Daily Readings - Sat Jan 25 2025
First Reading - Acts 22.3-16 or Acts 9.1-22
Acts
3And he said: "I am a Jewish man, born at Tarsus in Cilicia, but raised in this city beside the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the truth of the law of the fathers, zealous for the law, just as all of you also are to this day4I persecuted this Way, even unto death, binding and delivering into custody both men and women5just as the high priest and all those greater by birth bear witness to me. Having received letters from them to the brothers, I journeyed to Damascus, so that I might lead them bound from there to Jerusalem, so that they might be punished6But it happened that, as I was traveling and was approaching Damascus at midday, suddenly from heaven a great light shone around me7And falling to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?8And I responded, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.9And those who were with me, indeed, saw the light, but they did not hear the voice of him who was speaking with me10And I said, ‘What should I do, Lord?’ Then the Lord said to me: ‘Rise up, and go to Damascus. And there, you shall be told all that you must do.11And since I could not see, because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by my companions, and I went to Damascus12Then a certain Ananias, a man in accord with the law, having the testimony of all the Jews who were living there13drawing near to me and standing close by, said to me, ‘Brother Saul, see!’ And in that same hour, I looked upon him14But he said: ‘The God of our fathers has preordained you, so that you would come to know his will and would see the Just One, and would hear the voice from his mouth15For you shall be his witness to all men about those things which you have seen and heard16And now, why do you delay? Rise up, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, by invoking his name.
Acts
1Now Saul, still breathing threats and beatings against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest2and he petitioned him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that, if he found any men or women belonging to this Way, he could lead them as prisoners to Jerusalem3And as he made the journey, it happened that he was approaching Damascus. And suddenly, a light from heaven shone around him4And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?5And he said, "Who are you, Lord?" And he: "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goad.6And he, trembling and astonished, said, "Lord, what do you want me to do?7And the Lord said to him, "Rise up and go into the city, and there you will be told what you ought to do." Now the men who were accompanying him were standing stupefied, hearing indeed a voice, but seeing no one8Then Saul rose up from the ground. And upon opening his eyes, he saw nothing. So leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus9And in that place, he was without sight for three days, and he neither ate nor drank10Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias. And the Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias!" And he said, "Here I am, Lord.11And the Lord said to him: "Rise up and go into the street that is called Straight, and seek, in the house of Judas, the one named Saul of Tarsus. For behold, he is praying.12(And Paul saw a man named Ananias entering and imposing hands upon him, so that he might receive his sight.13But Ananias responded: "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem14And he has authority here from the leaders of the priests to bind all who invoke your name.15Then the Lord said to him: "Go, for this one is an instrument chosen by me to convey my name before nations and kings and the sons of Israel16For I will reveal to him how much he must suffer on behalf of my name.17And Ananias departed. And he entered the house. And laying his hands upon him, he said: "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, he who appeared to you on the way by which you arrived, sent me so that you would receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.18And immediately, it was as if scales had fallen from his eyes, and he received his sight. And rising up, he was baptized19And when he had taken a meal, he was strengthened. Now he was with the disciples who were at Damascus for some days20And he was continuously preaching Jesus in the synagogues: that he is the Son of God21And all who heard him were astonished, and they said, "Is this not the one who, in Jerusalem, was fighting against those invoking this name, and who came here for this: so that he might lead them away to the leaders of the priests?22But Saul was increasing to a greater extent in ability, and so he was confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus, by affirming that he is the Christ
Mark
15And he said to them: "Go forth to the whole world and preach the Gospel to every creature16Whoever will have believed and been baptized will be saved. Yet truly, whoever will not have believed will be condemned17Now these signs will accompany those who believe. In my name, they shall cast out demons. They will speak in new languages18They will take up serpents, and, if they drink anything deadly, it will not harm them. They shall lay their hands upon the sick, and they will be well.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two profound moments in the journey of faith. The first reading from Acts recounts Paul’s dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus. Once a zealous persecutor of Christians, Paul’s life was transformed by a blinding light and a voice that revealed Jesus to him. This encounter not only changed Paul’s direction but also equipped him to become a powerful witness for Christ. The Gospel from Mark presents Jesus’ Great Commission, where He instructs His disciples to go out into the world, preach the Gospel, and baptize all nations. Jesus emphasizes that belief and baptism lead to salvation, while unbelief leads to condemnation. He also promises that signs of faith, such as healing and casting out demons, will accompany those who believe.
These readings are deeply connected. Paul’s conversion in Acts is a living example of the Great Commission in action. Paul, once a persecutor, becomes a missionary, demonstrating how God can transform even the most unlikely hearts. His story shows that no one is beyond the reach of God’s grace and that everyone is called to be a witness to the Gospel. The context of both readings is one of mission and transformation. Paul’s encounter with Christ is not just a personal experience but a call to serve others, while Jesus’ commission to the disciples is a universal mandate to spread the Good News to all creation.
In our daily lives, these readings invite us to reflect on our own response to God’s call. Like Paul, we may have moments of profound conversion or gradual awakening to God’s will. Like the disciples, we are called to share the Gospel with others, not just through words but through our actions and the way we live. The moral lesson here is one of trust and obedience. Just as Paul trusted in the mysterious voice on the Damascus road, and just as the disciples trusted in Jesus’ commission, we too are called to trust in God’s plan and to be open to His will, even when it leads us into unknown territory. Let us ask ourselves: Am I truly living as a witness to the Gospel? Am I open to the ways God may be calling me to serve others and to share His love? May we, like Paul and the disciples, embrace our mission with courage and faith, knowing that God’s grace will accompany us every step of the way.