Daily Readings - Thu May 10 2018
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
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
The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of transition, trust, and the transformative power of faith. In the first reading from Acts, we see Paul in Corinth, where he works as a tentmaker and preaches the Gospel. Despite facing resistance and eventual rejection by the synagogue leaders, Paul remains steadfast in his mission, turning to the Gentiles with courage and determination. This passage highlights Paul’s resilience and his unwavering commitment to spreading the Word of God, even in the face of adversity. His actions remind us that our faith must be lived out boldly, trusting in God’s plan even when the path ahead is uncertain.
In the Gospel, Jesus speaks to his disciples about his impending departure, using the phrase “a little while” to describe the time before they will see him again. The disciples are confused and saddened by these words, unable to grasp the deeper meaning. Jesus reassures them, however, that their sorrow will turn to joy. This passage invites us to trust in the promise of eternal life and the ultimate triumph of God’s plan. Just as the disciples would come to understand the meaning of Jesus’ words after his resurrection, we too are called to trust in God’s timing and to find hope in the midst of uncertainty.
These readings challenge us to embrace the transitions and challenges of our own lives with faith and perseverance. Like Paul, we may face setbacks or misunderstandings, but we must remain steadfast in our commitment to living out the Gospel. Like the disciples, we may experience sorrow or confusion, but we are promised that our struggles will ultimately give way to joy. Let us trust in God’s plan, even when the road ahead seems unclear, and let us find strength in the knowledge that our sorrow will be transformed into joy through our relationship with Christ.