Daily Catholic Mass Readings for May 23, 2023
First Reading: Acts 20.17-27
17Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him.18And when they came to him, he said to them:"You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia,19serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews;20how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house,21testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.22And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there,23except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me.24But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.25And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again.26Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all of you,27for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.
Psalm 68
1God shall arise, his enemies shall be scattered; and those who hate him shall flee before him!2As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away; as wax melts before fire, so the wicked shall perish before God!3But the righteous shall be glad; they shall exult before God; they shall be jubilant with joy!4Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts; his name is the LORD; exult before him!5Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation.6God settles the solitary in a home; he leads out the prisoners to prosperity, but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.7O God, when you went out before your people, when you marched through the wilderness, Selah8the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain, before God, the One of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel.9Rain in abundance, O God, you shed abroad; you restored your inheritance as it languished;10your flock found a dwelling in it; in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy.11The Lord gives the word; the women who announce the news are a great host:12"The kings of the armies--they flee, they flee!" The women at home divide the spoil--13though you men lie among the sheepfolds--the wings of a dove covered with silver, its pinions with shimmering gold.14When the Almighty scatters kings there, let snow fall on Zalmon.15O mountain of God, mountain of Bashan; O many-peaked mountain, mountain of Bashan!16Why do you look with hatred, O many-peaked mountain, at the mount that God desired for his abode, yes, where the LORD will dwell forever?17The chariots of God are twice ten thousand, thousands upon thousands; the Lord is among them; Sinai is now in the sanctuary.18You ascended on high, leading a host of captives in your train and receiving gifts among men, even among the rebellious, that the LORD God may dwell there.19Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation. Selah20Our God is a God of salvation, and to GOD, the Lord, belong deliverances from death.21But God will strike the heads of his enemies, the hairy crown of him who walks in his guilty ways.22The Lord said, "I will bring them back from Bashan, I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,23that you may strike your feet in their blood, that the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from the foe."24Your procession is seen, O God, the procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary--25the singers in front, the musicians last, between them virgins playing tambourines:26"Bless God in the great congregation, the LORD, O you who are of Israel's fountain!"27There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead, the princes of Judah in their throng, the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.28Summon your power, O God, the power, O God, by which you have worked for us.29Because of your temple at Jerusalem kings shall bear gifts to you.30Rebuke the beasts that dwell among the reeds, the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples. Trample underfoot those who lust after tribute; scatter the peoples who delight in war.31Nobles shall come from Egypt; Cush shall hasten to stretch out her hands to God.32O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God; sing praises to the Lord, Selah33to him who rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens; behold, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.34Ascribe power to God, whose majesty is over Israel, and whose power is in the skies.35Awesome is God from his sanctuary; the God of Israel--he is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!
Gospel: John 17.1-11a
1When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,2since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.3And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.4I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.5And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.6"I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.7Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you.8For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.9I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.10All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.11And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two profound reflections on mission, unity, and the ultimate purpose of our lives as followers of Christ. The first reading from Acts 20:17-27 presents St. Paul’s heartfelt farewell to the elders of Ephesus. Paul, aware of the trials and sufferings that await him in Jerusalem, humbly reflects on his ministry. He reminds the elders of his unwavering dedication to preaching the Gospel, despite the challenges he faced. Paul’s words are a testament to his selflessness and trust in God’s plan, even when the path ahead seems uncertain. He emphasizes that his life’s work is to complete the mission entrusted to him by the Lord, to testify to the Gospel of God’s grace.
The Gospel reading from John 17:1-11a shifts our focus to Jesus’ prayer to the Father before His Passion. Jesus speaks of glorifying the Father and being glorified in return, not for His own sake but so that He might give eternal life to all those the Father has given Him. Jesus defines eternal life as knowing the one true God and Himself, whom the Father has sent. He prays for His disciples, asking that they may be one, just as He and the Father are one. This prayer is a beautiful expression of the unity and love that exist within the Trinity and are extended to us through Christ.
Both readings remind us that our lives are not our own but are part of a larger plan. Like Paul, we are called to be faithful stewards of the Gospel, trusting in God’s providence even when the road ahead is difficult. Like Jesus, we are called to live in unity and love, reflecting the oneness of the Father and the Son. In our daily lives, this means prioritizing our relationship with God, embracing our mission to share His love with others, and striving to overcome divisions so that we may truly be one in Christ. May we, like Paul, be willing to surrender our lives for the sake of the Gospel, and may we, like Jesus, pray for and work toward the unity of all God’s people.