Daily Readings - Wed May 11 2022
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 witness the early church's vibrant faith and Jesus' profound message of divine mission. The Acts passage highlights the church in Antioch, guided by the Holy Spirit, commissioning Barnabas and Saul for their missionary journey. This episode underscores the church's reliance on the Spirit and obedience to God's will, illustrating how the early believers were attuned to divine guidance, embarking on their mission with fasting and prayer.
In the Gospel, Jesus emphasizes His role as a light to the world, sent by the Father. He clarifies that His mission is one of salvation, not judgment, yet warns that rejection of His message will lead to judgment by His words. This duality of salvation and judgment underscores the seriousness of responding to God's Word.
These readings remind us to listen to the Holy Spirit's promptings in our lives, just as the early church did. Like Barnabas and Saul, we are called to share God's Word with others. Jesus' message invites us to embrace His light, avoiding the darkness of sin, and to take responsibility for living according to His teachings. May we, in our daily lives, obey God's will and share His love, mindful of the eternal life His commandment offers.