Joseph Osho

  Tuesday of the 7th week of Eastertide  Acts 20:17-27  Psalm 67(68):10-11,20-21 John 17:1-11 In today’s gospel, Jesus discusses his own glory and that of his Father. What is the nature of this glory? It is the cross and here is the thing. Through the cross, God demonstrates the extent of his great love for sinners and the power of Jesus' redemptive sacrifice, which nullifies the debt of sin and reverses the curse of condemnation (Romans 8:1). Jesus honored and glorified the Father through his obedience and willingness to endure the cross for our sake. In the context of sacrifice, the highest form of honor is not attributed to those who simply fought and survived, but to those who voluntarily sacrificed their lives for their fellow citizens. Jesus freely and willingly offered his life out of obedience to the Father and love for humanity. Jesus invites each of us to deepen our personal relationship with the eternal Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—who created us in love—to uni...

  Monday of the 7th week of Eastertide  Acts 19:1-8  Psalm 67(68):2-7 John 16:29-33 In today’s gospel, Jesus tells us that we should be brave,for he has conquered the world.  One important lesson that emerges is that, with Christ’s death on the cross and His subsequent resurrection, the meaning of the cross takes on multiple significances. Through His death, heaven is united with earth, and the cross becomes a key part of Divine Providence. From that moment on, the cross functions as a pulpit; it is seen as the greatest symbol of God's eternal love. Christ’s death on the cross is the perfect, once-and-for-all sacrifice that secures our redemption. It represents the height of divine self-revelation and signifies divine solidarity with human suffering. It embodies the eternal act of forgiveness and remains a lasting model of discipleship. Furthermore, it is the point where Satan is banished from the world. The cross embodies the beauty that rescues the world and the lo...

  Seventh Sunday of Easter (Year A)   Acts 1.12-14;   Ps 26;  I Pet 4.13-16;   Jn 17.1-11   This is eternal life: that they know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou has sent.   Today’s gospel passage is taken from that great prayer of Our Lord which is known as His Priestly Prayer, in which He addresses His Father in a very moving dialogue in which he, as Priest, prays for Himself and his disciples, and offers to the Father the imminent sacrifice of His passion and death.  In this prayer, He speaks of his glory, a glory which He has from the Father, a glory which will be revealed on the cross. The word ‘glory’ refers to the splendour, power, and honour which belong solely to God. And now in His death, and then more clearly in His resurrection and ascension, Christ’s divinity is being revealed. He has for thirty years voluntarily disguised His divinity, but now that divinity will be manifested through His humanity, when the apostles ...

  The Ascension of the Lord  Acts 1:1-11  Psalm 46(47):2-3,6-9 Ephesians 1:17-23  Matthew 28:16-20 WHERE CHRIST HAS GONE, WE ASPIRE TO FOLLOW  In observing today’s significant feast, we acknowledge multiple aspects, including the profound mystery of Christ. Among these, we particularly recognize the extraordinary and wholly unmerited elevation of our human nature. When Christ was born and assumed our human nature, the union between His divine nature and ours was irrevocable. From that moment, human nature was no longer distant from the divine—separated, cast away, or excluded. At the Ascension, Christ returns to His Father’s throne and takes us with Him, that is, He elevates our human nature to heaven, united with His Divinity within His one Person.  Where He has gone, we aspire to follow, as we are now potentially able to do so. The foundational conditions for this potential were established at the Ascension. Our task now is to actualize this potential thr...

Wednesday of the 6th week of Eastertide  Acts 17:15,​22-18:1 Psalm 148:1-2,11-14 John 16:12-15 In today’s gospel, Jesus spoke to his disciples about the coming of the Spirit of truth, who will guide them into all truth and reveal to them the things that are to come (John 16:13). Within God, there is no room for falsehood or deception, as He is entirely true, good, merciful and just. As the ultimate source and author of all that is true and good, our proximity to Him—listening to His word and seeking to understand His mind and will—allows us to deepen our knowledge of God and appreciate His profound love, wisdom, and purpose for us. Reflecting on how truth has influenced your life, how objective you are, and whether you strive to embody and share gospel values consistently can be meaningful questions. Today, guided by the Holy Spirit, we are called to proclaim the truth and the message of salvation in Christ Jesus. Let us endeavor to live a life rooted in truth and to share the mess...

  Tuesday of the 6th week of Eastertide  Acts 16:22-34  Psalm 137(138):1-3,7-8 John 16:5-11 Our faith is often challenged during periods of difficulty and adversity. Such circumstances serve as a measure of the strength of our beliefs and reveal the extent of our trust in God's ability to assist and deliver us.  In the first reading today, Paul and Silas endured persecution, flogging, and subsequent imprisonment. Despite their suffering, they remained steadfast in their faith and, even late at night, engaged in prayer and hymn singing, with other prisoners listening attentively. Remarkably, the other inmates were likely surprised that, despite such dire circumstances, Paul and Silas maintained a positive attitude and showed no signs of despair. The profound truth about faith amid trials is that it enables believers to recognize God's signs and wonders. The faith demonstrated by Paul and Silas manifested God's miracles, resulting in the conversion of the jailer. Durin...