Readings for Monday of the Seventh Week of Easter[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Acts 19:1-8
While Apollos stays in Corinth strengthening the Church there, Paul goes down to Ephesus. In this passage he describes the difference between the Baptism of John which was for repentance and the baptism of Jesus (for forgiveness). It is important to note that the gift of the Holy Spirit is given in the sacrament of Baptism demonstrated here.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 68:2-3ab, 4-5acd, 6-7ab
R. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
Psalm 68 continues the Easter praise and thanksgiving for God’s salvation. In the second strophe we relate back to the believers baptized by St. Paul in Ephesus.
Gospel John 16:29-33
Here, in St. John’s Gospel, we see the great solace of the disciples as Jesus essentially forgives them in advance for deserting him when he is confronted in the garden. Even as they confess that they believe in Him, Jesus knows they will flee when he is taken prisoner.
Reflection:
If we think about the faith we receive in Christ Jesus we recognize that he did not give it to us as just a means of bringing us individual peace. Rather he gave it to us so that, strengthened by his spirit, we would be able to take that peace, that love, into the world. St. Paul understood at once that he was not to be at peace with the Gospel. Yes, it brought a great revelation to him. It was like a light bulb suddenly lit, the stars lined up and all he had learned about the Law and Prophets made sense in a new and glorious way. Such understanding drove him to try to bring every one who had ever fallen short of this understanding to Christ; we see this as he moves from Corinth to Ephesus.
Even when we have this same understanding, this same faith, this same zeal in the Lord as St. Paul, the Savior recognizes that we will be challenged; sometimes beyond our ability to stand firm. His disciples were so challenged. The Lord tells them, in the Gospel passage we hear from St. John, that they will run from his banner at a crucial time. What great consolation this is for them and for us. They would have been crushed with guilt, unable to go on, had not the Lord forgiven them in advance for their human frailty.
These examples and messages come to us as we gather ourselves for that final dash to Pentecost and the gift of the Holy Spirit. That Spirit of truth he left us was not to sit idle inside us. It is meant to motivate us to love those around us enough to offer them the truth that will save them; the truth that will lift them up as God’s adopted children. And when those so offered sneer at us; call us fanatics, religious nuts, or worse, and we have walked away in embarrassment, we recall the Lord’s words today “In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.”
Pax
[1] After Links to Readings Expire
[2] The picture today is “St. Paul at Preaching at Ephesus” by Eustache Le Sueur, 1649
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Acts 19:1-8
While Apollos stays in Corinth strengthening the Church there, Paul goes down to Ephesus. In this passage he describes the difference between the Baptism of John which was for repentance and the baptism of Jesus (for forgiveness). It is important to note that the gift of the Holy Spirit is given in the sacrament of Baptism demonstrated here.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 68:2-3ab, 4-5acd, 6-7ab
R. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
Psalm 68 continues the Easter praise and thanksgiving for God’s salvation. In the second strophe we relate back to the believers baptized by St. Paul in Ephesus.
Gospel John 16:29-33
Here, in St. John’s Gospel, we see the great solace of the disciples as Jesus essentially forgives them in advance for deserting him when he is confronted in the garden. Even as they confess that they believe in Him, Jesus knows they will flee when he is taken prisoner.
Reflection:
If we think about the faith we receive in Christ Jesus we recognize that he did not give it to us as just a means of bringing us individual peace. Rather he gave it to us so that, strengthened by his spirit, we would be able to take that peace, that love, into the world. St. Paul understood at once that he was not to be at peace with the Gospel. Yes, it brought a great revelation to him. It was like a light bulb suddenly lit, the stars lined up and all he had learned about the Law and Prophets made sense in a new and glorious way. Such understanding drove him to try to bring every one who had ever fallen short of this understanding to Christ; we see this as he moves from Corinth to Ephesus.
Even when we have this same understanding, this same faith, this same zeal in the Lord as St. Paul, the Savior recognizes that we will be challenged; sometimes beyond our ability to stand firm. His disciples were so challenged. The Lord tells them, in the Gospel passage we hear from St. John, that they will run from his banner at a crucial time. What great consolation this is for them and for us. They would have been crushed with guilt, unable to go on, had not the Lord forgiven them in advance for their human frailty.
These examples and messages come to us as we gather ourselves for that final dash to Pentecost and the gift of the Holy Spirit. That Spirit of truth he left us was not to sit idle inside us. It is meant to motivate us to love those around us enough to offer them the truth that will save them; the truth that will lift them up as God’s adopted children. And when those so offered sneer at us; call us fanatics, religious nuts, or worse, and we have walked away in embarrassment, we recall the Lord’s words today “In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.”
Pax
[1] After Links to Readings Expire
[2] The picture today is “St. Paul at Preaching at Ephesus” by Eustache Le Sueur, 1649
No comments:
Post a Comment