Thursday - May 11, 2017
I am not capable of doing big things, but I want to do everything, even the smallest things, for the greater glory of God.
- Saint Dominic Savio
TODAY'S READINGS
May 11, 2017
Thursday of the Fourth Week of Easter
Lectionary: 282
Reading 1ACTS 13:13-25
From Paphos, Paul and his companionsset sail and arrived at Perga in Pamphylia.
But John left them and returned to Jerusalem.
They continued on from Perga and reached Antioch in Pisidia.
On the sabbath they entered into the synagogue and took their seats.
After the reading of the law and the prophets,
the synagogue officials sent word to them,
"My brothers, if one of you has a word of exhortation
for the people, please speak."
So Paul got up, motioned with his hand, and said,
"Fellow children of Israel and you others who are God-fearing, listen.
The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors
and exalted the people during their sojourn in the land of Egypt.
With uplifted arm he led them out,
and for about forty years he put up with them in the desert.
When he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan,
he gave them their land as an inheritance
at the end of about four hundred and fifty years.
After these things he provided judges up to Samuel the prophet.
Then they asked for a king.
God gave them Saul, son of Kish,
a man from the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.
Then he removed him and raised up David as their king;
of him he testified,
I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart;
he will carry out my every wish.
From this man's descendants God, according to his promise,
has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus.
John heralded his coming by proclaiming a baptism of repentance
to all the people of Israel;
and as John was completing his course, he would say,
'What do you suppose that I am? I am not he.
Behold, one is coming after me;
I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his feet.'"
Responsorial PsalmPS 89:2-3, 21-22, 25 AND 27
R. (2) For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.or:
R. Alleluia.
The favors of the LORD I will sing forever;
through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness.
For you have said, "My kindness is established forever";
in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
"I have found David, my servant;
with my holy oil I have anointed him,
That my hand may be always with him,
and that my arm may make him strong."
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
"My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him,
and through my name shall his horn be exalted.
He shall say of me, 'You are my father,
my God, the Rock, my savior.'"
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
AlleluiaSEE RV 1:5AB
R. Alleluia, alleluia.Jesus Christ, you are the faithful witness,
the firstborn of the dead,
you have loved us and freed us from our sins by your Blood.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelJN 13:16-20
When Jesus had washed the disciples' feet, he said to them:"Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master
nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him.
If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it.
I am not speaking of all of you.
I know those whom I have chosen.
But so that the Scripture might be fulfilled,
The one who ate my food has raised his heel against me.
From now on I am telling you before it happens,
so that when it happens you may believe that I AM.
Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send
receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me."
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Imitating your Master
Who is frustrating you? Betraying you? Persecuting you? Robbing you of peace? Do you know how to be like Jesus to overcome this? Jesus said in today's Gospel reading (when he was about to get hurt more than you and I will ever experience) that we can never be greater than he is. Yet, we think we've got a better idea of how to handle the troublemakers in our lives.
How did he deal with those who caused problems for him? Not by zapping them out of the picture with a bolt of lightning like we sometimes wish he would do! He loved them and forgave them, even when they didn't ask for it. You saw that in his responses to Judas on Good Friday. Being merciful didn't add to his pain; it gave him endurance and then it resurrected him!
Because Jesus lives in us, we can have the same victory when dealing with those who sin against us.
Victory doesn't come from getting rid of troublemakers and the problems they cause; it comes from embracing them the way Jesus did. He knew the hidden victory that comes from the cross.
Loving our enemies gives us a hidden power that crushes the devil. Forgiving those who hurt us -- including those who show no remorse -- sets us free from the nails that bind us to the crosses they gave us. If our happiness depends on waiting for troublemakers to change, we are permanently nailed to the cross of their unrepentance. If our willingness to love them depends on their willingness to love us, we are permanently nailed to the cross of their sins.
People sin against us because of the wounds in their hearts and the darkness in their souls. The forgiveness that frees us is also the forgiveness that can heal them if we find ways to serve them with the love of Jesus, persistently imitating him in his mercy. He has sent us into their lives to reveal his love to them.
Choosing to forgive and to do good to our enemies is a huge blow to the devil, but there is more victory hidden in the cross than this. By imitating Jesus, we are healed by our union with him. We are resurrected to a higher level of spiritual perfection. Often this process must include help from a good therapist or spiritual director, and this too is a blessing straight from God.
Discover the hidden victory in the crosses you're facing today. Rather than being controlled by the hurt that's been inflicted upon you, and instead of being held on the cross by your anger, worry, fear, frustration, cynicism, or any other bad mood instigated by others, conquer that evil master by choosing to make Jesus your true Master. Follow him: Imitate him. And enjoy your resurrection!
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God Bless You.....
The mother of Jesus promised St. Dominic that, “one day through the rosary & the scapular I shall save the world!”
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