Friday, May 3, 2024

04-MAY-'24, Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter


Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter

Lectionary: 290


Reading 1

Acts 16:1-10

Paul reached also Derbe and Lystra

where there was a disciple named Timothy,

the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer,

but his father was a Greek.

The brothers in Lystra and Iconium spoke highly of him,

and Paul wanted him to come along with him.

On account of the Jews of that region, Paul had him circumcised,

for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

As they traveled from city to city,

they handed on to the people for observance the decisions

reached by the Apostles and presbyters in Jerusalem.

Day after day the churches grew stronger in faith

and increased in number.


They traveled through the Phrygian and Galatian territory

because they had been prevented by the Holy Spirit

from preaching the message in the province of Asia.

When they came to Mysia, they tried to go on into Bithynia,

but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them,

so they crossed through Mysia and came down to Troas.

During the night Paul had a vision.

A Macedonian stood before him and implored him with these words,

"Come over to Macedonia and help us."

When he had seen the vision,

we sought passage to Macedonia at once,

concluding that God had called us to proclaim the Good News to them.


Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 100:1b-2, 3, 5

R. (2a) Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

or:

R. Alleluia.


Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;

serve the LORD with gladness;

come before him with joyful song.

R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

or:

R. Alleluia.


Know that the LORD is God;

he made us, his we are;

his people, the flock he tends.

R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

or:

R. Alleluia.


The LORD is good:

his kindness endures forever,

and his faithfulness, to all generations.

R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

or:

R. Alleluia.


Alleluia

Colossians 3:1

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

If then you were raised with Christ,

seek what is above,

where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.


Gospel

John 15:18-21

Jesus said to his disciples:

"If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first.

If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own;

but because you do not belong to the world,

and I have chosen you out of the world,

the world hates you.

Remember the word I spoke to you,

'No slave is greater than his master.'

If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.

If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.

And they will do all these things to you on account of my name,

because they do not know the one who sent me."


Reflection 1

Catholic Daily Reflections


The Hatred of the World


Jesus said to his disciples: “If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you.” John 15:18–19


This is a sobering thought: “the world hates you.” That is, if you are among those who have been taken by our Lord out of the world. In that case, Jesus says that the world will hate you.


No one wants to be hated. No one wants to experience the wrath, persecution, attacks, or ridicule of another. Hatred is ugly, painful and difficult to endure. But that is part of the nature of hate. It’s not only a form of persecution, it’s also a form of manipulation. Hate is an attack upon another by which the hater seeks to inflict injury and to manipulate them to change and conform to their will. The secular and unchristian “world” wants to win you over and away from God. Jesus offers this teaching, in part, to prepare us so that when we do experience hatred from the world, we will not be affected by it nor manipulated to turn from Him. Therefore, this teaching is a revelation of much mercy from our Lord.


Remember that Jesus spoke of three enemies of our soul. The flesh, the devil and the world. In this Gospel passage, to “belong to the world” means that a person allows themself to be negatively influenced by the countless lies embedded within the world. The secular media, pop-culture, biased opinions, social pressures, false images of happiness and the like seek to constantly misguide us and draw us in. We are regularly tempted to believe that fulfillment is found in money, our physical appearance, the recognition of our accomplishments and much more. The world tells us that our opinions must conform to the secular values of the age—and if they don’t, then we are judgmental, close-minded extremists and should be shunned and “canceled” or silenced.


These worldly temptations and pressures are real, and, for that reason, Jesus’ words are freeing. They free us from the manipulations and deceptions we will experience when we live our faith openly for all to see. When we do so, we will be hated by the world. But knowing that provides peace of heart when it happens.


Reflect, today, upon these powerful and consoling words of Jesus. If you do not experience any form of hatred from the world, then this should be a concern and the cause for reflection. And if you do experience some form of hatred, know that our Lord prepared you for this and offers you His strength and courage to endure it with joy. In the end, all that matters is what our Lord thinks—and nothing else. In the end, if you experience hatred by the world in any form, know that this makes you more like Christ Himself.


Reflection 2

The Servants of the Word


You Are Not of the World


What does Jesus mean when he says "you are not of this world"? The world in Scripture refers to that society of people who are hostile towards God and opposed to his will. The world rejected the Lord Jesus and treated him with contempt, and his disciples can expect the same treatment. The Lord Jesus leaves no middle ground for his followers. We are either for him or against him, for his kingdom of light and truth or for the kingdom of darkness and deception. The prophet Isaiah warned that people who separate themselves from God because of their rebellious pride and spiritual blindness would end up calling evil good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20).


"Those who kept my word" (John 15:20)

If we want to live in the light of God's truth, how can we rightly distinguish good from evil and truth from deception? True love of God and his ways draw us to all that is lovely, truthful and good. If we truly love God then we will submit to his truth and obey his word. A friend of God cannot expect to be a friend of the world because the world is opposed to God's truth and way of righteousness.


"I chose you out of the world" (John 15:18)

Jesus' demand is unequivocal and without compromise. Do not love the world or the things in the world. If any one loves the world, love for the Father is not in him (1 John 2:15). We must make a choice either for or against God. Do you seek to please God in all your intentions, actions, and relationships? Let the Holy Spirit fill your heart and mind with the love and truth of God (Romans 5:5).


Reflection 3

Fr. Martin Hogan


John’s gospel speaks about God’s love for the world. God so loved the world that he sent his only Son. In today’s gospel reading Jesus speaks about the world’s hatred for him and for his followers. In Luke’s gospel Jesus calls on his disciples to love their enemies and to do good to those who hate them. The gospels suggest that Jesus was realistic about the hostility that would come his own way and the way of his followers. Yet, he wanted his followers to relate to the world not on the basis of how the world relates to them but on the basis of how God and Jesus relate to the world. In the gospel reading Jesus says, ‘A servant is not greater than his master’. That can be read in two ways. One way is, ‘if the master experienced hostility so will the servants’. The other way is, ‘if the master washed the feet of the servants, including the feet of Judas, the one who betrayed him, the servants must do likewise; they must reveal the love of God to others regardless of how they relate to them’. That saying of Jesus, ‘a servant is not greater than his master’ gives us much to ponder. It is only with the help of the Holy Spirit that we can be like the master in every respect.


Prayers

My persecuted Lord, You endured the hatred and ridicule of many who were engulfed by the false values of the world. I pray that I may share not only in Your life of love and mercy but also in Your strength during the times that I also endure the world’s hatred. I commit myself to You and pray that You continually take me out of the world and bring me close to Yourself. Jesus, I trust in You.


Lord Jesus, may the fire of your love fill my heart with an eagerness to please you in all things. May there be no rivals to my love and devotion to you who are my all.


Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy


Reflection 124: The Mercy of Intercessory Prayer

Do you want to see The Divine Mercy of God pour forth upon the world in an abundant way?  Hopefully and presumably the answer to that question is an easy, “Yes.”  It’s important to know that, in some ways, you are responsible for whether or not that happens.  Specifically, Jesus has chosen to make His abundance of Mercy flow forth as a direct result of your intercession for others.  It’s true.  Your personal choice to pray for others has a direct result on Jesus offering them special graces.  This is a grace offered others in addition to the many other graces He offers in other ways.  Do your part and others will be blessed in abundance.  Ignore your part, and they will not receive the specific grace you could have won for them through your prayers (See Diary #599).


Reflect, today, upon the person or people God has entrusted to your intercession.  This is no small responsibility.  God has chosen you for this task.  And through your prayers, others will be blessed.  Who is it that God wants to bless through your prayers?  Make a concrete decision to pray for them and trust that the Lord’s Mercy will be bestowed as a direct result.


Lord, I pray that You will show me who You wish me to pray for.  Place on my heart this desire.  Help me to be faithful in my intercession and to trust in the power of that prayer.  Here and now I offer (think of a person) to You.  And I especially offer this person to the Immaculate Heart of Your Mother for her perfect prayers.  Mother Mary, pray for us.  Jesus, I trust in You.

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