Monday of the Fifth Week of Easter

“Disputation over the Trinity”
by Andrea del Sarto, 1517

 
Readings for Monday of the Fifth Week of Easter [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Acts 14:5-18
 
There was an attempt in Iconium
by both the Gentiles and the Jews,
together with their leaders,
to attack and stone Paul and Barnabas.
They realized it,
and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe
and to the surrounding countryside,
where they continued to proclaim the Good News.
 
At Lystra there was a crippled man, lame from birth,
who had never walked.
He listened to Paul speaking, who looked intently at him,
saw that he had the faith to be healed,
and called out in a loud voice, "Stand up straight on your feet."
He jumped up and began to walk about.
When the crowds saw what Paul had done,
they cried out in Lycaonian,
"The gods have come down to us in human form."
They called Barnabas "Zeus" and Paul "Hermes,"
because he was the chief speaker.
And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city,
brought oxen and garlands to the gates,
for he together with the people intended to offer sacrifice.
 
The Apostles Barnabas and Paul tore their garments
when they heard this and rushed out into the crowd, shouting,
"Men, why are you doing this?
We are of the same nature as you, human beings.
We proclaim to you good news
that you should turn from these idols to the living God,
who made heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them.
In past generations he allowed all Gentiles to go their own ways;
yet, in bestowing his goodness,
he did not leave himself without witness,
for he gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons,
and filled you with nourishment and gladness for your hearts."
Even with these words, they scarcely restrained the crowds
from offering sacrifice to them.
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Commentary on Acts 14:5-18
 
“In an effort to convince his hearers that the divine power works through his word, Paul cures the cripple. However, the pagan tradition of the occasional appearance of gods among human beings leads the people astray in interpreting the miracle. The incident reveals the cultural difficulties with which the church had to cope. Note the similarity of the miracle worked here by Paul to the one performed by Peter in Acts 3:2-10.”[4]

The response by Paul and Barnabas at being hailed as gods demonstrates their Christian character as well as providing an example of Christ-like humility. When the amazed pagan crowds think they are gods, they first “tore their garments.” This act, in biblical times, was significant. It meant that the Apostles felt grief coupled with indignation at the action (see also Genesis 37:29; 1 Samuel 4:11-12; 2 Chronicles 34:26-27; Matthew 26:62-65). They immediately launch into a corrective dialogue that, while forestalling the worst affront to God, at least prevents the pagans from outright worship.
 
CCC: Acts 14:15 32; Acts 14:17 32, 1147
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 115:1-2, 3-4, 15-16
 
R. (1ab) Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
Not to us, O LORD, not to us
but to your name give glory
because of your mercy, because of your truth.
Why should the pagans say,
"Where is their God?"
R. Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
Our God is in heaven;
whatever he wills, he does.
Their idols are silver and gold,
the handiwork of men.
R. Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
May you be blessed by the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
Heaven is the heaven of the LORD,
but the earth he has given to the children of men.
R. Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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Commentary on Ps 115:1-2, 3-4, 15-16
 
In this hymn of praise, we are again reminded of the difference between God and idols as the song contrasts idolatry (“Their idols are silver and gold, the handiwork of men”) with the Lord (“Our God is in heaven; whatever he wills, he does”).
 
CCC: Ps 115:3 268, 303; Ps 115:4-5 2112; Ps 115:8 2112; Ps 115:15 216, 287; Ps 115:16 326
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Gospel: John 14:21-26
 
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Whoever has my commandments and observes them
is the one who loves me.
Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father,
and I will love him and reveal myself to him."
Judas, not the Iscariot, said to him,
"Master, then what happened that you will reveal yourself to us
and not to the world?"
Jesus answered and said to him,
"Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.
Whoever does not love me does not keep my words;
yet the word you hear is not mine
but that of the Father who sent me.
 
"I have told you this while I am with you.
The Advocate, the Holy Spirit
whom the Father will send in my name
he will teach you everything
and remind you of all that I told you."
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Commentary on Jn 14:21-26
 
This dialogue between the Lord and his disciples takes place immediately following the first time he promised to send the Holy Spirit (the new Advocate – the Paraclete). He now reinforces that promise with a summation of his great commandment, and then completes our understanding of the Holy Trinity with: “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name – he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.” The Father and the Son are one, and in the name of the Son, the Holy Spirit now remains with us.
 
CCC: Jn 14:22 647; Jn 14:23-26 2615; Jn 14:23 260; Jn 14:26 243, 244, 263, 692, 729, 1099, 2466, 2623
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Reflection:
Pentecost is still three weeks away and we are introduced to the New Advocate. Our focus in this Easter season is still on Christ Risen, but since the Holy Trinity cannot be divided, we are reminded of the Holy Spirit's presence today. The Holy Spirit was the gift he left us. The Holy Spirit is the one we depend upon day by day to help us move toward the great ideal he provided.
 
We are told in Scripture of Paul and Barnabas using the Holy Spirit (the very Spirit Jesus refers to in John’s Gospel) to heal. The pagans think they are emissaries of Zeus or Hermes who, according to their tradition, had once visited the area and performed wonders for those who gave them hospitality.[5] The Apostles immediately react to being thought of as “gods” by rending their garments – an act of grief or great distress.
 
Notice that the lame man they cured was studied by Paul and seen as having faith to be cured.  There is clear linkage in this understanding that, in order for the Holy Spirit to have its efficacious presence felt, there needs to be an openness to God’s will.  We see this same effect when Jesus visits Nazareth in Mark 6:4-6: “So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them.”
 
There are times when we wonder why God does not simply cure people who are afflicted by illness and disease. We see in these passages that, while the Holy Spirit is willing and active, a free gift given in baptism and sealed in confirmation, there needs to be a deep and abiding faith in the power of the Holy Spirit to allow for its full force to be witnessed.  In those with even greater faith, visible marks of that faith may occur (e.g. the stigmata of Padre Pio).
 
As we hear once more the promise of the gift from Christ and see it active in the Acts of the Apostles, we pray that the strength of faith evidenced by the lame man at Lystra might be ours as well.
 
Pax
 

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[1] The picture is “Disputation over the Trinity” by Andrea del Sarto, 1517.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[4] NAB footnote on Acts 14:5-18.
[5] The Navarre Bible, “Gospels and Acts,” Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002, p. 808.