Monday of the Seventh Week of Easter
Lectionary: 297
Reading 1
Acts 19:1-8
While Apollos was in Corinth,
Paul travelled through the interior of the country
and down to Ephesus where he found some disciples.
He said to them,
“Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?”
They answered him,
“We have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
He said, “How were you baptized?”
They replied, “With the baptism of John.”
Paul then said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance,
telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him,
that is, in Jesus.”
When they heard this,
they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
And when Paul laid his hands on them,
the Holy Spirit came upon them,
and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
Altogether there were about twelve men.
He entered the synagogue, and for three months debated boldly
with persuasive arguments about the Kingdom of God.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 68:2-3ab, 4-5acd, 6-7ab
R. (33a) Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
God arises; his enemies are scattered,
and those who hate him flee before him.
As smoke is driven away, so are they driven;
as wax melts before the fire.
R. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
But the just rejoice and exult before God;
they are glad and rejoice.
Sing to God, chant praise to his name;
whose name is the LORD.
R. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The father of orphans and the defender of widows
is God in his holy dwelling.
God gives a home to the forsaken;
he leads forth prisoners to prosperity.
R. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
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 16:29-33
The disciples said to Jesus,
“Now you are talking plainly, and not in any figure of speech.
Now we realize that you know everything
and that you do not need to have anyone question you.
Because of this we believe that you came from God.”
Jesus answered them, “Do you believe now?
Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived
when each of you will be scattered to his own home
and you will leave me alone.
But I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
I have told you this so that you might have peace in me.
In the world you will have trouble,
but take courage, I have conquered the world.”
Reflection 1
Catholic Daily Reflections
Peace? Or the World?
“I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.” John 16:33
What did Jesus tell His disciples that produced the “peace” of which He spoke? He is especially referring to His entire Last Supper Discourse from which we have been reading. The words spoken throughout this discourse are meant to give the disciples, and us, “courage” and the ability to conquer the trouble imposed upon us by the world.
Throughout Jesus’ discourse, He especially points to the unity He has with His Father and the fact that if we stay united with Jesus, we will also be united to the Father. He spoke of Himself being the vine and us the branches who must remain firmly attached to Jesus. He spoke of this being possible only by the coming power of the Holy Spirit Whom He will send. And He spoke of the hatred that the world has for all who remain firmly grounded in the Truth. Therefore, if you are one who seeks to remain deeply rooted in Christ, filled with the Holy Spirit and separated from the deceptions of the secular and un-Christian world, then Jesus is clearly speaking to you.
In this passage above, Jesus identifies one gift that will help us on this journey. This particular gift is the gift of His peace. Peace is the ability to remain calm and focused in the midst of any and every “trouble” we encounter. The trouble that Christians will especially face are the various persecutions of the world when we live in accord with the Truth. And though there are many moral truths presented clearly by our faith that the world attacks, there are also other forms of troubles we will encounter within the world today.
One of the most manifest troubles inflicted upon many by the world comes in the form of constant visual, auditory and mental stimulation. Our world is a noisy world. Modern electronics, the mass media, commercials, radio, Internet, social media and so many other parts of our daily life have the subtle effect of distracting us, stimulating us and stealing away the peace of Christ.
Consider, for example, the idea of entering into the silence of a retreat for a day, or two, or longer. How would you handle turning off your smartphone, tablet, computer, television and radio for an extended period of time? Would you go through a form of withdrawal? Many today would indeed find this difficult. And the reason for this is that the “peace” of which Jesus speaks is slowly dwindling in the lives of many. Instead of God’s peace, we are filled with constant noise, commotion and activity. This is the “world” attacking us and stealing the peace God wants to bestow.
Reflect, today, upon the exceptionally important truth—that Jesus wants you to know His peace in your heart. And He wants that peace to sustain you. Reflect upon the interior battle that may take place within you between the world and the peace of Christ. Who is winning that battle for your soul? Is there more of the world or more of the peace of Christ reigning within you? Seek out the peace that only Jesus gives, and, as you discover His peace, you will also discover the source of that peace: Jesus Himself.
Reflection 2
One Bread, One Body
“RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT” (JN 20:22)
“We have not so much as heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” —Acts 19:2
Despite years of quality Catholic education, including receiving the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation, I never gave much thought to the Holy Spirit. By God’s grace, I stumbled upon a Life in the Spirit seminar at the age of twenty-one. Scripture passages I had often heard but never grasped suddenly came alive as Catholic men and women shared their experiences of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit taught me through them and made everything new and alive (2 Cor 5:17). It was as if I had never heard of the Holy Spirit before (Acts 19:2). People laid hands on me in prayer (see Acts 19:6) and I rejoiced to receive the Holy Spirit in a deep, personal, and life-changing way. Alleluia!
I might never have received the Spirit like this if not for people who cared enough to share the Spirit with me, teach me, and pray with me to receive the Spirit. Likewise, twelve Ephesian men received the Holy Spirit because St. Paul was not ashamed to share the Spirit with them and lay hands on them (Acts 19:6).
It is generally God’s plan to pass on the Holy Spirit through personal ministry. Many people might never come to know and receive the Holy Spirit if they don’t come to know you. As St. Teresa of Avila said, God has no hands but your hands. During this Pentecost Novena, offer your heart and hands to the Lord as instruments for the Holy Spirit (see Rm 6:13). Sow in the seed-ground of the Spirit, and reap a harvest of eternal life (Gal 6:8).
Prayer: Holy Spirit, flow through me like a living stream, bringing new life and healing to many (Jn 7:38; Ez 47:1ff).
Promise: “I tell you all this that in Me you may find peace. You will suffer in the world. But take courage! I have overcome the world.” —Jn 16:33
Praise: Our Lady of Fatima got straight to the point: “Pray! Pray! Pray!”
Reflection 3
By Fr. Jordi CASTELLET i Sala
(Vic, Barcelona, Spain)
“Take courage, I have conquered the world.”
Today, we may have the feeling that the world of faith in Christ is weakening. Many are symptoms against the fortitude and courage we would like to receive from a life integrally based on the Gospel. Consumerism, capitalism, sensuality and materialism values are very much in fashion and against any representation that may be in tune with the evangelical demands. Nevertheless, this combination of values and life ways do not provide either our own personal plenitude or our peace; in fact, it rather brings an intimate feeling of discomfort and uneasiness. Could not it be because of this circumstance that, today, we see lots of people in public sulking, lost in thought and worrying about a rather obscure future, most probably because they have pledged it against the cost of a car, a flat or some holidays they simply cannot afford?
Jesus' words inspire confidence: “Take courage, I have conquered the world.” (Jn 16:33), that is, through his Passion, Death and Resurrection, He has attained the eternal life, life with nothing to stop it, a limitless life because it has overcome all limits and all difficulties.
We, soldiers of Christ, can overcome these difficulties too, as He did, in spite of the fact we may have to go throughout our life through many deaths and resurrections, never wanted but certainly assumed by the very Paschal Mystery of Christ. For “deaths” indeed are, losing a friend, parting with a beloved person, the failure of a project or the limitations our own human weakness impose upon us…
But “in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us” (Rm 8:37). Let us be witnesses to God's love, because He has, with us, “done great things” (Lk 1:49) and has given us his help to overcome all difficulties, even death, because Christ is sending us the Holy Spirit.
Prayers
Lord of all peace, You have called us out of the world so that Your peace will abide within us, sustaining us, giving us courage, wisdom and strength. I open my life to You, dear Lord, and pray that the many distractions and commotions imposed upon me by the world will begin to cease. May I always hear Your gentle voice and follow You to the place of silent repose found only in You. Jesus, I trust in You.
Lord Jesus, help me to trust in your unwavering love and saving help, especially when I meet adversities, trials, and temptations. Give me your peace when I am troubled and let me know the joy of your victory over sin and death.
Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy
Reflection 133: Actions on Our Own
We cannot do anything good on our own. This is a fact. All we can do on our own is sin. In fact, the only way to please God and to do good things for Him is to rely upon Him for everything. We must have a relationship of complete dependence upon God in all things. It’s easy to think that we will please God if we simply try harder with an action we have undertaken on our own and believe is good. If we do this or that and do it well, we will please Him. But this is not true. God is not looking for us to do something of our own choosing for Him, and to try and try again until we accomplish it. No, He is only looking for one thing: obedience to His Will in all things. And the only way we can be obedient to that which He calls us to embrace, is by becoming completely dependent upon Him in every way (See Diary #659).
Reflect upon the joyful discovery of the Will of God. When we discover what He asks of us, and then accept His Will, we will also, necessarily, enter into a relationship of trust and utter dependence upon Him. This act of depending upon Him to fulfill His Will produces an abundance of peace and joy. Reflect upon whether you see this total dependence upon God alive in your life. Where you see it lacking, surrender more deeply in trust, giving up that which you cling to by your own will, choosing instead the Will of God as He makes it known to You.
Lord, I choose this day to become completely dependent upon You and Your most holy Will. I choose, further, to give up my own will and all that I try to do on my own. May my surrender and dependence upon You become the source of my enduring peace and joy. Jesus, I trust in You.
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