Daily Readings - Fri May 12 2023
Acts
22Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers,23with the following letter: "The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings.24Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions,25it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,26men who have risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ.27We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth.28For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements:29that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell."30So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter.31And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement.
John
12"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.13Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends.14You are my friends if you do what I command you.15No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.16You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.17These things I command you, so that you will love one another.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the power of love and unity in the life of the Church. In the first reading from Acts, we see the early Christian community grappling with how to welcome Gentile converts into the fold. The Apostles and elders, guided by the Holy Spirit, decide to impose only a few essential practices on these new believers, emphasizing love and freedom rather than burdensome rules. This decision is rooted in the conviction that faith in Jesus Christ is what truly unites us, and that love must be the foundation of our shared life.
In the Gospel, Jesus takes this idea a step further. He tells His disciples that they are no longer servants but friends, because He has shared everything He has heard from the Father with them. This intimate relationship is rooted in love—specifically, the command to love one another as He has loved us. Jesus’ love is not conditional or self-serving; it is self-giving and sacrificial. He calls us to imitate this love in our relationships with others, bearing fruit that will last.
These readings remind us that our faith is not just about rules or rituals, but about living in loving relationship with God and with one another. In our daily lives, we are called to approach others with the same compassion and understanding that the early Church showed to the Gentiles. Let us ask ourselves: Are we building up the Body of Christ by our words and actions, or are we imposing unnecessary burdens? Do we treat others as friends, sharing the love and truth of God with them? May we, like the early Church, be guided by the Holy Spirit to live in love and unity, bearing fruit that reflects the heart of Christ.