Daily Readings - Mon May 25 2020
Acts
1And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,2He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.3And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.4Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.5When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.6And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.7And all the men were about twelve.8And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.
John
29His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb.30Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.31Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?32Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.33These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Sermon
The first reading from Acts and the Gospel of John both invite us to reflect on the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. In Acts, Paul encounters disciples in Ephesus who had been baptized with John’s baptism but had not yet received the Holy Spirit. Paul explains that John’s baptism was a call to repentance, preparing the way for faith in Jesus. After baptizing them in the name of Jesus, Paul lays hands on them, and they receive the Holy Spirit, manifesting His presence through tongues and prophecy. This passage reminds us that the Holy Spirit is the fulfillment of God’s promise and the source of our spiritual vitality.
In the Gospel, Jesus speaks to His disciples about the challenges they will face after His departure. He assures them that even though they will be scattered and face difficulties, they should not lose heart because He has overcome the world. Jesus emphasizes that the Father is always with Him, and through faith, His disciples can find peace in the midst of turmoil. This passage invites us to trust in God’s presence and providence, even when the world seems uncertain.
Together, these readings remind us that the Holy Spirit is our strength and our peace. In Acts, the Spirit empowers believers to live boldly as witnesses of Christ. In John’s Gospel, the Spirit is the source of the peace that Jesus leaves with His disciples. In our daily lives, we can apply this by trusting in the Holy Spirit’s guidance and seeking His comfort when we face challenges. Let us ask for the courage to live as Spirit-filled disciples, confident that God is always with us, even in the midst of difficulties.