Daily Readings - Thu May 07 2020

¹³And when Paul and those who were with him had sailed from Paphos, they arrived at Perga in Pamphylia. Then John departed from them and returned to Jerusalem¹⁴Yet truly, they, traveling on from Perga, arrived at Antioch in Pisidia. And upon entering the synagogue on the Sabbath day, they sat down¹⁵Then, after the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent to them, saying: "Noble brothers, if there is in you any word of exhortation to the people, speak.¹⁶Then Paul, rising up and motioning for silence with his hand, said: "Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen closely¹⁷The God of the people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people, when they were settlers in the land of Egypt. And with an exalted arm, he led them away from there¹⁸And throughout a time of forty years, he endured their behavior in the desert¹⁹And by destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, he divided their land among them by lot²⁰after about four hundred and fifty years. And after these things, he gave them judges, even until the prophet Samuel²¹And later on, they petitioned for a king. And God gave them Saul, the son of Kish, a man from the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years²²And having removed him, he raised up for them king David. And offering testimony about him, he said, ‘I have found David, the son of Jesse, to be a man according to my own heart, who will accomplish all that I will.²³From his offspring, according to the Promise, God has brought Jesus the Savior to Israel²⁴John was preaching, before the face of his advent, a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel²⁵Then, when John completed his course, he was saying: ‘I am not the one you consider me to be. For behold, one arrives after me, the shoes of whose feet I am not worthy to loosen.

John

Chapter 13

¹⁶Amen, amen, I say to you, the servant is not greater than his Lord, and the apostle is not greater than he who sent him¹⁷If you understand this, you shall be blessed if you will do it¹⁸I am not speaking about all of you. I know those whom I have chosen. But this is so that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats bread with me shall lift up his heel against me.¹⁹And I tell you this now, before it happens, so that when it has happened, you may believe that I am²⁰Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives anyone whom I send, receives me. And whoever receives me, receives him who sent me.

Sermon

In today's readings, we journey through two significant moments in the narrative of our faith. The first reading from Acts 13:13-25 captures Paul's sermon in the synagogue of Antioch, where he traces the history of Israel, highlighting God's enduring promise and culminating in the arrival of Jesus as the savior. This passage underscores Paul's missionary work, as he connects the dots between Israel's past and the present revelation of Jesus Christ. The second reading from John 13:16-20 presents Jesus during the Last Supper, emphasizing the humble service expected of his disciples. Jesus clarifies that just as he serves, so too must his followers, and he warns of the betrayal that will unfold, reinforcing the theme of trust and fidelity. Both readings are set in contexts of transition and revelation. Paul, in Acts, is on a missionary journey, addressing a Jewish audience to show how Jesus is the fulfillment of their scriptures. In John, Jesus is preparing his disciples for his departure, teaching them about the nature of servant leadership and the challenges of faith. These passages relate through their emphasis on humility and service. Paul's recounting of Israel's history and Jesus' teaching both point to the necessity of staying grounded in one's spiritual heritage while embracing the call to serve others. In our daily lives, these readings invite us to reflect on our own role as servants of the Gospel. Just as Paul connected the past to the present, we too can draw strength from our spiritual roots. Jesus' words remind us that true greatness lies in serving others. As we navigate our own journeys, may we embrace humility and remain faithful to God's plan, trusting in His providence even amidst challenges. Let us strive to live as servants, recognizing that in serving others, we serve Christ, and through Him, we serve God.