Daily Readings - Tue May 14 2019

¹⁵In those days, Peter, rising up in the midst of the brothers, said (now the crowd of men altogether was about one hundred and twenty)¹⁶"Noble brothers, the Scripture must be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit predicted by the mouth of David about Judas, who was the leader of those who apprehended Jesus¹⁷He had been numbered among us, and he was chosen by lot for this ministry²⁰For it has been written in the book of Psalms: ‘Let their dwelling place be desolate and may there be no one who dwells within it,’ and ‘Let another take his episcopate.²¹Therefore, it is necessary that, out of these men who have been assembling with us throughout the entire time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us²²beginning from the baptism of John, until the day when he was taken up from us, one of these be made a witness with us of his Resurrection.²³And they appointed two: Joseph, who was called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias²⁴And praying, they said: "May you, O Lord, who knows the heart of everyone, reveal which one of these two you have chosen²⁵to take a place in this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas prevaricated, so that he might go to his own place.²⁶And they cast lots concerning them, and the lot fell upon Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven Apostles

John

Chapter 15

⁹As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Abide in my love¹⁰If you keep my precepts, you shall abide in my love, just as I also have kept my Father’s precepts and I abide in his love¹¹These things I have spoken to you, so that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be fulfilled¹²This is my precept: that you love one another, just as I have loved you¹³No one has a greater love than this: that he lay down his life for his friends¹⁴You are my friends, if you do what I instruct you¹⁵I will no longer call you servants, for the servant does not know what his Lord is doing. But I have called you friends, because everything whatsoever that I have heard from my Father, I have made known to you¹⁶You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you. And I have appointed you, so that you may go forth and bear fruit, and so that your fruit may last. Then whatever you have asked of the Father in my name, he shall give to you¹⁷This I command you: that you love one another

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of community, unity, and the call to love as Jesus has loved us. In the first reading from Acts, we see the early Christian community gathered together, addressing the need to replace Judas among the Twelve Apostles. Peter emphasizes that the Scriptures must be fulfilled, and the community prayerfully selects Matthias through a process of discernment and trust in God’s will. This passage highlights the importance of maintaining unity and continuity in the face of loss or division, as well as the reliance on prayer and the Holy Spirit in making decisions. In the Gospel, Jesus speaks to His disciples about the profound love He shares with them, a love that mirrors the love the Father has for Him. He calls them to abide in this love by keeping His commandments, particularly the commandment to love one another. Jesus elevates the relationship with His disciples from one of master and servant to that of friends, sharing with them the Father’s plan and entrusting them with a mission to bear lasting fruit. This passage reminds us that our identity as followers of Christ is rooted in love—both receiving God’s love and sharing it with others. These readings are deeply connected. The early Church in Acts models the kind of love and unity that Jesus speaks about in the Gospel. Just as the disciples came together to restore their community after Judas’ betrayal, we too are called to live in a way that reflects Christ’s love, even in the face of challenges or divisions. The moral lesson here is clear: our faith is not just about individual devotion but about building up the Body of Christ through love, unity, and a shared mission. As we go about our daily lives, let us ask ourselves: How am I contributing to the unity of my community? How am I sharing the love of Christ with those around me? May we, like Matthias, be chosen and called by God to bear fruit that lasts, and may we, like the early Church, trust in God’s guidance as we strive to live out the love of Christ.