May 9, 2026
Saturday of the Fifth Week- of Easter
Gospel: John 15:18-21

Today is Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter. In today’s passage from the Holy Gospel according to John, Jesus continues to share His Farewell Discourse with His disciples before His Passion. In this Gospel passage, Jesus reveals to us the relationship between His disciples and the world.

In our daily lives, we often witness conflicts among people, even seeing them come to blows out of hatred. Such situations arise from the unrest within our hearts. The root cause of this inner turmoil is sin. Sin breeds unrest, severing the soul’s connection with God and causing it to align instead with this world and its ruler.

The reason we do not belong to this world is that Jesus Himself has called us. Through Holy Baptism, He has washed us clean; through His Holy Spirit, He strengthens our faith; and through His Body and Blood, He nourishes us. Therefore, if we have been buried with Him in Baptism and have died with Him, firmly believing that we shall one day rise to a new life just as He rose from the dead, we no longer belong to this fading world, but to the Kingdom of God.

Jesus said: “Remember the word I spoke to you, ‘No slave is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.”(Cf. John 15:20). This means that as children of the Heavenly Father, the worldview, values, and moral compass we uphold are fundamentally different from those of this passing world. Consequently, we will inevitably face rejection from those who cling to the standards of this age. When we find ourselves in such circumstances, we can remain at peace, knowing that what we are experiencing is precisely what Jesus endured. If we truly trust in Jesus and belong to His flock, we must love as He loved: loving even those who hurt us and praying for them, just as Jesus did when He prayed for His persecutors from the Cross.

Almighty and eternal God,
who through the regenerating power of Baptism
have been pleased to confer on us heavenly life,
grant, we pray,
that those you render capable of immortality
by justifying them
may by your guidance
attain the fullness of glory.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever

©Totus Tuus 2026
Cum Approbatione Ecclesiastica