Daily Readings for Saturday, June 7 2014. Today is Saturday of the Seventh Week of Easter

Lectionary: 302

Reading 1
Acts 28:16-20, 30-31

When he entered Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself,
with the soldier who was guarding him.

Three days later he called together the leaders of the Jews.
When they had gathered he said to them, “My brothers,
although I had done nothing against our people
or our ancestral customs,
I was handed over to the Romans as a prisoner from Jerusalem.
After trying my case the Romans wanted to release me,
because they found nothing against me deserving the death penalty.
But when the Jews objected, I was obliged to appeal to Caesar,
even though I had no accusation to make against my own nation.
This is the reason, then, I have requested to see you
and to speak with you, for it is on account of the hope of Israel
that I wear these chains.” 

He remained for two full years in his lodgings.
He received all who came to him, and with complete assurance
and without hindrance he proclaimed the Kingdom of God
and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 11:4, 5 and 7

R. (see 7b) The just will gaze on your face, O Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.

The LORD is in his holy temple;
the LORD’s throne is in heaven.
His eyes behold,
his searching glance is on mankind.

R. The just will gaze on your face, O Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.

The LORD searches the just and the wicked;
the lover of violence he hates.
For the LORD is just, he loves just deeds;
the upright shall see his face.

R. The just will gaze on your face, O Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Gospel
John 21:20-25

Peter turned and saw the disciple following whom Jesus loved,
the one who had also reclined upon his chest during the supper
and had said, “Master, who is the one who will betray you?”
When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?”
Jesus said to him, “What if I want him to remain until I come?
What concern is it of yours? 
You follow me.”
So the word spread among the brothers that that disciple would not die.
But Jesus had not told him that he would not die,
just “What if I want him to remain until I come?
What concern is it of yours?”

It is this disciple who testifies to these things
and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true.
There are also many other things that Jesus did,
but if these were to be described individually,
I do not think the whole world would contain the books
that would be written.

REFLECTION
SOURCE: One Bread One Body
THEME: ACTS OF APOSTLES

"Your business is to follow Me." –John 21:22

Today, on the last day of our novena to the Holy Spirit and the next to last day of the Easter season, we read the last words of the Acts of the Apostles and the Gospel of John. May today be the last time we refuse to act on God's commandments.

When the Lord commands us to follow Him to Calvary, He doesn't want us to turn around and ask: "But, Lord, what about him?" (Jn 21:21) The Lord doesn't want us to be comparing ourselves with others. Furthermore, the Lord doesn't want us to delay in acting on His commands because we have too many problems. For example, "with full assurance, and without any hindrance whatever, [Paul] preached the reign of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 28:31). St. Paul acted on the Lord's command even though he was in an unfamiliar city, under house arrest, awaiting trial before the Roman emperor, and rejected by many Roman Jews (see Acts 28:16, 19, 24). Paul had plenty of problems and excuses for not acting, but he obeyed the Lord.

When we receive the Holy Spirit, we too perform the "acts of the apostles." We don't question God, compare ourselves with others, or get bogged down in our problems. We act. Starting today, may we always swiftly act on God's commandments. May today be the beginning of our uninterrupted acts for the Lord.

PRAYER: Father, on this last day of the novena to the Holy Spirit, may I fix my eyes on Jesus and obey His every command.

PROMISE: "There are still many other things that Jesus did, yet if they were written about in detail, I doubt there would be room enough in the entire world to hold the books to record them." –Jn 21:25

PRAISE: Ted, a citizen of an atheist country, had his life threatened by the government because he preached the gospel. In response to this threat, Ted asked to be killed for Jesus so that his witness would be more effective. The government let him go free. He resumed his preaching with even greater fervor.

Be an inspiration, kindly Share!