Daily Readings - Fri May 12 2017
Acts
26"Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation.27For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize him nor understand the utterances of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him.28And though they found in him no guilt worthy of death, they asked Pilate to have him executed.29And when they had carried out all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb.30But God raised him from the dead,31and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people.32And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers,33this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm, "'You are my Son, today I have begotten you.'
John
1"Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.2In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.4And you know the way to where I am going."5Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?"6Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the profound truths of our faith, centered on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In the first reading from Acts, Paul addresses the people, recounting how Jesus, though unjustly condemned and crucified, was raised by God on the third day. This act of resurrection is not just a historical event but the fulfillment of God’s promises to humanity, offering salvation to all who believe. In the Gospel, Jesus comforts his disciples with words of reassurance, promising to prepare a place for them and affirming that he is the Way, the Truth, and the Life—the sole path to the Father.
Both readings emphasize the importance of trust and belief in God’s plan. Paul’s speech in Acts underscores the necessity of faith in the risen Christ, while Jesus in John’s Gospel calls us to trust in his divine mission and identity. These passages remind us that our faith is rooted in the historical events of Jesus’ life, but it is also a living, dynamic relationship that guides us through life’s uncertainties.
In our daily lives, these readings encourage us to place our trust in God, even when the path ahead seems unclear. Just as the disciples needed to trust Jesus’ promise of eternal life, we too can find comfort in his assurance that he is always with us, guiding us home to the Father. Let us strive to live as witnesses of this Good News, sharing the hope and love that Jesus has entrusted to us. May we walk in the light of his truth, confident that he is indeed the Way, the Truth, and the Life.