THURSDAY OF THE SIXTH WEEK OF EASTER - Gospel (John 16:16-20) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

“A little while and you will no longer see me, and again a little while later and you will see me.” (Jn 16:16)

FIRST READING - Acts 18:1-8

A reading from the book of the Acts of the Apostles

Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.

There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus,

who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla

because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome.

He went to visit them and, because he practiced the same trade,

stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade.

Every sabbath, he entered into discussions in the synagogue,

attempting to convince both Jews and Greeks.

When Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia,

Paul began to occupy himself totally with preaching the word,

testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus.

When they opposed him and reviled him,

he shook out his garments and said to them,

“Your blood be on your heads!

I am clear of responsibility.

From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”

So he left there and went to a house

belonging to a man named Titus Justus, a worshiper of God;

his house was next to a synagogue.

Crispus, the synagogue official, came to believe in the Lord

along with his entire household, and many of the Corinthians

who heard believed and were baptized.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY - 16:16-20

From the Gospel according to John

Jesus said to his disciples:

“A little while and you will no longer see me,

and again a little while later and you will see me.”

So some of his disciples said to one another,

“What does this mean that he is saying to us,

‘A little while and you will not see me,

and again a little while and you will see me,’

and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?”

So they said, “What is this ‘little while’ of which he speaks?

We do not know what he means.”

Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them,

“Are you discussing with one another what I said,

‘A little while and you will not see me,

and again a little while and you will see me’?

Amen, amen, I say to you,

you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices;

you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.”

THURSDAY OF THE SIXTH WEEK OF EASTER - Gospel (John 16:16-20)

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

In today's Word of God, God wants to tell all of humanity that He is the One who is infinitely superior—He understands everything, including the thoughts and minds of people. He knows what people think about His plan and His teachings.

That is why, in today’s Word of God, Jesus foretells to the disciples: “‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’?” Jesus knows that the hearts and faith of the disciples are still weak and not yet strong enough. So, He tells them in advance about God’s plan of salvation—about His departure to return to God the Father, and about the sufferings, difficulties, and challenges they will face as they follow the salvation journey that Jesus Christ is about to complete.

Through this, God wants to teach people today that those who accept and wholeheartedly believe in the teachings of Jesus Christ—and put them into practice—must also be willing to endure the same sufferings that the Only Son of God experienced. That is, to walk the path of the cross. But those who walk this path of the cross and remain absolutely faithful and obedient to the will of God the Father until their last breath will enjoy the glory and happiness of the Kingdom of Heaven.

The words of Jesus Christ have been fulfilled from ancient times until today:

-When anyone follows the plan of God the Father, remaining obedient and faithful to Him until their final breath, they will suffer with Jesus Christ and endure slander and insults from others. But that suffering and those insults are part of walking in the grace of God the Father.

-And it is also fulfilled for those who mock and ridicule those who walk in the grace of God the Father—they will rejoice and laugh when they see God’s faithful servants endure suffering and trials.

Yet God the Father wants to teach His children in today’s world to firmly believe in His teachings. As the Bible says: when someone follows God, they will face suffering, difficulties, and trials, and the world will mock them.

But those who endure such hardships and remain faithful to God the Father—absolutely obeying His will until the end of their lives—will enjoy complete happiness in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

19:00 May 29th, 2025 - Prayer od Divine Mercy - The Way to Heaven