Friday - April 30, 2021
TODAY'S READINGS
April 30, 2021
Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter
Lectionary: 283
Reading I
When Paul came to Antioch in Pisidia, he said in the synagogue:
“My brothers, children of the family of Abraham,
and those others among you who are God-fearing,
to us this word of salvation has been sent.
The inhabitants of Jerusalem and their leaders failed to recognize him,
and by condemning him they fulfilled the oracles of the prophets
that are read sabbath after sabbath.
For even though they found no grounds for a death sentence,
they asked Pilate to have him put to death,
and when they had accomplished all that was written about him,
they took him down from the tree and placed him in a tomb.
But God raised him from the dead,
and for many days he appeared to those
who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem.
These are now his witnesses before the people.
We ourselves are proclaiming this good news to you
that what God promised our fathers
he has brought to fulfillment for us, their children, by raising up Jesus,
as it is written in the second psalm,
You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.”
Responsorial Psalm
R. (7bc) You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
“I myself have set up my king
on Zion, my holy mountain.”
I will proclaim the decree of the LORD:
The LORD said to me, “You are my Son;
this day I have begotten you.”
R. You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
“Ask of me and I will give you
the nations for an inheritance
and the ends of the earth for your possession.
You shall rule them with an iron rod;
you shall shatter them like an earthen dish.”
R. You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
And now, O kings, give heed;
take warning, you rulers of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice before him;
with trembling rejoice.
R. You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the way and the truth and the life, says the Lord;
no one comes to the Father except through me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not let your hearts be troubled.
You have faith in God; have faith also in me.
In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.
If there were not,
would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?
And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come back again and take you to myself,
so that where I am you also may be.
Where I am going you know the way.”
Thomas said to him,
“Master, we do not know where you are going;
how can we know the way?”
Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.”
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The many dwelling places
of God's kingdom
In the Gospel reading today, Jesus talks about preparing a place for us in heaven. But is that the only reason why he says: "Don't let your hearts be troubled"? Is he only speaking of our afterlife? We need to find peace in the midst of the troubling times we have right now!
He said: "In my Father's house are many dwelling places." Think of it this way: Our hearts are dwelling places where Christ lives here on earth, right? The Father's house is the entire kingdom of God -- i.e., not just heaven, which we'll experience someday, but his kingdom right now, wherever it exists in this world. In God's kingdom, there are many hearts that hold Christ. And wherever Christ dwells, his love reaches out to us.
"I am going to prepare a place for you," Jesus says. Feeling lonely? Are you worn out and beaten down from dealing with troublesome people? Could you benefit from having more friends who hold Christ in their hearts and who understand your needs and problems, people who could be companions on your journey, who can be the voice of Jesus when you can't hear him in the storm?
Jesus is preparing a place for you in the hearts of others! Have you asked for this? There are people around you who have given their lives to him, who are allowing him to transform their hearts, who know him as the way, the truth, and the life they live. And because he cares so much about you, he will come back again and take you to himself through their gestures of love, so that where he is in them you also will be.
He has hand-selected certain people for you and he wants you to find the place in their hearts that he's already prepared for you. Will you open yourself to them? Will you take the risk and trust God in them? Will you take action and make time to develop these relationships or will you neglect some potentially wonderful opportunities?
Just as Jesus has prepared a place for you in the hearts of others, so too has he been preparing a place for them in your heart.
Closed hearts are troubled hearts. Ironically, we close our hearts to protect them from trouble. We know that, sooner or later, everyone to whom we open ourselves will hurt us. Ahhh, but the fear of being vulnerable and open means we're forgetting that Jesus dwells in our hearts and he can heal our hearts when others sin against us.
Someday, we will go to the home that Jesus is preparing for us in heaven. There, everyone will love us as much as Jesus loves us. What about today? Are you willing to trust Jesus to carry you through the imperfections of earthly relationships?
Today's Prayer
In times of concern and difficulties, You Lord, are the peace and hope and strength that lead me forward. Amen.
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The mother of Jesus promised St. Dominic that, “one day through the rosary & the scapular I shall save the world!”
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