MONTHLY DEVOTIONAL FOR 8 JUNE
June 8, 2025
MEMORIAL OF MARY, MOTHER OF THE CHURCH
June 9, 2025
TODAY’S GOSPEL READING
8 JUNE, 2025
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.
THE GOSPEL OF THE LORD!
REFLECTION
The Disciples had, at that time, gathered in a room for they were afraid of the Jewish authorities. And on that day, Jesus appeared and stood among them giving them His peace and breathe on them with this instruction, “if you forgive peoples sins they are forgiven and if not, they are not forgiven.”
Truly this instruction of our Lord is happening everytime we receive the Sacrament of Confession where the Priest was given the authority to forgive sins which was handed down to them by the Apostles. Yet some of us did not believe. The Sacrament of Confession is truly needed especially now that the amount of wickedness has greatly intensified due to the work of the evil forces, trying to bring the people of God down through their man made rules.
So what we need now is to receive the Sacraments and be worthy to receive the Holy Spirit whom God has sent to help and to teach us what to do as we preach the good news of Salvation. Truly this mission was not only given to the Disciples that time but to us too since the harvest is large but the laborers are few. (Matthew 9:37)
Lastly, the Holy Spirit will give us more strength to endure the pain that we experience as of the moment. In the same way He will grant us wisdom to know what is right and just, and we can never go astray, for we will be accompanied by our King through the envoy He sent from above.
PRAYER
Thank you dear God, for the Salvation that you offered to us, for through your crucifixion on the Cross we will enter heaven if we believe and accept you as our Lord and Savior. Yet I realize one thing which is important, and that is to cling to your church and be granted the forgiveness of my sins the moment I come to a Priest and confess. I pray to receive this grace, in Jesus’ Name. Amen
