Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc.
7TH WEEK OF EASTER
Psalter: Week 3 / (White)
Our Lady of Fatima
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 68: 2-3ab, 4-5acd, 6-7ab: Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
1st Reading: Acts 19: 1-8
While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior of the country and came to Ephesus. There, he found some disciples, whom he asked, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” They answered, “We have not even heard that anyone may receive the Holy Spirit.” Paul then asked, “What kind of baptism have you received?” And they answered, “The baptism of John.”
Paul then explained, “John’s baptism was for conversion, but he himself said they should believe in the one who was to come, and that one is Jesus.” Upon hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Paul laid his hands on them and the Holy Spirit came down upon them; and they began to speak in tongues and to prophesy. There were about twelve of them in all. Paul went into the synagogue; and for three months he preached and discussed there boldly, trying to convince them about the kingdom of God.
Gospel: John 16: 29-33
The disciples said to him, “Now you are speaking plainly and not in veiled language! Now we see that you know all things, even before we question you. Because of this we believe that you came from God.”
Jesus answered them, “You say that you believe? The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each one to his home, and you will leave me alone.
Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. I have told you all this, so that in me you may have peace. You will have trouble in the world; but, courage! I have overcome the world.”
REFLECTION:
“Jesus has conquered the world.”
To profess the faith is one thing. To live up to the challenges of the faith we profess is another. The former is a lot easier to do than the latter. It is easy to say that we believe but once we are confronted with life’s challenges with regard to our faith, we falter.
This only shows that our sheer willpower never suffices for us to live up to the challenges of our faith. We need Jesus. He is our strength. In today’s Gospel, Jesus made it clear when he said that we will surely have troubles in the world. Nevertheless, we have the reason to face such troubles with courage.
Jesus has conquered the world not through violence and domination. He conquered the world through his great love for the world. St. Paul reminds us that in all the tribulations and sufferings we may experience, we are more than conquerors through him who has loved us (cf. Rom. 8:37). Truly, it is only God’s love that conquers all.
Should we really want to live up to the challenges of our Christian faith, there is no other way but to exercise love because love is the only way.
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