Monday of the Fifth Week of Easter
Lectionary: 285
Lectionary: 285
There was an
attempt in Iconium
by both the Gentiles and the Jews,
together with their leaders,
to attack and stone Paul and Barnabas.
They realized it,
and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe
and to the surrounding countryside,
where they continued to proclaim the Good News.
At Lystra there was a crippled man, lame from birth,
who had never walked.
He listened to Paul speaking, who looked intently at him,
saw that he had the faith to be healed,
and called out in a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet.”
He jumped up and began to walk about.
When the crowds saw what Paul had done,
they cried out in Lycaonian,
“The gods have come down to us in human form.”
They called Barnabas “Zeus” and Paul “Hermes,”
because he was the chief speaker.
And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city,
brought oxen and garlands to the gates,
for he together with the people intended to offer sacrifice.
The Apostles Barnabas and Paul tore their garments
when they heard this and rushed out into the crowd, shouting,
“Men, why are you doing this?
We are of the same nature as you, human beings.
We proclaim to you good news
that you should turn from these idols to the living God,
who made heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them.
In past generations he allowed all Gentiles to go their own ways;
yet, in bestowing his goodness,
he did not leave himself without witness,
for he gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons,
and filled you with nourishment and gladness for your hearts.”
Even with these words, they scarcely restrained the crowds
from offering sacrifice to them.
by both the Gentiles and the Jews,
together with their leaders,
to attack and stone Paul and Barnabas.
They realized it,
and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe
and to the surrounding countryside,
where they continued to proclaim the Good News.
At Lystra there was a crippled man, lame from birth,
who had never walked.
He listened to Paul speaking, who looked intently at him,
saw that he had the faith to be healed,
and called out in a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet.”
He jumped up and began to walk about.
When the crowds saw what Paul had done,
they cried out in Lycaonian,
“The gods have come down to us in human form.”
They called Barnabas “Zeus” and Paul “Hermes,”
because he was the chief speaker.
And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city,
brought oxen and garlands to the gates,
for he together with the people intended to offer sacrifice.
The Apostles Barnabas and Paul tore their garments
when they heard this and rushed out into the crowd, shouting,
“Men, why are you doing this?
We are of the same nature as you, human beings.
We proclaim to you good news
that you should turn from these idols to the living God,
who made heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them.
In past generations he allowed all Gentiles to go their own ways;
yet, in bestowing his goodness,
he did not leave himself without witness,
for he gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons,
and filled you with nourishment and gladness for your hearts.”
Even with these words, they scarcely restrained the crowds
from offering sacrifice to them.
Responsorial Psalm PS 115:1-2, 3-4, 15-16
R. (1ab) Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the
glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Not to us, O LORD, not to us
but to your name give glory
because of your mercy, because of your truth.
Why should the pagans say,
“Where is their God?”
R. Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Our God is in heaven;
whatever he wills, he does.
Their idols are silver and gold,
the handiwork of men.
R. Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.
May you be blessed by the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
Heaven is the heaven of the LORD,
but the earth he has given to the children of men.
R. Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Not to us, O LORD, not to us
but to your name give glory
because of your mercy, because of your truth.
Why should the pagans say,
“Where is their God?”
R. Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Our God is in heaven;
whatever he wills, he does.
Their idols are silver and gold,
the handiwork of men.
R. Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.
May you be blessed by the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
Heaven is the heaven of the LORD,
but the earth he has given to the children of men.
R. Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Gospel JN 14:21-26
Jesus said to his
disciples:
“Whoever has my commandments and observes them
is the one who loves me.
Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father,
and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”
Judas, not the Iscariot, said to him,
“Master, then what happened that you will reveal yourself to us
and not to the world?”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.
Whoever does not love me does not keep my words;
yet the word you hear is not mine
but that of the Father who sent me.
“I have told you this while I am with you.
The Advocate, the Holy Spirit
whom the Father will send in my nameB
he will teach you everything
and remind you of all that I told you.”
“Whoever has my commandments and observes them
is the one who loves me.
Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father,
and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”
Judas, not the Iscariot, said to him,
“Master, then what happened that you will reveal yourself to us
and not to the world?”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.
Whoever does not love me does not keep my words;
yet the word you hear is not mine
but that of the Father who sent me.
“I have told you this while I am with you.
The Advocate, the Holy Spirit
whom the Father will send in my nameB
he will teach you everything
and remind you of all that I told you.”
Meditation: “If you love me, keep my word”
Do you know the love that surpasses all, that is stronger than
death itself (Song of Songs 8:6)? In Jesus' last supper discourse he
speaks of the love he has for his disciples and of his Father's love. He
prepares his disciples for his imminent departure to return to his Father by
exhorting them to prove their love for him through their loyalty and obedience
to his word. He promises them the abiding instruction and consolation of the
Holy Spirit. Saint Augustine says the Lord loves each of us as if there
were only one of us to love. God’s love for each of us is as real and
tangible as the love of a mother for her child and the love of a lover who
gives all for his beloved. God made us for love – to know him personally and to
grow in the knowledge of his great love for us. How can we know and be assured
of the love of God? The Holy Spirit helps us to grow in the knowledge of God
and his great love. The Spirit enables us to experience the love of God and to
be assured of the Lord’s abiding presence with us (see Romans 8:35-39).
The Holy Spirit also opens our ears to hear and understand the word of God. Do
you listen attentively to God's word and believe it? Ask the Holy Spirit to
inflame your heart with the love of God and his word.
"Lord Jesus, in love you created me and you drew me to
yourself. May I never lose sight of you nor forget your steadfast love and
faithfulness. And may I daily dwell upon your word and give you praise in the
sanctuary of my heart, You who are my All."
EASTER WEEKDAY, MONDAY, MAY 19, JOHN 14:21-26
(Acts 14:5-18; Psalm 115)
(Acts 14:5-18; Psalm 115)
KEY VERSE: "Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me" (v 21).
READING: As Jesus prepared to return to the Father, he comforted his fearful and bewildered disciples about his impending departure. The disciples were afraid that Jesus was abandoning them, but he reassured them that he would not leave them orphans. He and the Father would send another "Advocate" (Greek, parakletos ) who would give them help in time of need. Jesus gave a "new commandment" to his followers, to "love one another" as he loved them (Jn 13:34). Judas (not the Iscariot) asked, “Master, why is it that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?” Jesus said that the unbelieving world could not accept this truth because they did not love him, nor did they keep his commands. Jesus' disciples would prove their love by obedience to his word and by loving one another. Jesus promised that he and the Father would make their dwelling within the hearts of believers. The Holy Spirit, or the "Advocate" (v 26, an intercessor, one who defends someone as in a court of law), would be sent by the Father in Jesus' name to remind his followers of everything that he taught them.
REFLECTING: In what ways have I kept Jesus' command to love today?
PRAYING: Holy Spirit, be my advocate when I face a difficult situation.
Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the glory
Here we are still in Easter mode.
The words of Jesus in John’s gospel focus us on the heart of the
Gospel. What is the heart of the Gospel? Immediately we think we know the
answer because it is love of God and love of neighbour. However, Jesus’ words
today give us pause for thought—‘Those who love me will keep my word.’ The more
of Jesus’s love for us, the more we come to love him. And we know the love of
Jesus for us to the extent that we live our lives in faith and bring life’s
experiences to prayer. In the Our Father we hear Jesus bringing his life to the
Father, so let us use the words of his prayer as we say slowly, ‘Our Father
...’
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
How Love Is Judged
The most trivial work, the least action when inspired by love, is
often of greater merit than the most outstanding achievement. It is not on our
face value that God judges our deeds, even when they bear the stamp of apparent
holiness, but solely on the measure of love we put into them. —St. Thérèse of
the Child Jesus
May
19
St. Theophilus of Corte
(1676-1740)
St. Theophilus of Corte
(1676-1740)
If we expect saints to
do marvelous things continually and to leave us many memorable quotes, we are
bound to be disappointed with St. Theophilus. The mystery of God's grace in a
person's life, however, has a beauty all its own.
Theophilus was born in Corsica of rich and noble
parents. As a young man he entered the Franciscans and soon showed his love for
solitude and prayer. After admirably completing his studies, he was ordained
and assigned to a retreat house near Subiaco. Inspired by the austere life of
the Franciscans there, he founded other such houses in Corsica and Tuscany.
Over the years, he became famous for his preaching as well as his missionary
efforts.
Though he was always somewhat sickly, Theophilus
generously served the needs of God's people in the confessional, in the
sickroom and at the graveside. Worn out by his labors, he died on June 17,
1740. He was canonized in 1930.
Comment:
There is a certain dynamism in all the saints that prompts them to find ever more selfless ways of responding to God's grace. As time went on, Theophilus gave more and more singlehearted service to God and to God's sons and daughters. Honoring the saints will make no sense unless we are thus drawn to live as generously as they did. Their holiness can never substitute for our own.
There is a certain dynamism in all the saints that prompts them to find ever more selfless ways of responding to God's grace. As time went on, Theophilus gave more and more singlehearted service to God and to God's sons and daughters. Honoring the saints will make no sense unless we are thus drawn to live as generously as they did. Their holiness can never substitute for our own.
Quote:
Francis of Assisi used to say, "Let us begin, brothers, to serve the Lord God, for up to now we have made little or no progress" (1 Celano, #193).
Francis of Assisi used to say, "Let us begin, brothers, to serve the Lord God, for up to now we have made little or no progress" (1 Celano, #193).
LECTIO DIVINA:
JOHN 14,21-26
Lectio:
Monday, May 19, 2014
Easter Time
1)
OPENING PRAYER
Lord God, loving Father,
we look for your presence
in the temple of nature
and in churches built by our hands,
and you are there with your people.
But above all, you have made your temple
right in our hearts.
God, give us eyes of faith and love
to recognize that you live in us
with your Son and the Holy Spirit
if we keep the word of Jesus Christ,
your Son and our Lord for ever.
we look for your presence
in the temple of nature
and in churches built by our hands,
and you are there with your people.
But above all, you have made your temple
right in our hearts.
God, give us eyes of faith and love
to recognize that you live in us
with your Son and the Holy Spirit
if we keep the word of Jesus Christ,
your Son and our Lord for ever.
2)
GOSPEL READING - JOHN 14,21-26
Jesus said to his disciples: "Whoever holds to my
commandments and keeps them is the one who loves me; and whoever loves me will
be loved by my Father, and I shall love him and reveal myself to him.' Judas --
not Judas Iscariot -- said to him, 'Lord, what has happened, that you intend to
show yourself to us and not to the world?' Jesus replied: Anyone who loves me
will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we shall come to him and
make a home in him. Anyone who does not love me does not keep my words. And the
word that you hear is not my own: it is the word of the Father who sent me. I
have said these things to you while still with you; but the Paraclete, the Holy
Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and
remind you of all I have said to you.
3)
REFLECTION
• As we said at the beginning, chapter 14 of the Gospel of John
is a beautiful example of how the catechesis was done in the communities of
Asia Minor, at the end of the first century. Through the questions of the disciples
and the responses of Jesus, the Christians formed their conscience and found an
orientation for their problems. In chapter 14, we find the question of Thomas
and the answer of Jesus (Jn 14, 5-7), the question of Philip and the response
of Jesus (Jn 14, 8-21), and the question of Judas and the answer of Jesus (Jn
12, 22-26). The last phrase of the answer of Jesus to Philip (Jn 14, 21) forms
the first verse of today’s Gospel.
• John 14, 21: I shall love him and reveal myself to him. This
verse presents the summary of the response of Jesus to Philip. Philip had said:
“Show us the Father and then we shall be satisfied!” (Jn 14, 8). Moses had
asked God: “Show me your glory!” (Ex 33, 18). God answered: “My face you cannot
see, for no human being can see me and survive” (Ex 33, 20). The Father cannot
be shown. God lives in inaccessible light (1 Tim 6, 16). “Nobody has ever seen
God” (I Jn 4, 12). But the presence of the Father can be experienced through
the experience of love. The First Letter of Saint John says: “He who dos not
love does not know God because God is Love”. Jesus tells Philip: “Whoever loves
me will be loved by my Father, and I shall love him and reveal myself to him”.
By observing the commandment of Jesus, which is the commandment to love our
neighbour (Jn 15, 17), the person shows his love for Jesus. And whoever loves
Jesus, will be loved by the Father and can be certain that the Father will
manifest himself to him. In the response to Judas, Jesus will say how this
manifestation of the Father will take place in our life.
• John 14, 22: The question of Judas is the question of all. The
question of Judas: “Lord, what has happened that you intend to show yourself to
us and not to the world?” This question of Judas mirrors a problem which is real
even today. Sometimes, among us, Christians, there arises the idea of being
better than the others and of being loved by God more than others. Do we
attribute to God the distinction among persons?
• John 14, 23-24: The answer of Jesus. The answer of Jesus is
simple and profound. He repeats what he had just said to Philip. The problem is
not if we, Christians, are loved more by God than others, or that the others
are despised by God. This is not the criterion for the preference of the
Father. The criterion for the preference of the Father is always the same:
love. “If anyone loves me, he will observe my word, and my Father will love him
and we shall come to him and make a home in him. Anyone who does not love me
does not keep my words”. Independently of whether the person is Christian or
not, the Father manifests himself to all those who observe the commandment of
Jesus which is love for neighbour (Jn 15, 17). In what does the manifestation
of the Father consist? The response to this question is engraved in the heart
of humanity, in the universal human experience. Observe the life of the persons
who practice love and make of their life a gift for others. Examine their
experience, independently of religion, of social class, of race or colour, the
practice of love gives us a profound peace and it is a great joy that they
succeed to live and bear together pain and suffering. This experience is the
reflection of the manifestation of the Father in the life of the person. It is
the realization of the promise: “I and the Father will come to him and make our
home in him.
• John 14, 15-16: The promise of the Holy Spirit. Jesus ends his
response to Judas saying: I have said these things to you while still with you.
Jesus communicates everything which he has heard from the Father (Jn 15, 15).
His words are a source of life and they should be meditated, deepened and
updated constantly in the light of the always new reality which surrounds us.
For this constant meditation of his words, Jesus promises us the help of the
Holy Spirit: “The Consoler, the Holy Spirit that the Father will send in my
name will teach you everything and remind you of all I have said to you.
4)
PERSONAL QUESTIONS
• Jesus says: We will come to him and make our home in him. How
do I experience this promise?
• We have the promise of the gift of the Spirit to help us
understand the word of Jesus. Do I invoke the light of the Spirit when I
prepare myself to read and meditate the Scripture?
5)
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Day after day I shall bless you,
I shall praise your name for ever and ever.
Great is Yahweh and worthy of all praise,
his greatness beyond all reckoning. (Ps 145,2-3)
I shall praise your name for ever and ever.
Great is Yahweh and worthy of all praise,
his greatness beyond all reckoning. (Ps 145,2-3)
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