April 24, 2013

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Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Easter 
Lectionary: 281

Reading 1ACTS 12:24—13:5A

Yesterday, we were with Sts. Barnabus and Paul in Antioch. Then we skipped some stuff about St. Peter and Herod's persecution of the Church.  And now we return to Sts. Barnabus and Paul.

The word of God continued to spread and grow.

After Barnabas and Saul completed their relief mission,
they returned to Jerusalem,
taking with them John, who is called Mark.

This seems to be a footnote connecting us to the last things we read about Sts. Branabus and Paul (i.e. Saul).  Notice how they returned to Jerusalem, but in the next sentence, they seem to be back in Antioch, again.

Now there were in the Church at Antioch prophets and teachers:
Barnabas, Symeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene,
Manaen who was a close friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said,
“Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul
for the work to which I have called them.”
Then, completing their fasting and prayer,
they laid hands on them and sent them off.

So they, sent forth by the Holy Spirit,
went down to Seleucia
and from there sailed to Cyprus.
When they arrived in Salamis,
they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues.

Basically, Sts. Barnabus and Paul were set apart by the Holy Spirit to begin another missionary journey.  Although they had experienced the explosion of conversions in the Gentile population, this time, they again began to preach amongst the Jews.

Responsorial PsalmPS 67:2-3, 5, 6 AND 8

R. (4) O God, let all the nations praise you!
or:
R. Alleluia.
May God have pity on us and bless us;
may he let his face shine upon us.
So may your way be known upon earth;
among all nations, your salvation.
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
or:
R. Alleluia.
May the nations be glad and exult
because you rule the peoples in equity;
the nations on the earth you guide.
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
or:
R. Alleluia.
May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you!
May God bless us,
and may all the ends of the earth fear him!
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
or:
R. Alleluia.

Lift up your voice and praise God.  For He made us and He saves us.  His mercy endures forever!

GospelJN 12:44-50

Jesus cried out and said,
“Whoever believes in me believes not only in me
but also in the one who sent me,
and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me.
I came into the world as light,
so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness.
And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them,
I do not condemn him,
for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world.
Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words
has something to judge him: the word that I spoke,
it will condemn him on the last day,
because I did not speak on my own,
but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak.
And I know that his commandment is eternal life.
So what I say, I say as the Father told me.”

Jesus, the Son of God, is again telling the Jews that He has come down from the Father, from heaven, to teach them the will of the Father.  He is also teaching them that He comes, not to condemn, but to give them the way of salvation.  That those who obey Him may be saved on the Last Day.