Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to John 20, 19-23
On the evening of that first day of the week,
when the doors were locked, where the disciples were,
for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood in their midst
and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
“Receive the Holy Spirit.
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,
and whose sins you retain are retained.”
Follow me
1. Looking back. Sometimes, we keep looking back at the past, dwelling on previous experiences or thinking about people who haven’t contributed positively to our lives. The issue isn’t where we look, but why we look back. You may find yourself wasting energy investigating matters that don’t promote personal growth or searching for someone to blame and looking for reasons to play the victim. Instead, focus on the people who truly support you and enrich your life.
2. What about him? At times, we observe others just to compare ourselves with them, falling into the trap of believing that “the grass is always greener on the other side.” For this reason, don’t lose sight of what brings you inner peace, and focus on your own journey instead of constantly comparing yourself with others. Accept yourself for who you are, as both circumstances and people exist as they are.
3. Follow me. This means returning to your true purpose, your original calling and remembering that everyone is unique and distinct. Each of us has things we need to change and personal reasons for making those changes. Throughout life, envy can sneak in—especially when we struggle with self-worth. We might even turn away from following Christ just to watch someone else do it instead of pursuing our own journey.
Remember that something good is on the way!
God bless you and protect you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
