Daily Reflection | Gospel Reading | RVA

6TH WEEK OF EASTER
Psalter: Week 2 / (White)
St. Augustine of Canterbury, bishop

Ps 47:2-3, 8-9, 10
God is king of all the earth.

1^st Reading: Acts 1:1-11

In the first part of my work, Theophilus, I wrote of all that Jesus did and taught, from the beginning until the day when he ascended to heaven.

But first he had instructed, through the Holy Spirit, the apostles he had chosen. After his passion, he presented himself to them, giving many signs, that he was alive; over a period of forty days he appeared to them and taught them concerning the kingdom of God. Once, when he had been eating with them, he told them, ”Do not leave Jerusalem but wait for the fulfillment of the Father‘s promise about which I have spoken to you: John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit within a few days.”

When they had come together, they asked him, ”Is it now that you will restore the kingdom of Israel?” And he answered, ”It is not for you to know the time and the steps that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the earth.”

After Jesus said this, he was taken up before their eyes and a cloud hid him from their sight. While they were still looking up to heaven, where he went, suddenly, two men dressed in white stood beside them and said, ”Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking up at the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will return in the same way as you have seen him go there.”

2^nd Reading: Eph 1:17-23

Brothers and sisters: May the God of Christ Jesus our Lord, the Father of glory, reveal himself to you, and give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation, that you may know him.

May he enlighten your inner vision, that you may appreciate the things we hope for, since we were called by God. May you know how great is the inheritance, the glory, God sets apart for his saints;

May you understand, with what extraordinary power, he acts in favor of us who believe.

He revealed his almighty power in Christ when he raised him from the dead, and had him sit at his right hand in heaven, far above all rule, power, authority, dominion, or any other supernatural force that could be named, not only in this world, but in the world to come as well.

Thus has God put all things under the feet of Christ and set him above all things, as head of the church, which is his body, the fullness of him, who fills all in all.

Gospel: Mt 28:16-20

As for the eleven disciples, they went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw Jesus, they bowed before him, although some doubted.

”All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations. Baptize them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all that I have commanded you. I am with you always, even to the end of the world.”

REFLECTION:

Before we leave, we usually make promises to those whom we will leave behind. The sadness of separation is lessened by these promises that are meant to show them that they are still loved and will always be remembered. Jesus in His humanity is no different from us. He felt this compulsion to assure those whom He loved in His earthly life that nothing will change even if He will not be with them forever. And He will leave them something precious behind. They will have the capacity to ask the Father in His name and it will be granted. Then He will leave them a clear teaching of who the Father really is. He gives them an unrestricted access to the Father‘s heart. And since He is going back to the Father and every time they pray to the Father, Jesus will be there for them.

Daily Reflection

Daily Gospel ® is a product Claretian Publications, a division of Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc. (CCFI) which is a pastoral endeavor of the Claretian Missionaries in the Philippines that brings the Word of God to people from all walks of life. CCFI aims to promote integral evangelization and renewed spirituality that is geared towards empowerment and total liberation in response to the needs and challenges of the Church today.

CCFI is a member of Claret Publishing Group, a consortium of the publishing houses of the Claretian Missionaries all over the world: Bangalore, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Chennai, Colombo, Dar es Salaam, Lagos, Madrid, Macao, Manila, Owerry, São Paolo, Varsaw , Yaoundé.

Biblical Texts are taken from Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition (57^th 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

 

DAILY GOSPEL ® 2017
Readings and Reflections
Copyright © 2O16
Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc.
U.P. P.O. Box 4, Diliman,
1101 Quezon City, Philippines
Tel.: (63-2) 921-3984
Fax: (6352) 921-7429
Email: ccfi@claretianpublicationscom
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web: www.claretianph.com

6TH WEEK OF EASTER
Psalter: Week 2 / (White)
St. Philip Neri, priest

Ps 47:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
God is king of all the earth.

1^st Reading: Acts 18:9-18

One night, in a vision, the Lord said to Paul, ”Do not be afraid, but continue speaking and do not be silent, for many people in this city are mine. I am with you, so no one will harm you.” So Paul stayed a year and a half in that place, teaching the word of God among them.

When Gallio was governor of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him before the court. And they accused him, ”This man tries to persuade us to worship God in ways that are against the law.”

Paul was about to speak in his own defense when Gallio said to the Jews, ”If it were a matter of a misdeed or vicious crime, I would have to consider your complaint. But since this is a quarrel about teachings and divine names that are proper to your own law, see to it yourselves: I refuse to judge such matters.” And he sent them out of the court.

Then the people seized Sosthenes, a leading man of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal; but Gallio paid no attention to it.

Paul stayed on with the disciples in Corinth for many days; he then left them and sailed off with Priscilla and Aquila for Syria. And as he was no longer under a vow he had taken, he shaved his head before sailing from Cenchreae.

Gospel: Jn 16:20-23

Jesus said to his disciples: ”Truly, I say to you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy. A woman in childbirth is in distress because her time is at hand. But after the child is born, she no longer remembers her suffering because of her great joy: a human being is born into the world.

”You feel sorrowful now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice; and no one will take your joy from you. When that day comes you will not ask me anything. Truly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you.”

REFLECTION:

Joy, especially those that lasts forever are usually preceded by sorrow. Sorrow lends a back drop where the joy that will come afterward becomes poignant and clear. This is why Jesus prepares His own. He shows them that there is nothing to fear when sorrow visits. It usually does not stay forever. It just prepares the heart to receive the incoming joy.

The joy that comes from God is a joy that no one can take away from us. It is a guaranteed joy. That is why we must be ready for such joy. If sorrow is part of the price we pay, then that sorrow is part of the process of joy. We cannot have one without the other. May we see Christian sorrow in a new light knowing that it is but a precursor of the greater thing that is to come, God‘s joy shared with us.

Daily Reflection

Daily Gospel ® is a product Claretian Publications, a division of Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc. (CCFI) which is a pastoral endeavor of the Claretian Missionaries in the Philippines that brings the Word of God to people from all walks of life. CCFI aims to promote integral evangelization and renewed spirituality that is geared towards empowerment and total liberation in response to the needs and challenges of the Church today.

CCFI is a member of Claret Publishing Group, a consortium of the publishing houses of the Claretian Missionaries all over the world: Bangalore, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Chennai, Colombo, Dar es Salaam, Lagos, Madrid, Macao, Manila, Owerry, São Paolo, Varsaw , Yaoundé.

Biblical Texts are taken from Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition (57^th 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

 

DAILY GOSPEL ® 2017
Readings and Reflections
Copyright © 2O16
Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc.
U.P. P.O. Box 4, Diliman,
1101 Quezon City, Philippines
Tel.: (63-2) 921-3984
Fax: (6352) 921-7429
Email: ccfi@claretianpublicationscom
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web: www.claretianph.com

6TH WEEK OF EASTER
Psalter: Week 2 / (White)
St. Bede the Venerable, priest & doctor / St. Gregory VII, pope / Mary Magdalene of Pazzi, virgin

Ps 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4
The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.

1^st Reading: Acts 18:1-8

After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There, he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, following a decree of the Emperor Claudius, which ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to visit them, and then stayed and worked with them, because they shared the same trade of tent making. Every Sabbath, he held discussions in the synagogue, trying to convince both Jews and Greeks.

When Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul was able to give himself wholly to preaching, and proving to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. One day, when they opposed him and insulted him, he shook the dust from his clothes in protest, saying, ”Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. I am not to blame if, from now on, I go to the non-Jews.”

So Paul left there and went to the house of a God-fearing man named Titus Justus, who lived next door to the synagogue. A leading man of the synagogue, Crispus, along with his whole household, believed in the Lord. On hearing Paul, many more Corinthians believed and were baptized.

Gospel: Jn 16:16-20

Jesus said to his disciples: ”A little while, and you will see me no more; and then a little while, and you will see me.”

Some of the disciples wondered, ”What does he mean by, ‘A little while, and you will not see me; and then a little while, and you will see me‘? And why did he say, ‘I go to the Father‘?” And they said to one another, ”What does he mean by ‘a little while‘? We don‘t understand.”

Jesus knew that they wanted to question him; so he said to them, ”You are puzzled because I told you that in a little while you will see me no more, and then a little while later you will see me.

”Truly, I say to you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy.”

REFLECTION:

Little children sometimes display anxiety when they could not see the familiar face of their parents or love ones. They become insecure and afraid. This childish behavior is translated into adult behaviors as well. The fear of separation is as much apart of adult life too. That is why Jesus is preparing His disciples for the momentary separation that will take place ahead. They will not have Him physically present always. Time will come when they have to hold on to His memories in their heart to continue the task at hand. This process will be slow and painful. It is better to start early. And so when the disciples will enter the dark and painful nights of the passion and death of the Lord, they will remember His words and hopefully it will comfort them and sustain them.

Daily Reflection

Daily Gospel ® is a product Claretian Publications, a division of Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc. (CCFI) which is a pastoral endeavor of the Claretian Missionaries in the Philippines that brings the Word of God to people from all walks of life. CCFI aims to promote integral evangelization and renewed spirituality that is geared towards empowerment and total liberation in response to the needs and challenges of the Church today.

CCFI is a member of Claret Publishing Group, a consortium of the publishing houses of the Claretian Missionaries all over the world: Bangalore, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Chennai, Colombo, Dar es Salaam, Lagos, Madrid, Macao, Manila, Owerry, São Paolo, Varsaw , Yaoundé.

Biblical Texts are taken from Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition (57^th 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

 

DAILY GOSPEL ® 2017
Readings and Reflections
Copyright © 2O16
Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc.
U.P. P.O. Box 4, Diliman,
1101 Quezon City, Philippines
Tel.: (63-2) 921-3984
Fax: (6352) 921-7429
Email: ccfi@claretianpublicationscom
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web: www.claretianph.com

6TH WEEK OF EASTER
Psalter: Week 2 / (White)

Ps 148:1-2, 11-12, 13, 14
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.

1^st 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

Daily Gospel ® is a product Claretian Publications, a division of Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc. (CCFI) which is a pastoral endeavor of the Claretian Missionaries in the Philippines that brings the Word of God to people from all walks of life. CCFI aims to promote integral evangelization and renewed spirituality that is geared towards empowerment and total liberation in response to the needs and challenges of the Church today.

CCFI is a member of Claret Publishing Group, a consortium of the publishing houses of the Claretian Missionaries all over the world: Bangalore, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Chennai, Colombo, Dar es Salaam, Lagos, Madrid, Macao, Manila, Owerry, São Paolo, Varsaw , Yaoundé.

Biblical Texts are taken from Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition (57^th 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

 

DAILY GOSPEL ® 2017
Readings and Reflections
Copyright © 2O16
Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc.
U.P. P.O. Box 4, Diliman,
1101 Quezon City, Philippines
Tel.: (63-2) 921-3984
Fax: (6352) 921-7429
Email: ccfi@claretianpublicationscom
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web: www.claretianph.com