Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter April 22, 2005 Scripture: Acts 13:26-33; John 14:1-6 Reflection: We, who are so loved by God, have been given a road to follow using scripture and an excellent guide, Jesus, to accompany us. Do we always take this road and do we always choose Jesus as our guide? The cost of taking the road toward God’s love may at times involve great suffering. We need only reflect on the lives of Jesus, Mary and the martyrs of the past and of the present. We have seen and experienced the terrible suffering imposed on many by another’s cruelty. In the “Hound of Heaven,” the poet describes how we sometimes respond to God’s persistent love in our lives: “I fled him down the nights and down the days.” I saw God’s persistent love active in my father’s life. My dad was instructed in the Catholic faith, but did not become a Catholic. Although he heard our catechism lessons and went to church on special occasions, he struggled with many issues of our faith. When he was 75 years old, however, he became a Catholic, and for the last year of his life he and my mother received communion together at home. In Christ are hidden all the wisdom and knowledge of God, and since we know Jesus, God will be no stranger when we meet together in paradise. Suggested Action: Pray for help in recognizing the magnitude of God’s love and in understanding your continuous yearning for God. Pray for the willingness to cooperate with God’s graces. Sr. Mary Mercy Gilbart, IHM Silver Spring, Maryland

Graphic: Sr. Donna Korba, IHM