Thursday of 5th Week of Easter: Reflection

Theme: Helping fellow Christians to feel the joy of the Lord.

Readings: Acts 15:7–21; Jn. 15:9–11

In today’s gospel reading, Jesus told his disciples that when His joy is in them, their own joy will be complete. Indeed, the Christian faith brings fullness of joy to whoever has accepted Jesus in his life. This is not the joy coming from upliftment from material poverty to material wealth, rather, it is the joy of upliftment from a life of sin that undoubtedly leads to eternal sorrow to a life of grace that guarantees eternal salvation. Every Christian ought to be filled with joy at the thought of inheriting eternal life.

Christians are exhorted to continue sharing the joy of the Lord and of their salvation wherever they go as they look forward to the fullness of joy. This includes helping their fellow Christians to deal with every situation that has the capacity of subjecting them to sorrows here on earth. In line with this mission, the early Church, in the first reading, convened and agreed not to allow new converts from Gentile nations to be subjected to the physical pain of circumcision, but to urge them to embrace holiness of life instead. The modern Church is carrying out this same mission through her Caritas, using it to bring joy to the less privileged among the brethren.

Dear friends, our challenge today is to look at the faces of our fellow Christians, discover whatever is subjecting them to sorrows and pains, and help to free them from it. We are also asked not to subject our fellow Christians to unnecessary pains and hardships, so that they can also feel the joy of the Lord in their lives. Finally, let us desist from being ‘killers of joy’ to our fellow Christians. The question that should occupy our minds today is: what shall I do to help my fellow Christians to feel the joy of the Lord in their lives?

May the joy of the Lord be abundant in your life this Thursday. Amen

Fr. Isaac Chima