Friday - May 11, 2018
We must never glance at what is good in ourselves, much less ponder over it, but we should search out what is wrong and what is lacking. This is an excellent way of remaining humble.
-- St. Vincent de Paul
May 11, 2018
Friday of the Sixth Week of Easter
Lectionary: 295
Reading 1ACTS 18:9-18
One night while Paul was in Corinth, the Lord said to him in a vision,
"Do not be afraid.
Go on speaking, and do not be silent, for I am with you.
No one will attack and harm you,
for I have many people in this city."
He settled there for a year and a half
and taught the word of God among them.
But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia,
the Jews rose up together against Paul
and brought him to the tribunal, saying,
"This man is inducing people to worship God contrary to the law."
When Paul was about to reply, Gallio spoke to the Jews,
"If it were a matter of some crime or malicious fraud,
I should with reason hear the complaint of you Jews;
but since it is a question of arguments over doctrine and titles
and your own law, see to it yourselves.
I do not wish to be a judge of such matters."
And he drove them away from the tribunal.
They all seized Sosthenes, the synagogue official,
and beat him in full view of the tribunal.
But none of this was of concern to Gallio.
Paul remained for quite some time,
and after saying farewell to the brothers he sailed for Syria,
together with Priscilla and Aquila.
At Cenchreae he had shaved his head because he had taken a vow.
"Do not be afraid.
Go on speaking, and do not be silent, for I am with you.
No one will attack and harm you,
for I have many people in this city."
He settled there for a year and a half
and taught the word of God among them.
But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia,
the Jews rose up together against Paul
and brought him to the tribunal, saying,
"This man is inducing people to worship God contrary to the law."
When Paul was about to reply, Gallio spoke to the Jews,
"If it were a matter of some crime or malicious fraud,
I should with reason hear the complaint of you Jews;
but since it is a question of arguments over doctrine and titles
and your own law, see to it yourselves.
I do not wish to be a judge of such matters."
And he drove them away from the tribunal.
They all seized Sosthenes, the synagogue official,
and beat him in full view of the tribunal.
But none of this was of concern to Gallio.
Paul remained for quite some time,
and after saying farewell to the brothers he sailed for Syria,
together with Priscilla and Aquila.
At Cenchreae he had shaved his head because he had taken a vow.
Responsorial PsalmPS 47:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
R. (8a) God is king of all the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
All you peoples, clap your hands,
shout to God with cries of gladness,
For the LORD, the Most High, the awesome,
is the great king over all the earth.
R. God is king of all the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He brings people under us;
nations under our feet.
He chooses for us our inheritance,
the glory of Jacob, whom he loves.
R. God is king of all the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
God mounts his throne amid shouts of joy;
the LORD, amid trumpet blasts.
Sing praise to God, sing praise;
sing praise to our king, sing praise.
R. God is king of all the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
All you peoples, clap your hands,
shout to God with cries of gladness,
For the LORD, the Most High, the awesome,
is the great king over all the earth.
R. God is king of all the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He brings people under us;
nations under our feet.
He chooses for us our inheritance,
the glory of Jacob, whom he loves.
R. God is king of all the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
God mounts his throne amid shouts of joy;
the LORD, amid trumpet blasts.
Sing praise to God, sing praise;
sing praise to our king, sing praise.
R. God is king of all the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
AlleluiaSEE LK 24:46, 26
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Christ had to suffer and to rise from the dead,
and so enter into his glory.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Christ had to suffer and to rise from the dead,
and so enter into his glory.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelJN 16:20-23
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn,
while the world rejoices;
you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.
When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived;
but when she has given birth to a child,
she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy
that a child has been born into the world.
So you also are now in anguish.
But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice,
and no one will take your joy away from you.
On that day you will not question me about anything.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you."
"Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn,
while the world rejoices;
you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.
When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived;
but when she has given birth to a child,
she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy
that a child has been born into the world.
So you also are now in anguish.
But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice,
and no one will take your joy away from you.
On that day you will not question me about anything.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you."
******************************
Turning grief into joy!
In today's Gospel reading, Jesus tells us: "Poor dear, it's going to be hard for you. You'll weep and mourn while the worldly people around you rejoice in the sins that are causing problems for you. But your grief will turn to joy! Your sufferings are like labor pains: Something new and wonderful will come from them."
And then he says, "I assure you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you." In other words, whatever Jesus wants for you, by asking the Father for it in unity with Christ's desires, you've got it! In might not be fully manifested in this world yet, but you've got it.
Have you ever prayed for an end to the sufferings that are causing you to weep and mourn? And have you asked God to hurry up with that joy that he promised? But the sufferings continue, and sometimes they even intensify!
I've recently endured a decade of multiple, simultaneous, heartbreaking situations that were well covered in prayer. Most of this is behind me now, but if God had done what I had asked him to do at the start, some of the problems that further developed could have been prevented. Hello Jesus? What happened?
He pats me on the head saying, "You poor, dear child. Didn't you entrust these matters to the Father? When it seems like your prayers are not being answered, it's because we're working on a plan that's better than what you can imagine."
In today's first reading, the Lord told Paul: "Don't be afraid. Go on speaking. Go on doing what I called you to do, for I am with you. No one will attack you, because I have many followers in this city." Other times in other places, Paul was attacked, imprisoned and eventually executed. The life of a servant of God is never easy and certainly not "safe" (according to our definition of "safe"). An easy life was not the best solution to Paul's problems. God answered his prayers by ensuring that his ministry would continue no matter what. And Paul's ministry still continues today.
Nothing can permanently interfere with God's plans and purposes. The delay in putting an end to our grief is not proof that destructive forces are conquering God. Nor is it due to an uncaring attitude of God. He uses it all -- the good and the bad, the angels and the demons, the easy-going days and the hard times -- to bring salvation to untold numbers of people. That's what happened on Good Friday when Satan thought he had defeated Jesus.
Your joy is coming. In fact, joy begins now with realizing the truth of this! The Father is answering your prayers, not in the way you expect but better than you can imagine. Your sufferings are labor pains indicating that something new, something wonderful, something beyond your dreams is being born. As you wait for the birth, you do well to prepare for it by learning everything you can from the present moment.
My Lord, may I never take my eyes away from You. May Your promises be my support and my strength for the trials and hardships of the journey. 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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