Sixth Week of Easter
18th May 2023 (Thursday) Readings and Reflection
Reading of the Day
First Reading: Acts 18:1-8
After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, 3 and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. 4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks. 5 When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. 6 And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” 7 And he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. His house was next door to the synagogue. 8 Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized.
Psalm 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4
R/. The Lord has shown his deliverance to the nations. Or: Alleluia.
Gospel : John 16:16-20
16 “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” 17 So some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?” 18 So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” 19 Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.
Daily Gospel Reflection
The Reflection by Fr. Thumma Mariadas Reddy MSFS{alertWarning}
Main Theme: Sad but glad soon!
Indicative: God’s presence is ever-abiding, even though at times there will be unfavourable responses and failures in the mission{alertSuccess}
1. The disciples will be sad because the Lord would leave them soon. But it is not a total absence or permanent separation. He will come to be with them soon in a different way. As soon as he goes to the Father, the Holy Spirit will take up his mission and place.
2. In that way, they need not worry much. Rather they need to prepare themselves for that new and changed reality. At his departure, they will weep but the world rejoices because it does not believe in him and has no intimacy with him. There is no bonding with him and commitment to him.
3. As humans, the disciples would feel sad but they can take heart because the coming and the working of the Holy Spirit will change the whole scenario. Grief will turn into joy. So what the disciples must be concerned about is not so much success or failure or how many support or how many oppose. Rather they should keep on working with God’s power.
4. It is painful when some reject the good news and God’s gift of salvation through Christ. It is all the more painful when God’s own chosen people reject. This is what happened in Paul’s mission. The Jews in Corinth opposed and reviled him.
5. However, Paul would not be discouraged or give up. He continues his mission. Surely God would never leave his zeal and dedication go futile. Many of the Corinthians believed and were baptised.
Imperative: Let us not be too much preoccupied with success or failure in the worldly sense. Rather let us confide in Jesus’ assurance that will turn our grief into joy{alertSuccess}