1/5 Friday 3rd PT
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I am Jesus whom you are persecuting! Acts 9,5
The grace of God totally transformed Saul from Jesus' persecutor to apostle dedicated to the Lord's work; it was the Holy Spirit who opened his eyes and made him "see" Jesus, and it was again the Holy Spirit who made him love the Lord with all his might. A brother confided to me once: "I often invoke the Holy Spirit to come over this or that person…". Thank you, Jesus, for those who have prayed and continue to pray for me!

2/5 Saturday 3rd PT
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It is the Spirit that gives life! John 6,63
That day I felt particularly down and out, but Jesus called me to serve him: to clean our church with a small group of women. I agreed and put my poverty in his hands… There was joy amongst us, the joy of the Holy Spirit!

3/5 Sunday 4th PT
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The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep! John 10,11
Lord Jesus, we contemplate you today as the good Shepherd. Open the eyes of our hearts once again: so we may be certain that you are the one who loves us and lays down his life for us so that we might live. Let us repeat with great joy with the Apostle: "he loved me and gave himself for me!" And we will lack nothing!

4/5 Monday 4th PT
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I am the door! John 1,9
A door is a passage way to some place. Jesus compared himself to a door: he is the true door! Listening to and living his word, entering into his very life, we reach the Father, the "place" of our joy, of our fulfilment. Give us, Lord Jesus, an attentive ear to your voice.

5/5 Tuesday 4th PT
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Because you are not sheep of my flock, you do not recognise me! John 10,26
Thank you, Lord Jesus, that without doing anything to deserve it you have made us "your sheep"!
Thank you for your Spirit that you have infused in us: it distinguishes us from the world and because of it we can believe in you and trust in you. And while we look to you with love and give our lives to you, you pour your life into us, you receive us into your fullness.

6/5 Wednesday 4th PT
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I have come into the world as light! John 12,46
As a light to illuminate what? To illuminate what no man with all his science and effort and good will has ever or will ever be able to see: God. That God who made himself visible in Jesus, who coming down to mankind, made himself known. Jesus is that light which the prophets spoke about, but which only he was able to shine in full splendour. Hallelujah!

7/5 Thursday 4th PT
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I know whom I have chosen! John 13,18
Even Judas Iscariot: Jesus did not chose him by mistake, he knew that he would betray him. He chose him and the others to respect the Scriptures that prophesied "even the friend whom I trusted, who ate at my table…" (Psalm 41). Jesus continued to love Judas and to respect his freedom as he does with us: he waits for us to accept him and respond with love! Come, Lord Jesus!

8/5 Friday 4th PT
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There are many dwelling places in my Father's house! John 14,2
In the Father's house there are many places for the Father's heart is immense, infinite. In Jesus he has prepared a place for everyone and ardently desires that everyone will take the true path which leads to experience of his love and to be able to live in it forever. Do not doubt, there is a place ready for you: walk with Jesus!

9/5 Saturday 4th PT
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Lord, show us the Father! John 14,8
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for showing the Father to me! You showed me his gentleness, his compassion and goodness, his awareness of the most insignificant of people, how he cares for everyone and his infinite willingness to receive me and forgive me….
Thank you for showing me how precious I am in his eyes. And this is truly all I need, for knowing that I am loved fulfils all my needs.

10/5 Sunday 5th PT
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Without me you can do nothing! John 15,5
Truly for us Christians, disciples of Jesus, our first duty and first joy, which is a full time job and characterises us, is to be with Jesus. Living this togetherness we participate in the work of salvation and away from him, nothing in our lives comes to anything. Come, Holy Spirit, teach us and give us Jesus' love!

11/5 Monday 5th PT
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He who loves me will be loved by the Father! John 14,21
I was trying to live Jesus' words: "give and it will be given unto you"; I had many opportunities, but it wasn't easy…. One morning I realised that it was the Father's hand that had given me what I tried to give others. It is wonderful, it is real life, to love and be loved!

12/5 Tuesday 5th PT
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I am going away and I am coming back to you! John 14,28
"Going away" is always temporary for Jesus, a passing moment. Just as we lived his absence contemplating his death and now in the period after Easter, we live the joy of his resurrection, so can we live moments of solitude and pain, moments "without Jesus", but then we will meet him again and be even closer and be able to experience his faithfulness. I am going and I am coming back to you!

13/5 Wednesday 5th PT
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I am the true vine! John 15,1

For the Jews the vine is an image which is full of meaning: in the Scriptures it is identified with the People of God. Jesus uses it as an image of himself and his Church. We Christians, together with Jesus form a single being, a single life, a unique "vine" which is loved and cultivated by the Father. This precious union is strengthened day by day through loving obedience to the word of Jesus.

14/5 Thursday 5th PT
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I chose you! John 15,16
St Matthew whom we celebrate today was chosen by the Lord to be his Apostle and witness of his resurrection. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for choosing each one of us: we have been able to recognise that you are alive and to experience your love. Give us today and always the ability to be your witnesses with joyful lives and to be faithful to your word.

15/5 Friday 5th PT
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You are my friends! John 15,14
We Christians, who try to live the word of Jesus have the invaluable gift of his friendship; we live in communion with him, we share his life: in him we receive all the love of the Father, in him we give the Father all our love in a continuous breath which is the Holy Spirit.

16/5 Saturday 5th PT
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A servant is not greater than his master! John 15,20
Every Christian considers it a great honour to experience what Jesus went through, even rejection, even the cross, both of which come from the hostility of the enemy. As did Jesus, Christians live all this in love, interceding for the salvation of those who, having fallen into the hands of the enemy and become his instrument, hurt him.

17/5 Sunday 6th PT
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Love one another! John 15,17
For us Christians, disciples of Jesus, to love one another is of great importance: it is the Lord's commandment. This love, however, is not an end unto itself; it is a concrete way to say to Jesus: "your love is everything to me". And again the strength to love one another does not come from us: it is because he loves us that we are able to love others.

18/5 Monday 6th TP
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You also are my witnesses! John 15,27
Where I live everybody knows that I am a Christian: all I do gives a good example or a bad example of the Christian faith, of the Church, of Jesus. I can, therefore, see living with joy as a Christian, a way of witnessing for Jesus and I know I can count on the Holy Spirit especially when witnessing involves becoming "martyrs" or suffering.

19/5 Tuesday 6th PT
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Now I am going away to him who sent me! John 16,5
Jesus almost reproaches his disciples because they were overcome with sadness when he told them he was returning to his Father through suffering and death! He wants to encourage me as well, when I am overcome with fear for my return to that same Father who loves me!

20/5 Wednesday 6th PT
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There is much more that I could say to you! John 16,12
Sometimes we feel that our life of faith has reached an end, that there is no further way to improve, that we cannot expect anything new from our relationship with Jesus. But Jesus tells us; "there is much more that I could say to you!" There is never an end to knowing Jesus in greater depth, in a new way. And who knows what surprises he has in store for us!

21/5 Thursday 6th PT
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I am going to the Father! John 16,17
It is a great joy for Jesus to return to the Father after having completed his mission. "Returning to the Father" he does not abandon us: from the heart of the Father, a place of joy, and because he loved us with his life he is able to visit us in a new way: in sending us the Holy Spirit he will come to live not only close to us but within us. You are truly a wonderful ally, Lord Jesus!

22/5 Friday 6th PT
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Have no fear, go on with your preaching! Acts 18,9
Jesus encourages St Paul with these words. Jesus is truly risen and lives in us and sees when we need encouraging or a sign of his presence. I am grateful for the times he intervenes to support me and strengthen me through the words, gestures or acts of others: it is as if I hear his voice: "have no fear, continue ….."

23/5 Saturday 6th PT…………….
I do not say that I shall pray to the Father for you. John 16,26
"I do not say that I shall pray to the Father for you"………… For it is not necessary; it is enough to pronounce his name with love; this is the only thing that the Father is waiting for to be able to give us everything we truly need, to fill us with his love, with his life, with his Holy Spirit

24/5 Sunday The Ascension of the Lord Year B
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Those who believe it and receive baptism will be saved! Mark 16,16
On this great festivity, Lord Jesus, we celebrate your glory at the right hand of the Father and we remember the mission which you entrusted to the Church at your ascension: to baptise the people who believe in you and they will be saved. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for not leaving us alone in this mission: you, full of the power of the right hand of the Father, are always with us. Hallelujah!

25/5 Monday 7th PT
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I am not alone for the Father is with me! John 16,32
Jesus gave us an example from which we can take light and strength at anytime in our lives. He lived all of his earthly existence in unison with the Father and in this unison he found peace in every situation even at the hour of abandon and of his death.

26/5 Tuesday 7th PT
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I served the Lord in all humility! Acts 20,19
In the Church many serve the Lord in humility: we can see it with our own eyes, we can appreciate it and imitate it. Priests who keep searching for new simple ways to present Jesus to their congregation, women who help each other to keep our churches clean and beautiful for our services and children who leave their games to serve at the altar… Thank you, Jesus, for giving everyone a task; no matter how small, it is precious in your eyes!

27/5 Wednesday 7th PT
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I commend you to God! Acts 20,32
To trust in the Lord is the best defence with which we can protect our loved ones and it is the best way to contribute to and support their growth in faith. To trust in the Lord Jesus, risen and living, and to commend all and everyone into his hands is the best thing we can do in any situation.

28/5 Thursday 7th PT
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Righteous Father … the world does not know you. John 17,25
Jesus before his passion, prayed intensely for all close to him. He knows that they will have to continue the work he has started: to make the face of the Father known to that world that not knowing him, lives in the darkness of violence, hate and egoism. Come, Holy Spirit, send a ray of your light from heaven!

29/5 Friday 7th PT
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Do you love me? John 21,15
Today, Lord Jesus, I want to consider your question to Peter seriously. It is a question you ask all your disciples. I will be vigilant that my heart is all yours, my Lord who have saved me and love me infinitely. I will also ask the martyrs Sts Sisinio, Martirio and Alexander to help for they have given us such a wonderful example of love for Jesus!

30/5 Saturday 7th PT
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Lord, who is it that will betray you? John 21,20
Lord Jesus, we know our weaknesses, many times we have seen that without you, we can do nothing, we do not even have the strength to remain faithful. This brings us to confide more and more in you. Thank you for visiting your Church once again this Pentecost with the gift of the Holy Spirit: this is the gift you promised us; the Holy Spirit will be the power of our love.

31/5 Pentecost Year B
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He will glorify me! John 16,24
Lord Jesus, you know that the Holy Spirit knows you, and knows the Father! It is the Holy Spirit who glorifies you and opens our minds to recognise that you are true wisdom and to accept you so that you may fill the gaps in our training and enables us to receive light and peace from you. We can know you and receive you only thanks to the light of the Holy Spirit!

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