Reflection Guide For May 8,2026 Praise and Worship

Word Sharing Circle (WSC) Reflection Guide

May 3, 2026 (Cycle A, Year II) – 5th Sunday of Easter

Community Word: The Holy Spirit empowers us to proclaim the Good News.

Theme: We are empowered by the Holy Spirit to trust Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the

Life, and continue His works.

Promise: “Whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than

these.” (Jn 14:12)

Reflection

The theme for this Fifth Sunday of Easter calls us to a deeper trust in Jesus, who reveals Himself as the Way, the Truth, and the Life. In the Gospel, Jesus speaks tenderly to His disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” We are comforted and invited to Jesus’ call to anchor our lives in Him even amid uncertainty, trials, and the unknown. Trust is not a resignation to what will happen to our life but an active surrender in faith.

As we serve in community, trust in Jesus becomes the foundation of our identity and mission. To believe that He is the Way means that we follow His path of obedience, humility, and sacrificial love. To believe that He is the Truth means that we allow His Word to shape our minds, our decisions, and our priorities. To believe that He is the Life means that we draw our strength, hope, and purpose from Him alone. This trust is formed through prayer, the Word, and a continuous yielding to God’s will.

The first reading from Acts shows how the early Christian community responded to practical challenges through discernment and Spirit-led action. Faced with internal concerns, the apostles did not lose sight of their mission. Instead, they empowered others to serve, ensuring that both the proclamation of the Word and the care of the community would flourish. This reminds us that trusting Jesus also means trusting the work of the Holy Spirit within the community, raising leaders and inspiring service for the good of all.

Saint Peter, in the second reading, affirms that we are “living stones” being built into a spiritual house. Each one of us has a place and a purpose in God’s plan. As a royal priesthood and a holy nation, we are called not only to personal holiness but also to mission, to proclaim the mighty acts of God who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.

The Holy Spirit is the source of our empowerment. It is the Spirit who strengthens our faith when it is weak, who clarifies the truth when we are confused, and who leads us forward when the path is uncertain. When we surrender to the Spirit, our lives become instruments of God’s grace. We begin to act not out of fear or self-reliance, but out of confidence in God’s power working within us.

To continue the works of Jesus is to participate in His mission of love, mercy, and salvation. It means reaching out to those in need, witnessing to our faith in word and deed, and building communities in unity and service. It is through our obedience and openness that God’s saving work continues in our time.

As we grow in trust, we are reminded that our capacity is not the limit, God’s power is. When we believe fully and live faithfully, the promise of Jesus becomes real in us: “Whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these.” (Jn 14:12)

Prayer

Heavenly Father, You have called us to trust in Your Son, Jesus, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. In moments of doubt and uncertainty, strengthen our faith and quiet our troubled hearts. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit, that we may be empowered to serve, to witness, and to continue the works of Christ in our daily lives. Form us as living stones in Your spiritual house, united in love and mission. May our lives bear fruit that brings glory to Your Name and leads others to Your saving grace. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Reflection Guide Questions

1. In what areas of my life is Jesus inviting me to trust Him more deeply as the Way, the Truth, and the Life?

2. How is the Holy Spirit calling me to actively participate in continuing Christ’s works in my family, community, and mission?

This Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:

May 3, 2026 (Sun) – Acts 6:1-7/ Ps 33:1, 2, 4, 5, 18, 19/ 1Pt 2:4-9/ Jn 14:1-12

May 4, 2026 (Mon) – Acts 14:5-18/ Ps 115:1-4, 15, 16/ Jn 14:21-26

May 5, 2026 (Tues) – Acts 14:19-28/ Ps 145:10-13, 21/ Jn 14:27-31a

May 6, 2026 (Wed) – Acts 15:1-6/ Ps 122:1-5/ Jn 15:1-8

May 7, 2026 (Thurs) – Acts 15:7-21/ Ps 96:1-3, 10/ Jn 15:9-11

May 8, 2026 (Fri) – Acts 15:22-31/ Ps 57:8-10, 12/ Jn 15:12-17

May 9, 2026 (Sat) – Acts 16:1-10/ Ps 100:1-3, 5/ Jn 15:18-21

“Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ. Read your Bible daily!”

Council of Servant Leaders

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Alfred S. Kudemus

CSL Secretariat

BLD Catholic Charismatic Covenant Community

"Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:16