SATURDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK OF EASTER Gospel (John 21:20-25) Peter turned and saw the disciple following whom Jesus loved, the one who had also reclined upon his chest during the supper and had said, "Master, who is the one who will betray you?" When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, "Lord, what about him?" Jesus said to him, "What if I want him to remain until I come? What concern is it of yours?  You follow me." So the word spread among the brothers that that disciple would not die. But Jesus had not told him that he would not die, just "What if I want him to remain until I come? What concern is it of yours?" It is this disciple who testifies to these things and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true. There are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written. The Gospel of the Lord: Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ The Word of God for Everyone Dear People of God, In today's Word of God, the Lord wishes to speak to all humanity about His love for His disciples, especially for John and Peter, who followed Jesus Christ closely and accompanied Him on His public journey of proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven. All of God's love is bestowed upon humanity through the life of Jesus Christ, the only Son of God the Father. He sacrificed Himself, died, and rose again to atone for the sins of mankind. God wishes to tell all humanity that every word, action, and deed of Jesus Christ is the truth, as attested to by the testimonies of the disciples whom God loved. Furthermore, all these testimonies have been verified through the influence of the Holy Spirit upon the words and deeds of the apostles; thanks to this, subsequent generations of humanity will receive the grace of salvation from Jesus Christ through the Word of God. His Word is eternal, the Word of love and truth, the Word that brings eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven to all who believe in Jesus Christ and practice His teachings. Today's Word of God tells humanity that all the teachings of Jesus Christ have been recorded in the Gospel. This is the Word that comes from God, so humanity should listen to it and put it into practice in daily life, so that the Word of God may nourish both soul and body. For the Word of God is the word of wisdom, the word that brings eternal life, and the light that guides those walking in this world. Thanks be to God. Amen.

FRIDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK OF EASTER Gospel (John 21:15-19) After Jesus had revealed himself to his disciples and eaten breakfast with them,  he said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" Simon Peter answered him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs." He then said to Simon Peter a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Simon Peter answered him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."  He said to him, "Tend my sheep." He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time, "Do you love me?" and he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep. Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted;  but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when he had said this, he said to him, "Follow me." The Gospel of the Lord: Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ The Word of God for Everyone Dear People of God, Today's Word of God recounts the event of the risen Christ's appearance to the apostles. During this appearance, Jesus asked Saint Peter three times: "Do you love Me?” He asked three times to test Saint Peter's faith in God. And Saint Peter's response to Jesus was: "Yes, Lord; You know everything, You know that I love You." After Saint Peter answered three times to profess his faith in God, he was granted the privilege by God to continue the mission of Jesus Christ—to tend to God's sheep. Jesus appointed Saint Peter as the head and representative of God to care for and preserve the Church that He established. And to this day, the Church has always remained holy, pure, and always connected to Jesus Christ as its head; and there is only one Church, one God, and one Jesus Christ. God always desires that all His sheep be gathered into one fold, which is His Church. However, living in this earthly world, humans cannot escape the temptations and snares of Satan, which are gradually dividing His Church. Nevertheless, that division does not diminish the beautiful image of His Church as the body of Christ. Through today's Word of God, God reveals to humanity another special aspect of Jesus Christ’s Resurrection event: He appeared to choose, call, and entrust the apostle Peter with the mission of being Christ's representative in this world. Through this, it is shown that: - When God chooses people, He does not look for those with high position, power, status, or profound knowledge. Rather, He looks for a person who always knows how to love God above all things and love their neighbor as themselves, for that is what pleases God. - When Jesus lovingly chooses and calls the apostles, He will always accompany and remain with them. This also shows that, whether in the past or the future, all those who have been chosen and called by Him to follow God's path, He will always protect and accompany them in all places and at all times. Therefore, He calls upon humanity to go forth in peace along the path of Jesus Christ, which is the path of carrying the cross up to Mount Calvary, to die with the Lord and to be resurrected with Him. Thanks be to God. Amen.

THURSDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK OF EASTER Gospel (John 17:20-26) Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed saying: "I pray not only for these, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me. And I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may be brought to perfection as one, that the world may know that you sent me, and that you loved them even as you loved me. Father, they are your gift to me. I wish that where I am they also may be with me, that they may see my glory that you gave me, because you loved me before the foundation of the world. Righteous Father, the world also does not know you, but I know you, and they know that you sent me. I made known to them your name and I will make it known, that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in them." The Gospel of the Lord: Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ. The Word of God for Everyone Dear People of God, Today's Word of God recounts the conversation between Jesus and God the Father. After the Last Supper, Jesus went to a quiet place to pray to God the Father, offering up prayers for all people in the world. This prayer originated from the very love of Jesus Christ for His disciples, as well as for all those who hear the disciples' words and believe in the name of Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity who descended to earth to become man. Jesus prayed to God the Father that all may be one, just as God the Father is in the Son and the Son is in the Father, and that all of His children may also be in God the Father. He yearned for everyone to always have unity, to be closely joined as one, and to dwell in one another just as God the Father is united as one with God the Son, and the Holy Spirit is present within that unity. The Holy Trinity is never separated in God's plan of creation and salvation for humanity. Now, before Jesus Christ prepared to return to God the Father, while He was still in the world with His disciples, He prayed to God the Father: “I desire that those whom You have given Me may be with Me where I am, and I do not want to lose any of them.” Such is the boundless love of Jesus Christ for humanity. He wants humanity to return to God the Father and be united as one with the Father. God the Father loves humanity just as He loves the Son. He brings humanity into a closed circle, which is the circle of love between God and humanity. No one in this world possesses a love as vast and great as God's love for humanity. Therefore, He desires of humanity to experience the love God has for us by living in intimate union with God in their daily lives. He also desires of humanity to live and experience the love of Jesus Christ, who died and rose again to save humanity. When we live and experience the love that God has for humanity, we will then revere and love God above all things, and will spread the love we have reveived from God and pass that love on to our brothers and sisters. God always desires of humanity to have a relationship of love with God and with our neighbors. He desires of humanity to always have a twofold love; not just love for God while abandoning or forgetting those around us, for everyone is an image of God. Therefore, all who wish to find happiness with God the Father must live in love with God and with our neighbors as the image of the love of God the Father for God the Son and for humanity. In today's Word of God, God the Father calls upon humanity: - To love God above all things and to love our neighbors as ourselves, for this is the most perfect and noble love. - To live in unity with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, and to remain in His Church. - His Church is the body of Jesus Christ, and there is always only one God. Believe in and worship the one true God. Thanks be to God. Amen.

WEDNESDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK OF EASTER Gospel (John 17:11b-19) Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed, saying: “Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are one. When I was with them I protected them in your name that you gave me, and I guarded them, and none of them was lost except the son of destruction, in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you. I speak this in the world so that they may share my joy completely. I gave them your word, and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the Evil One. They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world. And I consecrate myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth.” The Gospel of the Lord: Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ. The Word of God for Everyone Dear People of God, Today's Word of God recounts Jesus conversing with God the Father. He prays and speaks with God the Father as if the two were conversing directly. In His conversation, what did Jesus pray to God the Father? He prays: The first petition: He offers all His disciples to God the Father. He asks God the Father to protect and guard them, and grant that they may be united as one, just as We are. “We” here refers to God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Spirit—the Three Persons united as one. Now, Jesus Christ also asks God the Father to bestow grace and the Spirit of the Holy Spirit to unite His disciples, as well as His Church today, that they may be united as one, just as God is. The Second petition: He offers all His disciples to God the Father. He asks God the Father to protect His disciples, as well as all His children, from the Evil One and from the controlling power of Satan. However, Jesus does not ask God the Father to remove the hardships and trials brought about by the world from his disciples. Therefore, life on this earth is a spiritual warfare against the forces of darkness until God comes a second time to bring salvation to humanity. This spiritual warfare also serves to test humanity's loyalty to God the Father. Nevertheless, God always bestows His grace, power, and strength upon His disciples, as well as to all His children, to protect us from the forces of darkness and to resist the power of Satan. But at the same time, humanity must also respond to God the Father’s calling and teachings by obeying His commandments through the Ten Commandments, summarized in two laws that Jesus himself came to earth to fulfill: to love God the Father above all things and to love your neighbor as yourself. God bestows the power to protect humanity from the forces of the evil one, but humanity must also respond with obedience and by sacrificing oneself to God the Father. - To become conformed to the image of Christ, becoming faithful servants of God the Father, just like Jesus Christ, who is the Teacher of each one of us. Only in this way can we fight against the power of Satan. God the Father calls upon all disciples to trust and remain faithful to God, for Jesus himself was hated by the world when He obeyed God the Father and brought God the Father's Word to humanity. Now, all those who live and act according to the Word commanded by God will also be hated by the world, but do not fear the world! Fear God the Father and obey the Word commanded by God the Father, then you will find happiness with God the Father in the Kingdom of Heaven. Thanks be to God. Amen.

TUESDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK OF EASTER Gospel (John 17:1-11a) Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you, just as you gave him authority over all people, so that your son may give eternal life to all you gave him. Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ. I glorified you on earth by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do. Now glorify me, Father, with you, with the glory that I had with you before the world began. "I revealed your name to those whom you gave me out of the world. They belonged to you, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you gave me is from you, because the words you gave to me I have given to them, and they accepted them and truly understood that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me, because they are yours, and everything of mine is yours and everything of yours is mine, and I have been glorified in them. And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming to you."   The Gospel of the Lord: Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ. The Word of God for Everyone Dear People of God, In today's Word of God, the Lord reveals to all humanity the dialogue between Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, and God the Father. God is all-powerful, incomparably beautiful, and infinitely sublime. Meanwhile, humanity is but a lowly, small, weak creature, full of sin and betrayal against God the Father. Why, then, does God the Father love, forgive, and show mercy toward humanity? It is because of God the Father's infinitely great love for humanity that He sacrificed and sent His only begotten Son into the world to accompany and save mankind. Through the dialogue between Jesus Christ and God the Father, He wants all humanity to know that God the Father is real, that He truly exists, that He is the only one, and that He is love. In the work of salvation of God the Father, He sent His only begotten Son into the world to bring His words to teach humanity, as Jesus Christ prayed to God the Father: “I have passed on to the world everything that You have given to Me.” God the Father and Jesus Christ are one God; there is nothing that He cannot do. Through the dialogue of Jesus Christ with God the Father, He wants humanity to know that everything that Jesus Christ has taught humanity, or all the powers and miracles that Jesus Christ has performed, are to prove to humanity that the existence of God the Father is real, and to reach God the Father, who is the source of life, one must go through Jesus Christ. He will lead humanity to God the Father, but on the condition that humanity must listen to and practice the words that Jesus Christ has taught. That is, practice charity and love; practice the love and reverence for God the Father above all things; and have absolute trust in Him as the only One who brings eternal life. Apart from Him, there is no god as great as God the Father. This is what God calls upon humanity to do in the world today: - Return to Jesus Christ, return to God the Father. - Listen to and practice the words of God the Father taught through many ways: through your brothers and sisters, through the Word of God recorded under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, which is the Word of God in the Gospel and the Real and Present Word of God. In this new age, the period of the Holy Spirit's activity, God the Father has chosen the House of God the Father in Bao Loc, which is the place where God the Father’s plan has been established at the sanctuary of God the Father. Here, God is present; here, the power and spirit of the Holy Spirit are active; this is the Word of God written by the hand of Angel Thien Thuong, called the Real and Present Word of God to teach humanity directly and specifically in every situation of daily life. Thanks be to God. Amen.

FRIDAY OF THE SIXTH WEEK OF EASTER Gospel (John 16:20-23) Jesus said to his disciples:  "Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy. When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived; but when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy that a child has been born into the world. So you also are now in anguish. But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. On that day you will not question me about anything. Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you." The Gospel of the Lord: Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ. The Word of God for Everyone Dear people of God, Today's Word of God reveals to humanity that Jesus always loves His disciples. He constantly encourages, comforts, and instructs them in minute detail. He forewarns His disciples that they will encounter thorns, obstacles, difficulties, and failures on the path ahead. Jesus is a good God. He is a person of great wisdom and intellect who understands the nature of each person. He gives the example of a mother in labor: before giving birth, she must endure pain, but after the child is born, she is filled with joy and happiness, no longer remembering the pain. He uses this example to show His disciples that when Jesus Christ ascends to heaven, the disciples will be sorrowful and disappointed; yet, behind that sadness and disappointment will be joy and happiness for them. This joy, which no one can take away, is the gift of eternal life with God the Father. He explains that the image of the mother giving birth is the result of the love between a husband and wife. The child born brings happiness, a wonderful gift that God bestows upon humanity. God is very close to human life. He provides this proof to increase the faith, strength, and courage of those whom God loves, so that they may overcome the difficulties and trials of this world. And so that, beyond those difficulties and trials, they may hope to attain the eternal happiness that God has promised: a happiness that no one can take away. Therefore, He invites all those whom God loves to look toward the future and hope for the eternal life to come, to remain steadfast and faithful to God. When encountering difficulties and trials, do not give up, do not retreat. For to attain a life of eternal, perfect happiness, humanity must surely pass through difficulties and trials.  Just like the image of Jesus Christ: to attain joy, happiness, and victory over Satan, He also had to undergo a purification through His own death, through the sacrifice of His life, so that, beyond that death, He was glorified by God the Father and saved souls from the captivity of Satan. Jesus loves His disciples; He instructs them so that by being faithful, listening to, and following His Word, they will overcome the difficulties and trials brought about by the world. Thanks be to God. Amen.

MONDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK OF EASTER Gospel (John 16:29-33) The disciples said to Jesus, “Now you are talking plainly, and not in any figure of speech. Now we realize that you know everything and that you do not need to have anyone question you. Because of this we believe that you came from God.” Jesus answered them, “Do you believe now? Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived when each of you will be scattered to his own home and you will leave me alone. But I am not alone, because the Father is with me. I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.” The Gospel of the Lord: Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ The Word of God for Everyone Dear People of God, Today's Word of God reveals to humanity that from the moment Jesus chose and called His disciples to follow Him, and throughout the time He spent accompanying, remaining, and living with them, He revealed to them much of God's glory and power to strengthen their faith. And now, as Jesus is about to accept death hanging on the cross, the disciples can profess a single faith, which is: Jesus Christ is truly God. Today's Word of God shows that the disciples are conflicted in their minds, yet they are joyful and happy because they have God by their side to sustain, shelter, and protect them. Faced with that faith, Jesus continues to teach His disciples: “I am going back to God the Father, and you must remain in the world. You will still face many difficulties, trials, and hardships.” Because living in this world is a life of constant battle against Satan, no one can avoid suffering, fear, anxiety, and sorrow. Jesus, foreseeing that these things would happen to His disciples, advised and taught them: “In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world!” That is a great comfort and a powerful encouragement, reflecting all the love that Jesus, the Teacher, has for His disciples. Through this, He wants to tell all those who always believe and place their trust in God that they will overcome the difficulties and trials brought about by the world. Look to the image of Jesus Christ Himself and take courage, for God the Father is always with you. In today's Word of God, God the Father teaches humanity that to overcome the world, we must: - Be faithful and obedient to God the Father absolutely until our very last breath. - Have absolute trust in God the Father, who is the Almighty and All-Powerful One. He has absolute authority over all evil, absolute authority over Satan, and total absolute authority over the world. - To all who are disciples of God the Father, listen to and follow what God the Father commands: “Take courage, I have conquered the world!” Thanks be to God. Amen.

SATURDAY OF THE SIXTH WEEK OF EASTER Gospel (John 16:23-28) 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: Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ. The Word of God for Everyone Dear people of God, In today's Word of God, Jesus says to His disciples: "The Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God." God the Father loves the disciples. The love of God the Father and Jesus Christ is one. The Holy Trinity is one God, the God of love. The three Persons are never separated in their love for humanity. Out of His love, He instructs and reminds His disciples to pray to God the Father "in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God," and He will answer their prayers. While He was still living and remaining with His disciples, Jesus told them beforehand that he would return to God the Father, from whom He had come before descending to earth to dwell with humanity. God the Father alone is the one eternal and living God. Only in Him is there the joy and absolute happiness that humanity constantly longs for, awaits, and hopes for. Therefore, before Jesus returns to God the Father, He advises His disciples to pray to the Father, and He will answer them because He always loves the disciples. The reason the Father loves the disciples is that the disciples also love Jesus Christ; and the Father and Jesus Christ are one God. In the love that God the Father and God the Son have for humanity, the Holy Spirit is always present. God reveals to humanity that, in order to return to God the Father, people should pray to the Father, saying: ‘Grant that I may be with You forever,’ and that prayer must be empowered by the Holy Spirit.” Jesus loves His disciples; He teaches them as well as all humanity to pray to the Holy Trinity: "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, grant that I may remain in Your Kingdom forever." Thanks be to God. Amen.