No, you are not experiencing a deja vu moment. The Gospel reading for today is the same reading we read on May 3rd. Steven Marsh wrote a wonderful reflection for that day. Please go back and reread his commentary. It is worth your time.
The Church must feel that this scripture is important scripture and there is so must to understand in it. Today, we will reflect on another part of the Gospel where Jesus has emphasis on Amen, Amen. Whenever He says these words in scripture , it is time to pay attention.
John 14:12 -“Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father”
What works do you and I do everyday that would be considered great. In Acts Chapter 9 Saint Peter cured a paralyzed man in the city of Lydda and raised a woman from the dead in the city of Joppa. I certainly don’t think that I could be such an instrument of such healing today. I am powerless and Jesus is everything, However, maybe all of us together are accomplishing great works. Let me explain because we have to take Jesus at His word which is we will do greater ones than these. We must believe these words. I will agree with Jesus that great works are being done by those that believe in Him.
Let me give you an example and a time line. In 1913 Our Blessed Mother appeared to poor shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal and today as luck would have it is the anniversary of her first appearance which was May 13, 1913 and the last appearance in 1917. This is not a coincidence. Years later on November 9th, 1989 the Berlin wall came down. Lots of rosaries said in the meantime. Great deeds were done in every rosary.
Now, I was born in 1944 and remember the Berlin wall being built and I never ever thought that it would come down in my lifetime, but it did. The major prediction of Fatima to pray for the conversion of Russia or Russia would take over the world is still in existence. In 1989 I thought the work of Fatima was over. Trillions of rosaries were said over the years and many of the faithful attended confession and Communion on the first Saturday of the month. Obviously Russia is still out there and the great deeds that Jesus spoke in our scripture today are still not completed although the Berlin Wall coming down was a great sign from heaven in 1989, but we must remain vigilant and there are so many obstacles in the way. Saint John Paul spoke of a huge stumbling block which is the relativism of today’s culture and there are the general cares of the world. A simple rosary seems so unimportant.
What I am trying to suggest from the scripture today is that we are doing great works when we do little things that contribute collectively to greater things. A simple rosary is an example. The predictions of Fatima are real. Please note what Saint Mother Teresa said in one of her famous quotes. “We can do no great things, only small things with great love.” This year is the 100th year anniversary of the miracle of Our Lady of Fatima and as Mary Ortwein mentioned in her reflection on Thursday of this week that the rosaries were first said to end World War I. It worked then and when the wall came down. It is time to get out our rosaries that have been gathering dust and go to Confession and Communion on the first Saturday of June and every month thereafter. The little things we do will collectively lead to greater things because of Jesus.
Prayer: When we pray today, please pray for all the Catholic Moment readers that are in need of healing and prayer. Let us also pray for the conversion of Russia and give honor to Our Lady of Fatima by praying a simple rosary today(the anniversary of the first Fatima apparitions) and maybe more tomorrow. Praise God! Great things are happening! I give glory to Jesus for all that He will do through our simple acts of obedience.
God Bless
Bob Burford
