Daily Readings - Thu May 18 2023
Acts
1After these things, having departed from Athens, he arrived at Corinth2And upon finding a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently arrived from Italy with Priscilla his wife, (because Claudius had ordered all Jews to depart from Rome,) he met with them3And because he was of the same trade, he lodged with them and was working. (Now they were tentmakers by trade.4And he was arguing in the synagogue on every Sabbath, introducing the name of the Lord Jesus. And he was persuading Jews and Greeks5And when Silas and Timothy had arrived from Macedonia, Paul stood firm in the Word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ6But since they were contradicting him and blaspheming, he shook out his garments and said to them: "Your blood is on your own heads. I am clean. From now on, I will go to the Gentiles.7And moving from that place, he entered into the house of a certain man, named Titus the Just, a worshiper of God, whose house was adjoined to the synagogue8Now Crispus, a leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, with his entire house. And many of the Corinthians, upon hearing, believed and were baptized
John
16A little while, and then you will not see me. And again a little while, and you will see me. For I am going to the Father.17Then some of his disciples said to one another: "What is this, that he is saying to us: ‘A little while, and you will not see me,’ and ‘Again a little while, and you will see me,’ and, ‘For I am going to the Father?’ 18And they said: "What is this, that he is saying, ‘A little while?’ We do not understand what he is saying.19But Jesus realized that they wanted to question him, and so he said to them: "Are you inquiring among yourselves about this, that I said: ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me?20Amen, amen, I say to you, that you shall mourn and weep, but the world will rejoice. And you shall be greatly saddened, yet your sorrow shall be turned into joy
Sermon
The first reading from Acts tells us about Paul’s ministry in Corinth, where he meets Aquila and Priscilla, Jewish exiles from Rome, and works with them as tentmakers. Despite facing opposition in the synagogue, Paul remains steadfast in preaching the Gospel, and many Corinthians come to believe and are baptized. The reading highlights Paul’s resilience and trust in God’s plan, even in the face of rejection. The Gospel from John presents Jesus comforting his disciples with the promise that though they will mourn his departure, their sorrow will turn to joy. Jesus is preparing them for his return to the Father and the coming of the Holy Spirit, who will guide them in his absence.
Both readings speak to the theme of transition and trust in God’s plan. In Acts, Paul’s ministry shifts from the synagogue to the Gentiles, showing how God’s plan unfolds even when human efforts seem to fail. In John, Jesus assures his disciples that his departure is not an end but a new beginning, one that will bring them joy beyond their current sorrow. Together, these readings remind us that our faith is rooted in trust, even when the path ahead is uncertain.
In our daily lives, we often face moments of transition or rejection, just like Paul and the disciples. These readings invite us to embrace such moments with faith, knowing that God is always at work. Like Paul, we can remain steadfast in our mission, even when faced with opposition. And like the disciples, we can trust that our sorrow will be transformed into joy, not because the pain disappears, but because God’s presence remains with us. Let us, therefore, approach life’s challenges with courage and hope, trusting that God’s plan will bring light out of darkness and joy out of sorrow.