Daily Readings - Mon May 15 2017

First Reading - Acts 14.5-18

⁵Now when an assault had been planned by the Gentiles and the Jews with their leaders, so that they might treat them with contempt and stone them⁶they, realizing this, fled together to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the entire surrounding region.⁷And they were evangelizing in that place.⁸And a certain man was sitting at Lystra, disabled in his feet, lame from his mother’s womb, who had never walked⁹This man heard Paul speaking. And Paul, gazing at him intently, and perceiving that he had faith, so that he might be healed¹⁰said with a loud voice, "Stand upright upon your feet!" And he leaped up and walked around¹¹But when the crowds had seen what Paul had done, they lifted up their voice in the Lycaonian language, saying, "The gods, having taken the likenesses of men, have descended to us!¹²And they called Barnabas, ‘Jupiter,’ yet truly they called Paul, ‘Mercury,’ because he was the lead speaker¹³Also, the priest of Jupiter, who was outside the city, in front of the gate, bringing in oxen and garlands, was willing to offer sacrifice with the people¹⁴And as soon as the Apostles, Barnabas and Paul, had heard this, tearing their tunics, they leapt into the crowd, crying ou¹⁵and saying: "Men, why would you do this? We also are mortals, men like yourselves, preaching to you to be converted, from these vain things, to the living God, who made heaven and earth and the sea and all that is in them¹⁶In previous generations, he permitted all nations to walk in their own ways¹⁷But certainly, he did not leave himself without testimony, doing good from heaven, giving rains and fruitful seasons, filling their hearts with food and gladness."¹⁸And by saying these things, they were barely able to restrain the crowds from immolating to them

Gospel - John 14.21-26

John

Chapter 14

²¹Whoever holds to my commandments and keeps them: it is he who loves me. And whoever loves me shall be loved by my Father. And I will love him, and I will manifest myself to him.²²Judas, not the Iscariot, said to him: "Lord, how does it happen that you will manifest yourself to us and not to the world?²³Jesus responded and said to him: "If anyone loves me, he shall keep my word. And my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and we will make our dwelling place with him²⁴Whoever does not love me, does not keep not my words. And the word that you have heard is not of me, but it is of the Father who sent me²⁵These things I have spoken to you, while abiding with you²⁶But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will suggest to you everything whatsoever that I have said to you

Sermon

In today’s readings, we encounter powerful lessons about faith, humility, and the nature of God’s love. The first reading from Acts 14 describes Paul and Barnabas’s missionary journey, where they face persecution, heal a lame man, and then must correct the crowd’s misunderstanding of their divine role. The Gospel from John 14 emphasizes Jesus’ teaching on love, obedience, and the promise of the Holy Spirit. Together, these readings invite us to reflect on the essence of faith and our relationship with God. The context of Acts 14 is set during Paul’s first missionary journey, where he and Barnabas face both miracles and misunderstandings. The crowd’s attempt to worship them as gods highlights the human tendency to confuse divine power with its earthly instruments. Paul and Barnabas, however, remain humble, recognizing that they are merely messengers of God’s love. In John’s Gospel, Jesus explains that love is not merely an emotion but a commitment to keeping His commandments. This love is reciprocal—God loves us, and we respond by loving Him through obedience. Jesus also assures us that the Holy Spirit will guide us in understanding and living out His teachings. These readings are deeply connected. In Acts, we see the practical expression of faith through missionary work and the challenges it entails. In John, we are given the spiritual foundation for that faith—love, obedience, and the presence of the Holy Spirit. Together, they remind us that faith is not just about belief but about living out that belief in humility and service. In our daily lives, we are called to embody this faith. Like Paul and Barnabas, we may face trials, but we must remain steadfast in our commitment to God. Like the disciples, we must love God by keeping His commandments and trusting in the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The moral lesson here is clear: true faith leads to humility and service, not glory or recognition. Just as Paul and Barnabas rejected the crowd’s adoration, we too must avoid the temptation to seek praise for our efforts. Instead, we should focus on glorifying God through our actions and living out His love in our daily lives. Let us strive to be faithful servants, trusting in God’s plan and allowing His love to shine through us.