Readings for Friday, May 16 2014; Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter

Lectionary: 283

Reading 1
Acts 13:26-33

When Paul came to Antioch in Pisidia, he said in the synagogue:
“My brothers, children of the family of Abraham,
and those others among you who are God-fearing,
to us this word of salvation has been sent. 
The inhabitants of Jerusalem and their leaders failed to recognize him,
and by condemning him they fulfilled the oracles of the prophets
that are read sabbath after sabbath. 
For even though they found no grounds for a death sentence,
they asked Pilate to have him put to death,
and when they had accomplished all that was written about him,
they took him down from the tree and placed him in a tomb. 
But God raised him from the dead,
and for many days he appeared to those
who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. 
These are now his witnesses before the people.
We ourselves are proclaiming this good news to you
that what God promised our fathers
he has brought to fulfillment for us, their children, by raising up Jesus,
as it is written in the second psalm,
You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.”

Responsorial Psalm 
Psalm 2:6-7, 8-9, 10-11ab

R. (7bc) You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
or:
R. Alleluia.

“I myself have set up my king
on Zion, my holy mountain.”
I will proclaim the decree of the LORD:
The LORD said to me, “You are my Son;
this day I have begotten you.”

R. You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
or:
R. Alleluia.

“Ask of me and I will give you
the nations for an inheritance
and the ends of the earth for your possession.
You shall rule them with an iron rod;
you shall shatter them like an earthen dish.”

R. You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
or:
R. Alleluia.

And now, O kings, give heed;
take warning, you rulers of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice before him;
with trembling rejoice.

R. You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Gospel
John 14:1-6

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. 
You have faith in God; have faith also in me. 
In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.
If there were not,
would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?
And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come back again and take you to myself,
so that where I am you also may be.
Where I am going you know the way.” 
Thomas said to him, 
“Master, we do not know where you are going;
how can we know the way?” 
Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. 
No one comes to the Father except through me.”

REFLECTION
SOURCE: One Bread One Body
THEME: DOCTOR JESUS

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Have faith in God and have faith in Me." –John 14:1

Imagine that you are scheduled to undergo open heart surgery tomorrow. You've met with your surgeon, and you have complete confidence in your surgeon's skill and personal care for your body. Although you're naturally anxious about such major surgery, you anticipate a successful outcome. There will be a lot of pain, but your surgeon has told you what pain to expect, how long it will last, and has prescribed medication to make the pain tolerable. Your trust in your surgeon has put your heart at rest.

Jesus is the Divine Physician (Mk 2:17). He's decided that the best way to bring us to full health is to give us a new heart (see Ez 36:26). In the process of this heart transplant operation, Jesus may, in His surpassing skill, care, and wisdom, find it necessary to expose us to pain for a time (see Lk 2:35). Yet Jesus didn't promise to eliminate all pain; instead, He promised that by having faith in Him, we can keep our hearts from being troubled (Jn 14:1).

Out of love for us, Doctor Jesus has not told us everything about our operation and recovery because we are not yet ready to bear it (Jn 16:12). We don't know what kind of pain we'll experience or how long it will last. The pain may come physically, mentally, spiritually, relationally, etc.

So, it all comes down to believing in the Doctor. Doctor Jesus, the Creator of your body, knows more anatomy and has far greater personal care for you than does the world's finest physician. Jesus tells us: Have "faith in Me" (Jn 14:1). "Dismiss all anxiety from your minds...Then God's own peace...will stand guard over your hearts" (Phil 4:6-7).

PRAYER: "Jesus, I trust in You. Mercy of God, I trust in You."

PROMISE: "It was to us that this message of salvation was sent forth." –Acts 13:26

PRAISE: Brother Mark counseled a mother of a troubled teen to put her anxiety on the altar of God.

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