Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter
Lectionary: 293
Reading 1
Acts 17:15, 22—18:1
After Paul's escorts had taken him to Athens,
they came away with instructions for Silas and Timothy
to join him as soon as possible.
Then Paul stood up at the Areopagus and said:
"You Athenians, I see that in every respect
you are very religious.
For as I walked around looking carefully at your shrines,
I even discovered an altar inscribed, 'To an Unknown God.'
What therefore you unknowingly worship, I proclaim to you.
The God who made the world and all that is in it,
the Lord of heaven and earth,
does not dwell in sanctuaries made by human hands,
nor is he served by human hands because he needs anything.
Rather it is he who gives to everyone life and breath and everything.
He made from one the whole human race
to dwell on the entire surface of the earth,
and he fixed the ordered seasons and the boundaries of their regions,
so that people might seek God,
even perhaps grope for him and find him,
though indeed he is not far from any one of us.
For 'In him we live and move and have our being,'
as even some of your poets have said,
'For we too are his offspring.'
Since therefore we are the offspring of God,
we ought not to think that the divinity is like an image
fashioned from gold, silver, or stone by human art and imagination.
God has overlooked the times of ignorance,
but now he demands that all people everywhere repent
because he has established a day on which he will 'judge the world
with justice' through a man he has appointed,
and he has provided confirmation for all
by raising him from the dead."
When they heard about resurrection of the dead,
some began to scoff, but others said,
"We should like to hear you on this some other time."
And so Paul left them.
But some did join him, and became believers.
Among them were Dionysius,
a member of the Court of the Areopagus,
a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
After this he left Athens and went to Corinth.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 148:1-2, 11-12, 13, 14
R. Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Praise the LORD from the heavens;
praise him in the heights.
Praise him, all you his angels;
praise him, all you his hosts.
R. Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let the kings of the earth and all peoples,
the princes and all the judges of the earth,
Young men too, and maidens,
old men and boys.
R. Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Praise the name of the LORD,
for his name alone is exalted;
His majesty is above earth and heaven.
R. Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He has lifted up the horn of his people;
Be this his praise from all his faithful ones,
from the children of Israel, the people close to him.
Alleluia.
R. Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Alleluia
John 14:16
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I will ask the Father
and he will give you another Advocate
to be with you always.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
John 16:12-15
Jesus said to his disciples:
"I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.
But when he comes, the Spirit of truth,
he will guide you to all truth.
He will not speak on his own,
but he will speak what he hears,
and will declare to you the things that are coming.
He will glorify me,
because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.
Everything that the Father has is mine;
for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine
and declare it to you."
Reflection 1
Catholic Daily Reflections
The Best is Yet to Come
Jesus said to his disciples: “I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth.” John 16:12–13
This passage still rings true for all of us today. God wants to reveal to us, within the depths of our consciences, the deepest, most profound and transforming truths that flow from the mind of the Father in Heaven. But we cannot bear it all now. Not fully. And eternity will be spent continually deepening our understanding of all that God reveals. And the process of this ongoing and deepening discovery will fill us with an ongoing and deepening joy. This will be our Heaven, but it must begin now.
First of all, it’s important to understand that God does “have much more to tell you.” Interestingly, coming to know how much you do not already know is itself a form of knowledge. Knowing that there is so much more, that God’s wisdom is infinitely beyond you, that the mind of God compared to yours is incomparable is itself a beautiful truth that must be understood. This truth should both humble you and also fill you with a holy awe of God and the infinite depth of wisdom, truth, beauty and glory contained within Him. This is an essential first step.
Furthermore, by saying that “you cannot bear it now” does not mean that you should not try to bear more and more of the truth that God wants to reveal. In fact, it’s a form of invitation, in that it indicates that there will come a time when you will be able to comprehend more. This should once again foster a hope and anticipation for all that remains hidden to be revealed. Humility in the face of the infinite God is necessary for growth in wisdom and knowledge of God.
How does this growth in wisdom and the knowledge of God happen? It happens by the power and working of the Holy Spirit. It is the “Spirit of truth” who will “guide you to all truth.” But even this statement, once again, implies that this is a process. It is the Spirit Who will “guide” you. And this guidance will continue throughout this life and on into eternity.
This teaching of our Lord begs the question: Have you begun the process? Have you begun to allow the Holy Spirit to guide you into the truth? Have there been concrete moments in your life when you came to know God in a new and profound way that could only have been possible by the power and working of God Himself?
Reflect, today, upon these essential questions. If you have had God the Holy Spirit speak clearly to You, then humble yourself before that truth. Pray for more wisdom and more knowledge of all that you do not know. And if you cannot relate to the idea of there being so much more that is beyond you, then humbly turn to our Lord and beg Him to begin to open your mind to all that He wants to say to you. The infinite mind of our God awaits you to be discovered and embraced. Begin the process today and let Him guide you into all truth.
Reflection 2
One Bread, One Body
DO WE REALLY KNOW GOD?
“I even discovered an altar inscribed, ‘To a God Unknown.’ Now, what you are thus worshipping in ignorance I intend to make known to you.” —Acts 17:23
Do we modern-day Catholics differ that much from the ancient Athenians? Do we really know God as He has revealed Himself to His people? Do we go through the motions in “lip service,” while our hearts are far from God? (Mk 7:6) Do we even believe He is a God Who is truly present in the Holy Eucharist? Many Catholics do not believe so.
Jesus says in today’s Gospel that He is sending the Holy Spirit to take God’s riches revealed in Jesus and announce them to us (Jn 16:14). Jesus came to make God known to us. Let’s spend our lives getting to know God, and then helping others to know God. God has revealed a great deal about Himself — in the Scriptures, in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, in the saints, and in prayer. God desires that we know Him (Hos 6:6).
We must not be like the Athenians, who came to the altar to worship a god they didn’t know, and worshiped “just in case” this unknown god had power to improve their lives. We cannot merely put in our time at the altar in case God might bless us (see Mk 7:6-7). Let us rather spend our lives growing in a relationship of love with our God, Who wants the earth to “be filled with knowledge of the Lord, as water covers the sea” (Is 11:9).
During the next week, we pray the Pentecost Novena in preparation to receive the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. God has sent the Spirit so we can know Him. “Receive the Holy Spirit” (Jn 20:22).
Prayer: Father, “I wish to know Christ” (Phil 3:10), the Holy Spirit, and You. Fill me with an insatiable hunger and thirst to know You more deeply every day.
Promise: “When He comes, however, being the Spirit of Truth He will guide you to all truth.” —Jn 16:13
Praise: Father James attended a Life in the Spirit seminar. He received an even deeper love for the Word of God.
Reflection 3
Shared from God's Word
In the fifth ‘Paraclete saying’ Jesus promises his disciples that the Spirit of truth would guide them into all the truth. The news of Jesus’ departure had filled their hearts with sorrow and dejection. In the departure of Jesus, they saw the end of their dreams of an earthly kingdom and its power. They were thus unable to receive fully the Father’s revelation brought by Jesus. It was only after Pentecost that Peter could proclaim that the crucified Jesus was “both Lord and Christ”. Today’s followers of Jesus too need an ongoing guidance of the Holy Spirit to purify their desires, to clarify their confused thoughts and to understand the correct meaning of Christ’s message and bear witness to him. The Holy Spirit “teaches us to look at the world, others and ourselves with God’s eyes,” avers Benedict XVI.
Prayers
God of all truth, You, Your wisdom, Your love and all of Your glorious attributes are infinite in nature and are beyond my complete comprehension. As I humble myself before these holy truths, dear Lord, please bestow upon me the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, so that I may open my mind more fully to You by Your grace. May the process of deep discovery be one of great joy and become for me a process that continues into eternity. Jesus, I trust in You.
Lord Jesus, fill me with your Holy Spirit and guide me in your way of life, truth, and goodness. Free me from ignorance of your truth, and from deception and moral blindness caused by sinful pride and the refusal to believe and obey your word of truth. May I love you with all of my heart, mind, and strength, and seek to please you in all things.
Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy
Reflection 128: The Sweetness of Encountering Jesus
Have you encountered the sweetness of Jesus? He, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, come to you in the secret depths of your soul. There, in this hidden place, they desire to communicate with you. Their communication is beyond words and concepts. It’s a communication of profound love that leaves the soul at peace and with a delight of the greatest sweetness. Their encounter with you is not an emotion; it’s a spiritual union (See Diary #622).
How deep is your relationship with Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit? Is it something more intellectual? Is it based only on the fact that you believe in them, for the most part? Or is it something that goes much deeper? The goal must be to come to know God in a real and tangible way. But that knowledge of Him must also be personal. It must become a relationship that is lived and that sustains you in all things. If the Blessed Trinity lives within you, and if you allow yourself to embrace that relationship wholeheartedly, then you will discover an inner sweetness that overwhelms any suffering or hardship you endure. The sweetness of that love will carry you, day in and day out, to the glories of Heaven.
Lord, I long to know You, to love You and to become one with You. I desire to have You live within my soul, refreshing me with the sweetness of Your presence. Take my life, sweet Jesus, and unite me with Your perfect Heart of love. Jesus, I trust in You.
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