THURSDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK OF EASTER - Gospel (John 13:16-20) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE
- NHA CHUA CHA
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
FIRST READING - Acts 13:13-25
From this man’s descendants God, according to his promise, has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus.
A reading from the Book of the Acts of the Apostles
13 From Paphos, Paul and his companions set sail and arrived at Perga in Pamphylia. But John left them and returned to Jerusalem. 14 They continued on from Perga and reached Antioch in Pisidia. On the sabbath they entered [into] the synagogue and took their seats. 15 After the reading of the law and the prophets, the synagogue officials sent word to them, “My brothers, if one of you has a word of exhortation for the people, please speak.”
16 [a]So Paul got up, motioned with his hand, and said, “Fellow Israelites and you others who are God-fearing,[b] listen. 17 The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors and exalted the people during their sojourn in the land of Egypt. With uplifted arm he led them out of it 18 and for about forty years he put up with[c] them in the desert. 19 When he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance 20 at the end of about four hundred and fifty years.[d] After these things he provided judges up to Samuel [the] prophet. 21 Then they asked for a king. God gave them Saul, son of Kish, a man from the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22 Then he removed him and raised up David as their king; of him he testified, ‘I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will carry out my every wish.’ 23 From this man’s descendants God, according to his promise, has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus. 24 John heralded his coming by proclaiming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel; 25 and as John was completing his course, he would say, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. Behold, one is coming after me; I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his feet.’
GOSPEL OF THE DAY - Jn 13:16-20
Whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.
✠Tin Mừng Chúa Giê-su Ki-tô theo thánh Gio-an.
16 Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger[a] greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it. 18 I am not speaking of all of you. I know those whom I have chosen. But so that the scripture might be fulfilled, ‘The one who ate my food has raised his heel against me.’ 19 From now on I am telling you before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe that I AM. 20 Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”
THURSDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK OF EASTER - Gospel (John 13:16-20)
THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE
Dear people of God,
In today's Word of God, God makes it known to humanity that After washing the disciples' feet, Jesus said: “No servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him,” and: “Whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”
Today's Word of God teaches humanity to possess a life of humility, charity, love, and giving without expecting anything in return.
When someone is sent by God to all people to proclaim the Word of God, that person must first live and practice what God teaches, that is, to know how to renounce their 'ego', to renounce personal desires, to renounce sin and evil things, and to know to preach the Word of God and bear witness to God through their own life and good example.
In the life of preaching the Gospel, those who are sent by God must know how to accept everything: from difficulties or failures to successes, they must always give thanks to God.
For the image of those sent by God is that of people who bring God to humanity, of people who speak on behalf of God's Word to humanity.
Therefore, all who receive the Gospel message from those who are sent are receiving God Himself.
And those who receive the Word of God Himself and live according to the teachings of God's Word will have eternal life and will have a life of peace and happiness, as God has promised.
The peace and happiness that God grants is a deep peace in the soul, an eternal peace, not the false, fleeting peace of the world.
Today's Word of God invites humanity: whoever is wise should listen to and practice the Word of God, and will have eternal happiness with God the Father.
Let us strive to listen to and practice the Word of God every day, and transform our hearts, living in closer union with God in hopes of achieving the ultimate goal of humanity: to live in eternal happiness with God the Father.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
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