Daily Readings - Fri Apr 30 2021
Acts
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. '
John
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 heart of our faith: the promise of salvation and the assurance of eternal life through Jesus Christ. In the first reading from Acts, Paul preaches to the people of Antioch, explaining how the death and resurrection of Jesus fulfill the promises of the Old Testament. He emphasizes that the message of salvation is not just for the Jewish people but for all who seek God. This reading reminds us that the story of Jesus is rooted in history and prophecy, and it is through him that God’s plan for humanity is revealed.
The Gospel from John takes us into the intimate conversation Jesus shares with his disciples before his Passion. Jesus comforts them by saying, “Do not let your heart be troubled,” and he assures them that he is going to prepare a place for them in his Father’s house. When Thomas expresses confusion about the way to follow Jesus, Jesus responds with one of the most profound statements in Scripture: “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” This passage is a beautiful reminder that Jesus is our ultimate guide, and his love and truth are the foundation of our hope.
These readings call us to trust in God’s plan and to place our faith in Jesus, who is the fulfillment of all promises. In our daily lives, we often face uncertainty and doubt, just like Thomas. But Jesus’s words encourage us to remain steadfast in our belief and to seek him as our way, truth, and life. Let us remember that no matter the challenges we face, God’s love and mercy are always at work, preparing a place for us in his eternal kingdom. May we live each day with the hope and assurance that Jesus is our path to the Father, and may we share this good news with others, just as Paul did in Antioch.