Tuesday - May 09, 2017
Nothing seems tiresome or painful when you are working for a Master who pays well; who rewards even a cup of cold water given for love of Him.
-- St. Dominic Savio
TODAY'S READINGS
May 9, 2017
Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter
Lectionary: 280
Reading 1ACTS 11:19-26
Those who had been scattered by the persecutionthat arose because of Stephen
went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch,
preaching the word to no one but Jews.
There were some Cypriots and Cyrenians among them, however,
who came to Antioch and began to speak to the Greeks as well,
proclaiming the Lord Jesus.
The hand of the Lord was with them
and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.
The news about them reached the ears of the Church in Jerusalem,
and they sent Barnabas to go to Antioch.
When he arrived and saw the grace of God,
he rejoiced and encouraged them all
to remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of heart,
for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith.
And a large number of people was added to the Lord.
Then he went to Tarsus to look for Saul,
and when he had found him he brought him to Antioch.
For a whole year they met with the Church
and taught a large number of people,
and it was in Antioch that the disciples
were first called Christians.
Responsorial PsalmPS 87:1B-3, 4-5, 6-7
R. (117:1a) All you nations, praise the Lord.or:
R. Alleluia.
His foundation upon the holy mountains
the LORD loves:
The gates of Zion,
more than any dwelling of Jacob.
Glorious things are said of you,
O city of God!
R. All you nations, praise the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I tell of Egypt and Babylon
among those who know the LORD;
Of Philistia, Tyre, Ethiopia:
"This man was born there."
And of Zion they shall say:
"One and all were born in her;
And he who has established her
is the Most High LORD."
R. All you nations, praise the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
They shall note, when the peoples are enrolled:
"This man was born there."
And all shall sing, in their festive dance:
"My home is within you."
R. All you nations, praise the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
AlleluiaJN 10:27
R. Alleluia, alleluia.My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelJN 10:22-30
The feast of the Dedication was taking place in Jerusalem.It was winter.
And Jesus walked about in the temple area on the Portico of Solomon.
So the Jews gathered around him and said to him,
"How long are you going to keep us in suspense?
If you are the Christ, tell us plainly."
Jesus answered them, "I told you and you do not believe.
The works I do in my Father's name testify to me.
But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep.
My sheep hear my voice;
I know them, and they follow me.
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.
No one can take them out of my hand.
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all,
and no one can take them out of the Father's hand.
The Father and I are one."
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God Holds on Tight!
Think of the people you know who are straying from God and/or the Church. Are you worried that they might never return? If you have prayed for them and placed them into God's hands, why worry? Jesus points out in our Gospel reading today, "My Father is greater than all, and no one can take them out of his hand."
God won't force them to come back, but he is greater, bigger and more powerful than all their reasons for ignoring him and disobeying him. There is no obstacle in their path, no demon, no misconception, no stubbornness, or any sin that is more powerful than God. What seems like a hopeless situation is merely God submitting to their free will decisions while at the same time using the delay to produce many (and often surprising) blessings.
The Good Shepherd knows what the straying sheep need. He will use their delays for their benefit, he will turn their sins into victories, and he will use their eventual conversions for his glory.
Right now, he is actively working to use their decisions and even their sins to provide them with very important lessons. The longer it takes, the more these lessons will give God a bigger foothold in their lives later. They are lessons that will motivate them to embrace him more fully. They are lessons that will give them knowledge that can minister to others. Why should these people be denied these lessons just because we're worried?
Not sure you can believe me on this? Think about someone you know who has had a conversion experience, someone who has a very active faith life but who used to be far from God. Didn't their rebellion of long ago become energy for their Christ-centered enthusiasm now?
When people make bad decisions that ruin God's plans for them, he implements a new plan -- one which he developed a long time ago, one which, if he's given enough time, always turns out better than the first plan. He can use all of our detours and side trips along the way to show us how much we need him, and how to return to him.
The best way to pray for those who are straying is to ask Our Father to make sure that none will die before turning their hearts over to him. Jesus assures us in this scripture that the Father will honor this prayer.
We can confidently trust that when we pray for the conversions of people we love, we are collaborating with God in a plan that he's already implementing. He desires their conversions more than we do. Keep offering their lives up to God (since they are not doing this themselves, we do it for them). Your prayers are infusing God's grace into their hearts. Trust in God's love and power to make a difference.
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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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