In Acts 8:5-8, 14-17, we witness the powerful work of the Holy Spirit as it descends upon the people of Samaria. This passage focuses on the incredible power of the Holy Spirit and its ability to transform lives.

As we begin, we see that Philip, one of the early disciples, has travelled to Samaria to preach the word of God. The people of Samaria, who were considered outcasts by the Jews, were eagerly listening to Philip’s message and responding with faith. They were being baptised in the name of Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit was at work in their midst.
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Today’s reading from the Epistle of St. James ( 1:17-21) helps us focus on the fact that every good gift and every perfect gift comes from above, from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. We are all recipients of the countless blessings that God has bestowed upon us. Our lives, our families, our health, our talents, our jobs, our homes, and all the good things that we enjoy come from God. We must always remember to thank God for his goodness and generosity towards us.

However, St. James also reminds us that we must be “doers of the word” and not hearers only. It is not enough to simply listen to God’s word and feel good about it. We must put it into action in our lives. We must be obedient to God’s commandments (John 14:15-24) and live our lives in accordance with His will. We must be vigilant and guard against the temptations of the world that seek to lead us away from God. (James 4:4-8)
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Throughout the Gospels, we can see how Jesus taught His disciples about the importance of keeping His commandments and the role of the Holy Spirit in their lives. When reading John 14:15-24, we can see that our Lord put emphasis on the importance of obedience to His commandments. He says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (14:15). Here we can see that love and obedience go hand in hand. If we truly love Jesus, we will obey His commands, which include loving God and loving our neighbours as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-40).
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Let us first read the words of St. Peter in his letter to the early Christian communities, particularly the second chapter before moving on to the homily.

In this chapter, the Apostle Peter reminds us of our identity as chosen and precious stones in God’s spiritual house. In the first part of the chapter, Peter instructs us to rid ourselves of malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander, and to instead crave pure spiritual milk, so that we may grow up in our salvation. As Catholics, we are called to live lives of purity, honesty, and love, and to constantly seek spiritual nourishment through prayer, study, and the Sacraments. Peter doesn’t just tell us to be good and pure; he reminds us of the reason why we should strive for holiness. We are called to be a holy people because we are God’s own possession. We have been chosen by God to be part of His spiritual house, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to Him through Jesus Christ.
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Dear brothers and sisters,

This passage from the Gospel reading describes an event that occurred on the first day of the week after Jesus’ crucifixion and burial. Two of Jesus’ disciples were walking to a village called Emmaus, discussing recent events, including Jesus’ death and reports of His resurrection. They were joined by a stranger who they did not recognize as Jesus. The stranger engaged them in conversation and explained to them how the events of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection were foretold by the Prophets. When they arrived at Emmaus, the disciples invited the stranger to stay with them, and He broke bread with them. At that moment, their eyes were opened, and they recognised the stranger as Jesus. However, He disappeared from their sight. The disciples immediately returned to Jerusalem to share the news with the other disciples who were gathered there. This event is significant as it is one of the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus and confirms the truth of His resurrection.
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Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

In today’s Gospel reading from John chapter 11, we hear the story of Lazarus, the brother of Martha and Mary, who becomes ill and eventually dies. Jesus receives word of Lazarus’ illness, but He does not immediately go to him. Instead, Jesus says, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.” (verse 4)

When Jesus finally arrives in Bethany, Lazarus has been dead for four days. Martha and Mary express their grief, and Jesus is moved to tears. He goes to the tomb, and there He commands Lazarus to come out. Lazarus, who was dead, rises from the dead and comes out of the tomb.
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My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Today’s Gospel reading from John chapter 6 presents us with a deeply meaningful message about the significance of the Eucharist in our lives as Catholics. This passage is one of the most significant and profound teachings of Jesus Christ and serves as a reminder of the miraculous nature of the Eucharist.

In this chapter, Jesus speaks to a crowd of people who had followed Him after He had performed a great miracle of feeding five thousand men with just five loaves of bread and two fish. The people were amazed by this miracle and sought to follow Jesus. However, Jesus, knowing that they were more interested in the physical food than the spiritual food that He was offering, challenged them to think more deeply about the meaning of this miracle.
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