Daily Readings - Mon May 17 2021
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
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful moments of faith and transformation. In the first reading from Acts, Paul meets a group of disciples in Ephesus who had been baptized with the baptism of John 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 the Holy Spirit descends, empowering them to speak in tongues and prophesy. This passage reminds us of the vital role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church and the necessity of living a life fully surrendered to Christ.
In the Gospel, Jesus speaks to His disciples about the challenges they will face. He acknowledges that they will be scattered and that He will be left alone, but He reassures them that He is never truly alone because the Father is always with Him. Jesus offers these words of comfort so that His disciples—and we—might have peace in the midst of turmoil. He reminds us that while the world will bring difficulties, we can have confidence because He has already overcome the world. This passage invites us to trust in God’s presence and providence, even in the face of uncertainty and hardship.
These readings are deeply connected. Both highlight the importance of the Holy Spirit and the need to trust in God’s plan. In Acts, the Spirit’s outpouring transforms the lives of the disciples, equipping them for mission. In John’s Gospel, Jesus promises peace and assurance to His disciples, knowing the trials they will face. For us today, these readings call us to examine our own relationship with the Holy Spirit and our willingness to trust in God’s presence in our lives. May we, like the disciples in Ephesus, open ourselves to the fullness of the Spirit, and may we, like Jesus’ disciples, find peace and confidence in the knowledge that God is always with us, even in the midst of challenges.