19 May 2025 (Monday)
Monday of the 5th week of Eastertide.
Easter Weekday.
Readings from the Bible of the Roman Catholic Church:
First Reading : Acts 14:5‐18
Eventually with the connivance of the authorities a move was made by pagans as well as Jews to make attacks on the apostles and to stone them. When the apostles came to hear of this, they went off for safety to Lycaonia where, in the towns of Lystra and Derbe and in the surrounding country, they preached the Good News. A man sat there who had never walked in his life, because his feet were crippled from birth; and as he listened to Paul preaching, he managed to catch his eye. Seeing that the man had the faith to be cured, Paul said in a loud voice, ‘Get to your feet – stand up’, and the cripple jumped up and began to walk. When the crowd saw what Paul had done they shouted in the language of Lycaonia, ‘These people are gods who have come down to us disguised as men.’ They addressed Barnabas as Zeus, and since Paul was the principal speaker they called him Hermes. The priests of Zeus‐outside‐the‐Gate, proposing that all the people should offer sacrifice with them, brought garlanded oxen to the gates. When the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard what was happening they tore their clothes, and rushed into the crowd, shouting, ‘Friends, what do you think you are doing? We are only human beings like you. We have come with good news to make you turn from these empty idols to the living God who made heaven and earth and the sea and all that these hold. In the past he allowed each nation to go its own way; but even then he did not leave you without evidence of himself in the good things he does for you: he sends you rain from heaven, he makes your crops grow when they should, he gives you food and makes you happy.’ Even this speech, however, was scarcely enough to stop the crowd offering them sacrifice.
Responsive Psalm : Psalm 113B(115):1‐4,15‐16
Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to your name give the glory for the sake of your love and your truth, lest the heathen say: ‘Where is their God?’
But our God is in the heavens; he does whatever he wills. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands.
May you be blessed by the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth. The heavens belong to the Lord but the earth he has given to men.
Gospel : John 14:21‐26
For our reflection today:
Paul and Barnabas go to Antioch; the Jews go first, but they do not want to listen to the voice of the Lord, and so they begin to announce the Gospel to all the world, to the pagans. They go, as we know, on this great mission. Saint Paul comes to Rome, where he also eventually [fulfilled] it. Another example of the witness of a good shepherd. But in that example, there is also a very special invitation to us all. I also said it in a very personal way, what it is to proclaim the Gospel to the whole world. Take courage! Without fear! Many times in the Gospel Jesus says: “Do not be afraid”. We need to be courageous in the witness we give, with the world and above all with life: giving life, serving, sometimes with great sacrifices in order to live out this very mission. (Pope Leo XIV, In the Crypt of St. Peter’s Basilica, 11 May 2025)
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