Daily Readings - Sun May 18 2025

²¹And when they had evangelized that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch²²strengthening the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them that they should remain always in the faith, and that it is necessary for us to enter into the kingdom of God through many tribulations²³And when they had established priests for them in each church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, in whom they believed²⁴And traveling by way of Pisidia, they arrived in Pamphylia²⁵And having spoken the word of the Lord in Perga, they went down into Attalia²⁶And from there, they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had now accomplished²⁷And when they had arrived and had gathered together the church, they related what great things God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles

Revelation

Chapter 21

¹I saw the new heaven and the new earth. For the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and the sea is no more²And I, John, saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband³And I heard a great voice from the throne, saying: "Behold the tabernacle of God with men. And he will dwell with them, and they will be his people. And God himself will be their God with them⁴And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. And death shall be no more. And neither mourning, nor crying out, nor grief shall be anymore. For the first things have passed away.⁵And the One who was sitting upon the throne, said, "Behold, I make all things new." And he said to me, "Write, for these words are entirely faithful and true.

John

Chapter 13

¹Before the feast day of the Passover, Jesus knew that the hour was approaching when he would pass from this world to the Father. And since he had always loved his own who were in the world, he loved them unto the end³¹Then, when he had gone out, Jesus said: "Now the Son of man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him³²If God has been glorified in him, then God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him without delay³³Little sons, for a brief while, I am with you. You shall seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you are not able to go,’ so also I say to you now³⁴I give you a new commandment: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, so also must you love one another³⁵By this, all shall recognize that you are my disciples: if you will have love for one another.

Sermon

In today’s readings, we journey through themes of perseverance, hope, and love. The first reading from Acts recounts Paul and Barnabas’s missionary journey, where they faced tribulations but remained steadfast, establishing churches and encouraging believers to remain faithful. This highlights the importance of perseverance in the face of adversity, a cornerstone of our faith. The second reading from Revelation offers a vision of a new heaven and earth, where God dwells among His people, bringing an end to suffering. This vision reminds us that our current struggles are temporary and that God’s promise of eternal life with Him is our ultimate hope. In the Gospel, Jesus institutes a new commandment: to love one another as He has loved us. This love is not just a feeling but a choice that reflects our commitment to Him. By living out this love, we become His disciples, recognized by our actions. In our daily lives, let us embrace perseverance, hold onto hope, and choose to love selflessly. May we, like Paul and Barnabas, remain faithful in trials, look forward to God’s promises, and love one another as Jesus loved us, becoming beacons of His love in the world.