Daily Readings - Wed May 12 2021
Acts
15Then those who were leading Paul brought him as far as Athens. And having received an order from him to Silas and Timothy, that they should come to him quickly, they set out16Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred up within him, seeing the city given over to idolatry17And so, he was disputing with the Jews in the synagogue, and with the worshipers, and in public places, throughout each day, with whomever was there18Now certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were arguing with him. And some were saying, "What does this sower of the Word want to say?" Yet others were saying, "He seems to be an announcer for new demons." For he was announcing to them Jesus and the Resurrection19And apprehending him, they brought him to the Areopagus, saying: "Are we able to know what this new doctrine is, about which you speak20For you bring certain new ideas to our ears. And so we would like to know what these things mean.21(Now all the Athenians, and arriving visitors, were occupying themselves with nothing other than speaking or hearing various new ideas.22But Paul, standing in the middle of the Areopagus, said: "Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are rather superstitious23For as I was passing by and noticing your idols, I also found an altar, on which was written: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore, what you worship in ignorance, this is what I am preaching to you24the God who made the world and all that is in it, the One who is the Lord of heaven and earth, who does not live in temples made with hands25Neither is he served by the hands of men, as if in need of anything, since it is he who gives to all things life and breath and all else26And he has made, out of one, every family of man: to live upon the face of the entire earth, determining the appointed seasons and the limits of their habitation27so as to seek God, if perhaps they may consider him or find him, though he is not far from each one of us28‘For in him we live, and move, and exist.’ Just as some of your own poets have said. ‘For we are also of his family.29Therefore, since we are of the family of God, we must not consider gold or silver or precious stones, or the engravings of art and of the imagination of man, to be a representation of what is Divine30And indeed, God, having looked down to see the ignorance of these times, has now announced to men that everyone everywhere should do penance31For he has appointed a day on which he will judge the world in equity, through the man whom he has appointed, offering faith to all, by raising him from the dead.32And when they had heard about the Resurrection of the dead, indeed, some were derisive, while others said, "We will listen to you about this again.33So Paul departed from their midst34Yet truly, certain men, adhering to him, did believe. Among these were also Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them
1After these things, having departed from Athens, he arrived at Corinth
John
12I still have many things to say to you, but you are not able to bear them now13But when the Spirit of truth has arrived, he will teach the whole truth to you. For he will not be speaking from himself. Instead, whatever he will hear, he will speak. And he will announce to you the things that are to come14He shall glorify me. For he will receive from what is mine, and he will announce it to you15All things whatsoever that the Father has are mine. For this reason, I said that he will receive from what is mine and that he will announce it to you
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two profound moments of revelation and truth. The first reading from Acts describes Paul’s encounter with the people of Athens, a city steeped in idolatry and philosophical inquiry. Paul, moved by the spirit, engages the Athenians in their own cultural and philosophical context, using the altar to the “unknown God” as a bridge to proclaim the one true God. He explains that this God is the creator of all, who does not dwell in temples but is close to every person. While some mock him, others open their hearts to the truth. The Gospel from John, on the other hand, presents Jesus speaking about the Spirit of truth, who will guide the disciples into all truth and reveal the things to come. The Spirit will glorify Jesus by taking what is His and announcing it to the disciples, emphasizing that everything the Father has belongs to Jesus.
These readings, though from different contexts, are deeply connected. In Acts, Paul is revealing the truth of God to a world steeped in idolatry and ignorance, while in John, Jesus is promising the Spirit who will reveal the truth of God to His disciples. Both readings emphasize the universal and eternal nature of God’s truth. Paul’s approach in Athens reminds us that the Gospel must be inculturated, meeting people where they are, while John’s passage underscores the role of the Holy Spirit in guiding us to the fullness of truth. Together, they invite us to seek God in all things and to remain open to the Spirit’s guidance in understanding and living out the truth.
In our daily lives, these readings challenge us to embrace the universal presence of God and to be bold in sharing the truth. Like Paul, we are called to engage our world with sensitivity and courage, using the language and experiences of those around us to proclaim the Gospel. At the same time, we must remain humble and open to the Spirit’s guidance, trusting that He will lead us into all truth. The moral lesson here is clear: God’s truth is not confined to temples or ideologies but is revealed in creation, in culture, and in the depths of the human heart. Let us, therefore, seek God in all things and allow the Spirit to transform us and guide us in our mission to share the truth with a world in need.