Daily Readings - Thu May 25 2017
First Reading - Acts 18.1-8
Acts
1After these things, having departed from Athens, he arrived at Corinth2And upon finding a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently arrived from Italy with Priscilla his wife, (because Claudius had ordered all Jews to depart from Rome,) he met with them3And because he was of the same trade, he lodged with them and was working. (Now they were tentmakers by trade.4And he was arguing in the synagogue on every Sabbath, introducing the name of the Lord Jesus. And he was persuading Jews and Greeks5And when Silas and Timothy had arrived from Macedonia, Paul stood firm in the Word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ6But since they were contradicting him and blaspheming, he shook out his garments and said to them: "Your blood is on your own heads. I am clean. From now on, I will go to the Gentiles.7And moving from that place, he entered into the house of a certain man, named Titus the Just, a worshiper of God, whose house was adjoined to the synagogue8Now Crispus, a leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, with his entire house. And many of the Corinthians, upon hearing, believed and were baptized
Gospel - John 16.16-20
John
16A little while, and then you will not see me. And again a little while, and you will see me. For I am going to the Father.17Then some of his disciples said to one another: "What is this, that he is saying to us: ‘A little while, and you will not see me,’ and ‘Again a little while, and you will see me,’ and, ‘For I am going to the Father?’ 18And they said: "What is this, that he is saying, ‘A little while?’ We do not understand what he is saying.19But Jesus realized that they wanted to question him, and so he said to them: "Are you inquiring among yourselves about this, that I said: ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me?20Amen, amen, I say to you, that you shall mourn and weep, but the world will rejoice. And you shall be greatly saddened, yet your sorrow shall be turned into joy
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on perseverance, trust, and the transformative power of faith. The first reading from Acts 18 describes Paul’s missionary journey in Corinth. Despite facing opposition and rejection, Paul remains steadfast in his mission, preaching the Gospel to both Jews and Gentiles. His courage and resilience ultimately bear fruit, as many Corinthians come to believe and are baptized. This passage reminds us that even in the face of adversity, our commitment to sharing the Good News can lead to unexpected graces and conversions.
The Gospel from John 16 finds Jesus preparing His disciples for his departure. He speaks of a time when they will experience sorrow and confusion, but He assures them that their grief will be transformed into joy. Jesus’ words are both a comfort and a challenge. They remind us that our faith journey is not without its trials, but these trials are opportunities for growth and deeper union with God. Just as the disciples would come to understand the meaning of Jesus’ words after His resurrection, we too can trust that God’s plan, though mysterious at times, will ultimately bring us joy and peace.
These readings call us to embrace the ups and downs of life with faith and hope. Like Paul, we are invited to persevere in our mission to live and share the Gospel, even when it is difficult. Like the disciples, we are reminded that our sorrows are not permanent but will be transformed by God’s grace. Let us ask for the courage to face challenges with trust in God’s plan and the confidence that our struggles will yield to joy. May we, like Paul and the early Christians, remain steadfast in our faith and open to the ways God works in our lives.