Daily Catholic Mass Readings for May 12, 2017
First Reading: Acts 13.26-33
26"Brothers, children of Abraham, and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent.27The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath.28Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed.29When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb.30But God raised him from the dead,31and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people.32"We tell you the good news: What God promised our fathers33he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm: "'You are my Son; today I have become your Father. '
Psalm 2
1Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain?2The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One.3"Let us break their chains," they say, "and throw off their fetters."4The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.5Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,6"I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill."7I will proclaim the decree of the LORD: He said to me, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father.8Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.9You will rule them with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery."10Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth.11Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling.12Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
Gospel: John 14.1-6
1"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.2In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.4You know the way to the place where I am going."5Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"6Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the profound truths of our faith, centered on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In the first reading from Acts, Paul addresses the people, recounting how Jesus, though unjustly condemned and crucified, was raised by God on the third day. This act of resurrection is not just a historical event but the fulfillment of God’s promises to humanity, offering salvation to all who believe. In the Gospel, Jesus comforts his disciples with words of reassurance, promising to prepare a place for them and affirming that he is the Way, the Truth, and the Life—the sole path to the Father.
Both readings emphasize the importance of trust and belief in God’s plan. Paul’s speech in Acts underscores the necessity of faith in the risen Christ, while Jesus in John’s Gospel calls us to trust in his divine mission and identity. These passages remind us that our faith is rooted in the historical events of Jesus’ life, but it is also a living, dynamic relationship that guides us through life’s uncertainties.
In our daily lives, these readings encourage us to place our trust in God, even when the path ahead seems unclear. Just as the disciples needed to trust Jesus’ promise of eternal life, we too can find comfort in his assurance that he is always with us, guiding us home to the Father. Let us strive to live as witnesses of this Good News, sharing the hope and love that Jesus has entrusted to us. May we walk in the light of his truth, confident that he is indeed the Way, the Truth, and the Life.