Daily Readings - Sun May 17 2020

⁵Now Philip, descending to a city of Samaria, was preaching Christ to them⁶And the crowd was listening intently and with one accord to those things which were being said by Philip, and they were watching the signs which he was accomplishing⁷For many of them had unclean spirits, and, crying out with a loud voice, these departed from them⁸And many of the paralytics and the lame were cured¹⁴Now when the Apostles who were in Jerusalem had heard that Samaria had received the Word of God, they sent Peter and John to them¹⁵And when they had arrived, they prayed for them, so that they might receive the Holy Spirit¹⁶For he had not yet come to any among them, since they were only baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus¹⁷Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit

1 Peter

Chapter 3

¹⁵But sanctify Christ the Lord in your hearts, being always ready to give an explanation to all who ask you the reason for that hope which is in you¹⁶But do so with meekness and fear, having a good conscience, so that, in whatever matter they may slander you, they shall be confounded, since they falsely accuse your good behavior in Christ¹⁷For it is better to suffer for doing good, if it is the will of God, than for doing evil¹⁸For Christ also died once for our sins, the Just One on behalf of the unjust, so that he might offer us to God, having died, certainly, in the flesh, but having been enlivened by the Spirit

John

Chapter 14

¹⁵If you love me, keep my commandments¹⁶And I will ask the Father, and he will give another Advocate to you, so that he may abide with you for eternity¹⁷the Spirit of Truth, whom the world is not able to accept, because it neither perceives him nor knows him. But you shall know him. For he will remain with you, and he will be in you¹⁸I will not leave you orphans. I will return to you¹⁹Yet a little while and the world will not see me any longer. But you will see me. For I live, and you shall live²⁰In that day, you shall know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you²¹Whoever holds to my commandments and keeps them: it is he who loves me. And whoever loves me shall be loved by my Father. And I will love him, and I will manifest myself to him.

Sermon

The readings today remind us of the profound connection between faith, love, and the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. In the first reading from Acts, we see Philip preaching in Samaria, where many believe in Christ and receive healing. When the Apostles in Jerusalem hear of this, they send Peter and John to pray over the new believers, laying hands on them so they might receive the Holy Spirit. This passage highlights the unity of the early Church and the essential role of the Spirit in confirming faith and empowering believers. The second reading from 1 Peter complements this by emphasizing the importance of living a life of virtue and being ready to explain the hope that is in us. Peter encourages us to suffer patiently for doing good, knowing that Christ, the Just One, suffered for our sins to reconcile us to God. This reminds us that our faith is not just a private matter but a way of life that should inspire others and bring them to Christ. In the Gospel, Jesus promises his disciples that he will send the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, who will remain with them forever. He ties this promise to their love for him, saying, "If you love me, keep my commandments." Jesus makes it clear that love is not just a feeling but a commitment to living according to his will. He also assures them that he will manifest himself to those who keep his commandments, promising a deep, abiding union with him and the Father. These readings invite us to reflect on the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives and the importance of living out our faith with love and integrity. Just as the early Church relied on the Spirit to guide and empower them, we too must open ourselves to the Spirit’s presence, allowing him to transform us and inspire us to live as witnesses of Christ’s love. Let us ask ourselves: Are we living in a way that reflects the hope and joy of the Gospel? Are we open to the Spirit’s guidance in our daily lives? May we, like Philip and the early believers, allow the Spirit to work through us, bringing light and life to a world in need.