MONDAY OF THE SIXTH WEEK OF EASTER - Gospel (John 15:26—16:4a) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE
- NHA CHUA CHA
- May 27
- 3 min read
FIRST READING - Acts 16:11-15
A reading from the Book of the Acts of the Apostles
We set sail from Troas, 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.
GOSPEL OF THE DAY - John 15:26—16:4a
From the Gospel according to John
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.
"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."
MONDAY OF THE SIXTH WEEK OF EASTER - Gospel (John 15:26—16:4a)
THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE
Dear People of God,
Jesus loves all His disciples. He taught and instructed them in the past, saying that the Father would send the Spirit of Truth to accompany and protect them. The Spirit of Truth would come to testify to the truth of the words of Jesus Christ, which come from God the Father. This Spirit will always be with the disciples, enabling them to live out and carry out exactly what Jesus taught: to believe in Jesus Christ, who died and was resurrected to save humanity.
The lives of the disciples will become the most authentic testimony through a way of living characterized by love, forgiveness, humility, self-denial, and absolute trust and confidence in the one true God—the God of love. By living according to what Jesus taught, His disciples are called to go out and bear witness to God, spreading this testimony to others, so that souls may also receive salvation. This means helping others turn away from sin and return to God.
When the disciples proclaim and bear witness to Christ, the Holy Spirit is always with them and works through them. It is the power of the Holy Spirit that supports, protects, and defends the disciples from temptation and the power of Satan. For when they bear witness to God, Satan will not leave them alone. They will seek to expel them from synagogues, to persecute, tempt, kill, and torture them, in an attempt to stop them from spreading God’s saving love to humanity. Those who persecute the disciples are themselves deceived by Satan, believing they are acting according to God's will.
Today, God invites those He has chosen to participate in His work:
Live what He taught and go out to witness for God. He has promised that He will always give the power of the Holy Spirit to those who go out in His name.
He also foretold that when we live according to His teachings and witness for God, we will face arrest, condemnation, and even death, just as the apostles did. He taught and warned us in advance so that when these events occur, we may remain at peace—and rejoice because our names are written in heaven.
Live in love as God loves, and witness for Him. Spread His saving love to others to help save souls. This is what God desires and to which He calls His disciples.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
Comments