Whether we are lost or not is our choice. For our Lord Jesus Christ wills that not one of us is lost. All of us have been consecrated to the truth, the way and the life by our baptism. And our calling is lead Holy sanctified lives to the full in the love and mercy of Christ our Saviour.St Paul reminds us therefore to remain steadfast and rooted to the word of God; to the word of His grace that has power to build us up and to give us our inheritance among all the sanctified. This is how we will stand fortified against the evil that seeks to rob us while we are making our pilgrim journey back home to our Heavenly Father.Come Holy Spirit come! Be our guide, our ally! Grant us what we need to be powerful Evangelisers of the love of God and the joys, peace and love of living the Gospel truths. Amen
First reading
Acts 20:28-38 ·
I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, and its powerPaul addressed these words to the elders of the church of Ephesus:
‘Be on your guard for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you the overseers, to feed the Church of God which he bought with his own blood. I know quite well that when I have gone fierce wolves will invade you and will have no mercy on the flock. Even from your own ranks there will be men coming forward with a travesty of the truth on their lips to induce the disciples to follow them. So be on your guard, remembering how night and day for three years I never failed to keep you right, shedding tears over each one of you. And now I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace that has power to build you up and to give you your inheritance among all the sanctified.
‘I have never asked anyone for money or clothes; you know for yourselves that the work I did earned enough to meet my needs and those of my companions. I did this to show you that this is how we must exert ourselves to support the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, who himself said, “There is more happiness in giving than in receiving.”’
When he had finished speaking he knelt down with them all and prayed. By now they were all in tears; they put their arms round Paul’s neck and kissed him; what saddened them most was his saying they would never see his face again. Then they escorted him to the ship.
Gospel
John 17:11-19
Father, keep those you have given me true to your nameJesus raised his eyes to heaven and said:‘Holy Father,
keep those you have given me true to your name, so that they may be one like us.
While I was with them, I kept those you had given me true to your name.
I have watched over them and not one is lost except the one who chose to be lost, and this was to fulfil the scriptures.
But now I am coming to you and while still in the world I say these things to share my joy with them to the full.
I passed your word on to them, and the Holy world hated them, because they belong to the world no more than I belong to the world.
I am not asking you to remove them from the world, but to protect them from the evil one.
They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world.
Consecrate them in the truth; your word is truth.
As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world, and for their sake I consecrate myself so that they too may be consecrated in truth.’
CatholicJules.net 