerusalem-
"The city has no need for the sun or the moon to shine on it, because the glory of God shines on it, and the Lamb is its lamp."

I've traveled throughout different parts of the world and visited several continents; my eyes have been blessed with the sights of beautiful monuments, cities, and ports. In today's era of CGI, we go to a movie theater and fabulous no-longer existing cities appear in front of our very eyes. Just in the past decade we've been able to see Persia, Alexander the Great's routes, Mount Olympus, and Tolkien's Minas Tirith or the White City, the city of Edoras, and the Pelennor Fields; all of them beautiful places.

And despite all the beauty that CGI allows us to see, nothing can compare with John's vision of the New Jerusalem!

On his vision John describes gold paved streets, doors made of pearls, and walls adorned with the most precious gems: jasper, sapphire, emeralds, and so on. To think that all this beauty is only the ribbon around the "real present", is unimaginable! Because the real present is God's glory shining upon us, brighter than the sun and the moon light together! A day without night, and a city with doors that are forever opened because nothing impure can get in! No mortar or other stones are needed here to build a temple, for the Lord Almighty takes the place of such temple!

The Good News of God's Kingdom in Heaven have been offered not only to the Jews but also to the Gentiles, so that together we can all hope to be able to live in the company of the Lamb!

May we be able to live every day of our lives in such a way, that our names can be included in the Book of the Living, and when our time comes, we too can be a part of God's New Jerusalem.

*****I**AM**THE**WAY**THE**TRUTH**AND**THE **LIFE*****

The Gospel according to John, 14:23-29
-I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one goes to the Father except by me."
Jesus addressing the apostles.

Children listen to Mom and Dad with total and complete certainty that, whatever they say, is the truth. As far as their parent's words, there is no room for doubt in a young child's heart.

Regarding Jesus' words, the apostles were like young children: they listened to Jesus and believed in his words. So, why then, were they more concerned about seeing and meeting the Father? Simple human nature. Having been blessed with a mind and free will, the apostles like any other human, realized the complexity of a believe that includes three separate personas merged into one. But aside from being thinkers, the apostles were also believers, followers of Jesus, with a real conviction burning inside their hearts. So while their brains might have suggested "this explanation is not enough", their hearts and souls were filled with the Holy Spirit, so they were able to believe in Jesus because their faith told them to do so.

May our hearts and minds be like the disciples' hearts and minds, so we too can recognize the Father in every act of mercy that we do for others.