Daily Readings - Sun May 25 2025
Acts
1Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: "Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved."2This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.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.
Revelation
10And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.11It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.12It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.13There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west.14The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.22I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.23The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.
John
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.27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.28"You heard me say, 'I am going away and I am coming back to you.' If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.29I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe.
Sermon
The first reading from Acts 15 describes a pivotal moment in the early Church when the Apostles and elders gathered in Jerusalem to resolve a controversy. Certain Jewish Christians were insisting that Gentile converts must be circumcised to be saved, but Paul and Barnabas opposed this, arguing that salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ alone. After much debate, the Council decided that Gentile converts did not need to be circumcised, but they should abstain from certain practices that could offend Jewish believers. This decision, guided by the Holy Spirit, reflects the Church's commitment to unity and its recognition that God's grace is available to all people.
The second reading from Revelation 21 offers a vision of the New Jerusalem, the heavenly city that descends from God. This city is filled with the glory of God and is described as a place of perfect harmony and beauty, where God dwells among his people. The absence of a temple in this vision signifies that God himself is the temple, and his presence is the light that illuminates the city. This passage reminds us that our ultimate hope is not in this world but in the eternal kingdom where God will dwell with us forever.
In the Gospel reading from John 14, Jesus speaks about the importance of loving him and keeping his word. He promises that the Father will send the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, to teach and guide his disciples. Jesus also gives his followers a gift of peace, a peace that the world cannot give. This peace is rooted in the knowledge that Jesus is returning to the Father, and one day his disciples will join him in eternal glory. Jesus' words emphasize the need to trust in God's plan and to live in love and obedience to his teachings.
These readings are connected by the theme of unity and the presence of God. The decision in Acts 15 reflects the early Church's effort to maintain unity among believers from different backgrounds, guided by the Holy Spirit. Revelation 21 offers a glimpse of the ultimate unity and harmony that God promises in the heavenly city. John 14 emphasizes the importance of love and obedience as the foundation for unity and peace. Together, these readings remind us that our faith is rooted in God's love and that we are called to live in harmony with one another as we await the fulfillment of God's promises.
In our daily lives, these readings encourage us to embrace diversity and work toward unity, just as the early Church did. They remind us to trust in the guidance of the Holy Spirit and to live in accordance with God's will. Just as Jesus gave his disciples a gift of peace, we too can experience that peace when we keep his word and live in love. Let us strive to be instruments of unity and harmony in our communities, reflecting the love and light of God to a world in need of his presence.