Daily Catholic Mass Readings for May 12, 2017
First Reading: Acts 13.26-33
26Noble brothers, sons of the stock of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, it is to you the Word of this salvation has been sent27For those who were living in Jerusalem, and its rulers, heeding neither him, nor the voices of the Prophets that are read on every Sabbath, fulfilled these by judging him28And although they found no case for death against him, they petitioned Pilate, so that they might put him to death29And when they had fulfilled everything that had been written about him, taking him down from the tree, they placed him in a tomb30Yet truly, God raised him up from the dead on the third day31And he was seen for many days by those who went up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who even now are his witnesses to the people32And we are announcing to you that the Promise, which was made to our fathers33has been fulfilled by God for our children by raising up Jesus, just as it has been written in the second Psalm also: ‘You are my Son. This day I have begotten you.
Psalm 2
1Why have the Gentiles been seething, and why have the people been pondering nonsense2The kings of the earth have stood up, and the leaders have joined together as one, against the Lord and against his Christ3"Let us shatter their chains and cast their yoke away from us.4He who dwells in heaven will ridicule them, and the Lord will mock them5Then will he speak to them in his anger and trouble them with his fury6Yet I have been appointed king by him over Zion, his holy mountain, preaching his precepts7The Lord has said to me: You are my son, this day have I begotten you8Ask of me and I will give to you: the Gentiles for your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for your possession9You will rule them with an iron rod, and you will shatter them like a potter’s vessel10And now, O kings, understand. Receive instruction, you who judge the earth11Serve the Lord in fear, and exult in him with trembling12Embrace discipline, lest at any time the Lord might become angry, and you would perish from the way of the just. Though his wrath can flare up in a short time, blessed are all those who trust in him
Gospel: John 14.1-6
1"Do not let your heart be troubled. You believe in God. Believe in me also2In my Father’s house, there are many dwelling places. If there were not, I would have told you. For I go to prepare a place for you3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will return again, and then I will take you to myself, so that where I am, you also may be4And you know where I am going. And you know the way.5Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going, so how can we know the way?6Jesus said to him: "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father, except through me
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the profound truths of our faith, centered on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In the first reading from Acts, Paul addresses the people, recounting how Jesus, though unjustly condemned and crucified, was raised by God on the third day. This act of resurrection is not just a historical event but the fulfillment of God’s promises to humanity, offering salvation to all who believe. In the Gospel, Jesus comforts his disciples with words of reassurance, promising to prepare a place for them and affirming that he is the Way, the Truth, and the Life—the sole path to the Father.
Both readings emphasize the importance of trust and belief in God’s plan. Paul’s speech in Acts underscores the necessity of faith in the risen Christ, while Jesus in John’s Gospel calls us to trust in his divine mission and identity. These passages remind us that our faith is rooted in the historical events of Jesus’ life, but it is also a living, dynamic relationship that guides us through life’s uncertainties.
In our daily lives, these readings encourage us to place our trust in God, even when the path ahead seems unclear. Just as the disciples needed to trust Jesus’ promise of eternal life, we too can find comfort in his assurance that he is always with us, guiding us home to the Father. Let us strive to live as witnesses of this Good News, sharing the hope and love that Jesus has entrusted to us. May we walk in the light of his truth, confident that he is indeed the Way, the Truth, and the Life.