Bible Diary

Daily Reading

Tuesday of Fifth Week of Easter

LECTIONARY
286

FIRST READING

Acts 14:19-28

But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe. When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed. Then they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia, and from there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled. And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. And they remained no little time with the disciples.

PSALM

145:10-11, 12-13ab, 21

Response: Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might.

Making known to men your might
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is a kingdom for all ages,
and your dominion endures through all generations.

May my mouth speak the praise of the LORD,
and may all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

GOSPEL

Jn 14:27-31

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.

Daily Reflection

As one of His last gifts to the apostles, in today’s Gospel, Jesus gives them His own peace; a peace that will bring them comfort and fortitude during life’s tribulations. We see how true this is in the lives of the apostles thereafter. And even though Paul was not with the other apostles, he would have surely experienced this peace at his conversion. We know this because no matter what he encountered during his missionary journey, he wasn't despondent.

In today’s first reading, we hear of how the Jews from Antioch and Iconium opposed his preaching and tried to turn the people against him. He was even stoned and left for dead. Yet, when he regained consciousness, he courageously walked right back, undeterred! Paul acknowledges that his strength to persevere came from the Lord who was responsible for the success of the mission for He “opened the doors of faith”.

Do I experience the peace of Christ comforting me whenever life tosses me around?