Celebrating at Home: Remembering and Making Present *6th Sunday of Easter* Our reading of The Farewell Discourse in John’s Gospel (13:31-17:26) continues in the Gospel for today as Jesus makes a number of promises to the disciples. The opening words say that those who love Jesus will keep his word. This is not like keeping road rules. It is about allowing the word of Jesus to form our hearts and shape our lives. Throughout John’s Gospel the word that Jesus speaks is about his boundless affection for the Father and th ...Continue Reading

Celebrating at Home: Farewell, Glory, and Discipleship of Love*5th Sunday of Easter*Given during Jesus’ last meal with his disciples, these words begin what is called The Farewell Discourse in John’s Gospel (13:31-17:26). They are Jesus’ last words to his disciples before his death.In the course of offering assurance and comfort, Jesus develops various themes that have been introduced earlier in his ministry, including in particular glory, mutual indwelling and love. Using the intimate form of address, ‘My little childr ...Continue Reading

Celebrating at Home: Shepherd and Sheep, Bonds of Life and Love*4th Sunday of Easter*This fourth Sunday of Easter is traditionally known as Good Shepherd Sunday because the Gospel for this Sunday always portrays Jesus as the Good Shepherd. The shepherd was responsible for keeping the flock together and safe, for leading it to good pasture, for binding up wounds. The sheep depended on the shepherd for life.Any reflection about Jesus as the Good Shepherd also keeps us mindful that shepherding each other according to ...Continue Reading

May – Mayo – Maggio  2022 ENGLISH | ESPAÑOL | ITALIANODownload English: ocarm.org/en/prayer/lectiodivina Descargar Español: ocarm.org/es/prayer/lectiodivina Scarica Italiano: ocarm.org/it/prayer/lectiodivina ENGLISHLECTIO DIVINA - May 2022[*]Lectio Divina May 2022 [PDF] Download  here [*]Lectio Divina May 2022 [ePub] Download here [*]Lectio Divina May 2022 [Mobi] Download here If you wish to receive updates on current news from the Carmelite Order, subscrib ...Continue Reading

Celebrating at Home: Breakfast With Friends, Leadership of Love*3rd Sunday of Easter*The readings of the Easter Season continue to unfold for us the great Easter Mystery - the enduring presence of Jesus among us and what ‘new life in Christ’ might mean.The Gospel today recounts the third appearance of Jesus to the disciples after his resurrection. At first they don’t recognise him; then there is a huge haul of fish followed by a meal; then, in the long version of this Gospel, Peter’s commission to lead the flock in love ...Continue Reading

Celebrating at Home: An Empty Tomb, Lives Changed Forever, Enduring Presence*Easter Sunday*When someone dies, one of the things we often feel is their absence. Its not hard for us to share Mary’s sense of emptiness and bewilderment when she arrives at the tomb.  If we were to read the next few verses from John’s Gospel, we would read a story of overwhelming joy as Mary Magdalen meets the risen Jesus. When Jesus speaks her name, Mary recognizes him and sadness and emptiness give way to joyful reunion. It’s a story o ...Continue Reading

Celebrating at Home: Love Revealed in the Passion*Good Friday*Now the hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. “I tell you solemnly: unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single grain; but if it dies, it yields a rich harvest.”The Lord is here, present among us. We are gathered with the whole Church in this moment of prayer            Read MoreCelebrating At Home - Good Friday [PDF] Celebrating At Home - Good Friday [e ...Continue Reading

Celebrating at Home: Love Poured Out in Service*Holy Thursday*On this night we recall Jesus’ commandment to love one another, his washing of the disciples’ feet and the breaking of the bread of his own life, not just at table, but also on the altar of the Cross, for the healing and nourishment of the world. The liturgy on Holy Thursday is a meditation on the essential connection between the Eucharist and Christian love expressed in serving one another.          &nbs ...Continue Reading

Celebrating at Home: Love Revealed*Palm Sunday*The elders of the people and the chief priests and scribes rose, and they brought Jesus before Pilate. They began their accusation. Pilate was anxious to set Jesus free and addressed them again, but they shouted back, ‘Crucify him! Crucify him!’ ‘But why? What harm has this man done? I have found no case against him that deserves death, so I shall have him punished and then let him go.’ But they kept on shouting at the top of their voices, demanding that he should be crucif ...Continue Reading

Celebrating at Home: Freedom and Forgiveness*V Sunday in Lent*We know the story of the woman caught in the act of adultery so well that we usually miss the fact that it is not only the woman who experiences God’s forgiveness through Jesus in this story.  When the scribes and Pharisees persist with their question, Jesus simply says, ‘Let the one without sin be the first to throw a stone at her’, and goes back to his writing. Like the woman, they are not condemned by Jesus but restored to right relationship with him ...Continue Reading