Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Easter
Lectionary: 292
Lectionary: 292
The crowd in
Philippi joined in the attack on Paul and Silas,
and the magistrates had them stripped
and ordered them to be beaten with rods.
After inflicting many blows on them,
they threw them into prison
and instructed the jailer to guard them securely.
When he received these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell
and secured their feet to a stake.
About midnight, while Paul and Silas were praying
and singing hymns to God as the prisoners listened,
there was suddenly such a severe earthquake
that the foundations of the jail shook;
all the doors flew open, and the chains of all were pulled loose.
When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open,
he drew his sword and was about to kill himself,
thinking that the prisoners had escaped.
But Paul shouted out in a loud voice,
“Do no harm to yourself; we are all here.”
He asked for a light and rushed in and,
trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas.
Then he brought them out and said,
“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus
and you and your household will be saved.”
So they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to everyone in his house.
He took them in at that hour of the night and bathed their wounds;
then he and all his family were baptized at once.
He brought them up into his house and provided a meal
and with his household rejoiced at having come to faith in God.
and the magistrates had them stripped
and ordered them to be beaten with rods.
After inflicting many blows on them,
they threw them into prison
and instructed the jailer to guard them securely.
When he received these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell
and secured their feet to a stake.
About midnight, while Paul and Silas were praying
and singing hymns to God as the prisoners listened,
there was suddenly such a severe earthquake
that the foundations of the jail shook;
all the doors flew open, and the chains of all were pulled loose.
When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open,
he drew his sword and was about to kill himself,
thinking that the prisoners had escaped.
But Paul shouted out in a loud voice,
“Do no harm to yourself; we are all here.”
He asked for a light and rushed in and,
trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas.
Then he brought them out and said,
“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus
and you and your household will be saved.”
So they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to everyone in his house.
He took them in at that hour of the night and bathed their wounds;
then he and all his family were baptized at once.
He brought them up into his house and provided a meal
and with his household rejoiced at having come to faith in God.
Responsorial Psalm PS 138:1-2AB, 2CDE-3, 7C-8
R. (7c) Your right hand saves me, O Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart,
for you have heard the words of my mouth;
in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;
I will worship at your holy temple,
and give thanks to your name.
R. Your right hand saves me, O Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Because of your kindness and your truth,
you have made great above all things
your name and your promise.
When I called, you answered me;
you built up strength within me.
R. Your right hand saves me, O Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Your right hand saves me.
The LORD will complete what he has done for me;
your kindness, O LORD, endures forever;
forsake not the work of your hands.
R. Your right hand saves me, O Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart,
for you have heard the words of my mouth;
in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;
I will worship at your holy temple,
and give thanks to your name.
R. Your right hand saves me, O Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Because of your kindness and your truth,
you have made great above all things
your name and your promise.
When I called, you answered me;
you built up strength within me.
R. Your right hand saves me, O Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Your right hand saves me.
The LORD will complete what he has done for me;
your kindness, O LORD, endures forever;
forsake not the work of your hands.
R. Your right hand saves me, O Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Gospel JN 16:5-11
Jesus said to his
disciples:
“Now I am going to the one who sent me,
and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’
But because I told you this, grief has filled your hearts.
But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go.
For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you.
But if I go, I will send him to you.
And when he comes he will convict the world
in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation:
sin, because they do not believe in me;
righteousness, because I am going to the Father
and you will no longer see me;
condemnation, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.”
“Now I am going to the one who sent me,
and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’
But because I told you this, grief has filled your hearts.
But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go.
For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you.
But if I go, I will send him to you.
And when he comes he will convict the world
in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation:
sin, because they do not believe in me;
righteousness, because I am going to the Father
and you will no longer see me;
condemnation, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.”
Meditation: "I will send the Counselor to you"
Why does God seem far from us at times? Separation and loss of
relationship often lead to grief and pain. The apostles were filled with sorrow
when Jesus spoke about his imminent departure. Jesus explained that it was for
their sake that he must leave them and return to his Father. He promised,
however, that they would never be left alone. He will send in his place the
best of friends, the Holy Spirit.
Paul reminds us that "nothing can separate us from the love
of God in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:39). By sending the Holy Spirit to his
followers, the Lord Jesus makes his presence known to us in a new and on-going
way. We are not left as orphans, but the Lord himself dwells within us through
the power of the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 4:9; 6:16b).
The work of the Holy Spirit
Jesus tells his disciples three very important things about the work of the Holy Spirit - to convince the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment. The original word for convince also means convict. The Holy Spirit is our Sanctifier. He makes us holy as God is holy. He does this first by convicting us of our unbelief and sin and by bringing us humbly to the foot of the Cross. The Spirit convinces us of God's love and forgiveness and of our utter dependence on God for his mercy and grace. We need the power of the Holy Spirit to lead us from the error of our unbelief and sinful ways and to show us the way of love and truth.
Jesus tells his disciples three very important things about the work of the Holy Spirit - to convince the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment. The original word for convince also means convict. The Holy Spirit is our Sanctifier. He makes us holy as God is holy. He does this first by convicting us of our unbelief and sin and by bringing us humbly to the foot of the Cross. The Spirit convinces us of God's love and forgiveness and of our utter dependence on God for his mercy and grace. We need the power of the Holy Spirit to lead us from the error of our unbelief and sinful ways and to show us the way of love and truth.
The Jews who condemned Jesus as a blasphemer and false messiah
thought they were serving God rather than sinning when they crucified Jesus.
When the Gospel was later preached on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:37), many
were pricked in their heart and convicted of their sin. What made them change
their mind about Jesus? The Holy Spirit opened their hearts to recognize Jesus
as the true Messiah sent by the Father in heaven.
It is the work of the Holy Spirit to both convict us of unbelief
and wrongdoing and to convince us of God's truth. The Spirit convinces us of
the righteousness of Christ, backed by the fact that Jesus rose again and went
to his Father. The Holy Spirit also convicts us of judgment. The Spirit gives
us the inner and unshakable conviction that we shall all stand before the
judgment seat of God. God's judgments are just and good. When we heed his
judgments we find true peace, joy and reconciliation with God. Do you allow the
Holy Spirit free reign in your life that he may set you free from the grip of
sin and set you ablaze with the fire of God's love?
"Come Holy Spirit, and let the fire of your love burn in my
heart. Let me desire only what is pure, lovely, holy and good and in accord
with the will of God and give me the courage to put away all that is not
pleasing in your sight."
 Consolation from the Spirit |
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John 16:5-11
Jesus said to his disciples: "But now I am going to the
one who sent me, and not one of you asks me, ´Where are you going?´ But
because I told you this, grief has filled your hearts. But I tell you the
truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will
not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes he
will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation:
sin, because they do not believe in me; righteousness, because I am going to
the Father and you will no longer see me; condemnation, because the ruler of
this world has been condemned."
Introductory Prayer: Lord, as I begin this prayer I offer you my
whole self: my thoughts, desires, decisions, actions, hopes, fears,
weaknesses, failures and petty successes. I open my entire being to you,
aware that you know everything already. I’m certain of your mercy and of the
purifying power of your penetrating, loving gaze.
Petition: Lord, help me to experience the joy and consolation of the
Spirit.
1. Sadness at Jesus’ Parting: As Jesus’ imminent
self-sacrifice approaches, the apostles are overwhelmed with confusion and
grief. “Who is going to betray him?” “Why is he going?” “What will we do
without him?” Questions like these — fruit of their concern for their Master
and friend — are whispered to and fro. They have given up everything to
follow him. Jesus strives to console them although he is immersed in grief
himself. Sorrow is not lacking in the life of any pilgrim, and as Christians
we are exiles in a foreign land. Our joy and hope comes from the vision of
faith, which enables us to follow in the footsteps of Our Lord. His sacrifice
and victory give meaning to our daily trials.
2. The Consoler’s Coming: We are called to an
intimate friendship with the Holy Spirit, the “Sweet Guest of the Soul.”
Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit upon us at our baptism to be the craftsman of
our holiness, and our consolation and strength as we await Christ’s return.
No one would wish to face a criminal trial alone and unaided; nor should we
try to face the ordeal against sin without the help of Christ’s advocate. Am
I aware of the gentle presence of the Holy Spirit in my soul? Am I attentive
and docile to his inspirations and movements?
3. Setting Things Right: Nothing is so unsettling
as to see the “bad guy” win. Whether it be in the movies or in real life,
somehow it seems written in the very fabric of the universe that good should
prevail. Many times evil has appeared to usurp the upper hand momentarily,
but a Higher Power has always intervened, causing one tyranny and
dictatorship after another to crumble. In our own day, evils abound in
societies where the lives of the most vulnerable are greatly undervalued.
Christ reminds us, however, that the Holy Spirit is at work. Time and again
the Holy Spirit continues renewing the face of the earth and changing hearts,
bringing good out of evil. Am I too pessimistic in the face of evil, or do I
have the optimism of a Christian? Do I confide in the grace and action of the
Holy Spirit?
Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, you have left
us to go to the Father and yet you are still with us through the action of
your Holy Spirit. Help me to find strength and consolation as I strive to
follow his guidance.
Resolution: I will take a moment out of my day today to thank the Holy
Spirit for his action in the world and in my life.
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EASTER WEEKDAY, TUESDAY, MAY 27, JOHN 16:5-11
(Acts 16:22-34; Psalm 138)
(Acts 16:22-34; Psalm 138)
KEY VERSE: "For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you" (v 7).
READING: As Jesus prepared for his passion and death, he consoled his grief-stricken disciples. He promised them that when he ascended to the Father, the Spirit would be sent to comfort and empower them. John used legal language to describe the Spirit's work. The Spirit would act as an "advocate" of those who were falsely accused, and would "prosecute" those who refused to believe in Jesus. In the eyes of the world, Jesus was put on trial, found guilty, and sentenced to die in disgrace. But the Spirit proved the world wrong, and the judgment was reversed. The ruler of darkness was the one who was tried, convicted and condemned. Truth triumphed and justice prevailed.
REFLECTING: Do I defend others when they are falsely accused?
PRAYING: Risen Lord, send your Spirit to help the Church bear witness to your truth.
Memorial of Augustine of
Canterbury
Augustine of Canterbury was a monk and abbot of St. Andrew's abbey in Rome. He was sent by Pope Gregory the Great with 40 brother monks, including St. Lawrence of Canterbury, to evangelize the British Isles in 597. One of Augustine's earliest converts was King Ethelberht who brought 10,000 of his people into the Church. Ordained a bishop in Gaul (modern France) by the archbishop of Arles, Augustine became the Bishop of the first Archbishop of Canterbury. He helped re-establish contact between the Celtic and Latin churches, though he could not bring about his desired uniformity of liturgy and practices between them. The limited success Augustine achieved in England before his death in 605, a short eight years after he arrived in England, would eventually bear fruit long after in the conversion of England. Augustine of Canterbury can truly be called the “Apostle of England.” Anglican Archbishops of Canterbury are still referred to as occupying the Chair of Augustine.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
Virtue of Hope
In running the race of faith, we need to keep our eyes on our
prize: eternal salvation and glory in Jesus Christ. This is known as the virtue
of hope
Your right hand has saved me, O Lord
Jesus’ victory is shared by his disciples.Holy God, you have given us the pledge of victory over death in the resurrection of Jesus, your Son. In his going to you, we recognise that he is indeed your Word of truth. Let the Spirit who fired Paul and Silas be among us today to give us courage and freedom. Sometimes it is difficult to know where Jesus is leading us. May his words reassure and encourage us. In our world, there are many voices competing for our attention. May we continue to live as his joyful disciples, believing in him, sharing the hope of his Gospel with others, and enabling them to celebrate the salvation he offers and the love he calls forth.
May
27
St. Augustine of Canterbury
(d. 605?)
St. Augustine of Canterbury
(d. 605?)
In the year 596, some 40 monks set out from Rome to evangelize the
Anglo-Saxons in England. Leading the group was Augustine, the prior of their
monastery in Rome. Hardly had he and his men reached Gaul (France) when they
heard stories of the ferocity of the Anglo-Saxons and of the treacherous waters
of the English Channel. Augustine returned to Rome and to the pope who had sent
them—St. Gregory the Great (September 3 )—only to be assured by him that their
fears were groundless.
Augustine
again set out. This time the group crossed the English Channel and landed
in the territory of Kent, ruled by King Ethelbert, a pagan married to a
Christian, Bertha. Ethelbert received them kindly, set up a residence for them
in Canterbury and within the year, on Pentecost Sunday, 597, was himself
baptized. After being consecrated a bishop in France, Augustine returned to
Canterbury, where he founded his see. He constructed a church and monastery
near where the present cathedral, begun in 1070, now stands. As the faith
spread, additional sees were established at London and Rochester.
Work was
sometimes slow and Augustine did not always meet with success. Attempts to
reconcile the Anglo-Saxon Christians with the original Briton Christians (who
had been driven into western England by Anglo-Saxon invaders) ended in dismal
failure. Augustine failed to convince the Britons to give up certain Celtic
customs at variance with Rome and to forget their bitterness, helping him
evangelize their Anglo-Saxon conquerors
Laboring
patiently, Augustine wisely heeded the missionary principles—quite enlightened
for the times—suggested by Pope Gregory the Great: purify rather than destroy
pagan temples and customs; let pagan rites and festivals be transformed into
Christian feasts; retain local customs as far as possible. The limited success
Augustine achieved in England before his death in 605, a short eight years
after he arrived in England, would eventually bear fruit long after in the
conversion of England. Augustine of Canterbury can truly be called the “Apostle
of England.”
Comment:
Augustine of Canterbury comes across today as a very human saint, one who could suffer like many of us from a failure of nerve. For example, his first venture to England ended in a big U-turn back to Rome. He made mistakes and met failure in his peacemaking attempts with the Briton Christians. He often wrote to Rome for decisions on matters he could have decided on his own had he been more self-assured. He even received mild warnings against pride from Pope Gregory, who cautioned him to “fear lest, amidst the wonders that are done, the weak mind be puffed up by self-esteem.” Augustine’s perseverance amidst obstacles and only partial success teaches today’s apostles and pioneers to struggle on despite frustrations and be satisfied with gradual advances.
Augustine of Canterbury comes across today as a very human saint, one who could suffer like many of us from a failure of nerve. For example, his first venture to England ended in a big U-turn back to Rome. He made mistakes and met failure in his peacemaking attempts with the Briton Christians. He often wrote to Rome for decisions on matters he could have decided on his own had he been more self-assured. He even received mild warnings against pride from Pope Gregory, who cautioned him to “fear lest, amidst the wonders that are done, the weak mind be puffed up by self-esteem.” Augustine’s perseverance amidst obstacles and only partial success teaches today’s apostles and pioneers to struggle on despite frustrations and be satisfied with gradual advances.
Quote:
In a letter to Augustine, Pope Gregory the Great wrote: "He who would climb to a lofty height must go by steps, not leaps."
In a letter to Augustine, Pope Gregory the Great wrote: "He who would climb to a lofty height must go by steps, not leaps."
Patron Saint of:
England
England
LECTIO DIVINA:
JOHN 16,5-11
Lectio:
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
1)
OPENING PRAYER
Lord our God,
if we really believe in you and in your Son,
we cannot be but witnesses.
Send us your Spirit of strength,
that we may give no flimsy excuses
for not standing up for you
and for the love and rights of our neighbour.
Make us only afraid
of betraying you and people
and of being afraid to bear witness.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord.
if we really believe in you and in your Son,
we cannot be but witnesses.
Send us your Spirit of strength,
that we may give no flimsy excuses
for not standing up for you
and for the love and rights of our neighbour.
Make us only afraid
of betraying you and people
and of being afraid to bear witness.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord.
2)
GOSPEL READING - JOHN 16,5-11
Jesus told to his disciples: “Now I am going to the one who sent
me. Not one of you asks, 'Where are you going?' Yet you are sad at heart
because I have told you this. Still, I am telling you the truth: it is for your
own good that I am going, because unless I go, the Paraclete will not come to
you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will show the
world how wrong it was, about sin, and about who was in the right, and about
judgement: about sin: in that they refuse to believe in me; about who was in
the right: in that I am going to the Father and you will see me no more; about
judgement: in that the prince of this world is already condemned.”
3)
REFLECTION
• John 16, 5-7: The sadness of the Disciples. Jesus begins with
a rhetorical question that makes evident the sadness of the disciples, at this
time evident in the heart of the disciples because of the detachment from
Jesus: «Now I am going to the One who sent me; not one of you asks, where are
you going?” It is clear that for the disciples the detachment from the
life-style lived with Jesus implies suffering. And Jesus urges saying: “Yet you
are sad at heart because I have told you this” (v. 6). Thus Saint Augustine
explains such a sentiment of abandonment of the disciples: “they were afraid to
think of losing the visible presence of Christ... they were grieved, saddened
in their human affection, at the thought that their eyes would no longer be
consoled in seeing him”. (Comment of the Gospel of John, XCIV, 4). Jesus tries
to dispel this sadness, due to the fact that they will not have his presence,
revealing to them his departure. We can say that if he does not leave them, the
Paraclete will not be able to join them; if he dies and therefore, returns to
the Father, he will be able to send him to the disciples. His departure and the
detachment of the disciples is the previous condition for the coming of the
Paraclete: “because unless I go, the Paraclete will not come to you...” (v. 7).
• John 16, 8-11: The Mission of the Paraclete. Jesus continues
to describe the mission of the Paraclete. The term “Paraclete” means
“advocate”, that is, support, assistant. Here the Paraclete is presented as the
accuser in a process that is carried out before God and in which the accused is
the world which has made itself guilty for condemning Jesus: «He will show the
world how wrong it was, about sin, and about who was in the right and about
judgment” (v. 8). The Greek verb elègken means that he will make an inquiry, he
will question, will test: he will bring out to light a reality, and will
furnish the proof of the guilt.
The object of the confutation is sin: he will give the world the
proof of the sin that it has committed regarding Jesus and will manifest it. Of
which sin is there a question here?; that of unbelief (Jn 5, 44ff; 6, 36; 8,
21.24.26; 10, 31ss). Besides, for the world to have thought that Jesus was a
sinner (Jn 9, 24; 18, 30) is an inexcusable sin (Jn 15, 21ff).
In the second place he will “refute” the world “concerning
justice”, On the juridical level, the notion of justice which adheres more to
the text, is the one which implies a declaration of guilt or of innocence in a
judgment. In our context this is the only time that the term “justice” appears
in the Gospel of John, elsewhere there is the term “just”. In John 16, 8
justice is linked to all that Jesus has affirmed about himself, that is, the
reason why he is going to the Father. Such a discourse concerns his
glorification: Jesus goes to the Father, he is about to disappear in him and
therefore, the disciples will not longer be able to see him; he is about to
entrust and to submerge himself completely in the will of the Father. The
glorification of Jesus confirms his divine filiation or son ship and the
approbation of the Father regarding the mission which Jesus has accomplished.
Therefore, the Spirit will show directly the justice of Christ (Jn 14, 26; 15,
26) protecting the disciples and the ecclesial community.
The world that believed to have judged Jesus condemning him is
condemned by the “prince of this world”, because it is responsible for his
crucifixion (13, 2.27). Jesus in dying on the Cross is exalted (12, 31) and he
has triumphed over Satan. Now the Spirit will give witness to all about the
significance of the death of Jesus which coincides with the fall of Satan (Jn
12, 32; 14, 30; 16, 33).
4)
PERSONAL QUESTIONS
• Is the fear, consternation of the disciples in losing Jesus
also ours?
• Do you allow yourself to be led by the Spirit, the Paraclete
who gives you the certainty of the error of the world and helps you to adhere
to Jesus, and, therefore, he introduces you into the truth about yourself?
5)
CONCLUDING PRAYER
I thank you, Lord, with all my heart,
for you have listened to the cry I uttered.
In the presence of angels I sing to you,
I bow down before your holy Temple. (Sal 138,1-2)
for you have listened to the cry I uttered.
In the presence of angels I sing to you,
I bow down before your holy Temple. (Sal 138,1-2)
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