A franciscan monk from Italy
Born 8 September 1380
Died 20 May 1444
Invitation
May I hereby draw your attention to
the daily reading of the Gospel?
This invitation wishes to share with you the joy
of the Gospel. Everyone, no one except,
can experience that joy by opening their hearts
to the healing power of God’s word.
Available every day.
Consideration
Suddenly, everything goes so fast. The second missionary journey is heading towards its end at lightning speed, and Paul’s third missionary journey is about to begin before we realize it. Luke has just, as in the gospel, been able to use sources. One of those sources is certainly an itinerary. Sometimes Luke follows these elementary indications. Sometimes in between he recounts some important incident that he then knows from elsewhere. So too now although the story about Apollos does not fit so well here. Where does it come from? The curious figure of Apollos, who returns in the letter to the Corinthians, remains mostly in obscurity due to a lack of texts.
FIRST READING Acts 18, 23-28
Paul proves to Apollos from the scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah.
From the Acts of the Apostles
After Paul had stayed at Antioch for some time,
he left again
and made a tour
successively through the region of Galatia and through Phrygia
to strengthen all the disciples there.
Meanwhile, a Jew had arrived in Ephesus,
Apollos,
an Alexandrian by birth
and an eloquent man
who was seasoned in the scriptures.
He had received instruction in the way of the Lord,
spoke enthusiastically
and taught in detail about everything concerning Jesus,
although he only knew John’s baptism.
He also began to act boldly in the synagogue.
After Priscilla and Aquila heard him,
they took him with them
and explained to him the way of God more precisely.
When he wanted to travel to Achaia,
the brothers sent a letter to the disciples
asking them to receive him well.
Having arrived there
he was of much use to the believers by his gift of grace,
for powerfully he publicly refuted the Jews
by proving based on the scriptures
that Jesus was the Messiah.
INTERLUDIUM Ps. 47(46), 2-3, 8-9, 10
King is God over all the earth.
Or: Alleluia.
All nations, clap their hands
and rejoice before God with joyful shouts.
For great is the Lord and formidable everywhere,
a mighty Prince over all the earth.
King is God over all the earth,
so sing a psalm to Him.
King is God over all nations,
seated on His holy throne.
Princes and nations gather there,
united with the people of Abraham’s God.
To God belongs all power on earth,
the Most High is He.
ALLELUIA John 14, 18
Alleluia.
I will not leave you orphaned, says the Lord :
I am going, but I will return to you,
and your heart will rejoice.
Alleluia.
GOSPEL Jn 16, 23b-28
The Father loves you because you love Me and believe in Me.
From the holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to
John
At that time, Jesus said to his disciples :
“Verily, verily, I say unto you :
whatever you shall ask the Father,
He will give it to you in My Name.
“Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my Name.
“Ask and ye shall receive
that thy joy may be complete.
“In images, I have spoken to you about this ;
an hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in images,
but will speak
to you concerning the Father.
“On that day ye shall pray in My Name ;
there is no need to say
that I shall be your intercessor with the Father,
for the Father himself loves you because you love Me
and because ye believe that I proceeded from God.
“I went forth from the Father and came into the world ;
again I leave the world and go to the Father.”
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Laudato Si
Encyclic by
POPE FRANCIS
On caring for the common home
175. The same mindset which stands in the way of making radical decisions to reverse the trend of global warming also stands in the way of achieving the goal of eliminating poverty. A more responsible overall approach is needed to deal with both problems: the reduction of pollution and the development of poorer countries and regions. The twenty-first century, while maintaining systems of governance inherited from the past, is witnessing a weakening of the power of nation-states, chiefly because the economic and financial sectors, being transnational, tends to prevail over the political. Given this situation, it is essential to devise stronger and more efficiently organized international institutions, with functionaries who are appointed fairly by agreement among national governments, and empowered to impose sanctions. As Benedict XVI has affirmed in continuity with the social teaching of the Church: “To manage the global economy; to revive economies hit by the crisis; to avoid any deterioration of the present crisis and the greater imbalances that would result; to bring about integral and timely disarmament, food security and peace; to guarantee the protection of the environment and to regulate migration: for all this, there is an urgent need of a true world political authority, as my predecessor Blessed John XXIII indicated some years ago”. Diplomacy also takes on new importance in the work of developing international strategies which can anticipate serious problems affecting us all.
To be continued
The Bible text in this issue is taken from The New Translation of the Bible,
©Dutch Bible Society 2004/2007.
Considerations from Liturgical suggestions for weekdays and Sundays
Laudato Si Official English translation
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