Daily Readings - Thu May 12 2022

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 passages that illuminate the tapestry of God's plan and the essence of servant leadership. The first reading from Acts 13:13-25 captures Paul's sermon in Antioch, where he recounts the history of Israel, tracing God's faithfulness from the Exodus to the kings, culminating in Jesus. This historical narrative serves as a foundation for understanding God's enduring plan and the fulfillment of His promises through Christ. The second reading from John 13:16-20 shifts focus to Jesus during the Last Supper, where He emphasizes humility and the fulfillment of Scripture through betrayal, underscoring the disciples' role in continuing His mission. Both readings intertwine themes of divine plan and leadership. Paul's sermon highlights God's faithfulness and the progression of His plan through history, while John's passage emphasizes Jesus' humility and the fulfillment of Scripture. Together, they remind us that our roles as followers are rooted in humility and trust in God's providence. In our daily lives, these readings invite us to embrace humility and trust in God's plan. Just as Paul and the disciples were called to serve with faithfulness, we too are summoned to live with humility and trust, knowing that God's plan unfolds in His time. Let us reflect on our own call to service and faith, trusting in God's providence as we navigate life's challenges.