First Reading: Acts 16:1-10
Psalm: Ps 100:1b-2, 3, 5
Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
Gospel: Jn 15:18-21
Sat: Easter Weekday/ Christopher Magallanes, p, & co., mts
Acts 16: 1-10/ Ps 100: 1b-2. 3. 5/ Jn 15: 18-21
1st Reading: Acts 16:1-10
Paul traveled on, to Derbe and then to Lystra. A disciple named Timothy lived there, whose mother was a believer of Jewish origin but whose father was a Greek. As the believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him, Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him. So he took him and, because of the Jews of that place, who all knew that his father was a Greek, he circumcised him.
As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions of the apostles and elders in Jerusalem, for the people to obey. Meanwhile, the churches grew stronger in faith, and increased in number, every day.
They traveled through Phrygia and Galatia, because they had been prevented by the Holy Spirit from preaching the message in the province of Asia. When they came to Mysia, they tried to go on to Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to do this. So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas.
There, one night, Paul had a vision. A Macedonian stood before him and begged him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” When he awoke, he told us of this vision; and we understood that the Lord was calling us, to give the Good News to the Macedonian people.
Responsorial Psalm; Ps 100:1b-2, 3, 5
Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
Gospel: Jn 15:18-21
If the world hates you, remember that the world hated me before you. This would not be so if you belonged to the world, because the world loves its own. But you are not of the world, since I have chosen you from the world; because of this the world hates you.
Remember what I told you: the servant is not greater than his master; if they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will keep yours as well. All this they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know the One who sent me.
Reflection:
Facing Hatred
After a long discourse on the commandment of love and asking the disciples to abide in his love, Jesus now breaks the news of the intense hatred the world will have for the gospel and his disciples. It is as if all his talk on love was to prepare them to have the courage to face the hatred by the strength of love. He also wants them to remember that the world hated him already and to follow his own example of how to take in the hate of the world and transform it into energies of love, drawing upon the Love in which they abide. And this is true. There was, is, and will be no other way before the world to heal violence than the model of Christ: facing hatred with the power of love. The life of every apostle and the saints and martyrs who followed is a testament to this truth.