Daily Readings - Sun May 16 2021
Acts
1The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,2Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:3To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:4And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.5For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.6When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?7And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.8But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.9And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.10And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;11Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
First Reading - Ephesians 1.17-23 or Ephesians 4.1-7, 11-13
Ephesians
17That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:18The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,19And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,20Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,21Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:22And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,23Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
Ephesians
1I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,2With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;3Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.4There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;5One Lord, one faith, one baptism,6One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.7But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.11And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;12For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:13Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Mark
15And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.16He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.17And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;18They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.19So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.20And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
Sermon
In today's readings, we journey through pivotal moments in the life of the early Church and the mission of Christ. The first reading from Acts describes the Ascension of Jesus, where He instructs the Apostles to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit, promising them empowerment to be His witnesses. The second reading from Ephesians is a prayer for wisdom and revelation, highlighting Christ's exaltation and His role as the head of the Church, which is His body. The Gospel from Mark concludes with the Great Commission, where Jesus commands His disciples to preach the Gospel to all creation, promising signs of faith and His eventual return.
These readings are deeply interconnected, each emphasizing the mission of the Church and the empowerment through the Holy Spirit. Acts sets the stage for the Church's beginnings, Ephesians explains the spiritual identity and unity of believers, and Mark provides the command to spread the Gospel. Together, they remind us that we, as part of the Church, are called to witness and share the Good News, trusting in God's power and timing.
In our daily lives, these readings encourage us to embrace our role as part of Christ's body. We are empowered by the Holy Spirit to live with hope and faith, trusting in Christ's presence and guidance. Let us actively participate in the Church's mission, spreading the Gospel with courage and love, knowing that Christ is with us always. The moral lesson is clear: wait on God, trust in His power, and live as faithful witnesses, embodying the hope and unity found in Christ.