Lectionary: 55
Reading 1
Acts 8:5-8, 14-17
Philip went down to the city of Samaria
and proclaimed the Christ to them.
With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip
when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing.
For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice,
came out of many possessed people,
and many paralyzed or crippled people were cured.
There was great joy in that city.
Now when the apostles in Jerusalem
heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God,
they sent them Peter and John,
who went down and prayed for them,
that they might receive the Holy Spirit,
for it had not yet fallen upon any of them;
they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Then they laid hands on them
and they received the Holy Spirit.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20
R/ (1) Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
Shout joyfully to God, all the earth,
sing praise to the glory of his name;
proclaim his glorious praise.
Say to God, “How tremendous are your deeds!”
R/ Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
“Let all on earth worship and sing praise to you,
sing praise to your name!”
Come and see the works of God,
his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam.
R/ Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
He has changed the sea into dry land;
through the river they passed on foot;
therefore let us rejoice in him.
He rules by his might forever.
R/ Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
Hear now, all you who fear God, while I declare
what he has done for me.
Blessed be God who refused me not
my prayer or his kindness!
R/ Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
Reading 2
1 Peter 3:15-18
Beloved:
Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts.
Always be ready to give an explanation
to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope,
but do it with gentleness and reverence,
keeping your conscience clear,
so that, when you are maligned,
those who defame your good conduct in Christ
may themselves be put to shame.
For it is better to suffer for doing good,
if that be the will of God, than for doing evil.
For Christ also suffered for sins once,
the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous,
that he might lead you to God.
Put to death in the flesh,
he was brought to life in the Spirit.
Gospel
John 14:15-21
Jesus said to his disciples:
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
And I will ask the Father,
and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always,
the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept,
because it neither sees nor knows him.
But you know him, because he remains with you,
and will be in you.
I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
In a little while the world will no longer see me,
but you will see me, because I live and you will live.
On that day you will realize that I am in my Father
and you are in me and I in you.
Whoever has my commandments and observes them
is the one who loves me.
And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father,
and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”
REFLECTION
SOURCE: One Bread One Body
THEME: TO HELP YOU LOSE TO WIN
"If you love Me and obey the commands I give you, I will ask the Father and He will give you another Paraclete — to be with you always: the Spirit of truth." –John 14:15-17
A paraclete is someone who helps us, usually in the context of a legal trial. For example, a paraclete could be a lawyer or a witness on our behalf. A paraclete must be convincing to the judge or jury, or he would not help us win the case. However, the Paraclete Whom the Father sends us is not accepted by the world "since it neither sees Him nor recognizes Him" (Jn 14:17). Therefore, the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, might not help us win our case on earth. Rather, He is with us and within us so we will have the strength to remain faithful when unjustly persecuted and condemned (see Jn 14:17). While we lose our case on earth, we will be more than conquerors in life (Rm 8:37). Though we may be condemned rather than acquitted on earth, the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, will make us holy so that, on the final Judgment Day, Jesus the Judge will give the verdict: "Well done! You are a good and faithful servant!" (Mt 25:21, our transl) "Come. You have My Father's blessing! Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world" (Mt 25:34).
Come, Holy Spirit, the Paraclete! Help us be acquitted in the final judgment, even though we may be condemned in this world's trial.
PRAYER: Father, show me those on whom I am to lay hands so that they may receive the Holy Spirit (see Acts 8:17).
PROMISE: "Should anyone ask you the reason for this hope of yours, be ever ready to reply, but speak gently and respectfully." –1 Pt 3:15
PRAISE: Praise Jesus, Who "died and came to life again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living" (Rm 14:9).
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