Daily Catholic Mass Readings for May 16, 2025
First Reading: Acts 13.26-33
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. '
Psalm 2
1Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain?2The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One.3"Let us break their chains," they say, "and throw off their fetters."4The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.5Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,6"I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill."7I will proclaim the decree of the LORD: He said to me, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father.8Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.9You will rule them with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery."10Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth.11Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling.12Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
Gospel: John 14.1-6
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 Christian faith: the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the promise of eternal life. In the first reading from Acts, St. Paul preaches to both Jews and Gentiles, explaining how Jesus fulfilled the promises of the Old Testament. He reminds his audience that the rulers of Jerusalem, along with those who rejected Jesus, fulfilled the Scriptures by condemning him to death. Yet, God’s plan was not defeated; instead, he raised Jesus from the dead, proving his power over sin and death. This resurrection is not just a historical event but a living reality that offers salvation to all people.
In the Gospel, Jesus comforts his disciples with words of hope and reassurance. He speaks of his Father’s house, where there are many dwelling places, and promises to prepare a place for them. Thomas’s confusion about the way to this place leads Jesus to declare, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” These words are both a promise and a challenge. They remind us that our ultimate home is not in this world but in the eternal life that Jesus offers. At the same time, they call us to trust in him as the only path to the Father.
These readings remind us that our faith is rooted in the resurrection of Jesus and the promise of eternal life. Like the disciples, we may face uncertainty and doubt in our journey, but Jesus assures us that he is always with us, guiding us. As St. Paul shares the Good News with both Jews and Gentiles, we too are called to share this message of hope with others. Let us live each day with trust in God’s plan, knowing that our true home is in him. May we follow Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and may we always remember that no matter what challenges we face, he is our ultimate hope and salvation.