Daily Readings - Wed May 15 2019
Acts
1In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul.2While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."3So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.4The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus.5When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.
John
44Then Jesus cried out, "When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me.45When he looks at me, he sees the one who sent me.46I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.47"As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it.48There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day.49For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it.50I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say."
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter the vibrant life of the early Church and the profound teachings of Jesus. The first reading from Acts describes the thriving community in Antioch, where prophets and teachers, including Barnabas and Saul, are ministering. The Holy Spirit interrupts their fasting and prayer, calling them to set aside Saul and Barnabas for a special mission. This moment marks the beginning of the first great missionary journey, as they are sent forth by the Holy Spirit to preach the Word of God in Cyprus. The reading highlights the Church’s openness to the Spirit’s guidance and its readiness to respond to God’s call, even when it means letting go of familiar faces.
The Gospel from John presents Jesus as the Light of the world, emphasizing that faith in Him is faith in the Father who sent Him. Jesus clarifies that He did not come to judge but to save, and that those who reject Him will be judged by His words on the last day. This passage underscores the urgency of responding to God’s Word and the eternal consequences of accepting or rejecting it. Jesus’ words are not His own but come from the Father, and they are a path to eternal life.
These readings remind us that our lives are not our own but are part of a larger mission. Like the early Church, we are called to listen to the Holy Spirit and be open to where God is leading us. Jesus’ words challenge us to examine how we receive and live out His teachings in our daily lives. Are we reflecting His light in the world, or are we allowing darkness to prevail? Let us ask for the grace to be faithful stewards of the Word, trusting in God’s plan and allowing His light to shine through us.