Daily Catholic Mass Readings for May 26, 2020
First Reading: Acts 20.17-27
17Then, sending from Miletus to Ephesus, he called those greater by birth in the church18And when they had come to him and were together, he said to them: "You know that from the first day when I entered into Asia, I have been with you, for the entire time, in this manner19serving the Lord, with all humility and despite the tears and trials which befell me from the treacheries of the Jews20how I held back nothing that was of value, how well I have preached to you, and that I have taught you publicly and throughout the houses21testifying both to Jews and to Gentiles about repentance in God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ22And now, behold, being obliged in spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there23except that the Holy Spirit, throughout every city, has cautioned me, saying that chains and tribulations await me at Jerusalem24But I dread none of these things. Neither do I consider my life to be more precious because it is my own, provided that in some way I may complete my own course and that of the ministry of the Word, which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the Gospel of the grace of God25And now, behold, I know that you will no longer see my face, all of you among whom I have traveled, preaching the kingdom of God26For this reason, I call you as witnesses on this very day: that I am clean from the blood of all27For I have not turned aside in the least from announcing every counsel of God to you
Psalm 68
1Unto the end. A Canticle Psalm of David himself. May God rise up, and may his enemies be scattered, and may those who hate him flee from before his face2Just as smoke vanishes, so may they vanish. Just as wax flows away before the face of fire, so may sinners pass away before the face of God3And so, let the just feast, and let them exult in the sight of God and be delighted in gladness4Sing to God, sing a psalm to his name. Make a path for him, who ascends over the west. The Lord is his name. Exult in his sight; they will be stirred up before his face5the father of orphans and the judge of widows. God is in his holy place6It is God who makes men dwell in a house under one custom. He leads out those who are strongly bound, and similarly, those who exasperate, who dwell in sepulchers7O God, when you departed in the sight of your people, when you passed through the desert8the earth was moved, for the heavens rained down before the face of the God of Sinai, before the face of the God of Israel9You will set aside for your inheritance, O God, a willing rain. And though it was weak, truly, you have made it perfect10Your animals will dwell in it. O God, in your sweetness, you have provided for the poor11The Lord will give the word to evangelizers, along with great virtue12The King of virtue is beloved among the beloved. And the beauty of the house will divide spoils13If you take your rest in the midst of the clergy, you will be like a dove whose wings are covered with fine silver and edged with pale gold14When heaven discerns kings to be over her, they will be whitened with the snows of Zalmon15The mountain of God is a fat mountain, a dense mountain, a thick mountain16So then, why are you distrustful of dense mountains? The mountain on which God is well pleased to dwell, even there, the Lord will dwell until the end17The chariot of God is ten thousand fold: thousands rejoice. The Lord is with them in Sinai, in the holy place18You have ascended on high; you have taken captivity captive. You have accepted gifts among men. For even those who do not believe dwell with the Lord God19Blessed is the Lord, day after day. The God of our salvation will make our journey prosper for us20Our God is the God who will bring about our salvation, and our Lord is the Lord who has brought an end to death21So then, truly, God will break the heads of his enemies, the hairy skull of those who wander around in their offenses22The Lord said: I will turn them away from Bashan, I will turn them into the depths of the sea23so that your feet may be soaked in the blood of your enemies, so that the tongue of your dogs may be soaked with the same24O God, they have seen your arrival, the arrival of my God, of my king who is in a holy place25The leaders went ahead, united with the singers of psalms, in the midst of girls playing on timbrels26In the churches, bless the Lord God from the fountains of Israel27In that place, Benjamin is a youth in ecstasy of mind. The leaders of Judah are their governors: the leaders of Zebulun, the leaders of Naphtali28Command by your virtue, O God. Confirm in this place, O God, what you have wrought in us29Before your temple in Jerusalem, kings will offer gifts to you30Rebuke the wild beasts of the reeds, a congregation of bulls with the cows of the people, for they seek to exclude those who have been tested like silver. Scatter the nations that are pleased by wars31Ambassadors will come out of Egypt. Ethiopia will offer in advance her hands to God32Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth. Sing psalms to the Lord. Sing psalms to God33He ascends, up to the heaven of the heavens, toward the east. Behold, he will utter his voice, the voice of virtue34Give glory to God beyond Israel. His magnificence and his virtue is in the clouds35God is wonderful in his saints. The God of Israel himself will give virtue and strength to his people. Blessed is God
Gospel: John 17.1-11a
1Jesus said these things, and then, lifting up his eyes toward heaven, he said: "Father, the hour has arrived: glorify your Son, so that your Son may glorify you2just as you have given authority over all flesh to him, so that he may give eternal life to all those whom you have given to him3And this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent4I have glorified you on earth. I have completed the work that you gave me to accomplish5And now Father, glorify me within yourself, with the glory that I had with you before the world ever was6I have manifested your name to the men whom you have given to me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me. And they have kept your word7Now they realize that all the things that you have given me are from you8For I have given them the words that you gave to me. And they have accepted these words, and they have truly understood that I went forth from you, and they have believed that you sent me9I pray for them. I do not pray for the world, but for those whom you have given to me. For they are yours10And all that is mine is yours, and all that is yours is mine, and I am glorified in this11And 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 one
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two profound moments of faith and leadership. Paul, in Acts, bids farewell to the Ephesian elders, reflecting on his ministry with humility and courage, despite the trials he faces. He entrusts them with the responsibility of leading the flock, emphasizing his commitment to spreading the Gospel. In John's Gospel, Jesus, in His final prayer, seeks glory not for Himself, but to glorify the Father, ensuring His disciples are united and protected in a world filled with challenges.
Both Paul and Jesus are deeply concerned with the well-being of their followers. Paul, nearing the end of his journey, knows the elders must step forward, just as Jesus, in His final moments, prays for the unity of His disciples. Their focus is not on their own fate but on the spiritual safety and unity of those they leave behind. This shared concern highlights the importance of community and leadership in our faith journey.
As we reflect on these readings, we are reminded of the importance of living our faith with commitment and perseverance. Just as Paul and Jesus entrusted others with the mission, we too are called to nurture and protect our communities. Let us strive for unity and support one another, embracing our challenges with courage. In doing so, we honor God and fulfill our role as faithful stewards of His message.