Daily Readings - Wed Jun 04 2025
Acts
28Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.29I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.30Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.31So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.32"Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.33I have not coveted anyone's silver or gold or clothing.34You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions.35In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"36When he had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.37They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him.38What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.
John
11I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name--the name you gave me--so that they may be one as we are one.12While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.13"I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.14I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.15My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.16They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.17Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.18As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.19For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two profound moments of transition and trust in God's plan. The first reading from Acts depicts Paul's poignant farewell to the Ephesian elders, as he prepares them for his departure. Paul, aware of the challenges ahead, urges the elders to guard the flock, warning them against false teachers and commending them to God's care. This scene underscores Paul's deep commitment to the Church and his trust in God's providence.
The Gospel from John presents Jesus in prayer, seeking protection and sanctification for His disciples. Jesus, on the eve of His Passion, prays that His followers may be unified and set apart for their mission in the world. This prayer highlights Jesus' role as the divine Shepherd, who sends His disciples into the world, just as He was sent, to continue His work.
Both readings emphasize the themes of leadership, protection, and mission. Paul and Jesus exemplify true leadership by entrusting others to carry on their work. They remind us that our faith is not for isolation but for engagement with the world. As we navigate life's challenges, we are called to remain faithful, trusting in God's plan and persevering in our mission to spread His word. Let us draw strength from these readings, embracing our role in the Body of Christ, and trust in God's grace to guide and protect us.