Sunday, May 1, 2016

Saturday, April 30 2016 Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter


Reading 1 Acts 16:1-10

Paul reached also Derbe and Lystra
where there was a disciple named Timothy,
the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer,
but his father was a Greek.
The brothers in Lystra and Iconium spoke highly of him,
and Paul wanted him to come along with him.
On account of the Jews of that region, Paul had him circumcised,
for they all knew that his father was a Greek.
As they traveled from city to city,
they handed on to the people for observance the decisions
reached by the Apostles and presbyters in Jerusalem.
Day after day the churches grew stronger in faith
and increased in number.

They traveled through the Phrygian and Galatian territory
because they had been prevented by the Holy Spirit
from preaching the message in the province of Asia.
When they came to Mysia, they tried to go on into Bithynia,
but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them,
so they crossed through Mysia and came down to Troas.
During the night Paul had a vision.
A Macedonian stood before him and implored him with these words,
“Come over to Macedonia and help us.”
When he had seen the vision,
we sought passage to Macedonia at once, 
concluding that God had called us to proclaim the Good News to them.

Responsorial Psalm PS 100:1b-2, 3, 5

R. (2a) Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
serve the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful song.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Know that the LORD is God;
he made us, his we are;
his people, the flock he tends.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD is good:
his kindness endures forever,
and his faithfulness, to all generations.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Alleluia Col 3:1

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
If then you were raised with Christ,
seek what is above,
where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Jn 15:18-21

Jesus said to his disciples: 
“If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first.
If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own;
but because you do not belong to the world,
and I have chosen you out of the world,
the world hates you.
Remember the word I spoke to you,
‘No slave is greater than his master.’
If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.
If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
And they will do all these things to you on account of my name,
because they do not know the one who sent me.”

REFLECTION

DAILY BREAD

"The congregations grew stronger in faith and daily increased in numbers." –Acts 16:5

The early Church grew in numbers daily. "Day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved" (Acts 2:47). The early Church grew daily because: 

  • "They went to the temple area together every day, while in their homes they broke bread" (Acts 2:46). 
  • "Day after day, both in the temple and at home, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news of Jesus the Messiah" (Acts 5:42). 
  • "Each day they studied the Scriptures" (Acts 17:11). 
  • They encouraged "one another daily" (Heb 3:13). 
  • They denied themselves and took up their crosses each day (Lk 9:23). 
  • They faced "death every day" for love of Jesus and in hope of the resurrection (see 1 Cor 15:31). 

The Lord promises to give us daily bread (Mt 6:11) if we will live in Him daily (see Jn 15:5). Receive your daily bread. Receive the Lord.

PRAYER: Father, may every day of the rest of my life be a sacrifice pleasing to You.
PROMISE: "The reason it hates you is that you do not belong to the world. But I chose you out of the world." –Jn 15:19
PRAISE: Pope St. Pius V lived an exemplary, humble life, both as a simple friar and later as a humble pope.

:
The Lord be with you...

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