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.
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.
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
Psalm100:1B-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.”
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 16, 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. 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" (v.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, me the grace to speak your gospel to those who do not know 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 2020
Acts 16:1-10. Let all the earth cry out to God with
joy – Psalm 99(100):1-3, 5. John 15:18-21.
The world hated me before it hated you
Hendrika: ‘Jesus, you do go on about the world
being our enemy! That’s not the world I know – a beautiful place full of
ordinary people doing the best they can, all of them God’s creatures. They
don’t hate me or you. Lighten up!’
Jesus: ‘Your beautiful world, Hendrika, does seem to leave a lot
of people, like me and my followers, dead in the gutter. But when I speak of
the world I don’t mean the beautiful world that the Father made, but that part
of the human world that is shut in on itself, afraid, grasping and envious. It
resents love and goodness, and the joy of the Gospel. Haven’t you ever met this
dark world in your life?’
Hendrika: ‘Yes, Jesus, I have. But I know your
love is stronger than its darkness.’
Saint Margaret of Cortona
Saint of the Day for May 16
(1247 – February 22, 1297)
 |
| Saint Margret of Cortona | Giovanni Battista Piazzetta |
Saint Margaret of Cortona’s Story
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 Saint
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.
Reflection
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.
Lectio Divina: John 15:18-21
Lectio Divina
Saturday, May 16, 2020
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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