Daily Readings - Sat Apr 28 2018
Acts
44On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord.45When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and talked abusively against what Paul was saying.46Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: "We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.47For this is what the Lord has commanded us: "'I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'"48When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.49The word of the Lord spread through the whole region.50But the Jews incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.51So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium.52And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
John
7If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."8Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us."9Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?10Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.11Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves.12I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.13And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.14You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the universal call to salvation and the intimate relationship between Jesus and the Father. In the first reading from Acts, we see Paul and Barnabas preaching to the Gentiles after being rejected by the Jews. Despite the persecution they faced, they entrusted their mission to God, shaking the dust from their feet and moving forward with joy and the Holy Spirit. This passage reminds us that the Gospel is meant for all people, and God’s plan is not limited by human rejection or obstacles. In the Gospel, Jesus speaks to Philip about the unity between Himself and the Father. He emphasizes that seeing Him is seeing the Father and that His works are a manifestation of the Father’s presence within Him. Jesus also promises that those who believe in Him will do even greater works, for He goes to the Father to intercede for us.
These readings are connected by the theme of trust in God’s plan and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. In Acts, Paul and Barnabas trusted that God would use their persecution to spread the Gospel further. In John, Jesus assures His disciples that they will continue His work through the power of the Holy Spirit. Both readings encourage us to have faith in God’s providence, even when we face challenges or uncertainty. They remind us that our actions and words should reflect God’s love and truth, just as Jesus’ actions reflected the Father’s will.
In our daily lives, these readings call us to embrace our role as disciples of Christ. Like Paul and Barnabas, we are called to share the Gospel with courage and perseverance, even when we encounter resistance. Like Philip, we may sometimes doubt or seek clearer signs of God’s presence, but Jesus assures us that He is always with us, working through us. Let us ask for the grace to trust in God’s plan, to see His hand at work in our lives, and to allow the Holy Spirit to guide us in doing His will. May we, like the early disciples, be filled with joy and the Holy Spirit as we live out our faith in a world that often rejects it.