Bible Diary

Daily Reading

Monday of the Fifth Week of Easter

LECTIONARY
285

FIRST READING

ACTS 14:5-18

There was an attempt in Iconium
by both the Gentiles and the Jews,
together with their leaders,
to attack and stone Paul and Barnabas.
They realized it,
and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe
and to the surrounding countryside,
where they continued to proclaim the Good News.

At Lystra there was a crippled man, lame from birth,
who had never walked.
He listened to Paul speaking, who looked intently at him,
saw that he had the faith to be healed,
and called out in a loud voice, "Stand up straight on your feet."
He jumped up and began to walk about.
When the crowds saw what Paul had done,
they cried out in Lycaonian,
"The gods have come down to us in human form."
They called Barnabas "Zeus" and Paul "Hermes,"
because he was the chief speaker.
And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city,
brought oxen and garlands to the gates,
for he together with the people intended to offer sacrifice.

The Apostles Barnabas and Paul tore their garments
when they heard this and rushed out into the crowd, shouting,
"Men, why are you doing this?
We are of the same nature as you, human beings.
We proclaim to you good news
that you should turn from these idols to the living God,
who made heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them.
In past generations he allowed all Gentiles to go their own ways;
yet, in bestowing his goodness,
he did not leave himself without witness,
for he gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons,
and filled you with nourishment and gladness for your hearts."
Even with these words, they scarcely restrained the crowds
from offering sacrifice to them.

PSALM

PS 115:1-2, 3-4, 15-16

Response: Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the glory.

Not to us, O LORD, not to us
but to your name give glory
because of your mercy, because of your truth.
Why should the pagans say,
"Where is their God?"

Our God is in heaven;
whatever he wills, he does.
Their idols are silver and gold,
the handiwork of men.

May you be blessed by the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
Heaven is the heaven of the LORD,
but the earth he has given to the children of men.

GOSPEL

JN 14:21-26

Jesus said to his disciples:
"Whoever has my commandments and observes them
is the one who loves me.
Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father,
and I will love him and reveal myself to him."
Judas, not the Iscariot, said to him,
"Master, then what happened that you will reveal yourself to us
and not to the world?"
Jesus answered and said to him,
"Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.
Whoever does not love me does not keep my words;
yet the word you hear is not mine
but that of the Father who sent me.

"I have told you this while I am with you.
The Advocate, the Holy Spirit
whom the Father will send in my name --
he will teach you everything
and remind you of all that I told you."

Daily Reflection

According to an ancient legend, Zeus and Hermes (the gods of Greek mythology), had once visited Lystra in disguise. But because they were treated badly by its inhabitants, they punished the people of Lystra. Perhaps this legend was what caused the people to react as they did towards Paul and Barnabas who visited them preaching the Good News.

Seeing Paul cure a man who had been a cripple from birth, the people of Lystra believed them to be Zeus and Hermes who had returned. Not wanting to repeat the mistake of their ancestors, they decided to offer sacrifice in their honour! But the apostles declined the homage, clarifying that they were only human and it was God who healed the cripple through them - the God they had come to speak about.

In today’s Gospel, too, we hear Jesus speak about the same one true God, His Father. Jesus explains simply that one’s love for God is manifest in the willingness to follow His word, for His word is God’s word!