Daily Readings - Wed May 16 2018
Acts
28Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.29I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.30Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.31So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.32"Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.33I have not coveted anyone's silver or gold or clothing.34You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions.35In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"36When he had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.37They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him.38What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.
John
11I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name--the name you gave me--so that they may be one as we are one.12While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.13"I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.14I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.15My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.16They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.17Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.18As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.19For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
Sermon
The first reading from Acts and the Gospel from John both speak to the themes of protection, guidance, and the mission of believers in the world. In Acts, Paul bids farewell to the elders of Ephesus, urging them to care for the flock entrusted to them and to remain vigilant against false teachers. He reminds them that the Church is God’s own possession, purchased at a great price, and that their role is to serve and support one another. Paul’s words are both a warning and an encouragement, emphasizing the importance of living out the faith with integrity and generosity. In the Gospel, Jesus prays for his disciples, asking the Father to protect and sanctify them. He acknowledges that while they are in the world, they are not of the world, and he commissions them to continue his mission. Jesus’ prayer is a profound expression of his love and concern for those who follow him, ensuring that they are equipped to live as his witnesses in a world that often opposes them.
Both readings highlight the tension between being in the world and being set apart for God’s purposes. Paul’s farewell speech and Jesus’ prayer remind us that believers are called to live with a sense of responsibility and purpose. We are not here to pursue our own interests or to blend in with the world, but to serve others and to bear witness to God’s truth. This requires us to be vigilant, to trust in God’s providence, and to remain faithful even in the face of challenges. The readings also emphasize the importance of community and mutual support. Just as Paul exhorts the elders to care for one another, and just as Jesus prays for the unity and sanctification of his disciples, we too are called to live in harmony and to uphold one another in our shared mission.
As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: How am I fulfilling my role in the Body of Christ? Am I living as a light in the world, or am I allowing the world to shape me instead? Let us strive to remain faithful to God’s word, to serve others with generosity and love, and to trust in his protection and guidance. May we, like Paul and the disciples, embrace our calling with courage and humility, knowing that we are not alone but are part of a greater community sanctified and sent into the world for the sake of God’s kingdom.