You will notice changes have been made to the introduction of my daily recording. The format is more concise and intended to help you better understand the meaning of the material being presented. I pray you find these upgrades helpful.

On Thursday of the Fourth Week of Easter our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the book of Revelation (15:5—16:21) entitled "The seven bowls of God's wrath". Our treasure, which follows, is from a treatise on John by Saint Augustine, bishop.

Saint Augustine was born at Tagaste in Africa in 354. He was unsettled and restlessly searched for the truth until he was converted to the faith in Milan and baptized by Ambrose. Returning to his homeland, he embraced an ascetic life and subsequently was elected bishop of Hippo. For thirty-four years he guided his flock, instructing it with sermons and many writings.

Saint Augustine is perhaps the most significant Christian thinker after St. Paul. He adapted Classical teaching and created a powerful theological system of lasting influence. He also shaped the practice of biblical exegesis and helped lay the foundation for much of medieval and modern Christian thought.

Saint Augustine is a preeminent Catholic Doctor of the Church. His most important teachings shape not only Western theology but the entire intellectual tradition of the Church. His thought deeply influenced later figures such as Saint Thomas Aquinas and remains foundational in Catholic doctrine. He died in 430.

Today's treasure is from Saint Augustine of Hippo's treatise on the Gospel of John entitled "The New Commandment" which teaches that Christ's command to "love one another" is new not because love was unknown before, but because it calls us to love as Christ loves—with self-giving, sacrificial charity. Augustine explains that this kind of love is the true mark of a Christian and the force that unites believers to Christ and to one another. The main takeaway is that as this love grows in us, it transforms our lives, reflects God's presence in the world, and leads us toward the fullness of eternal life.

The primary teaching of today's first reading from the Book of Revelation (15:5–16:21) is that God's judgment against evil is just, complete, and unavoidable, yet still calls for repentance.

In the vision, seven angels pour out bowls representing the fullness of God's righteous judgment upon a world that has persistently rejected Him. These plagues echo those of the Exodus, showing that just as God once delivered His people from oppression, He now acts decisively to defeat all forces opposed to Him. The judgments intensify step by step, revealing that evil cannot endure indefinitely under God's justice.

A striking element is that, despite these severe warnings and punishments, many people still refuse to repent. This highlights the hardness of heart that sin can produce and serves as a sobering warning: judgment is not arbitrary, but the result of persistent rejection of God's truth.

At the same time, the passage reassures the faithful that God remains holy and true in all His actions. His justice is not cruel but righteous, and it ultimately leads to the final defeat of evil and the vindication of those who remain faithful.

In essence, the teaching is twofold: God's justice will decisively confront and overcome evil, and believers are called to remain vigilant, faithful, and repentant, recognizing both the seriousness of sin and the certainty of God's final victory.