Wednesday 14th May – Feast of St Matthias, Apostle

Reflection: John 15: 9-17

I CHOSE YOU

Have you ever wondered what else you would have been if you were not Christian. Any of us could have been born into some other religion and left to seek for and discover Christ, the only way to salvation (Acts 4:12). However, by God’s great mercy, we have the privilege of being Christians; we have grown up to know Christ our Saviour. We must beware lest we take this privilege for granted.

Dear friends, Christ reminds us in today’s gospel reading: “You did not choose me; no, I chose you…” (John 15:16). It is through His mercy that He has chosen us to be His children. What then is our response to this great choice? We are called to bear fruits that will last. It is only in bearing fruits of love, righteousness and holiness that we can truly live out the fullness of Christ’s call in our lives. In addition, bearing fruits makes us partake in the mission of evangelisation – helping others to encounter Christ, the way, truth and life.

Are you bearing fruits? Do your words, actions, character, attitude to various situations etc show forth this divine choice Christ has made of you? We must bear in mind that as Christ chooses us, He does not force us to respond, we must also make a choice for Him and the effects of our choice must show forth in our daily lives. Let us abide in Christ through a life of obedience as only in abiding in Christ can we bear fruits that will last (John 15: 5,10).

Prayer: Thank you dearest Lord for choosing me to be your child. Please help me to abide in You always so that I will bear fruits in abundance. Amen.

KNOW YOUR FAITH: YOUCAT 205 – What happens in Confirmation?

In Confirmation the soul of a baptized Christian is imprinted with a permanent seal that can be received only once and marks this individual forever as a Christian. The gift of the Holy Spirit is the strength from above in which this individual puts the grace of his Baptism into practice through his life and acts as a “witness” for Christ.

HIDE A TREASURE: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide; so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.” John 15: 16 RSV-CE

Readings for today: Acts 1: 15-17, 20-26; Psalm 113: 1-8; John 15: 9-17