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Sunday, May 5, 2013

May 6, 2013


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Monday of the Sixth Week of Easter 
Lectionary: 291

Reading 1ACTS 16:11-15

We set sail from Troas,

"We set sail…."  St. Luke, the Evangelist and author of the Gospel of St. Luke is also the author of the book of Acts.  This is one of the famous "we" passages where St. Luke is not simply recounting the witness of others.  But he is recounting first hand experiences.
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, a dealer in purple cloth,
from the city of Thyatira, a worshiper of God, listened,
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.

They went several places but finally to Macedonia where they found a Roman colony.  They stayed there a while and met there some women with whom they spoke.  There they met a woman named Lydia, who was a worshipper of God.  I think that means she was a convert to Judaism.  And God opened her heart to understand St. Paul's words.  She and her entire household were baptized.  And then she prevailed on the Christian contingent to come and stay at her home.

Responsorial PsalmPS 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 be glad in their maker,
let the children of Zion rejoice in their king.
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.

Let all who believe in God, rejoice and celebrate.  Because God loves His people!  Allelujah!

GospelJN 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.

This is a prophecy of the day of Pentecost. When the Holy Spirit came down like a mighty wind and a roaring flame which separated and came down upon the Apostles and Disciples, like tongues of fire.  And they began to prophecy and people from every language could understand them.  

“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.”

And this is a prophecy that the Jews would continue to persecute the Christian Church.  The Jews believed that Christianity was a heresy and any Jews that practiced Christianity could be stoned to death for the crime.  Jesus warns the Disciples that this will happen so that they may know that this is actually a sign that they are doing what they are supposed to:
Matthew 10:23But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.24 The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.25 It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?
 

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