Gospel Reflection– Fr Anthony Crook–Preparing to Leave (Fr Anthony says the weeks of Easter have been preparing us for this week and next week. Weeks 1-3 proclaim the risen one with Jesus revealing his new risen physical nature. Week 4, Good Shepherd Sunday when the disciples hear Jesus, come to know him, and follow him. Last week being led into the understanding of Jesus’ glory. Today’s gospel prepares us for the Ascension when the physical appearance of Jesus comes to an end. We will not be left alone but with his peace and that the Father will send an advocate who will lead us into a deeper relationship with the risen Son.)

Wisdom from the Abbey–Mother Hilda–In the Memory of God (Mother Hilda says that hearing our favourite music triggers all sorts of memories. For her, it’s Pachelbel’s Canon that brings back a lifetime of memories and the sense of God in all those memories. If a piece of music can generate such powerful memories, how much more would it be for God as he looks at each part of creation, no matter how tiny, and how they generate memories for him of each of us. We are eternally in the memory of God and when the time comes to meet him face-to-face there’ll be nothing to fear, all we’ll get is his beautiful smile of recognition)

On The Journey This Week: Fr Anthony Crook says all the Easter gospels have been leading us towards the imminent return of the glorified Jesus to the Father; today Jesus gives us his peace and promises the Advocate. Mother Hilda on how music triggers all sorts of memories for us. Plus, Fr Mike Delaney, Cathy Jenkins, Pete Gilmore.

Milk & Honey–Trish McCarthy–Choose Your Mirrors (Trish remembers visits to fun parks and how the isle of mirrors give an amusing and distorted view of yourself. However, in real life it’s important to get a realistic view of whom we are through comments, affirmations, criticism, and acceptance from those we trust. We must choose our mirrors, those who we allow to influence us carefully and with discernment. The mirror we may be taking our que from may well be warped, bent or covered in residue which ultimately leads to a distorted reflection of our true self. Our job is not to fix those mirrors, but simply choose wisely and always seek the truth in our life.)

On The Journey This Week: Fr John Paul Escarlan’s Gospel reflection on Jesus’ command to love one another. To love like Jesus is transformative love, it changes us to be a better version of ourselves that God wants us to be. Mother Hilda’s continues the love theme and says the message for us is it doesn’t matter how we are treated, it’s what we do with and about it that really matters, how we respond with the love of Jesus. Plus, Trish McCarthy, Huw Warmenhoven from Alpha and Fr Dave Callaghan.

Gospel Reflection– Fr John Paul Escarlan–Love One Another (In the Gospel Jesus gives us his command to love one another. We know well that sometimes it is difficult to love even those close to us, but Jesus reminds us today to love as he loves, not with emotional love but with agape love. God’s love is unconditional, merciful and forgiving, constantly searching and reaching out to show mercy. To love like Jesus is transformative love, it changes us to be a better version of ourselves that God wants us to be.)

The Call-Fr Dave Callaghan–Love Demand a Response (Fr Dave says that one of the most amazing things about love is that it demands a response. Fr Dave uses the example of a young man presenting a bouquet of roses to his fiancée to show that she must immediately respond in some way which will be interpreted as either acceptance or rejection of his love. Love always demands a response from us. This is something that we need to reflect on in our relationship with God. We know that the cross is God’s statement of love for us, and Jesus is looking for us to give an answer, as though he is saying, ‘this is how much I love you, will you love me back?’ Will you make a response or leave him hanging?)

Last Things First–Huw Warmenhoven– Belong Believe Become (Huw says our approach to evangelisation and the paradigm of ‘behave, believe, belong’ is changing to ‘belong, believe, become.’ And tells us what this means for the Church today. Rather than imposing the Kerygma it all about proposing the three great questions of faith, life and meaning: Where do you belong? What do you believe? Who do you want to become? The timeless message hasn’t changed, but what has changed is the way enable people to have an encounter with Jesus.)

Wisdom from the Abbey–Mother Hilda– The Present Moment with Love (Mother Hilda’s story of Vietnamese Cardinal Francois-Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan, one of our world's great witnesses to Jesus Christ and how he responded to being incarcerated for thirteen years, nine of which were endured in solitary confinement in Vinh Phu prison in Hanoi. Rather than express anger at his captors, he used his secret weapon, his life of prayer and reflections on scripture to look at his captors with eyes of agape love. Over time this action of love wore his captors down and Mother Hilda says the message for us is it doesn’t matter how we are treated, it’s what we do with and about it that really matters, how we respond with the love of Jesus.)

Wisdom from the Abbey–Mother Hilda–Your Servant (Mother Hilda shares an insight she had when listening to a reading from the Book of Samuel and that well known story of the boy Samuel awakened by God, but he doesn’t know that it’s God. The old priest Eli gives the boy the answer to use next time God calls, “speak Lord, your servant is listening”. Hilda says what a wonderful way to start each day; speak Lord, your servant is listening! In moments of indecision, what an apt prayer! Each day, as we encounter humanity in all its shapes, sizes, and states, what a wonderful prayer! To have an open heart to hear him, whether he uses words, events, or nature then we are more likely to encounter and hear him if we are using Samuel’s words “speak Lord for your servant is listening.”)