Daily Readings - Mon May 17 2021
Acts
1Now it happened that, while Apollo was at Corinth, Paul, after he had journeyed through the upper regions, arrived at Ephesus. And he met with certain disciples2And he said to them, "After believing, have you received the Holy Spirit?" But they said to him, "We have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.3Yet truly, he said, "Then with what have you been baptized?" And they said, "With the baptism of John.4Then Paul said: "John baptized the people with the baptism of repentance, saying that they should believe in the One who is to come after him, that is, in Jesus.5Upon hearing these things, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus6And when Paul had imposed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came over them. And they were speaking in tongues and prophesying7Now the men were about twelve in all8Then, upon entering the synagogue, he was speaking faithfully for three months, disputing and persuading them about the kingdom of God
John
29His disciples said to him: "Behold, now you are speaking plainly and not reciting a proverb30Now we know that you know all things, and that you have no need for anyone to question you. By this, we believe that you went forth from God.31Jesus answered them: "Do you believe now32Behold, the hour is coming, and it has now arrived, when you will be scattered, each one on his own, and you will leave me behind, alone. And yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me33These things I have spoken to you, so that you may have peace in me. In the world, you will have difficulties. But have confidence: I have overcome the world.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful moments of faith and transformation. In the first reading from Acts, Paul meets a group of disciples in Ephesus who had been baptized with the baptism of John but had not yet received the Holy Spirit. Paul explains that John’s baptism was a call to repentance, preparing the way for faith in Jesus. After baptizing them in the name of Jesus, Paul lays hands on them, and the Holy Spirit descends, empowering them to speak in tongues and prophesy. This passage reminds us of the vital role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church and the necessity of living a life fully surrendered to Christ.
In the Gospel, Jesus speaks to His disciples about the challenges they will face. He acknowledges that they will be scattered and that He will be left alone, but He reassures them that He is never truly alone because the Father is always with Him. Jesus offers these words of comfort so that His disciples—and we—might have peace in the midst of turmoil. He reminds us that while the world will bring difficulties, we can have confidence because He has already overcome the world. This passage invites us to trust in God’s presence and providence, even in the face of uncertainty and hardship.
These readings are deeply connected. Both highlight the importance of the Holy Spirit and the need to trust in God’s plan. In Acts, the Spirit’s outpouring transforms the lives of the disciples, equipping them for mission. In John’s Gospel, Jesus promises peace and assurance to His disciples, knowing the trials they will face. For us today, these readings call us to examine our own relationship with the Holy Spirit and our willingness to trust in God’s presence in our lives. May we, like the disciples in Ephesus, open ourselves to the fullness of the Spirit, and may we, like Jesus’ disciples, find peace and confidence in the knowledge that God is always with us, even in the midst of challenges.