Daily Readings - Sat Apr 28 2018
Acts
44And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.45But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.46Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.47For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.48And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.49And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.50But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.51But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium.52And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.
John
7If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.8Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.9Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?10Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.11Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.12Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.13And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.14If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the universal call to salvation and the intimate relationship between Jesus and the Father. In the first reading from Acts, we see Paul and Barnabas preaching to the Gentiles after being rejected by the Jews. Despite the persecution they faced, they entrusted their mission to God, shaking the dust from their feet and moving forward with joy and the Holy Spirit. This passage reminds us that the Gospel is meant for all people, and God’s plan is not limited by human rejection or obstacles. In the Gospel, Jesus speaks to Philip about the unity between Himself and the Father. He emphasizes that seeing Him is seeing the Father and that His works are a manifestation of the Father’s presence within Him. Jesus also promises that those who believe in Him will do even greater works, for He goes to the Father to intercede for us.
These readings are connected by the theme of trust in God’s plan and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. In Acts, Paul and Barnabas trusted that God would use their persecution to spread the Gospel further. In John, Jesus assures His disciples that they will continue His work through the power of the Holy Spirit. Both readings encourage us to have faith in God’s providence, even when we face challenges or uncertainty. They remind us that our actions and words should reflect God’s love and truth, just as Jesus’ actions reflected the Father’s will.
In our daily lives, these readings call us to embrace our role as disciples of Christ. Like Paul and Barnabas, we are called to share the Gospel with courage and perseverance, even when we encounter resistance. Like Philip, we may sometimes doubt or seek clearer signs of God’s presence, but Jesus assures us that He is always with us, working through us. Let us ask for the grace to trust in God’s plan, to see His hand at work in our lives, and to allow the Holy Spirit to guide us in doing His will. May we, like the early disciples, be filled with joy and the Holy Spirit as we live out our faith in a world that often rejects it.