Monday, April 22, 2024

23-APL-'24, Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter



Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter

Lectionary: 280


Reading 1

Acts 11:19-26

Those who had been scattered by the persecution

that arose because of Stephen

went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch,

preaching the word to no one but Jews.

There were some Cypriots and Cyrenians among them, however,

who came to Antioch and began to speak to the Greeks as well,

proclaiming the Lord Jesus.

The hand of the Lord was with them

and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.

The news about them reached the ears of the Church in Jerusalem,

and they sent Barnabas to go to Antioch.

When he arrived and saw the grace of God,

he rejoiced and encouraged them all

to remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of heart,

for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith.

And a large number of people was added to the Lord.

Then he went to Tarsus to look for Saul,

and when he had found him he brought him to Antioch.

For a whole year they met with the Church

and taught a large number of people,

and it was in Antioch that the disciples

were first called Christians.


Responsorial Psalm

87:1b-3, 4-5, 6-7

R.    (117:1a)  All you nations, praise the Lord.

or:

R.    Alleluia.


His foundation upon the holy mountains

the LORD loves:

The gates of Zion,

more than any dwelling of Jacob.

Glorious things are said of you,

O city of God!

R.    All you nations, praise the Lord.

or:

R.    Alleluia.


I tell of Egypt and Babylon

among those who know the LORD;

Of Philistia, Tyre, Ethiopia:

“This man was born there.”

And of Zion they shall say:

“One and all were born in her;

And he who has established her

is the Most High LORD.”

R.    All you nations, praise the Lord.

or:

R.    Alleluia.


They shall note, when the peoples are enrolled:

“This man was born there.”

And all shall sing, in their festive dance:

“My home is within you.”

R.    All you nations, praise the Lord.

or:

R.    Alleluia.


Alleluia

John 10:27

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;

I know them, and they follow me.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.


Gospel

John 10:22-30

The feast of the Dedication was taking place in Jerusalem.

It was winter.

And Jesus walked about in the temple area on the Portico of Solomon.

So the Jews gathered around him and said to him,

“How long are you going to keep us in suspense?

If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”

Jesus answered them, “I told you and you do not believe.

The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me.

But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep.

My sheep hear my voice;

I know them, and they follow me.

I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.

No one can take them out of my hand.

My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all,

and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand.

The Father and I are one.”


Reflection 1

Catholic Daily Reflections 


Learning the Language of God


Jesus walked about in the temple area on the Portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you and you do not believe.”  John 10:24–25


Why is it that these people did not know that Jesus was the Christ? They wanted Jesus to speak “plainly” to them, but Jesus surprises them by saying that He already answered their question but they “do not believe.” This Gospel passage continues the beautiful teaching about Jesus being the Good Shepherd. It’s interesting that these people want Jesus to speak plainly about whether or not He is the Christ, but instead, Jesus speaks plainly about the fact that they do not believe in Him because they are not listening. They have missed what He has said and are left in confusion.


One thing this tells us is that God speaks to us in His own way, not necessarily in the way we would like Him to speak. He speaks a mystical, profound, gentle and hidden language. He reveals His deepest mysteries only to those who have come to learn His language. But to those who do not understand God’s language, confusion sets in.


If you ever find yourself confused in life, or confused about the plan God has for you, then perhaps it’s time to examine how carefully you listen to the way God speaks. We could beg God, day and night, to “speak plainly” to us, but He will only speak in the way He has always spoken. And what is that language? On the deepest level, it’s the language of infused prayer.


Prayer, of course, is different than only saying prayers. Prayer is ultimately a relationship of love with God. It’s a communication on the deepest level. Prayer is an act of God within our soul by which God invites us to believe in Him, to follow Him, and to love Him. This invitation is continually offered to us, but too often we fail to hear it because we fail to truly pray.


Much of John’s Gospel, including Chapter Ten from which we are reading today, speaks in a mystical way. It’s not possible to simply read it like a novel and comprehend all that Jesus says with one read. Jesus’ teaching must be heard in your soul, prayerfully, pondered, and heard. This approach will open the ears of your heart to the certitude of the voice of God.


Reflect, today, upon the mysterious ways in which God communicates to you. If you do not understand how He speaks, then that is a good starting point. Spend time with this Gospel, prayerfully pondering it. Meditate upon Jesus’ words, listening for His voice. Learn His language through silent prayer and allow His holy words to draw you to Himself.


Reflection 2

By Fr. Miquel MASATS i Roca

(Girona, Spain)


“The Father and I are one.”


Today, we see Jesus walking “about in the temple area on the Portico of Solomon” (Jn 10:23), during the Feast of Dedication, in Jerusalem. It was then when the Jews ask Him: “If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly”, and Jesus answers: “I told you and you do not believe” (Jn 10:24-25).


Only through Faith is man able to recognize Jesus Christ as the Son of God. When The Holy Father John Paul II addressed the young people on occasion of the 15th World Youth Day at Tor Vergata, in the year 2000, he spoke about the “school of faith”. To the question “Who do the crowds say that I am?” (Lk 9:18), there are many answers... But, then, Jesus becomes more personal: “But, who do you say that I am?” To correctly answer this question we need the “revelation of the Father”. To be able to answer like Simon Peter did —“You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Mt 16:16) — takes God's grace.


But, even though God wishes everyone to believe and be saved, only humble men have the capacity to receive the gift of grace. “But with the humble is wisdom”, can be read in the Book of Proverbs (11:2). Man's true wisdom consists of trusting God.


Saint Thomas Aquinas comments on this passage of the Gospel by saying: «I can see thanks to the sunlight, but if I close my eyes, I cannot see; but this is not the fault of the sun, but mine».


Jesus tells them to believe in Him, if nothing else, because of His works that manifest God's power: “The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me” (Jn 10:25).


Jesus knows His sheep and His sheep hear His voice. Faith allows us to connect with Jesus through prayer. What else is a prayer but a way to communicate with Jesus Christ, who loves us and takes us to the Father? And the outcome and reward of this intimacy with Jesus in this life is eternal life, as we have read in the Gospel.


Reflection 3

Shared from God's Word


In those days: Those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen travelled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.


Prayers

My mysterious and hidden Lord, You speak to me day and night and continually reveal Your love to me. Help me to learn to listen to You so that I may grow deep in faith and may truly become Your follower in every way. Jesus, I trust in You.


Lord Jesus, you are the Good Shepherd who secures what is best for us. I place all my hope and trust in you. Open my ears to hear your voice today and to follow your commands.


Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy


Reflection 113: An Offering to the Everlasting Father

The greatest prayer we can make is the “prayer of offering.”  A prayer of offering is a sacrifice offered to the Father in union with the One Sacrificial Offering of Christ on the Cross.  We do not offer ourselves, by ourselves.  We offer ourselves in union with Christ Jesus.  Specifically, we must offer our prayers, fasting, mortification and daily work to God.  Pray prayers every day.  Mortify your fleshly desires regularly through fasting and other forms of self-denial.  And do all your daily work as a gift to God and as a result of His daily Will.  Offer all of these to the Father with the Son, and God will accept your offering as a pure and holy sacrifice (See Diary #531).


When you pray, do you make your prayer an offering?  Too often we pray for this need or that and stop there.  It is good to present our needs before God.  He knows our needs even before we present them, but He still wants us to ask Him to meet our specific needs.  But don’t stop there in your prayer.  The Lord wants you to go further.  He wants sacrifice from you.  Reflect upon whether your prayer becomes a daily sacrifice to God.  If this sacrificial language is not part of your daily thinking, begin to make it so.  Think and act sacrificially in your daily life and prayer and the Lord will receive your sacrifice, using it in powerful ways for your own holiness and for the holiness of the entire Church.


Lord, You not only offered the perfect sacrifice of Your life to the Father, You also set for me a perfect example of true prayer.  Help me to daily offer to You the sacrifice of my life so that, through this sacrifice, You may make me holy and bring greater holiness to Your Church.  Jesus, I trust in You.


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