Readings for Thursday, May 1 2014; Thursday of the Second Week of Easter

Reading 1
Acts 5:27-33

When the court officers had brought the Apostles in
and made them stand before the Sanhedrin,
the high priest questioned them,
“We gave you strict orders did we not,
to stop teaching in that name.
Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching
and want to bring this man’s blood upon us.”
But Peter and the Apostles said in reply,
“We must obey God rather than men. 
The God of our ancestors raised Jesus,
though you had him killed by hanging him on a tree.
God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior
to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins.
We are witnesses of these things,
as is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”

When they heard this,
they became infuriated and wanted to put them to death.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 34:2 and 9, 17-18, 19-20

R. (7a) The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.

I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Taste and see how good the LORD is;
blessed the man who takes refuge in him.

R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.

The LORD confronts the evildoers,
to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,
and from all their distress he rescues them.

R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
Many are the troubles of the just man,
but out of them all the LORD delivers him.

R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Gospel
John 3:31-36

The one who comes from above is above all.
The one who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of earthly things.
But the one who comes from heaven is above all.
He testifies to what he has seen and heard,
but no one accepts his testimony.
Whoever does accept his testimony certifies that God is trustworthy.
For the one whom God sent speaks the words of God.
He does not ration his gift of the Spirit.
The Father loves the Son and has given everything over to him.
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life,
but whoever disobeys the Son will not see life,
but the wrath of God remains upon him.

REFLECTION
SOURCE: One Bread One Body
TOPIC: WILDLY OBEDIENT

"We testify to this. So too does the Holy Spirit, Whom God has given to those that obey Him." –Acts 5:32

To believe in the risen Christ, we need the Holy Spirit. That's why on the evening of His resurrection, Jesus commanded the apostles: "Receive the Holy Spirit" (Jn 20:22). To receive the Holy Spirit, to stir into flame the gift of the Spirit received in Baptism and Confirmation (2 Tm 1:6-7), we must obey the Lord in extremely challenging circumstances.

For example, Peter and the apostles obeyed the Lord by continuing to teach about the name of Jesus in the face of imprisonment, threats, and beatings (Acts 5:28ff). In this obedience, they experienced the life and power of one Pentecost after another. Mary obeyed the Lord and received the Holy Spirit so perfectly that her reception of the Spirit was aconception (Lk 1:35). However, her obedience made it probable that Joseph would divorce her (see Mt 1:19), and it put her in danger of being executed as an adulteress. For the early Jewish Christians to continue to receive the Spirit, they had to obey the Lord by being in community with Gentile Christians. This was unthinkable for Jews who had never set foot in a Gentile's house or touched a utensil used by a Gentile.

What outlandish command is the Lord giving you now? Obey Him, receive the Holy Spirit, and believe in the Holy Spirit as never before.

PRAYER: Father, may I delight (Ps 40:9) to express my love for You by obeying You (see 1 Jn 5:3).

PROMISE: "He does not ration His gift of the Spirit." –Jn 3:34

PRAISE: St. Joseph willingly gave up his employment and security to take Jesus on the road as a refugee to Egypt (see Mt 2:13).