Saturday of the Sixth Week of Easter
Lectionary: 296
Lectionary: 296
After staying in
Antioch some time,
Paul left and traveled in orderly sequence
through the Galatian country and Phrygia,
bringing strength to all the disciples.
A Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria,
an eloquent speaker, arrived in Ephesus.
He was an authority on the Scriptures.
He had been instructed in the Way of the Lord and,
with ardent spirit, spoke and taught accurately about Jesus,
although he knew only the baptism of John.
He began to speak boldly in the synagogue;
but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him,
they took him aside
and explained to him the Way of God more accurately.
And when he wanted to cross to Achaia,
the brothers encouraged him
and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him.
After his arrival he gave great assistance
to those who had come to believe through grace.
He vigorously refuted the Jews in public,
establishing from the Scriptures that the Christ is Jesus.
Paul left and traveled in orderly sequence
through the Galatian country and Phrygia,
bringing strength to all the disciples.
A Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria,
an eloquent speaker, arrived in Ephesus.
He was an authority on the Scriptures.
He had been instructed in the Way of the Lord and,
with ardent spirit, spoke and taught accurately about Jesus,
although he knew only the baptism of John.
He began to speak boldly in the synagogue;
but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him,
they took him aside
and explained to him the Way of God more accurately.
And when he wanted to cross to Achaia,
the brothers encouraged him
and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him.
After his arrival he gave great assistance
to those who had come to believe through grace.
He vigorously refuted the Jews in public,
establishing from the Scriptures that the Christ is Jesus.
Responsorial PsalmPS 47:2-3, 8-9, 10
R. (8a) God is king of all the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
All you peoples, clap your hands;
shout to God with cries of gladness.
For the LORD, the Most High, the awesome,
is the great king over all the earth.
R. God is king of all the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
For king of all the earth is God;
sing hymns of praise.
God reigns over the nations,
God sits upon his holy throne.
R. God is king of all the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The princes of the peoples are gathered together
with the people of the God of Abraham.
For God’s are the guardians of the earth;
he is supreme.
R. God is king of all the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
All you peoples, clap your hands;
shout to God with cries of gladness.
For the LORD, the Most High, the awesome,
is the great king over all the earth.
R. God is king of all the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
For king of all the earth is God;
sing hymns of praise.
God reigns over the nations,
God sits upon his holy throne.
R. God is king of all the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The princes of the peoples are gathered together
with the people of the God of Abraham.
For God’s are the guardians of the earth;
he is supreme.
R. God is king of all the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
AlleluiaJN 16:28
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I came from the Father and have come into the world;
now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I came from the Father and have come into the world;
now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelJN 16:23B-28
Jesus said to his
disciples:
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.
Until now you have not asked anything in my name;
ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.
“I have told you this in figures of speech.
The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures
but I will tell you clearly about the Father.
On that day you will ask in my name,
and I do not tell you that I will ask the Father for you.
For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me
and have come to believe that I came from God.
I came from the Father and have come into the world.
Now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.
Until now you have not asked anything in my name;
ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.
“I have told you this in figures of speech.
The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures
but I will tell you clearly about the Father.
On that day you will ask in my name,
and I do not tell you that I will ask the Father for you.
For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me
and have come to believe that I came from God.
I came from the Father and have come into the world.
Now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”
Meditation: "Ask in Jesus' name, that your joy
may be full"
Do you pray with confidence to your heavenly Father? Jesus often
taught his disciples by way of illustration or parable. Here he speaks not in "figures" (the
same word used for parables), but in plain speech. Jesus revealed
to them the hidden treasure of the heavenly kingdom and he taught them how to
pray to the Father in his name. Now Jesus opens his heart and speaks in the
plainest of language:"The Father himself loves you!" How
can the disciples be certain of this?
Paul the Apostle states that "All who are led by the Spirit
of God are sons of God" (Romans 8:14). Through the gift of the Holy
Spirit, Jesus makes it possible for his disciples to have a new relationship as
sons and daughters of God the Father (Romans 8:14-17). No one would have dared
to call God his or her Father before this! Because of what Jesus has done for
us in offering his life for our redemption we now can boldly and confidently
pray to God as our Father in heaven. The presence and action of the Holy Spirit
within us is living proof of this new relationship with the Father. Paul the
Apostles says that"when we cry, ‘Abba! Father!' it is the Spirit
himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God" (Romans
8:15-16).
We can boldly approach God as our Father and ask him for the
things we need. In love he bids us to draw near to his throne of grace and
mercy. Do you approach the Father with confidence in his love and with
expectant faith in his promise to hear your prayers?
"Heavenly Father, your love knows no bounds and your
mercies are new every day. Fill me with gratitude for your countless blessings
and draw me near to your throne of grace and mercy. Give me confidence and
boldness to pray that your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."
SATURDAY, MAY 16, JOHN 16:23b--28
(Acts 18:23-28; Psalm 47)
(Acts 18:23-28; Psalm 47)
KEY VERSE: "The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures but I will tell you clearly about the Father" (v 25).
TO READ: Jesus often spoke in parables using images of shepherds, vines and women in childbirth ̶ the language of human experience meant to convey the mystery of the kingdom of God. Though Jesus’ disciples were often confused as to the meaning of his words, his passion, death and resurrection would speak clearly to them of God's love. Through the revelation of the Holy Spirit, they would understand everything Jesus told them, and they would have new insights about God's reign. For the seventh time in John's gospel, Jesus said that when he was glorified he would be present to his followers in a new way, and they would be able to pray in the authority of his name. The Father loved them and would grant them whatever they needed to do Christ's work on earth.
TO REFLECT: For whom do I need to intercede in prayer today?
TO RESPOND: Risen Lord, give the Church what is needed to live this day for you.
ARMED FORCES DAY
Armed Forces Day honors all branches of the armed forces of the United States. In the USA, it is celebrated on the third Saturday of May with military exercises on land, at sea, and in the air. Military installations are usually open to the public on Armed Forces Day. President Harry S. Truman proclaimed Armed Forces Day, and it was first celebrated in May 1950. It replaced three separate celebrations for the Air Force, Army, and Navy. James V. Forrestal, the first secretary of defense, helped unite the armed services under the Department of Defense after World War II ended in 1945.
Saturday 16 May 2015
Acts 18:23-28. God is
king of all the earth—Ps 46(47):2-3, 8-10. John 16:23-28.
Readings
‘If you ask anything of
the Father in my name, he will give it to you.’
Lord, we believe you and
believe that you mean what you say. We will ask the Father, in your name, for
the grace to see the world through your eyes. This will not be easy as it will
mean lots of loving—loving everyone around us, those we like and those we don’t—and
praying for those that seem to us to be evil.
We acknowledge that
there is evil in the world, that the devil exists and is very influential.
That is where our love and trust comes in—they will beat any devil. Lord,
teach us to love and to trust.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
|
A Resting Place
|
We find rest in those we love, and we provide a resting place in
ourselves for those who love us. —St. Bernard of Clairvaux
May
16
St. Margaret of Cortona
(1247-1297)
St. Margaret of Cortona
(1247-1297)
Margaret was born of farming parents in Laviano, Tuscany. Her
mother died when Margaret was seven; life with her stepmother was so difficult
that Margaret moved out. For nine years she lived with Arsenio, though they
were not married, and she bore him a son. In those years, she had doubts about
her situation. Somewhat like St. Augustine she prayed for purity—but not just
yet.
One day
she was waiting for Arsenio and was instead met by his dog. The animal led
Margaret into the forest where she found Arsenio murdered. This crime shocked
Margaret into a life of penance. She and her son returned to Laviano, where she
was not well received by her stepmother. They then went to Cortona, where her
son eventually became a friar.
In 1277,
three years after her conversion, Margaret became a Franciscan tertiary. Under
the direction of her confessor, who sometimes had to order her to moderate her
self-denial, she pursued a life of prayer and penance at Cortona. There she
established a hospital and founded a congregation of tertiary sisters. The poor
and humble Margaret was, like Francis, devoted to the Eucharist and to the
passion of Jesus. These devotions fueled her great charity and drew sinners to
her for advice and inspiration. She was canonized in 1728.
Comment:
Seeking forgiveness is sometimes difficult work. It is made easier by meeting people who, without trivializing our sins, assure us that God rejoices over our repentance. Being forgiven lifts a weight and prompts us to acts of charity.
Seeking forgiveness is sometimes difficult work. It is made easier by meeting people who, without trivializing our sins, assure us that God rejoices over our repentance. Being forgiven lifts a weight and prompts us to acts of charity.
Quote:
"Let us raise ourselves from our fall and not give up hope as long as we free ourselves from sin. Jesus Christ came into this world to save sinners. ‘O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!’ (Psalm 95:6). The Word calls us to repentance, crying out: ‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens and I will give you rest’ (Matthew 11:28). There is, then, a way to salvation if we are willing to follow it" (Letter of Saint Basil the Great).
"Let us raise ourselves from our fall and not give up hope as long as we free ourselves from sin. Jesus Christ came into this world to save sinners. ‘O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!’ (Psalm 95:6). The Word calls us to repentance, crying out: ‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens and I will give you rest’ (Matthew 11:28). There is, then, a way to salvation if we are willing to follow it" (Letter of Saint Basil the Great).
LECTIO DIVINA:
JOHN 16,23B-28
Lectio:
Saturday, May 16, 2015
1)
OPENING PRAYER
Lord God, merciful Father,
it is hard for us to accept pain,
for we know that you have made us
for happiness and joy.
When suffering challenges us
with a provocative "why me?"
help us to discover the depth
of our inner freedom and love
and of all the faith and loyalty
of which we are capable,
together with, and by the power of,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
it is hard for us to accept pain,
for we know that you have made us
for happiness and joy.
When suffering challenges us
with a provocative "why me?"
help us to discover the depth
of our inner freedom and love
and of all the faith and loyalty
of which we are capable,
together with, and by the power of,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
2)
GOSPEL READING - JOHN 16,23B-28
Jesus told to his disciples: “In all truth I tell you, anything
you ask from the Father he will grant in my name. Until now you have not asked
anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and so your joy will be
complete. I have been telling you these things in veiled language. The hour is
coming when I shall no longer speak to you in veiled language but tell you
about the Father in plain words. When that day comes you will ask in my name;
and I do not say that I shall pray to the Father for you, because the Father
himself loves you for loving me, and believing that I came from God. I came
from the Father and have come into the world and now I am leaving the world to
go to the Father.”
3)
REFLECTION
• John 16, 23b: The disciples have full access to the Father.
This is the assurance that Jesus gives to his disciples: they can have access
to God’s paternity in union with Him. The mediation of Jesus takes the
disciples to the Father. It is evident that the role of Jesus is not that of
substituting himself to “his own”: He does not assume it by means of a function
of intercession, but he unites them to himself, and in communion with Him they
present their needs.
The disciples are certain that Jesus can dispose of the riches
of the Father: “”In all truth I tell you, anything you ask from the Father in
my name, he will grant it to you” (v.23b). In such a way, it means, in union
with Him, the petition becomes effective. The object of any petition to the
Father has to be always joined to Jesus, that is to say, to his love and to his
commitment to give his life for man (Jn 10, 10). The prayer addressed to the
Father, in the name of Jesus, in union with Him (Jn 14, 13; 16, 23), is
listened to.
Until now you have not asked anything in the name of Jesus, but
they will be able to do it after his glorification (Jn 14, 13s) when they will
receive the Spirit who will fully enlighten them on His identity (Jn 4, 22ff)
and will create the union with Him. His own will be able to ask and receive the
fullness of joy when they will go from the sensitive vision of Him to that of
faith.
• Jn 16, 24-25: In Jesus the direct contact with the Father. The
believers are taken into the relationship between the Son and the Father. In Jn
16, 26 Jesus once again speaks about the link produced by the Spirit and that
permits his own to present every petition to the Father in union with Him. That
will take place “on that day”. What does this mean: “On that day you will ask?”
It is the day when He will come to His own and will communicate the Spirit to
them (Jn 20, 19.22). And it is then that the disciples knowing the relationship
between Jesus and the Father will know that they will be listened to. It will
not be necessary for Jesus to intervene between the Father and the disciples to
ask in their behalf, and not because his mediation has ended, but they, having
believed in the Incarnation of the Word, and being closely united to Christ,
will be loved by the Father as He loves his Son (Jn 17, 23.26). In Jesus the
disciples experience the direct contact with the Father.
• John 16, 26-27: The prayer to the Father. To pray consists,
then, to go to the Father through Jesus; to address the Father in the name of
Jesus. The expression of Jesus in vv. 26-27: “And I do not say that I shall
pray to the Father for you; because the Father himself loves you”, merits to be
given special attention. The love of the Father for the disciples is founded on
the adherence of “his own” to Jesus on faith in his provenance, that is to say,
the acknowledgment of Jesus as gift of the Father.
After having assimilated the disciples to himself Jesus seems to
withdraw from his condition of mediator but in reality he permits that only the
Father to take us and to seize us: “Ask and you will receive and so your joy
will be complete” (v.24). Inserted into the relationship with the Father
through union in Him, our joy is complete and prayer is perfect. God always
offers his love to the whole world, but such a love acquires the sense of
reciprocity only if man responds. Love is incomplete if it does not become
reciprocal: as long as man does not accept it remains in suspense. However, the
disciples accept it at the moment in which they love Jesus and thus they render
operational the love of the Father. Prayer is this relationship of love. In
last instance the history of each one of us is identified with the history of
his prayer, even at the moments which do not seem to be such: Longing, yearning
is already prayer and in the same way, research, anguish...
4)
PERSONAL QUESTIONS
• Do my personal and community prayer take place in a state of
calmness, silence of peace and of great peace?
• How much effort or commitment do I dedicate to grow in
friendship with Jesus? Are you convinced of attaining a real identity through
communion with Him and in the love for neighbour?
5)
CONCLUDING PRAYER
God reigns over the nations,
seated on his holy throne.
The leaders of the nations rally
to the people of the God of Abraham. (Ps 47,8-9)
seated on his holy throne.
The leaders of the nations rally
to the people of the God of Abraham. (Ps 47,8-9)
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