Daily Readings - Mon May 08 2023

⁵There was a plot afoot among the Gentiles and Jews, together with their leaders, to mistreat them and stone them.⁶But they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding country,⁷where they continued to preach the good news.⁸In Lystra there sat a man crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth and had never walked.⁹He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed¹⁰and called out, "Stand up on your feet!" At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.¹¹When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us in human form!"¹²Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker.¹³The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them.¹⁴But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting:¹⁵"Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them.¹⁶In the past, he let all nations go their own way.¹⁷Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy."¹⁸Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them.

John

Chapter 14

²¹Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."²²Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, "But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?"²³Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.²⁴He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.²⁵"All this I have spoken while still with you.²⁶But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter powerful lessons about faith, divine presence, and the essence of discipleship. The first reading from Acts 14:5-18 recounts Paul and Barnabas's missionary journey, where they face persecution but also perform a miraculous healing. A lame man, hearing Paul, is healed through his faith, leading the crowd to mistakenly worship them as gods. Paul and Barnabas humbly correct them, emphasizing their mortality and the one true God. This episode highlights the challenges of spreading the Gospel and the importance of humility in the face of divine power. In the Gospel, John 14:21-26, Jesus speaks to His disciples about the criteria for loving Him—keeping His commandments. He promises that the Father and He will dwell with those who love Him, and the Holy Spirit will guide them. This passage underscores the internal presence of God in believers, achieved through love and obedience. It contrasts with the external, mistaken worship in Acts, showing that true divine presence is experienced internally through faith and adherence to God's will. These readings remind us to trust in God's presence and provision, even amidst challenges. Like Paul and Barnabas, we must remain humble and faithful, recognizing God's work in our lives. Jesus' words call us to a deep, loving relationship with Him, expressed through obedience. As we navigate life's trials, may we trust in God's presence, stay humble, and keep His commandments, allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us. This faith and love will manifest God's presence in our hearts and lives.