Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter
Lectionary: 290
Lectionary: 290
Paul reached also Derbe and Lystra
where there was a disciple named Timothy,
the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer,
but his father was a Greek.
The brothers in Lystra and Iconium spoke highly of him,
and Paul wanted him to come along with him.
On account of the Jews of that region, Paul had him circumcised,
for they all knew that his father was a Greek.
As they traveled from city to city,
they handed on to the people for observance the decisions
reached by the Apostles and presbyters in Jerusalem.
Day after day the churches grew stronger in faith
and increased in number.
They traveled through the Phrygian and Galatian territory
because they had been prevented by the Holy Spirit
from preaching the message in the province of Asia.
When they came to Mysia, they tried to go on into Bithynia,
but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them,
so they crossed through Mysia and came down to Troas.
During the night Paul had a vision.
A Macedonian stood before him and implored him with these words,
"Come over to Macedonia and help us."
When he had seen the vision,
we sought passage to Macedonia at once,
concluding that God had called us to proclaim the Good News to them.
where there was a disciple named Timothy,
the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer,
but his father was a Greek.
The brothers in Lystra and Iconium spoke highly of him,
and Paul wanted him to come along with him.
On account of the Jews of that region, Paul had him circumcised,
for they all knew that his father was a Greek.
As they traveled from city to city,
they handed on to the people for observance the decisions
reached by the Apostles and presbyters in Jerusalem.
Day after day the churches grew stronger in faith
and increased in number.
They traveled through the Phrygian and Galatian territory
because they had been prevented by the Holy Spirit
from preaching the message in the province of Asia.
When they came to Mysia, they tried to go on into Bithynia,
but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them,
so they crossed through Mysia and came down to Troas.
During the night Paul had a vision.
A Macedonian stood before him and implored him with these words,
"Come over to Macedonia and help us."
When he had seen the vision,
we sought passage to Macedonia at once,
concluding that God had called us to proclaim the Good News to them.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 100:1B-2, 3, 5
R. (2a) Let all
the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
serve the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful song.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Know that the LORD is God;
he made us, his we are;
his people, the flock he tends.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD is good:
his kindness endures forever,
and his faithfulness, to all generations.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
serve the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful song.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Know that the LORD is God;
he made us, his we are;
his people, the flock he tends.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD is good:
his kindness endures forever,
and his faithfulness, to all generations.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
AlleluiaCOL 3:1
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
If then you were raised with Christ,
seek what is above,
where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
If then you were raised with Christ,
seek what is above,
where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelJN 15:18-21
Jesus said to his disciples:
"If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first.
If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own;
but because you do not belong to the world,
and I have chosen you out of the world,
the world hates you.
Remember the word I spoke to you,
'No slave is greater than his master.'
If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.
If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
And they will do all these things to you on account of my name,
because they do not know the one who sent me."
"If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first.
If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own;
but because you do not belong to the world,
and I have chosen you out of the world,
the world hates you.
Remember the word I spoke to you,
'No slave is greater than his master.'
If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.
If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
And they will do all these things to you on account of my name,
because they do not know the one who sent me."
For the readings of the Optional Memorial of Saint Bede the Venerable,
please go here.
For the readings of the Optional Memorial of Saint Gregory VII, please
go here.
For the readings of the Optional Memorial of Saint Mary Magdalene de'
Pazzi, please go here.
Meditation: "You
are not of the world"
What
does Jesus mean when he says "you are not of this world"? The world in
Scripture refers to that society of people who are hostile towards God and
opposed to his will. The world rejected the Lord Jesus and
treated him with contempt, and his disciples can expect the same treatment. The
Lord Jesus leaves no middle ground for his followers. We are either for him or
against him, for his kingdom of light and truth or for the kingdom of darkness
and deception. The prophet Isaiah warned that people who separate themselves
from God because of their rebellious pride and spiritual blindness would end
up calling evil good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20).
"Those
who kept my word" (John 15:20)
If we want to live in the light of God's truth, how can we rightly distinguish good from evil and truth from deception? True love of God and his ways draw us to all that is lovely, truthful and good. If we truly love God then we will submit to his truth and obey his word. A friend of God cannot expect to be a friend of the world because the world is opposed to God's truth and way of righteousness.
If we want to live in the light of God's truth, how can we rightly distinguish good from evil and truth from deception? True love of God and his ways draw us to all that is lovely, truthful and good. If we truly love God then we will submit to his truth and obey his word. A friend of God cannot expect to be a friend of the world because the world is opposed to God's truth and way of righteousness.
"I
chose you out of the world" (John 15:18)
Jesus' demand is unequivocal and without compromise. Do not love the world or the things in the world. If any one loves the world, love for the Father is not in him (1 John 2:15). We must make a choice either for or against God. Do you seek to please God in all your intentions, actions, and relationships? Let the Holy Spirit fill your heart and mind with the love and truth of God (Romans 5:5).
Jesus' demand is unequivocal and without compromise. Do not love the world or the things in the world. If any one loves the world, love for the Father is not in him (1 John 2:15). We must make a choice either for or against God. Do you seek to please God in all your intentions, actions, and relationships? Let the Holy Spirit fill your heart and mind with the love and truth of God (Romans 5:5).
"Lord
Jesus, may the fire of your love fill my heart with an eagerness to please you
in all things. May there be no rivals to my love and devotion to you who are my
all."
Daily
Quote from the early church fathers: Those who suffer with Christ reign
with Christ, by Cyril of Alexandria, 375-444 A.D.
"It
is just as if Jesus said, 'I, the creator of the universe, who have everything
under my hand, both in heaven and on earth, did not bridle their rage or
restrain ... their inclinations. Rather, I let each one choose their own course
and permitted all to do what they wanted. Therefore, when I was persecuted, I
endured it even though I had the power of preventing it. When you too follow in
my wake and pursue the same course I did, you also will be persecuted. You're
going to have to momentarily endure the aversion of those who hate you without
being overly troubled by the ingratitude of those whom you benefit. This is how
you attain my glory, for those who suffer with me shall also reign with
me.'" (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 10.2)
SATURDAY, MAY 25, JOHN 15:18-21
Easter Weekday
(Acts 16:1-10; Psalm 100)
Easter Weekday
(Acts 16:1-10; Psalm 100)
KEY VERSE: "If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first" (v.18).
TO KNOW: Just as Jesus and his Father are one, Jesus and the believer are one. Because of this close union, Jesus' disciples must be willing to share his fate. If Jesus suffered persecution and hatred, so would they. If the world refused to listen to his words or believe in his works, the world would not believe his disciples' words and deeds either. If the disciples had belonged to the world, perhaps the world would love them. Because these unbelievers did not know God, they despised Jesus and they would also despise his followers. Jesus said that "no slave was greater than his master" (Jn 15:20). Although the disciples were Jesus' friends (v.15), they were also obedient servants of God's will.
TO LOVE: In what ways am I both friend and servant to others?
TO SERVE: Risen Lord, give the Church the grace to speak your gospel to those who do not know you.
Optional Memorial of Saint Bede the Venerable
Bede was born around the time England was Christianized. Raised from age seven in the abbey of Saints Peter and Paul at Wearmouth-Jarrow, Bede lived there his whole life. A Benedictine monk, Bede was the most learned man of his day, and his writings began the idea of using the Latin phrase: Anno Domini (“in the year of the Lord”—the year Jesus was born). He was a teacher and author, writing about history, mathematics, music, astronomy, poetry, grammar, philosophy, homiletics, the Saints, and a Bible commentary. The central theme of Bede's Historia Ecclesiastica was of the Church using the power of its spiritual, doctrinal, and cultural unity to stamp out violence and barbarism. Our knowledge of England before the 8th century is mainly the result of Bede's writing. He was declared a Doctor of the Church on 13 November 1899 by Pope Leo XIII.
Optional Memorial of Saint Gregory VII, pope
One of the great reforming popes, Gregory VII took the throne of the papacy in 1073. At that time, a corrupt clergy threatened to destroy faith in the Church. Pope Gregory suspended all clerics who had purchased their position, and ordered the return of all church property (simony). The corrupt clergyrebelled; The Emperor, Henry IV, who promised to support him, broke his promise, and promoted the rebels. Pope Gregory responded by excommunicating anyone involved in lay investiture, the appointment of religious officials (commonly bishops) by secular subjects (commonly kings or nobles). Pope Gregory summoned Henry to Rome, but the emperor's supporters drove the pope into exile. Henry installed the anti-pope Guibert of Ravenna. Pope Gregory retreated to Salerno where he spent the remainder of his papacy until his death in 1085.
Optional Memorial of Saint Mary Magdalene de 'Pazzi
Born in Florence in 1566, Catherine de 'Pazzi was sent to a convent at age 14, but was brought home by her family who opposed her religious vocation and wanted her to marry well. They eventually gave in to her desires. She wanted to enter a contemplative monastery of the Carmelite Order at age 16, taking the name Sister Mary Magdalene. She the monastery of St. Mary's of the Angels because the nuns took daily Communion, which was unusual at the time. A mystic, she led a hidden life of prayer and self-denial, praying particularly for the renewal of the Church and encouraging the sisters in holiness. Her life was marked by many extraordinary graces. She was canonized in 1669 by Pope Clement IX.
Saturday 25 May 2019
ST BEDE THE VENERABLE. ST GREGORY VII. ST MARY MAGDALENE DE
PAZZI.
Acts 16:1-10. Psalm 99(100):1-3, 5. John 15:18-21.
Let all the earth cry out to God with joy. Psalm 99(100):1-3,
5.
‘I chose you out of this world.’
Being chosen means that we are part of the divine design, the
building of love, whereby the Father, Son and Spirit create and draw us into
the kingdom. Jesus anticipates the vulnerability of his friends, knowing that
they are only truly strong when he is beside them. However, the recognition
that we are chosen imparts a certain strength. We find that we are able to step
away from the crowd, and have the ability to behave with a clear and
independent mind. The status quo may not contain the best solutions.
In Jesus, gentleness, self-control and compassion become
standard components of our life. These attributes are only achieved by walking
with Jesus in our daily round. Let us ask for his guidance in using our talents
and gifts for their purpose: to give glory to God and encouragement to those we
live among.
Saint Bede the Venerable
Saint of the Day for May 25
(c. 672 – May 25, 735)
 |
| San Beda | Bartolomé Román |
Saint Bede the Venerable’s Story
Bede is one of the few saints honored as such even during his
lifetime. His writings were filled with such faith and learning that even while
he was still alive, a Church council ordered them to be read publicly in the
churches.
At an early age, Bede was entrusted to the care of the abbot of
the Monastery of St. Paul, Jarrow. The happy combination of genius and the
instruction of scholarly, saintly monks, produced a saint and an extraordinary
scholar, perhaps the most outstanding one of his day. He was deeply versed in
all the sciences of his times: natural philosophy, the philosophical principles
of Aristotle, astronomy, arithmetic, grammar, ecclesiastical history, the lives
of the saints and especially, holy Scripture.
From the time of his ordination to the priesthood at 30—he had
been ordained a deacon at 19—till his death, Bede was ever occupied with
learning, writing, and teaching. Besides the many books that he copied, he
composed 45 of his own, including 30 commentaries on books of the Bible.
His Ecclesiastical History of the English People is
commonly regarded as of decisive importance in the art and science of writing
history. A unique era was coming to an end at the time of Bede’s death: It had
fulfilled its purpose of preparing Western Christianity to assimilate the
non-Roman barbarian North. Bede recognized the opening to a new day in the life
of the Church even as it was happening.
Although eagerly sought by kings and other notables, even Pope
Sergius, Bede managed to remain in his own monastery until his death. Only once
did he leave for a few months in order to teach in the school of the archbishop
of York. Bede died in 735 praying his favorite prayer: “Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As in the beginning, so now, and
forever.”
Reflection
Though his History is the greatest legacy Bede
has left us, his work in all the sciences, especially in Scripture, should not
be overlooked. During his last Lent, Bede worked on a translation of the Gospel
of Saint John into English, completing it the day he died. But of this
work “to break the word to the poor and unlearned” nothing remains today.
Saint Bede the Venerable is the Patron Saint of:
Scholars
Lectio Divina: John 15:18-21
Lectio Divina
Saturday, May 25, 2019
1) Opening prayer
Lord our God;
it is good to live in the friendship
of Your Son Jesus Christ.
Make us realize that also in this love
we are committed to Him and share with Him
for better or for worse,
in misunderstanding and contradiction
as well as in joy and intimacy.
Help us to rejoice even when treated
with indifference or ridicule on account of Him,
for it means that He is still with us
who is our Lord forever.
it is good to live in the friendship
of Your Son Jesus Christ.
Make us realize that also in this love
we are committed to Him and share with Him
for better or for worse,
in misunderstanding and contradiction
as well as in joy and intimacy.
Help us to rejoice even when treated
with indifference or ridicule on account of Him,
for it means that He is still with us
who is our Lord forever.
2) Gospel Reading - John 15:18-21
Jesus said to his disciples: "If the world hates you,
realize that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would
love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you
out of the world, the world hates you. Remember the word I spoke to you, 'No
slave is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also
persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. And they will
do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know the
one who sent me."
3) Reflection
• John 15:18-19: The hatred of the world. “If the world hates
you, you must realize that it hated Me before it hated you.” The Christian who
follows Jesus is called to live in a way that is contrary to society. In a
world organized according to the egoistic interests of people and groups,
Christians seek to live and radiate the love which will be crucified. This was
the destiny of Jesus. This is why, when a Christian is praised by the power of
this world and is exalted as a model for all by mass media, it is good to not
trust that too much. “If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as
its own; but because you do not belong to the world, because My choice of you
has drawn you out of the world, that is why the world hates you.” It was Jesus’
choice which separated us. If we base ourselves on this vocation of Jesus, we
will have the strength to suffer persecution and to have joy in spite of the
difficulties.
• John 15:20: The servant is not greater than his master. “A
servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will
persecute you; if they kept My word they will keep yours as well.” Jesus had
already insisted on this same point in the washing of the feet (Jn 13:16) and
in the discourse on the mission (Mt 10:24-25). It is this identification with
Jesus throughout the centuries that has given so much strength to people to
continue the journey, and has been a source of mystical experience for many
saints and martyrs.
• John 15:21: Persecution on account of Jesus. “But it will be
on My account that they will do all this to you, because they do not know the
One who sent Me.” The repeated insistence of the Gospel in recalling those
words of Jesus which can help the communities understand the reason for
persecutions is evidence that our brothers and sisters of the first communities
did not have an easy life. From the persecution of Nero after Christ, up to the
end of the first century, they lived knowing that they could be persecuted,
accused, imprisoned and killed at any moment. The force which sustained them
was a certainty that God was with them.
4) Personal questions
• Does the world love me? Do others love me as one who goes
along with the values, expectations, and priorities of the world, or as one who
sets a higher example according to Jesus?
• How do I respond to persecution from others? Is it a way to offer leadership in love to others, or do I shrink from it and conform to expectations?
• At times when others persecute me, is it because I am truly showing love and the will of the Father to others, or am I behaving even worse than society expects?
• How do I respond to persecution from others? Is it a way to offer leadership in love to others, or do I shrink from it and conform to expectations?
• At times when others persecute me, is it because I am truly showing love and the will of the Father to others, or am I behaving even worse than society expects?
5) Concluding Prayer
For Yahweh is good,
His faithful love is everlasting,
His constancy from age to age. (Ps 100:5)
His faithful love is everlasting,
His constancy from age to age. (Ps 100:5)
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