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Saint Gertrude Parish - Lasne
May 3, 2026
On this page you will find:
The readings for Mass, the Mass leaflet with the choice of hymns
A sample universal prayer available for download, in PDF and editable Word formats.
A meditation on the Sunday Gospel, a spiritual text and commentary by Marie-Noëlle Thabut
5th Sunday of Easter
I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
said the Lord.
No one goes to the Father
without going through me.
John 14:6
Readings from the Mass
Mass leaflet
Universal Prayer
Consult the Lectio Divina page, which invites you to read the Gospel in a prayerful atmosphere so that you may be touched in your heart. It is important not to rush to read commentaries or homilies before having this personal experience of encountering Christ in Scripture.
Next, if you wish, you can read the meditations below which will enrich your personal reading and meditation.
POPE FRANCIS
Meditation
This conversation between Jesus and his disciples takes place at the table, again during the Last Supper (John 14:1-6). Jesus is sad, and everyone is sad: Jesus had said that he would be betrayed by one of them (John 13:21), and each one senses that something terrible is about to happen. Jesus begins to comfort them, for one of the Lord's functions, "works," is to comfort. The Lord comforts his disciples, and here we see how Jesus comforts. We have many ways of offering comfort, from the most genuine to the most formal, like those telegrams of condolence: "Deeply saddened by…". This doesn't comfort anyone; it's a sham, the consolation of formality. But how does the Lord comfort? It's important to know this because we, too, when we have to go through times of sadness in our lives, learn to perceive what the Lord's true consolation is.
And in this passage from the Gospel, we see that the Lord always consoles in closeness, with truth and hope. These are the three characteristics of the Lord's consolation: in close proximity, never distant. These beautiful words: "I am here." "I am here, with you." And so often in silence. But we know he is there. He is always there. This closeness is God's style, even in the Incarnation, to be close to us. The Lord consoles in closeness. And he doesn't use empty words, quite the contrary: he prefers silence. The power of closeness, of presence. And he speaks little. But he is close.
A second characteristic of Jesus' closeness, of the way Jesus consoles, is truth: Jesus is sincere. He doesn't say things that are merely formalities, which are lies: "No, don't worry, everything will pass, nothing will happen, it will pass, things pass..." No. He speaks the truth. He doesn't hide the truth. For he himself, in this passage, says: "I am the truth" (John 14:6). And the truth is: "I am going away," that is to say, "I am going to die" (14:2-3). We are facing death. That is the truth. And he says it simply, and he also says it gently, without hurting us: we are facing death. He doesn't hide the truth.
And here is the third characteristic: Jesus consoles through hope. Yes, times are hard. But “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in me” (14:1). I will tell you something that Jesus says: “In my Father’s house are many rooms. I am going there to prepare a place for you” (14:2). He goes first to open the doors, the doors of that place through which we will all pass, I hope: “I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also” (14:3). The Lord returns every time one of us is about to leave this world. “I will come and take you”: hope. He will come and take us by the hand and lead us away. He doesn’t say, “No, you will not suffer: it’s nothing…” No. He speaks the truth: “I am near you, that is the truth: it is a bad time, a time of danger, of death.” But do not let your heart be troubled; remain at peace, that peace which is the foundation of all consolation, for I will come and take you by the hand to lead you to where I will be.”
It is not easy to be comforted by the Lord. Often, in difficult times, we become angry with the Lord and we do not let him come and speak to us in this way, with this tenderness, this closeness, this gentleness, this truth and this hope.
Let us ask for the grace to learn to let ourselves be comforted by the Lord. The Lord's consolation is sincere; it does not deceive. It is not an anesthetic, no. But it is near, it is sincere, and he opens the doors of hope for us.
Regina Caeli
Library of the Apostolic Palace
Fifth Sunday of Easter - Year A
May 10, 2020
John 14:1-12
Homily
Draw from the source
We know this Gospel passage well. It is often chosen for funeral services. Jesus is presented to us as "the way." Reading this text, I thought of all those who wander the roads of the world without knowing where they will spend the night. Many had a good life, a job, a family. Then something happened that ultimately threw them into the streets. In many countries, entire families left their homes to flee war. They left without knowing where their path would lead them.
When Jesus tells us that he is the way, it means something else entirely. It is not a path of wandering. He reveals to us the goal and the culmination of our lives. He himself is ever-living with his Father. At the same time, he assures us of his presence among us every day and until the end of the world. He is for us "the Way, the Truth, and the Life." He alone can lead us to the Father. His great plan is to gather all people together. He is preparing a home for us where all will feel welcomed with love.
What we must understand is that Jesus doesn't simply show us the way. He himself is "the Way, the Truth, and the Life." It is in him alone that we find the fullness of truth. His words are those of eternal life. Apart from him, we are lost. No one can go to the Father without going through him. He is the one who reveals to us the true face of God. It is by looking toward heaven that we rediscover the true meaning of our lives. This Gospel is a call to hope, even if we are "shaken" by the uncertainties and trials of life. But succumbing to discouragement would be the worst thing. We can cling to the words of today's psalm: "The Lord watches over those who love him and hope in his love." And Jesus is always there to tell us tirelessly: "Believe in me!"
That said, this path is not the easy one. It is narrow, and it leads us to a narrow gate. Our life is a daily struggle against the forces of evil that seek to lead us down paths of perdition. It is the pursuit of money, violence, hatred, resentment. All of this distracts us from the true purpose of our lives. On this day, it is worthwhile to ask ourselves: Is Jesus truly our way, our truth, and our life? Is it truly him we are following? If not, we must hear his call again: “Return to me with all your heart… Repent and believe in the gospel…”
The Book of Acts (first reading) shows us how the first Christians followed Christ's path. The Word of God is proclaimed to the Gentiles. Widows are not abandoned to their sad fate; they receive help. A system of shared chores is established. In this way, a community sets out to follow Christ. This is important for us today: the Word of God must be proclaimed in season and out of season; but the lowly, the poor, and the excluded must not be forgotten: it is impossible to proclaim the Good News of the Gospel to people who are hungry and cold. Through them, it is Christ himself who calls to us.
In the second reading, Saint Peter invites us to draw near to the Lord Jesus. We recall that in the Gospel, he spoke of the Father's house, which contains "many rooms." Here, Saint Peter tells us that Jesus is "the living stone, rejected by men but chosen by God for his worth." This house he speaks of is not merely made of stone or wood; it is a brotherhood, a community built by the breath of the Holy Spirit. As disciples, we share in his victory. We have become "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God."
But there is a trap we must avoid: the risk of indulging in honors, ease, and pride. We have an urgent mission: to proclaim "the wonders of him who brought us out of darkness into his marvelous light." It is urgent to show everyone that we know where we are going. We are on a path marked by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We have there an essential guide for our journey. In one of his audiences, Pope Francis recommended that we read it every day. The Word of God is indispensable nourishment for our walk toward the Father.
In conclusion, I offer you some words from Saint Augustine that resonate with us on our journey: “Here (on earth), it is hope that makes us sing… Sing, but as you walk. Forget your weariness as you sing, but beware of laziness… Sing and walk without losing your way, without going back, without treading water. SING and WALK.”
Sources: Fiches dominicales and Feu Nouveau magazines, Paroles pour la route (JY Carneau), C'est dimanche (E. Oré)
Understanding the readings
with Marie-Noëlle THABUT
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