Saturday
of the Fourth Week of Easter
Lectionary: 284
Lectionary: 284
On
the following sabbath
almost the whole city
gathered to hear the word of the Lord.
When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy
and with violent abuse contradicted what Paul said.
Both Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said,
“It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first,
but since you reject it
and condemn yourselves as unworthy of eternal life,
we now turn to the Gentiles.
For so the Lord has commanded us,
I have made you a light to the Gentiles,
that you may be an instrument of salvation
to the ends of the earth.”
The Gentiles were delighted when they heard this
and glorified the word of the Lord.
All who were destined for eternal life came to believe,
and the word of the Lord continued to spread
through the whole region.
The Jews, however, incited the women of prominence who were worshipers
and the leading men of the city,
stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas,
and expelled them from their territory.
So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them
and went to Iconium.
The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.
almost the whole city
gathered to hear the word of the Lord.
When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy
and with violent abuse contradicted what Paul said.
Both Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said,
“It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first,
but since you reject it
and condemn yourselves as unworthy of eternal life,
we now turn to the Gentiles.
For so the Lord has commanded us,
I have made you a light to the Gentiles,
that you may be an instrument of salvation
to the ends of the earth.”
The Gentiles were delighted when they heard this
and glorified the word of the Lord.
All who were destined for eternal life came to believe,
and the word of the Lord continued to spread
through the whole region.
The Jews, however, incited the women of prominence who were worshipers
and the leading men of the city,
stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas,
and expelled them from their territory.
So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them
and went to Iconium.
The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 98:1, 2-3AB, 3CD-4
R.
(3cd) All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
AlleluiaJN 8:31B-32
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
I fyou remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples,
and you will know the truth, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I fyou remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples,
and you will know the truth, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelJN 14:7-14
Jesus
said to his disciples:
“If you know me, then you will also know my Father.
From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Philip said to Jesus,
“Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”
Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time
and you still do not know me, Philip?
Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.
How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?
The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own.
The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.
Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me,
or else, believe because of the works themselves.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever believes in me will do the works that I do,
and will do greater ones than these,
because I am going to the Father.
And whatever you ask in my name, I will do,
so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it.”
“If you know me, then you will also know my Father.
From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Philip said to Jesus,
“Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”
Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time
and you still do not know me, Philip?
Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.
How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?
The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own.
The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.
Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me,
or else, believe because of the works themselves.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever believes in me will do the works that I do,
and will do greater ones than these,
because I am going to the Father.
And whatever you ask in my name, I will do,
so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it.”
Meditation: "Lord, show us the
Father"
What's
the greatest thing we can aim for in this life? - To know God. What is the best
thing we can possess in this life, bringing more joy, contentment, and
happiness, than anything else? - Knowledge of God. Thus says the Lord:
"Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty glory in his
might, let not the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory
in this, that he understands and knows me" (Jeremiah 9:23-24).
One of the greatest truths of the Christian faith is that we can know the
living God. Our knowledge of God is not simply limited to knowing something
about God, but we can know God personally. The essence of Christianity, and
what makes it distinct from Judaism and other religions, is the personal
knowledge of God as our Father.
Jesus
makes it possible for each of us to personally know God as our Father. To see
Jesus is to see what God is like. In Jesus we see the perfect love of God - a
God who cares intensely and who yearns over men and women, loving them to the
point of laying down his life for them upon the Cross. Jesus is the revelation
of God - a God who loves us unconditionally - without reservation, unselfishly
- for our sake and not his, and perfectly - without neglecting or forgetting us
even for a brief moment. Jesus promises that God the Father will hear our
prayers when we pray in his name. That is why Jesus taught his followers to
pray with confidence, Our Father who art in heaven ..give us this day
our daily bread (Matthew 6:9,11; Luke 11:2-3). Do
you pray to your Father in heaven with joy and confidence in his love and care
for you?
"Lord
Jesus, you fill us with the joy of your saving presence and you give us the
hope of everlasting life with God our Father in Heaven. Show me the Father that
I may know and glorify him always."
SATURDAY, APRIL 23, JOHN
14:7-14
Easter Weekday
(Acts 13:44-52; Psalm 98)
Easter Weekday
(Acts 13:44-52; Psalm 98)
KEY VERSE: "Whoever has seen me has seen the Father" (v.9).
TO KNOW: Jesus came to reveal God the Father. His words and works testified to the life and truth that he shared with the Father. Philip asked for some manifestation (theophany) of God such as Moses experienced on Mount Sinai (Ex 33:18). Jesus said that if they really understood who he was, they would "see" the Father in him. Although God is Spirit, Jesus is the living revelation of God the Father who acts in and through him. If his disciples could not believe Jesus' words, at least they could believe in the works he had done. Jesus assured his followers that if they had faith in him, they would accomplish even greater works. He promised to empower the Church to act in his name through the coming of the Holy Spirit.
TO LOVE: In what ways do I see Jesus working through me? Am I able to see him working in others?
TO SERVE: Risen Lord, help me to understand the Divine mystery you came to reveal.
Optional Memorial of
Saint George, martyr
The best known story attached to St. George is the Golden Legend in which he fought a dragon that lived in a lake near Silena, Libya. Whole armies had gone up against this fierce creature, and had gone down in defeat. George crossed himself, rode to battle against the serpent, and killed it with a single blow with his lance. Then, with a magnificent sermon, he converted the locals. Given a large reward by the king, George distributed it to the poor. Due to his chivalrous behavior, devotion to St. George became widespread in Europe. In the 15th century his feast day was as popular as Christmas. The celebrated Knights of the Garter are actually Knights of the Order of Saint George. He is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers.
Optional Memorial of
Saint Adalbert, bishop and martyr
Adalbert was the Bishop of Prague in 983. A friend of Emperor Otto III, he encouraged the evangelization of the Magyars, and worked on it with St. Astricus. Opposed by the nobility in Prague, he withdrew to Rome and became a Benedictine; Pope John XV sent him back. Adalbert founded the monastery of Brevnov. Again he met more opposition from the nobility, and returned to Rome. There being no hope of his working in Prague, he was allowed to evangelize in Pomerania, Poland, Prussia, Hungary, and Russia. He and his fellow missionaries were martyred by Prussians near Koenigsberg or Danzig at the instigation of a pagan priest.
Saturday 23 April 2016
Sat 23rd. (St George; St Adalbert).
Acts 13:44-52. All the ends of the earth have seen the
saving power of God—Ps 97(98):1-4. John 14:7-14.
If you stay with my words, you will indeed be my
disciples.
‘The Word was made flesh and pitched his tent among
us’. Reading Scripture can lead us more deeply into our following of Jesus. It
was Ignatius reading the life of Christ that turned him from a dissolute
soldier into writing the Spiritual Exercises, a gift for the world. St
Augustine turned his life around by opening the Gospel, and the story of the
rich young man led St Antony to give all away to found monasticism. To sit with
scripture, asking the Spirit for light, can open riches and lead us past
horizons that we know. It encourages, challenges and comforts if we give it
time. Pope Francis urges us to spread the joy of the gospel. Lord, grant us the
courage to step out into the deep for a catch.
MINUTE
MEDITATIONS
|
Spiritual Serenity
|
I have faith in God. It might not always be easy for me to
understand or accept God’s purpose in a crisis, but faith in his presence and
trust in his care throughout makes those trying times bountifully blessed and
allows me to find spiritual calm when all else is in turmoil.
April
23
St. George
d. c. 303
St. George
d. c. 303
If Mary Magdalene was
the victim of misunderstanding, George is the object of a vast amount of
imagination. There is every reason to believe that he was a real martyr who
suffered at Lydda in Palestine, probably before the time of Constantine. The
Church adheres to his memory, but not to the legends surrounding his life.
That he was willing to
pay the supreme price to follow Christ is what the Church believes. And it is
enough.
The story of George's
slaying the dragon, rescuing the king's daughter and converting Libya is a
12th-century Italian fable. George was a favorite patron saint of crusaders, as
well as of Eastern soldiers in earlier times. He is a patron saint of England,
Portugal, Germany, Aragon, Catalonia, Genoa and Venice.
Comment:
Human nature seems to crave more than cold historical data. Americans have Washington and Lincoln, but we somehow need Paul Bunyan, too. The life of St. Francis of Assisi is inspiring enough, but for centuries the Italians have found his spirit in the legends of the Fioretti, too. Santa Claus is the popular extension of the spirit of St. Nicholas. The legends about St. George are part of this yearning. Both fact and legend are human ways of illumining the mysterious truth about the One who alone is holy.
Human nature seems to crave more than cold historical data. Americans have Washington and Lincoln, but we somehow need Paul Bunyan, too. The life of St. Francis of Assisi is inspiring enough, but for centuries the Italians have found his spirit in the legends of the Fioretti, too. Santa Claus is the popular extension of the spirit of St. Nicholas. The legends about St. George are part of this yearning. Both fact and legend are human ways of illumining the mysterious truth about the One who alone is holy.
Quote:
"When we look at the lives of those who have faithfully followed Christ, we are inspired with a new reason for seeking the city which is to come" (Vatican II,Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, 50).
"When we look at the lives of those who have faithfully followed Christ, we are inspired with a new reason for seeking the city which is to come" (Vatican II,Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, 50).
Patron Saint of:
Boy Scouts
England
Germany
Portugal
Soldiers
Boy Scouts
England
Germany
Portugal
Soldiers
LECTIO DIVINA: JOHN 14,7-14
Lectio Divina:
Saturday, April 23, 2016
Easter Time
1) OPENING PRAYER
Lord our God,
you are distant and unknown, and yet so near
that you know and love and save us
through your Son Jesus Christ.
May he be present in us and in our actions
that we may do the same works
of justice, truth and loving service
and thus become the sign to the world
that your Son is alive
and that you are a saving God
now and for ever.
you are distant and unknown, and yet so near
that you know and love and save us
through your Son Jesus Christ.
May he be present in us and in our actions
that we may do the same works
of justice, truth and loving service
and thus become the sign to the world
that your Son is alive
and that you are a saving God
now and for ever.
2) GOSPEL READING - JOHN 14,7-14
Jesus said to his disciples: "If
you know me, you will know my Father too. From this moment you know him and
have seen him.
Philip said, 'Lord, show us the Father
and then we shall be satisfied.' Jesus said to him,
'Have I been with you all this time,
Philip, and you still do not know me? 'Anyone who has seen me has seen the
Father, so how can you say, "Show us the Father"? Do you not believe
that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? What I say to you I do not
speak of my own accord: it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his works.
You must believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me;
or at least believe it on the evidence of these works.
In all truth I tell you, whoever
believes in me will perform the same works as I do myself, and will perform
even greater works, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my
name I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me
anything in my name, I will do it.
3) REFLECTION
• John 14, 7: To know Jesus is to know
the Father. The text of today’s Gospel is the continuation of that of
yesterday. Thomas had asked: “Lord we do not know where you are going, how can
we know the way?” Jesus answers: “I am the Way, I am Truth and Life! No one can
come to the Father except through me.” And he adds: “If you know me, you will
know the Father too. From this moment you know him and have seen him”. This is
the first phrase of today’s Gospel. Jesus always speaks of the Father, because
it was the life of the Father which appeared in all that he said and did. This
constant reference to the Father provokes Philip’s question.
• John 14, 8-11: Philip asks: “Lord,
show us the Father and then we will be satisfied!” This was the desire of the
disciples, the desire of many persons of the communities of the Beloved
Disciple and it is the desire of many people today: What do people do to see
the Father of whom Jesus speaks so much? The response of Jesus is very
beautiful and is valid even now: “Have I been with you all this time, Philip,
and you still do not know me! Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father!”
People should not think that God is far away from us, distant and unknown.
Anyone who wants to know how and who God the Father is, it suffices that he
looks at Jesus. He has revealed him in his words and gestures of his life! “I
am in the Father and the Father is in me!” Through his obedience, Jesus
identified himself totally with the Father. At every moment he did what the
Father asked him to do (Jn 5, 30; 8, 28-29.38). This is why, in Jesus
everything is revelation of the Father! And the signs and the works are the
works of the Father! As people say: “The son is the face of the father!” This
is why in Jesus and for Jesus, God is in our midst.
• John 14, 12-14: The Promise of Jesus.
Jesus makes a promise to say that his intimacy with the Father is not his
privilege only, but that it is possible for all those who believe in him. We
also, through Jesus, can succeed in doing beautiful things for others as Jesus
did for the people of his time. He intercedes for us. Everything that people
ask him for; he asks the Father and always obtains it. as long as it is to
render service. Jesus is our advocate, he defends us. He leaves but he does not
leave us defenceless. He promises that he will ask the Father and the Father
will send another advocate or consoler, the Holy Spirit. Jesus even says that
it is necessary for him to leave, because otherwise the Holy Spirit will not be
able to come (Jn 16, 7). And the Holy Spirit will fulfil the things of Jesus in
us, if we act in the name of Jesus and we observe the great commandment of the
practice of love.
4) PERSONAL QUESTIONS
• To know Jesus is to know the Father.
In the Bible the word “to know a person” is not only an intellectual
understanding, but it also presupposes a profound experience of the presence of
the person in one’s life. Do I know Jesus?
• Do I know the Father?
5) CONCLUDING PRAYER
The whole wide world has seen
the saving power of our God.
Acclaim Yahweh, all the earth,
burst into shouts of joy! (Ps 98,3-4)
the saving power of our God.
Acclaim Yahweh, all the earth,
burst into shouts of joy! (Ps 98,3-4)
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét