Daily Readings - Mon May 19 2025

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

The first reading from Acts and the Gospel of John both invite us to reflect on the nature of faith, love, and our relationship with God. In the first reading, Paul and Barnabas encounter a lame man in Lystra who is healed through Paul's faith and proclamation. The crowd, in awe of this miracle, mistakenly identifies Paul and Barnabas as gods. However, the apostles quickly correct them, insisting that they are merely human beings sent to preach the truth of the living God. This passage reminds us that true faith is not about seeking glory for ourselves but about pointing others to the one true God who creates and sustains all things. In the Gospel, Jesus emphasizes the importance of love and obedience. He says that those who love Him will keep His commandments, and in return, the Father will love them, and Jesus will manifest Himself to them. This intimate relationship with God is not reserved for the select few but is open to all who are willing to live according to His word. Jesus also speaks of the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, who will guide us in understanding and living out God’s will. This passage invites us to reflect on the depth of God’s love for us and the transformative power of living in accordance with His teachings. Both readings remind us that our faith is not just about personal belief but about how we live out that belief in our daily lives. Like Paul and Barnabas, we are called to be witnesses of God’s love and truth, even in the face of misunderstanding or rejection. Like the disciples, we are called to love God by keeping His commandments and remaining open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Let us ask ourselves: Are we allowing God to manifest Himself in our lives? Are we living in a way that reflects His love and truth to the world around us? May we, like the lame man in Lystra, have the faith to stand up and walk in the ways of the Lord.