MONDAY OF THE FIFTH WEEK OF EASTER - Jn 14:21-26 - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

READING OF THE DAY

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles

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.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to John

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."

MONDAY OF THE FIFTH WEEK OF EASTER - Jn 14:21-26

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

Jesus said to his disciples, as well as to everyone: "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.

God's commandments are:

- Love God above all things and love your neighbor as yourself.

- Obey God in all things, just as Jesus Christ Himself obeyed God the Father to the point that He was willing to die on the Cross. It was through that obedience that He conquered death and Satan.

God always loves everyone and wants to save people. He shows everyone the way to eternal life, which is to keep the commandments that Jesus Christ taught. The commandments that Jesus Christ taught were not of His own will but came from God the Father. Whatever God the Father commanded Jesus to tell everyone, Jesus obeyed and did exactly as the Father commanded. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. God the Father and God the Son are one.

All creatures on earth were created by God the Father. Everyone is a child of God. He does not distinguish between good and bad people. When people were still living on the earthly pilgrimage, the words He taught were the Living Words for everyone. Those who want to remain in God will keep the Word of God, and God will remain in that person.

In God's Word today, God also reveals to humanity about the Holy Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are working together in the work of saving humanity. Before Jesus Christ ascended to heaven, He promised to send the Holy Spirit as the Advocate who would accompany everyone. This era is the era of the Holy Spirit. He will help humanity understand more about God's work of salvation and the mystery of the Holy Trinity.

The Holy Spirit lets everyone know that there is only one God. The revelation is for everyone to know God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit is for people to distinguish between names and callings, as well as to distinguish each time that God saves people; but never divided into three Gods. God's power manifests everywhere, so God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are all one God. Whoever stays in God the Father, whoever stays in the spirit of the Holy Spirit, that person also stays in the love of the Trinity and will be saved by God and rewarded with the eternal Kingdom of Heaven in the future.

Thanks be to God. Amen.