Daily Catholic Mass Readings for May 16, 2017

First Reading: Acts 14.19-28

¹⁹Now certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium arrived there. And having persuaded the crowd, they stoned Paul and dragged him outside of the city, thinking him to be dead²⁰But as the disciples were standing around him, he got up and entered the city. And the next day, he set out with Barnabas for Derbe²¹And when they had evangelized that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch²²strengthening the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them that they should remain always in the faith, and that it is necessary for us to enter into the kingdom of God through many tribulations²³And when they had established priests for them in each church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, in whom they believed²⁴And traveling by way of Pisidia, they arrived in Pamphylia²⁵And having spoken the word of the Lord in Perga, they went down into Attalia²⁶And from there, they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had now accomplished²⁷And when they had arrived and had gathered together the church, they related what great things God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles²⁸And they remained for no small amount of time with the disciples

Psalm 145

Psalms

Chapter 145

¹The Praise of David himself. I will extol you, O God, my king. And I will bless your name, in this time and forever and ever²Throughout every single day, I will bless you. And I will praise your name, in this time and forever and ever³The Lord is great and exceedingly praiseworthy. And there is no end to his greatness⁴Generation after generation will praise your works, and they will declare your power⁵They will tell of the magnificent glory of your sanctity. And they will discourse of your wonders⁶And they will talk about the virtue of your terrible acts. And they will describe your greatness⁷They will shout about the memory of your abundant sweetness. And they will exult in your justice⁸The Lord is compassionate and merciful, patient and full of mercy⁹The Lord is sweet to all things, and his compassion is upon all his works¹⁰O Lord, may all your works confess to you, and let your holy ones bless you¹¹They will speak of the glory of your kingdom, and they will declare your power¹²so as to make known to the sons of men your power and the glory of your magnificent kingdom¹³Your kingdom is a kingdom for all ages, and your dominion is with all, from generation to generation. The Lord is faithful in all his words and holy in all his works¹⁴The Lord lifts up all who have fallen down, and he sets upright all who have been thrown down¹⁵O Lord, all eyes hope in you, and you provide their food in due time¹⁶You open your hand, and you fill every kind of animal with a blessing¹⁷The Lord is just in all his ways and holy in all his works¹⁸The Lord is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth¹⁹He will do the will of those who fear him, and he will heed their supplication and accomplish their salvation²⁰The Lord watches over all who love him. And he will destroy all sinners²¹My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord, and may all flesh bless his holy name, in this time and forever and ever

Sermon

The first reading from the Acts of the Apostles recounts the perseverance of St. Paul and Barnabas as they faced intense persecution during their missionary journey. Despite being stoned and left for dead, Paul rose, continued preaching, and strengthened the faith of the early Christian communities. This passage highlights the resilience of the apostles and their unwavering commitment to spreading the Gospel, even in the face of suffering. It also reminds us that the journey of faith is not without its trials, but through them, God’s grace sustains us and leads us to deeper trust in His plan. The reading invites us to reflect on the cost of discipleship. Just as Paul and Barnabas endured hardships to proclaim the Good News, we too are called to remain faithful in the face of challenges. The early Christians were exhorted to remain steadfast in their faith, knowing that the kingdom of God is entered through many tribulations. This truth is timeless. In our own lives, we may encounter struggles, whether personal, spiritual, or relational. Yet, like the apostles, we are called to trust in God’s providence and to persevere, knowing that our trials are opportunities to grow in holiness and to bear witness to the power of faith. As we apply this to our daily lives, let us ask ourselves: Where are we being called to persevere? How can we, like Paul and Barnabas, trust in God’s plan even when the path seems uncertain or difficult? The moral lesson here is clear: faith is not about avoiding suffering but about trusting God in the midst of it. May we, like the early disciples, find strength in prayer, in the sacraments, and in the support of our Christian community. Let us remain steadfast in our faith, knowing that through our trials, God is shaping us and preparing us for the eternal kingdom He has promised.