You cannot please both God and the world at the same time. They are utterly opposed to each other in their thoughts, their desires, and their actions.
-- St. John Mary Vianney
May 4, 2018
Friday of the Fifth Week of Easter
Lectionary: 289
Reading 1ACTS 15:22-31
The Apostles and presbyters, in agreement with the whole Church,
decided to choose representatives
and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas.
The ones chosen were Judas, who was called Barsabbas,
and Silas, leaders among the brothers.
This is the letter delivered by them:
"The Apostles and the presbyters, your brothers,
to the brothers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia
of Gentile origin: greetings.
Since we have heard that some of our number
who went out without any mandate from us
have upset you with their teachings
and disturbed your peace of mind,
we have with one accord decided to choose representatives
and to send them to you along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
who have dedicated their lives to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
So we are sending Judas and Silas
who will also convey this same message by word of mouth:
'It is the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us
not to place on you any burden beyond these necessities,
namely, to abstain from meat sacrificed to idols,
from blood, from meats of strangled animals,
and from unlawful marriage.
If you keep free of these,
you will be doing what is right. Farewell.'"
And so they were sent on their journey.
Upon their arrival in Antioch
they called the assembly together and delivered the letter.
When the people read it, they were delighted with the exhortation.
decided to choose representatives
and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas.
The ones chosen were Judas, who was called Barsabbas,
and Silas, leaders among the brothers.
This is the letter delivered by them:
"The Apostles and the presbyters, your brothers,
to the brothers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia
of Gentile origin: greetings.
Since we have heard that some of our number
who went out without any mandate from us
have upset you with their teachings
and disturbed your peace of mind,
we have with one accord decided to choose representatives
and to send them to you along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
who have dedicated their lives to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
So we are sending Judas and Silas
who will also convey this same message by word of mouth:
'It is the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us
not to place on you any burden beyond these necessities,
namely, to abstain from meat sacrificed to idols,
from blood, from meats of strangled animals,
and from unlawful marriage.
If you keep free of these,
you will be doing what is right. Farewell.'"
And so they were sent on their journey.
Upon their arrival in Antioch
they called the assembly together and delivered the letter.
When the people read it, they were delighted with the exhortation.
Responsorial PsalmPS 57:8-9, 10 AND 12
R. (10a) I will give you thanks among the peoples, O Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
My heart is steadfast, O God; my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and chant praise.
Awake, O my soul; awake, lyre and harp!
I will wake the dawn.
R. I will give you thanks among the peoples, O Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I will give thanks to you among the peoples, O LORD,
I will chant your praise among the nations.
For your mercy towers to the heavens,
and your faithfulness to the skies.
Be exalted above the heavens, O God;
above all the earth be your glory!
R. I will give you thanks among the peoples, O Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I call you my friends, says the Lord,
For I have made known to you all that the Father has told me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
My heart is steadfast, O God; my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and chant praise.
Awake, O my soul; awake, lyre and harp!
I will wake the dawn.
R. I will give you thanks among the peoples, O Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I will give thanks to you among the peoples, O LORD,
I will chant your praise among the nations.
For your mercy towers to the heavens,
and your faithfulness to the skies.
Be exalted above the heavens, O God;
above all the earth be your glory!
R. I will give you thanks among the peoples, O Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
AlleluiaJN 15:15B
R. Alleluia, alleluia.I call you my friends, says the Lord,
For I have made known to you all that the Father has told me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelJN 15:12-17
Jesus said to his disciples:
"This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.
No one has greater love than this,
to lay down one's life for one's friends.
You are my friends if you do what I command you.
I no longer call you slaves,
because a slave does not know what his master is doing.
I have called you friends,
because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.
It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you
and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain,
so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.
This I command you: love one another."
"This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.
No one has greater love than this,
to lay down one's life for one's friends.
You are my friends if you do what I command you.
I no longer call you slaves,
because a slave does not know what his master is doing.
I have called you friends,
because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.
It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you
and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain,
so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.
This I command you: love one another."
******************************
SLAVERY OR FRIENDSHIP?
Servanthood is an essential aspect of true Christian living. Jesus emphasized it during the Last Supper, saying that he came not to be served, but to serve, and that likewise we should serve one another. In his parables, he often referred to believers as "servants" of the Kingdom. But in today's Gospel reading, Jesus says that he wants us to be his friends, not his slaves. What's the difference between a slave and a servant? Which one are you?
A servant can be either a slave or a friend. Friends serve each other because they care about each other. No one is superior to the other, no one is the master. However, when we fear someone, such as the employer who might fire us, that person becomes our master. Our attitude of fearfulness enslaves us.
Slaves serve out of obedience, based on duty and obligation and the fear of punishment or retaliation. Friends serve each other with an attitude of love.
To determine if you're living as a slave or as Christ's friend, ask yourself: "Do I eagerly and happily jump into doing the will of God (even the unpleasant tasks) or do I complain about it?" Maybe the complaint comes in the form of excuses for not doing the work or rationalizations that God isn't really asking you to do it.
When God wants us to do a difficult task or the Church teaches a law that contradicts the way we want to live, if we obey as a slave, it's only because we're following orders. There's no joy in the service, because it's not a gift of love.
To trade this for a real friendship with Jesus, we have to provide the service as a "favor" for our Beloved. Only then will we discover the blessings of the task or the benefits of the law. Trying to analyze it first won't help, because we'll find plenty of logical reasons to disobey.
When we obey God because we love him and desire to please him, and at the same time we appreciate all that he's doing for us, we're in a healthy give-and-take friendship with him. Then, when he asks us to "love one another" (as Jesus commands in the final sentence), we actually have the desire to love everyone, even those who are difficult to love. We love them because we love God adoringly and care about everyone who matters to him. What's important to him becomes important to us.
When loving others seems impossible, God makes it possible so that we can obey him. The Holy Spirit gifts us with a supernatural love for the people we don't feel like loving. The more difficult someone is to love, the more necessary it is to rely on the Holy Spirit. Our energy to do this comes from reflecting upon the wonderful friendship that God has with us.
I thank You, Lord, because You have chosen me and desire to show me all Your love and greatness. May my loving actions toward others be a sign of this friendship. Amen.
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God Bless You.....
Rosary Family
The mother of Jesus promised St. Dominic that, “one day through the rosary & the scapular I shall save the world!”
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