Wednesday of the Seventh Week of Easter
Lectionary: 299
Reading 1
Acts 20:28-38
At Miletus, Paul spoke to the presbyters of the Church of Ephesus:
“Keep watch over yourselves and over the whole flock
of which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers,
in which you tend the Church of God
that he acquired with his own Blood.
I know that after my departure savage wolves will come among you,
and they will not spare the flock.
And from your own group, men will come forward perverting the truth
to draw the disciples away after them.
So be vigilant and remember that for three years, night and day,
I unceasingly admonished each of you with tears.
And now I commend you to God
and to that gracious word of his that can build you up
and give you the inheritance among all who are consecrated.
I have never wanted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.
You know well that these very hands
have served my needs and my companions.
In every way I have shown you that by hard work of that sort
we must help the weak,
and keep in mind the words of the Lord Jesus who himself said,
‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
When he had finished speaking
he knelt down and prayed with them all.
They were all weeping loudly
as they threw their arms around Paul and kissed him,
for they were deeply distressed that he had said
that they would never see his face again.
Then they escorted him to the ship.
Responsorial Psalm
68:29-30, 33-35a, 35bc-36ab
R. (33a) Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Show forth, O God, your power,
the power, O God, with which you took our part;
For your temple in Jerusalem
let the kings bring you gifts.
R. Sing to God, O Kingdoms of the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
You kingdoms of the earth, sing to God,
chant praise to the Lord
who rides on the heights of the ancient heavens.
Behold, his voice resounds, the voice of power:
“Confess the power of God!”
R. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Over Israel is his majesty;
his power is in the skies.
Awesome in his sanctuary is God, the God of Israel;
he gives power and strength to his people.
R. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Alleluia
John 17:17b, 17a
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Your word, O Lord, is truth;
consecrate us in the truth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
John 17:11b-19
Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed, saying:
“Holy Father, keep them in your name
that you have given me,
so that they may be one just as we are one.
When I was with them I protected them in your name that you gave me,
and I guarded them, and none of them was lost
except the son of destruction,
in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
But now I am coming to you.
I speak this in the world
so that they may share my joy completely.
I gave them your word, and the world hated them,
because they do not belong to the world
any more than I belong to the world.
I do not ask that you take them out of the world
but that you keep them from the Evil One.
They do not belong to the world
any more than I belong to the world.
Consecrate them in the truth.
Your word is truth.
As you sent me into the world,
so I sent them into the world.
And I consecrate myself for them,
so that they also may be consecrated in truth.”
Reflection 1
Catholic Daily Reflections
Rejecting the evil one
“I gave them your word, and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the Evil One.” John 17:14–15
Unfortunately, the evil one is real. He is the highest of the fallen angels who retain their natural spiritual power given them at their creation. God created all angelic creatures with the purpose of serving His holy will. The Scripture reveals that there are nine levels or “choirs” to which these angelic creatures belong. Among the fallen angels, the highest of them directs the others, and he is traditionally given the name Lucifer or “the devil.”
One of the natural spiritual powers that these fallen angelic creatures retain is the power of influence and suggestive thought. They were created to be messengers of God’s truth to us; but, in their fallen state, they seek to communicate confusion and lies instead. Therefore, it is very helpful to understand the way the evil one and the other fallen angels communicate to us so that we can reject their lies and listen only to the voice of God.
In his rules for the discernment of spirits, Saint Ignatius of Loyola explains that when a person is going “from mortal sin to mortal sin,” the evil one and the other demons continually propose to their imagination the “apparent pleasures” and “sensual delights” that they obtain from their sin as a way of keeping them firmly controlled by that sin. However, when a person is “intensely cleansing their sins and rising from good to better,” the evil one and the other demons act in a contrary way. They will “bite, sadden and put obstacles, disquieting with false reasons, that one may not go on” in their pursuit of holiness. God and the good angels will act in the opposite way. For those immersed in sin, God and the good angels will use “the opposite method, pricking them and biting their consciences through the process of reason” so as to draw them away from sin. And when a person is, in fact, growing in holiness, God and the good angels will “give courage and strength, consolations, tears, inspirations and quiet, easing, and putting away all obstacles, that one may go on in well doing” (See mycatholic.life/ignatius).
These spiritual lessons on the discernment of spirits are of great value and will assist you on your daily struggle with sin and your daily pursuit of holiness. Understanding the deceptions of the evil one and discerning the promptings of grace given by God bring clarity to our daily lives and direction to all of our actions. The good news that is revealed by the Scripture passage above is that our Lord is fully aware of the working of the evil one, has prayed for you and will assist you as you seek to combat these lies and deceptions in your life.
Reflect, today, upon the importance of learning how to discern both the voice of God and the lies of the evil one. Work to discern the voice of God so that you may follow Him more faithfully. And seek to discern the lies of the evil one so that you will not be influenced by him and can directly reject him. Commit yourself to a more rigorous discernment of these spiritual experiences in your life and allow this prayer of Jesus to direct you into His holy will.
Reflection 2
One Bread, One Body
TRUTH AND CONSEQUENCES
“I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to guard them from the evil one.” —John 17:15
We follow the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth (Jn 16:13). “Since we live by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s lead” (Gal 5:25). As we receive the Spirit ever more deeply during the Pentecost Novena and on Pentecost Sunday, the Spirit will guide us to all truth, if we allow Him (Jn 16:13). We will be prompted to speak the truth in love (see Eph 4:15).
Throughout history, some have perverted the truth, and so we are compelled to proclaim the truth and defend it, whether in words, actions, or lifestyles. The enemies of the truth will oppose us. Jesus is not going to take us out of the world to shield us from such attacks (Jn 17:15). He places us in the world, like wheat among the weeds (Mt 13:29), to love and convert the weeds, that is, the enemies of the truth.
It is vital to defend the truth and, probably even more important in God’s eyes (see Lk 15:7, 10), to lead people to repentance and salvation in Christ. Speak and live the truth in love (Eph 4:15). “Receive the Holy Spirit” (Jn 20:22), the Spirit of Truth.
Prayer: Father, may I never “do anything against the truth, but only for the sake of the truth” (2 Cor 13:8).
Promise: “I commend you now to the Lord, and to that gracious word of His which can enlarge you, and give you a share among all who are consecrated to Him.” —Acts 20:32
Praise: St. Isidore, a holy farmer from Spain, is patron of the United States Rural Life Conference.
Reflection 3
By Fr. Martin Hogan
In today's gospel we have an extract from the prayer of Jesus for his disciples, set in the context of the last supper. In that prayer Jesus declares that since first calling his disciples to himself he has watched over them and kept them true to God’s name. Now in prayer he calls on his Father to keep them true to God’s name. His prayer to the Father on their behalf is a further expression of the commitment he has shown to his disciples since first calling them. His intercessory prayer is an extension of the many ways he had served them since they first began to follow him. In a similar way, our prayer for others is an expression of our commitment to them, our care for them; it is one of the ways we serve others. By his own intercessory prayer for his disciples - and that includes all of us - Jesus teaches us the value of all intercessory prayer. Intercessory prayer, prayer for others, has been at the heart of the church’s prayer life since the time of Jesus. Paul in his letters frequently reports on his intercessory prayers for his churches and he often calls on his churches to pray for him. Both Jesus and Paul were heirs to a Jewish tradition that greatly valued this form of prayer. Praying for others is one of the ways we give expression to our communion with others in the Lord.
Prayers
My all-powerful Lord, You have conquered the evil one and provide all the grace I need to overcome his lies and deceptions. Open my mind to discern Your voice and give clarity to the voice of the evil one so that I may choose You with my whole heart and reject all that the evil one tries to say to me. Jesus, I trust in You.
Lord Jesus, take my life and make it wholly pleasing to you. Sanctify me in your truth and guide me by your Holy Spirit that I may follow you faithfully wherever you lead.
Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy
Reflection 135: Conversing with Jesus
Do you converse with Jesus? This is a form of prayer that is most fruitful. “Conversation” with God is not the highest form of prayer, but it is a form of prayer that we often need to begin with. Conversation with God is especially fruitful when we carry some form of burden or confusion in life. When this is the case, it can be helpful to speak about this openly and honestly with our Lord. Speaking with Him, interiorly, will help bring clarity to whatever obstacle we are facing. And when the conversation is complete, and when we have heard His clear response, we are then invited to enter deeper into prayer by submitting ourselves to that which He says. Through this initial exchange, followed by a complete submission of mind and will, true adoration of God is brought about. So if something is on your mind, do not hesitate to speak openly and honestly with our Lord about it. You will find that it is an easy and fruitful conversation to have (See Diary # 670).
Think about that which bothers you the most. What is it that seems to weigh you down? Try getting on your knees and pouring your heart out to Jesus. Speak to Him, but then be silent and wait on Him. In the proper way and at the proper time He will answer you, when you’re open. And when you do hear Him speak, listen and obey. This will allow you to walk down the road of true adoration and worship.
Dear Lord, I love You and adore You with all my heart. Help me to confidently bring my concerns to You, laying them down before You and listening to Your response. Dear Jesus, as You converse with me, help me to heed Your voice and to respond with true generosity. Jesus, I trust in You.
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