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| “St. Athanasius” Artist and Date are UNKNOWN. |
Reading 1: 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
from the city of Thyatira
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.
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Commentary on Acts 16:11-15
This passage
recounts how St. Paul and his companions leave for Philippi in Macedonia. We
hear of the conversion of Lydia and her family. It is not clear if Lydia is
part of the Jewish Community of that region or, like the eunuch converted by
Philip (Acts 8:26-40), a “God-fearer” who embraced the concept of
monotheism. It appears that she gives St. Paul a base from which the rest of
the community can be evangelized.
CCC: Acts 16:15 1226, 1252
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm
149:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b
R. (see 4a) The Lord takes delight in his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Sing to the LORD a new song
of praise in the assembly of
the faithful.
Let Israel
let the children of Zion
R. The Lord takes delight
in his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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Commentary on Ps 149:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b
Psalm 149 is a communal song
of praise, rejoicing in God’s kingship and inviting the faithful to celebrate
his saving works. We rejoice because God brings victory to the lowly and hope
to the oppressed. The psalmist calls to the faithful to give praise in the
assembly of the people – to give witness to their faith publicly – communally,
as God’s chosen ones.
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Gospel: John
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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Commentary on Jn 15:26—16:4a
Jesus continues the theme of the
strength to be given in the “Advocate,” the “Spirit of truth,”
the Holy Spirit (see commentary on John
14:15-21). In this instance, he predicts to his friends that, once they
begin to spread the Good News he gives them, they will face serious
condemnation from their own faith community.
Jesus tells them they will be martyred by people who believe they
are doing God’s will. Their attackers do this because they do not know Jesus,
or understand that the Father is in him and he is in the Father, and he is in
his disciples, so his disciples are also in the Father. This foreknowledge is
intended to strengthen them when their hour comes. (“I have told you this so
that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you.”)
CCC: Jn 15:26 244, 248, 263, 692, 719, 729, 1433, 2671
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Reflection:
With only two more weeks to
go before Pentecost, we are already looking forward to our celebration of the
great gift of the New Advocate. Holy Scripture reminds us of that impending
event, and gives us more information about what it can do for us, if we are
open to its guidance. We also get a pretty clear idea that, to our logical
minds, following the guidance of that Holy Spirit might not be the safest thing
to do.
Jesus tells his disciples
that when they start spreading the Lord’s story of God’s salvation to the
Jewish people, the Jews will not accept that Jesus was the fulfillment of all
the Law and Prophets. They will reject the disciples, expel them from the
Synagogues, and kill them. St. John tells this story as the only Apostle not
martyred, but sent into exile. All of this probably would not have come to pass
if the Lord had not left them the Holy Spirit to strengthen them. (Remember how
they cowered in the locked room following Jesus’ passion and execution?)
In the reading from the Acts
of Apostles, we see the Holy Spirit acting again as Lydia hears St. Paul’s
words. We note that their fame (infamy) must have preceded them, since they are
not speaking in synagogues. Lydia hears the Word and confesses her faith, being
baptized with her whole household, and invites St. Paul and his companions to
use her house while they are in Philippi . We
know the result of that visit, as we later see St. Paul craft a letter to the
church he establishes there.
We are reminded by these
events that, as we leave our doors today, we enter Mission Territory, and are
called to be a voice for the Lord in that sometimes hostile land. We pray once
more for the strength we were given in the Holy Spirit, who will be our
advocate and guide today.
Pax
[2]
The picture used is “St. Athanasius” Artist and Date are UNKNOWN.
[3]
The readings are taken from the New American Bible with the exception of the
Psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for
English in Liturgy (ICEL). This re-publication is not authorized by USCCB and
is for private use only.
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