GOOD NEWS OF THE DAY : Saturday - May 06, 2023

  

Saturday - May 06, 2023

"Let us run to Mary, and, as her little children, cast ourselves into her arms with a perfect confidence."

 

- Saint Francis de Sales

May 6, 2023

Saturday of the Fourth Week of Easter
Lectionary: 284

 

Reading I                                                                              Acts 13:44-52

 

On the following sabbath

almost the whole city

gathered to hear the word of the Lord.

When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy

and with violent abuse contradicted what Paul said.

Both Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said,

"It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first,

but since you reject it

and condemn yourselves as unworthy of eternal life,

we now turn to the Gentiles.

For so the Lord has commanded us,

I have made you a light to the Gentiles,

that you may be an instrument of salvation

to the ends of the earth."

 

The Gentiles were delighted when they heard this

and glorified the word of the Lord.

All who were destined for eternal life came to believe,

and the word of the Lord continued to spread

through the whole region.

The Jews, however, incited the women of prominence who were worshipers

and the leading men of the city,

stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas,

and expelled them from their territory.

So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them

and went to Iconium.

The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.

 

Responsorial Psalm                                              Ps 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4

 

R. (3cd) All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.

 

Sing to the LORD a new song,

for he has done wondrous deeds;

His right hand has won victory for him,

his holy arm.

R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.

 

The LORD has made his salvation known:

in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.

He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness

toward the house of Israel.

R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.

 

All the ends of the earth have seen

the salvation by our God.

Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;

break into song; sing praise.

R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.

 

Verse before the Gospel                                                                                     

 

If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples,

and you will know the truth, says the Lord.

 

Gospel                                                                       Jn 14:7-14

 

Jesus said to his disciples:

"If you know me, then you will also know my Father.

From now on you do know him and have seen him."

Philip said to Jesus,

"Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us."

Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you for so long a time

and you still do not know me, Philip?

Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.

How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?

Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?

The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own.

The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.

Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me,

or else, believe because of the works themselves.

Amen, amen, I say to you,

whoever believes in me will do the works that I do,

and will do greater ones than these,

because I am going to the Father.

And whatever you ask in my name, I will do,

so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it."

 

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How to Bring Loved Ones to Christ with God’s Help

It’s heart-breaking to love someone who is stubbornly rejecting the truth about Jesus. It’s hard to watch them suffer the worldly effects of not turning to him to let him be their Savior. You know how important faith in Christ is for their life now, and — the biggest heart-wrencher — you fear that they won’t spend eternity with you in Heaven.

You’re not alone if feeling this kind of heart-ache. Many of the prayer requests that come into Good News Ministries are for the conversions of loved ones.

We are called and commissioned by Christ to evangelize. But how can we do this successfully for the ones we care about most?

Jesus would not ask us to partner with him in the mission of salvation if he did not also provide the means for accomplishing it. And remember, he cares more about the salvation of your loved ones than you do!

For most non-believers, turning to Christ does not happen until they become grievously disappointed with what the world has to offer. We have to wait for their wrong beliefs to fail them — and most likely it has to fail them again and again before they become interested in finding out what a difference faith in Christ can make.

But this doesn’t work for everybody. There are plenty of people who remain fully entrapped in their wrong beliefs their whole life long.

Think about what worked for you: What brought you to a fully immersed life in Christ? Or what strengthened your faith when you relied more on worldly beliefs than Christian truths? Or what brought you back to church after being away for a while?

Next, think about your loved ones who need conversion. Is there anything in your story that would resonate with them? That’s a powerful opportunity!

For me, my conversion away for the occult and from Protestantism happened when a friend explained how God miraculously changes bread and wine into the actual body and blood of Jesus during the Catholic Mass. Next, he introduced me to the Holy Spirit. By a supernatural grace, I believed in the miracle of the Mass and I wanted more.

Notice the role God played in my conversion story. Think about the role God played in your own story of conversion or faith growth. None of us can convince someone to change their minds and become a faith-filled believer — not by our own efforts. God needs to intervene with supernatural help.

This is why Jesus said, in this Saturday’s Gospel reading, “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these.” What were the works of Jesus? Preaching the truth with a compassionate heart was a natural work of faith. He also did supernatural works: healing diseases, raising people from the dead, casting out demons, multiplying the food. Everything he did was for the sake of the salvation of souls.

The Holy Spirit empowers every follower of Christ to do the same. The Book of the Acts is filled with evidence of this. Signs and wonders verify the truths that are preached. They are irresistible proof.

Tragically, much of the Church has lost that original fervor. This explains why there is so much disbelief around us today. Most of us have not been taught how to fulfill Christ’s command to bring others to conversion. Sure, we know we’re supposed to share our faith — we’re supposed to talk about it and we’re supposed to live the faith in such a way that our lives prove the veracity of what we say. But something is missing here. Something big. Something essential, absolutely essential.

God’s divine, supernatural intervention.

Instead of relying on our lives to prove the truths we teach, we should be relying on God (because we live the truth so imperfectly). Instead of expecting our words to make a difference (and then getting frustrated and angry when we don’t succeed), we should — and can — expect God to do something supernatural.

So how do we become like the first Christians, so alive in the faith that signs and wonders help us bring others to conversion? There’s only one way: a personal relationship with the Holy Spirit, which is strengthened by what is often called “baptism of the Spirit” or, as St. John the Baptist called it, “the baptism of fire”. It comes from asking for a renewal and charging up of the in-filling of the Holy Spirit we received when we were baptized with water.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill me. Come, Holy Spirit, renew me. Come, Holy Spirit, You have my permission to change me.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth.

O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.

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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!”