Daily Readings - Wed Jun 05 2019
Acts
28Take care of yourselves and of the entire flock, over which the Holy Spirit has stationed you as Bishops to rule the Church of God, which he has purchased by his own blood29I know that after my departure ravenous wolves will enter among you, not sparing the flock30And from among yourselves, men will rise up, speaking perverse things in order to entice disciples after them31Because of this, be vigilant, retaining in memory that throughout three years I did not cease, night and day, with tears, to admonish each and every one of you32And now, I commend you to God and to the Word of his grace. He has the power to build up, and to give an inheritance to all who are sanctified33I have coveted neither silver and gold, nor apparel,34as you yourselves know. For that which was needed by me and by those who are with me, these hands have provided35I have revealed all things to you, because by laboring in this way, it is necessary to support the weak and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ 36And when he had said these things, kneeling down, he prayed with all of them37Then a great weeping occurred among them all. And, falling upon the neck of Paul, they kissed him38being grieved most of all over the word which he had said, that they would never see his face again. And they brought him to the ship
John
11And though I am not in the world, these are in the world, and I am coming to you. Father most holy, preserve them in your name, those whom you have given to me, so that they may be one, even as we are one12While I was with them, I preserved them in your name. I have guarded those whom you have given to me, and not one of them is lost, except the son of perdition, so that the Scripture may be fulfilled13And now I am coming to you. But I am speaking these things in the world, so that they may have the fullness of my joy within themselves14I have given them your word, and the world has hated them. For they are not of the world, just as I, too, am not of the world15I am not praying that you would take them out of the world, but that you would preserve them from evil16They are not of the world, just as I also am not of the world17Sanctify them in truth. Your word is truth18Just as you have sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world19And it is for them that I sanctify myself, so that they, too, may be sanctified in truth
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two profound moments of transition and trust in God's plan. The first reading from Acts 20:28-38 captures Paul's poignant farewell to the elders of Ephesus. Paul, aware that he will not see them again, entrusts them with the care of the Church, urging vigilance against false teachings and emphasizing the importance of selfless service. He commends them to God, highlighting the power of grace and the virtue of giving over receiving. The Gospel from John 17:11b-19 presents Jesus in prayer, seeking protection and sanctification for His disciples. Jesus asks the Father to preserve them in unity and truth, even as they remain in the world, just as He was sent into the world.
Both readings are set in contexts of transition and trust. Paul, facing imprisonment and eventual martyrdom, hands over the responsibility of leadership to the elders, trusting in God's grace to sustain them. Jesus, on the eve of His Passion, intercedes for His disciples, trusting the Father to protect and sanctify them. These moments of transition highlight the importance of unity and truth in the life of the Church. Just as Paul entrusted the elders to God’s care, and Jesus entrusted His disciples to the Father, we too are called to trust in God’s providence as we navigate our own challenges and transitions.
These readings invite us to reflect on our role as stewards of God’s flock and as disciples sent into the world. Like Paul, we are called to serve selflessly, to guard against false teachings, and to trust in God’s power to build up the Church. Like Jesus’ disciples, we are called to remain in the world, even as we are sanctified in truth. May we, like Paul and Jesus, entrust ourselves and others to God, knowing that He is our strength and our inheritance. Let us strive to live as one in unity and truth, even as we face the challenges of our own time.