Daily Readings - Fri May 16 2025
Acts
26Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.27For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.28And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain.29And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.30But God raised him from the dead:31And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.32And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers,33God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.
John
1Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.2In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.4And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.5Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?6Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the heart of our Christian faith: the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the promise of eternal life. In the first reading from Acts, St. Paul preaches to both Jews and Gentiles, explaining how Jesus fulfilled the promises of the Old Testament. He reminds his audience that the rulers of Jerusalem, along with those who rejected Jesus, fulfilled the Scriptures by condemning him to death. Yet, God’s plan was not defeated; instead, he raised Jesus from the dead, proving his power over sin and death. This resurrection is not just a historical event but a living reality that offers salvation to all people.
In the Gospel, Jesus comforts his disciples with words of hope and reassurance. He speaks of his Father’s house, where there are many dwelling places, and promises to prepare a place for them. Thomas’s confusion about the way to this place leads Jesus to declare, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” These words are both a promise and a challenge. They remind us that our ultimate home is not in this world but in the eternal life that Jesus offers. At the same time, they call us to trust in him as the only path to the Father.
These readings remind us that our faith is rooted in the resurrection of Jesus and the promise of eternal life. Like the disciples, we may face uncertainty and doubt in our journey, but Jesus assures us that he is always with us, guiding us. As St. Paul shares the Good News with both Jews and Gentiles, we too are called to share this message of hope with others. Let us live each day with trust in God’s plan, knowing that our true home is in him. May we follow Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and may we always remember that no matter what challenges we face, he is our ultimate hope and salvation.