Gospel: John 16:23b-28
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.
Until now you have not asked anything in my name;
ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.
I have told you this in figures of speech.
The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures
but I will tell you clearly about the Father.
On that day you will ask in my name,
and I do not tell you that I will ask the Father for you.
For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me
and have come to believe that I came from God.
I came from the Father and have come into the world.
Now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
The Mass intention is for Betty O’Shea RIP.
Reflection:
St Isidore was a 12th century farmer who worked outside Madrid, Spain. A devout man, he would wake up early in the morning to attend daily Mass before going to work. In his holidays, he would spend time visiting churches in Madrid and nearby places. It was said that he communed with God all day while walking behind the plow. His devotion caused worry among his colleagues who complained that he would come late for work because he stayed long in church. Together with his wife, St Maria de la Cabeza, they gave freely to the poor from their humble means. They are considered patrons of rural life.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells His disciples, “whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.” I would imagine St Isidore asking the Father to keep him faithful in his calling. God saw in St Isidore’s heart his love for Jesus and his belief that Jesus came from God, the proof of which was his daily attendance at Mass. In a way, the Father saw His Son in Isidore and as such, He lavished Him with His blessings: he was able to work, to look after his family, and to reach out to those in need. Legend has it that angels helped Isidore in tilling the land. If this was true, it surely was a sign of God’s blessing. As one commentator would put it, “If you have your spiritual self in order, your earthly commitments will fall into order also.”
- What would you like to ask the Father in Jesus’ Name right now?
- How does your spiritual life bring order to your earthly commitments?
- “Physical labour has dignity; sainthood does not stem from status; contemplation does not depend on learning; the simple life is conducive to holiness and happiness.” How can your life become a fertile ground for holiness and happiness to grow?
Lord Jesus, thank You for Your Word today. Through the prayers and example of St Isidore, make our hearts love and believe in You so that whatever we ask the Father in Your Name, He will grant us. Bless all farmers that they may faithfully cooperate with You in cultivating the land and producing a rich harvest for the good of all. Amen.
(Pietro)
