First Reading: Acts 18:9-18
Psalm: Ps 47:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
God is king of all the earth.
Gospel: Jn 16:20-23
Fri: Easter Weekday/ Augustine of Canterbury, bp, r, ms
Acts 18: 9-18/ Ps 47: 2-3. 4-5. 6-7/ Jn 16: 20-23
1st 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.
Responsorial Psalm; Ps 47:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
God is king of all the earth.
Gospel: Jn 16:20-23
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:
Birthing God
My Roots and My Destiny is a book that contains the diary writings of a little orphan Indian girl who was adopted by a Belgian family. As an adult, Julie Hendrix returns to India twice, in search of her mother and her roots. The searing pain of the search she captures in this line poignantly: “I am giving birth to my mother.”
Aren’t we all called to be mothers, giving birth to God? We are like the woman in childbirth who “is in distress because her time is at hand”— to give birth to God in the world. As in any childbirth, it involves searing pain, sorrow, and tears. Yet, a mother looks forward to this moment, embraces this moment of sorrow as a moment of grace; because, this sorrow is not a negative one, but a life-giving, creative one. It is a sorrow that would soon be transformed into joy. It is the very birthing of joy itself. And this is our vocation on earth.