Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-26) - Saint John Neumann, pray for us!

Dearest Goddaughter, 

Jesus found Philip and said to him, "Follow me," Then, Philip found Nathanael and invited him to "come and see" Jesus. Jesus is always searching our hearts and inviting us to follow him. For our part, we need to prepare our hearts - through attending Mass, daily prayer, Adoration, and receiving the Sacraments - to receive Jesus so that his Spirit dwells in our hearts. Then, we are called to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with others, in words and deeds as Saint John tells us in today's first reading.

This weekend, we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord and, then on Monday, we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord. Both are opportunities to invite Jesus into our hearts and remind ourselves of our baptismal promise - to go forth and make disciples of all nations. But it starts with our own conversion of heart, which is a daily commitment to come and follow Jesus. It is not a one-time deal and then we are done but in how we live our daily lives as witnesses of God's Truth and love through faith and hope in God.

This will take effort on our part. Most of all, it will take obedience on our part. Obedience to God's will for us, which, above all, is to love Him and love our neighbors. Obedience can be difficult for us and, if that is the case, then let us look to the saint, whose feast day we are celebrating today - Saint John Neumann. The saint once said: "I have taken this burden [of leaving the episcopacy if it is the desire of the Holy See] out of obedience, and I have labored with all my powers to fulfill the duties of my office, and with God’s help, as I hope, not without fruit."

Let us ask for Saint John Neumann's intercession so that we have the courage to be obedient to God is all things, just as Jesus recognized in Nathanael his obedience and "no duplicity in him."

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: 1 Jn 3:11-21 and Jn 1:43-51 (below).

. . .

Jesus decided to go to Galilee, and he found Philip.

And Jesus said to him, "Follow me."

Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the town of Andrew and Peter.

Philip found Nathanael and told him,

"We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law,

and also the prophets, Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth."

But Nathanael said to him,

"Can anything good come from Nazareth?"

Philip said to him, "Come and see."

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him,

"Here is a true child of Israel.

There is no duplicity in him."

Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?"

Jesus answered and said to him,

"Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree."

Nathanael answered him,

"Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."

Jesus answered and said to him,

"Do you believe

because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree?

You will see greater things than this."

And he said to him, "Amen, amen, I say to you,

you will see the sky opened and the angels of God

ascending and descending on the Son of Man."