Daily Readings - Fri May 12 2023
Acts
22Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, two men who were leaders among the brothers.23With them they sent the following letter: The apostles and elders, your brothers, To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia: Greetings.24We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said.25So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul--26men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.27Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing.28It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements:29You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.30The men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter.31The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message.
John
12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.14You are my friends if you do what I command.15I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.16You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.17This is my command: Love each other.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the power of love and unity in the life of the Church. In the first reading from Acts, we see the early Christian community grappling with how to welcome Gentile converts into the fold. The Apostles and elders, guided by the Holy Spirit, decide to impose only a few essential practices on these new believers, emphasizing love and freedom rather than burdensome rules. This decision is rooted in the conviction that faith in Jesus Christ is what truly unites us, and that love must be the foundation of our shared life.
In the Gospel, Jesus takes this idea a step further. He tells His disciples that they are no longer servants but friends, because He has shared everything He has heard from the Father with them. This intimate relationship is rooted in love—specifically, the command to love one another as He has loved us. Jesus’ love is not conditional or self-serving; it is self-giving and sacrificial. He calls us to imitate this love in our relationships with others, bearing fruit that will last.
These readings remind us that our faith is not just about rules or rituals, but about living in loving relationship with God and with one another. In our daily lives, we are called to approach others with the same compassion and understanding that the early Church showed to the Gentiles. Let us ask ourselves: Are we building up the Body of Christ by our words and actions, or are we imposing unnecessary burdens? Do we treat others as friends, sharing the love and truth of God with them? May we, like the early Church, be guided by the Holy Spirit to live in love and unity, bearing fruit that reflects the heart of Christ.