GOOD NEWS OF THE DAY : Saturday - May 13, 2023

   

Saturday - May 13, 2023

"In trial or difficulty I have recourse to Mother Mary, whose glance alone is enough to dissipate every fear."

- Saint Therese of Lisieux

May 13, 2023

Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter

Lectionary: 290

 

Reading I     

                                                                                                Acts 16:1-10

 

Paul reached also Derbe and Lystra

where there was a disciple named Timothy,

the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer,

but his father was a Greek.

The brothers in Lystra and Iconium spoke highly of him,

and Paul wanted him to come along with him.

On account of the Jews of that region, Paul had him circumcised,

for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

As they traveled from city to city,

they handed on to the people for observance the decisions

reached by the Apostles and presbyters in Jerusalem.

Day after day the churches grew stronger in faith

and increased in number.

 

They traveled through the Phrygian and Galatian territory

because they had been prevented by the Holy Spirit

from preaching the message in the province of Asia.

When they came to Mysia, they tried to go on into Bithynia,

but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them,

so they crossed through Mysia and came down to Troas.

During the night Paul had a vision.

A Macedonian stood before him and implored him with these words,

"Come over to Macedonia and help us."

When he had seen the vision,

we sought passage to Macedonia at once,

concluding that God had called us to proclaim the Good News to them.

 

Responsorial Psalm                                                          Ps 100:1b-2, 3, 5

 

R. (2a) Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

 

Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;

serve the LORD with gladness;

come before him with joyful song.

R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

 

Know that the LORD is God;

he made us, his we are;

his people, the flock he tends.

R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

 

The LORD is good:

his kindness endures forever,

and his faithfulness, to all generations.

R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

 

Alleluia         

 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

If then you were raised with Christ,

seek what is above,

where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

R. Alleluia

 

Gospel                                                           Jn 15:18-21

 

Jesus said to his disciples:

"If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first.

If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own;

but because you do not belong to the world,

and I have chosen you out of the world,

the world hates you.

Remember the word I spoke to you,

'No slave is greater than his master.'

If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.

If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.

And they will do all these things to you on account of my name,

because they do not know the one who sent me."

 

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The Hatred of the World

Jesus said to his disciples: “If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you.” John 15:18–19

 

This is a sobering thought: “the world hates you.” That is, if you are among those who have been taken by our Lord out of the world. In that case, Jesus says that the world will hate you.

 

No one wants to be hated. No one wants to experience the wrath, persecution, attacks, or ridicule of another. Hatred is ugly, painful and difficult to endure. But that is part of the nature of hate. It’s not only a form of persecution, it’s also a form of manipulation. Hate is an attack upon another by which the hater seeks to inflict injury and to manipulate them to change and conform to their will. The secular and unchristian “world” wants to win you over and away from God. Jesus offers this teaching, in part, to prepare us so that when we do experience hatred from the world, we will not be affected by it nor manipulated to turn from Him. Therefore, this teaching is a revelation of much mercy from our Lord.

 

Remember that Jesus spoke of three enemies of our soul. The flesh, the devil and the world. In this Gospel passage, to “belong to the world” means that a person allows themself to be negatively influenced by the countless lies embedded within the world. The secular media, pop-culture, biased opinions, social pressures, false images of happiness and the like seek to constantly misguide us and draw us in. We are regularly tempted to believe that fulfillment is found in money, our physical appearance, the recognition of our accomplishments and much more. The world tells us that our opinions must conform to the secular values of the age—and if they don’t, then we are judgmental, close-minded extremists and should be shunned and “canceled” or silenced.

 

These worldly temptations and pressures are real, and, for that reason, Jesus’ words are freeing. They free us from the manipulations and deceptions we will experience when we live our faith openly for all to see. When we do so, we will be hated by the world. But knowing that provides peace of heart when it happens.

 

Reflect, today, upon these powerful and consoling words of Jesus. If you do not experience any form of hatred from the world, then this should be a concern and the cause for reflection. And if you do experience some form of hatred, know that our Lord prepared you for this and offers you His strength and courage to endure it with joy. In the end, all that matters is what our Lord thinks—and nothing else. In the end, if you experience hatred by the world in any form, know that this makes you more like Christ Himself.

 

Today's Prayer

 

My obedient Lord, You obeyed the will of Your Father in Heaven to perfection. Through this obedience, You not only experienced the full love and joy of the Father in Your human nature, You also set for us a perfect example and model for holiness. Help me to see the areas of my life in which I need to be more obedient, so that I, too, will share in Your holy life and that of the Father’s. Jesus, I trust in You. 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!”