GOOD NEWS OF THE DAY : Monday - May 15, 2023

   

Monday - May 15, 2023

No one, not even a sinner, who devoutly recommends himself to her shall ever become the prey of Hell.

 

-St. Catherine of Siena

May 15, 2023

Monday of the Sixth Week of Easter

Lectionary: 291

 

Reading I     

                                                                                    Acts 16:11-15

 

We set sail from Troas, making a straight run for Samothrace,

and on the next day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi,

a leading city in that district of Macedonia and a Roman colony.

We spent some time in that city.

On the sabbath we went outside the city gate along the river

where we thought there would be a place of prayer.

We sat and spoke with the women who had gathered there.

One of them, a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth,

from the city of Thyatira, a worshiper of God, listened,

and the Lord opened her heart to pay attention

to what Paul was saying.

After she and her household had been baptized,

she offered us an invitation,

"If you consider me a believer in the Lord,

come and stay at my home," and she prevailed on us.

 

Responsorial Psalm                                  Ps 149:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b

 

R. (see 4a) The Lord takes delight in his people.

 

Sing to the LORD a new song

of praise in the assembly of the faithful.

Let Israel be glad in their maker,

let the children of Zion rejoice in their king.

R. The Lord takes delight in his people.

 

Let them praise his name in the festive dance,

let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.

For the LORD loves his people,

and he adorns the lowly with victory.

R. The Lord takes delight in his people.

 

Let the faithful exult in glory;

let them sing for joy upon their couches.

Let the high praises of God be in their throats.

This is the glory of all his faithful. Alleluia.

R. The Lord takes delight in his people.

 

Alleluia         

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

The Spirit of truth will testify to me, says the Lord,

and you also will testify.

R. Alleluia

 

Gospel                                                           Jn 15:26—16:4a

 

Jesus said to his disciples:

"When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father,

the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father,

he will testify to me.

And you also testify,

because you have been with me from the beginning.

 

"I have told you this so that you may not fall away.

They will expel you from the synagogues;

in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you

will think he is offering worship to God.

They will do this because they have not known either the Father or me.

I have told you this so that when their hour comes

you may remember that I told you."

 

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Testifying to Jesus

In today’s Gospel, Jesus points out that the Holy Spirit “testifies” to Jesus. The Spirit of Truth, sent by the Father, speaks the truth (as God the Advocate) about who Jesus really is and what he is doing for us. This is why you responded to the truth when you heard it. On our own, all of us would have rejected it as something that doesn’t fit with our earthly, sin-prone desires and expectations.

 

Whenever someone converts to Christ or grows in the faith, it’s because the Holy Spirit has prepared the heart to recognize the truth. Only the Holy Spirit can reach a soul and teach it the truth. And we who have already accepted the truth are the books that God uses to make the lessons easier to understand.

 

How are you “testifying to Jesus”? We are witnesses of the truth whenever we act upon our faith in the circumstances of daily life. We advocate the truth whenever our behaviors reveal the advantages of believing in Christ. Everything we do and say should reflect who Jesus really is.

 

Are there any words that come out of your mouth that testify against Jesus? Have any of your recent decisions testified against his trustworthiness? Does the way you handle difficult people testify against his love?

 

Jesus goes on to say that “the hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think he is offering worship to God.” Applying this to today’s troubles, is anyone killing your efforts to use your gifts and talents for the kingdom of God? Maybe you’re trying to right a wrong or stand up for a truth that others don’t want to hear and you’re being persecuted by your fellow Christians.

 

When a new scandal or other problem arises, what is your testimony? Are you silent? Fearful? Negative? Complaining? Publicly expressing anger? These are normal reactions, but if we remain stuck here, we’re testifying that evil is stronger than God. On the other hand, if we work with the Holy Spirit to be an Advocate of Christ, we can testify to his healing and redemptive power; we can become an advocate of justice and love.

 

Christian living is never easy. Testifying to Jesus means walking with him as we carry the crosses of our faith in a sinful world, suffering in unity with his sacrificial death. The greatest testimony of this walk, however, is the resurrection, the renewed life that always comes afterward, and the daily Pentecost of the Holy Spirit’s empowerment.

 

Problems in the Church, in our relationships, and in everything else are all opportunities for God’s glory to be revealed. They are purgings that lead to purity, trials that build faith, lessons that teach us to keep our eyes on Jesus, and dyings that raise up greater reliance upon God. We should never fear that exposing problems to seek a cure will only lead to disaster.

 

Let us raise our voices to declare the glory of God and testify to Jesus by being clear examples of his truth and love! May every scandal and hardship end up reflecting who Jesus really is, amen!

 

Today's Prayer

 

Heal Lord, my mind and my heart. Give me an awakened mind and a willing heart to be alert to Your presence in my life and my neighbors’. Amen.

 

God Bless You.....

The Rosary Family

The mother of Jesus promised St. Dominic that, “one day through the rosary & the scapular I shall save the world!”