6TH WEEK OF EASTER
Psalter: Week 2 / (White)
Ps 148:1-2, 11-12, 13, 14
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
1st Reading: Acts 17:15, 22—18:1
Paul was taken as far as Athens by his escort, who then returned to Beroea with instructions for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible.
Then Paul stood up in the Areopagus hall and said, ”Athenian citizens, I note that, in every way, you are very religious. As I walked around, looking at your shrines, I even discovered an altar with this inscription: To an unknown God. Now, what you worship as unknown, I intend to make known to you.
God, who made the world and all that is in it, does not dwell in sanctuaries made by human hands, being as he is Lord of heaven and earth. Nor does his worship depend on anything made by human hands, as if he were in need. Rather, it is he who gives life and breath and everything else, to everyone. From one stock he created the whole human race, to live throughout all the earth, and he fixed the time and the boundaries of each nation. He wanted them to seek him by themselves, even if it was only by groping for him, that they succeed in finding him.
Yet, he is not far from any one of us. For, in him, we live and move, and have our being; as some of your poets have said: for we, too, are his offspring. If we are indeed God‘s offspring, we ought not to think of divinity as something like a statue of gold or silver or stone, a product of human art and imagination.
But now, God prefers to overlook this time of ignorance; and he calls on all people to change their ways. He has already set a day, on which he will judge the world with justice through a man he has appointed. And, so that all may believe it, he has just given a sign, by raising this man from the dead.”
When they heard Paul speak of a resurrection from death, some made fun of him, while others said, ”We must hear you on this topic some other time.” At that point Paul left. But a few did join him, and believed. Among them were Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus court, a woman named Damaris, and some others. After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.
Gospel: Jn 16:12-15
Jesus said to his disciples: ”I still have many things to tell you, but you cannot bear them now. When he, the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into the whole truth.
”For he will not speak of his own authority, but will speak what he hears, and he will tell you about the things which are to come. He will take what is mine and make it known to you; in doing this, he will glorify me. All that the Father has is mine; for this reason, I told you that the Spirit will take what is mine, and make it known to you.”
REFLECTION:
Sometimes there are still many things to tell while time is running out. It is only when moments are counted that the urgency is felt. But then again, you realize that it is not the act of telling that is important. The hearer must be ready too in order to understand it. Or else, it is just one among the many words that they will conveniently forget. What they have will be a vague recollection of something that you once told them. The heart is not ready to receive it yet.
And so Jesus knew when to stop. He knows that His followers could not bear His words for the moment. But it does not mean that He abandons His plan to teach and instruct them. He will leave the task to the Spirit. The Spirit will continue what Jesus has started. It is in such moment as this that helpers are most welcome. The Spirit Helper will fill what Jesus could not accomplish in human time. It is because the Trinity is a community of love that Jesus could bank on the support of the other Persons in the Trinity. It is not a task solely of his own. He has a loving community that supports Him.
Daily Reflection
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Biblical Texts are taken from Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition (57th Edition) The New English Translation for the ROMAN MISSAL
With permission from the EPISCOPAL COMMISION ON LITURGY of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines
Readings and Reflections
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