Daily Readings - Mon May 17 2021
Acts
1While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples2and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."3So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?John's baptism," they replied.4Paul said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus."5On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.6When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.7There were about twelve men in all.8Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God.
John
29Then Jesus' disciples said, "Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech.30Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God."31"You believe at last!" Jesus answered.32"But a time is coming, and has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.33"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful moments of faith and transformation. In the first reading from Acts, Paul meets a group of disciples in Ephesus who had been baptized with the baptism of John but had not yet received the Holy Spirit. Paul explains that John’s baptism was a call to repentance, preparing the way for faith in Jesus. After baptizing them in the name of Jesus, Paul lays hands on them, and the Holy Spirit descends, empowering them to speak in tongues and prophesy. This passage reminds us of the vital role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church and the necessity of living a life fully surrendered to Christ.
In the Gospel, Jesus speaks to His disciples about the challenges they will face. He acknowledges that they will be scattered and that He will be left alone, but He reassures them that He is never truly alone because the Father is always with Him. Jesus offers these words of comfort so that His disciples—and we—might have peace in the midst of turmoil. He reminds us that while the world will bring difficulties, we can have confidence because He has already overcome the world. This passage invites us to trust in God’s presence and providence, even in the face of uncertainty and hardship.
These readings are deeply connected. Both highlight the importance of the Holy Spirit and the need to trust in God’s plan. In Acts, the Spirit’s outpouring transforms the lives of the disciples, equipping them for mission. In John’s Gospel, Jesus promises peace and assurance to His disciples, knowing the trials they will face. For us today, these readings call us to examine our own relationship with the Holy Spirit and our willingness to trust in God’s presence in our lives. May we, like the disciples in Ephesus, open ourselves to the fullness of the Spirit, and may we, like Jesus’ disciples, find peace and confidence in the knowledge that God is always with us, even in the midst of challenges.