Reading 1 Acts 13:26-33
“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 Ps 2:6-7, 8-9, 10-11ab
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.
Alleluia Jn 14:6
R. Alleluia, alleluia.I am the way and the truth and the life, says the Lord;
no one comes to the Father except through me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Jn 14:1-6
“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.”
THE PLACE TO BE
"I am indeed going to prepare a place for you." –John 14:3
In building His Church (Mt 16:18), Jesus has prepared a place for each of us. This is the place for which we were created. In this place, our hearts will not be troubled (see Jn 14:1). In our place in the body of Christ, the Church, we will see the power and the glory of God. In our place, we will, by God's grace and our faith, do greater things than Jesus did (Jn 14:12). Most of us will serve the Lord and His Church for many years. After being good and faithful servants in our place in His Church (Mt 25:21, 23), we will see Jesus keep His promise to "come back to take" us to our final resting place in heaven (Jn 14:3).
Therefore, love Jesus and His Church (Eph 5:25). Know your part in Christ's body in as much detail as possible. Take your place in the Church faithfully and fully. Rejoice to be who you are in Christ and in His body. Proclaim that Jesus has prepared a place in His Church for everyone. No one need waste his life by doing his own thing. We don't have to be "out of place." Jesus, by His death, resurrection, ascension, and gift of the Holy Spirit, has made a place for us. Alleluia!
| PRAYER: | Father, thank You for the uniqueness and perfection of Your plan for me (see Heb 11:40). |
| PROMISE: | "We ourselves announce to you the good news that what God promised our fathers He has fulfilled for us, their children, in raising up Jesus." –Acts 13:32-33 |
| PRAISE: | John felt out of place until he entered the seminary. |
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