Daily Readings - Wed Apr 28 2021
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 two profound narratives that illuminate the essence of divine mission and our role within it. The first reading from Acts describes the early Church's vibrant growth, where the Holy Spirit commissions Barnabas and Saul for a special mission. This moment in Antioch, a hub of early Christianity, underscores the Church's missionary spirit, driven by fasting, prayer, and obedience to the Spirit. The Gospel from John presents Jesus, the Light of the World, emphasizing His mission from the Father to save humanity. Jesus' words remind us that rejecting Him means facing judgment, not from His condemnation, but from the truth of His message.
Both readings converge on the theme of being sent by God. In Acts, the Holy Spirit sends out missionaries, while in John, Jesus is sent by the Father. This duality highlights the Trinitarian nature of mission, where each person of the Trinity plays a role in reaching out to humanity. This mission is not limited to the apostles but extends to all believers, calling us to be ambassadors of God's love and truth in our own contexts.
As we reflect on these readings, we are reminded that our daily lives are part of a larger divine mission. Whether in our communities, workplaces, or families, we are called to spread God's word through our actions and words. Like Barnabas and Saul, we must be attentive to the Holy Spirit's guidance, willing to step out in faith. Jesus' message of salvation urges us to embrace our role as bearers of light, dispelling darkness and bringing hope. Let us heed this call, allowing God's truth and love to shine through us, transforming the world one interaction at a time.