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TODAY’S GOSPEL READING
16 MAY, 2026
John 16:23b-28
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.
Until now you have not asked anything in my name;
ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.
“I have told you this in figures of speech.
The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures
but I will tell you clearly about the Father.
On that day you will ask in my name,
and I do not tell you that I will ask the Father for you.
For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me
and have come to believe that I came from God.
I came from the Father and have come into the world.
Now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”
THE GOSPEL OF THE LORD!
REFLECTION
In this passage, Jesus opens the heart of the Father to His disciples. He assures them that they are no longer distant servants standing outside the door of heaven, but beloved children who can approach the Father directly in His Name.
Jesus says, “Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.” Prayer is not merely presenting needs before God — it is entering into loving communion with the Father through Christ. The Lord invites us to pray with confidence, trust, and simplicity. The Father is not reluctant to hear us; He already loves us deeply because we belong to His Son.
Jesus also reminds the disciples that He came from the Father and would return to the Father. His entire mission reveals the love of God for humanity. Christ came into the world to bridge the distance caused by sin and to bring us back into intimate relationship with God.
Often, we carry burdens silently, feeling unworthy or forgotten. But this Gospel teaches us that heaven is open to those who pray in faith. The Father listens, understands, and responds according to His perfect wisdom and love. True joy is born when our hearts rest in the certainty that we are loved by God and never abandoned.
This passage also calls us to deepen our trust. Even when answers seem delayed, Jesus assures us that the Father knows our needs. Prayer changes not only circumstances but also the soul that prays. It fills the heart with peace, courage, and hope.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, I thank You for loving me and calling me Your child through Jesus Christ. Teach me to pray with faith, confidence, and perseverance. When fear, doubt, or sadness enter my heart, remind me that I can come directly to You in the Name of Jesus.
Lord Jesus, thank You for revealing the Father’s love to the world. Help me to trust that You are always interceding for me and guiding my life according to Your will. Increase my faith when I grow weak and fill my heart with the joy that comes from Your presence.
May my prayers rise from a sincere and humble heart. Teach me to seek not only blessings, but deeper union with You. Grant me peace in trials, patience in waiting, and courage in every difficulty.
Father, keep me close to You always, and let my life become a witness to Your love and mercy. Amen
