Every level in our faith journey is a test of our faithfulness and love for our Lord, our saviour Jesus Christ. For if we do bear fruit for Him we will often have an opportunity to witness these fruits in others. Many touched deeply by our Lord through us being instruments of His grace may shower us with fervour, gifts and affirmation. Be wary for the evil one lurks and is waiting to snare you and I! Many have fallen into believing that power and glory is theirs! Even if the Lord is added at the end of ” ‘I’ did this for the Lord!” By St Barnabas and St Paul’s example in today’s first reading, we too should be ‘tearing’ at our clothes at this juncture shouting ‘Friends, what do you think you are doing? We are only human beings like you. We have only come to share in the good news of the Gospel and to turn your hearts back to the Lord our God.
If we continue to let ourselves be deceived then will we not only lose our way but lead others to do likewise. We will begin to take shortcuts, cut corners and soon even irreverence for the Lord our God sets in as we declare “My Will be done!”
Lord Jesus help me to remain steadfast to Your Word and Will for me. Holy Spirit Lord, teach, counsel and guide me to the Way, the Truth and the life! Amen Alleluia!
First reading
Acts 14:5-18
We have come with good news to turn you to the living God
Eventually with the connivance of the authorities a move was made by pagans as well as Jews to make attacks on the apostles and to stone them. When the apostles came to hear of this, they went off for safety to Lycaonia where, in the towns of Lystra and Derbe and in the surrounding country, they preached the Good News.
A man sat there who had never walked in his life, because his feet were crippled from birth; and as he listened to Paul preaching, he managed to catch his eye. Seeing that the man had the faith to be cured, Paul said in a loud voice, ‘Get to your feet – stand up’, and the cripple jumped up and began to walk.
When the crowd saw what Paul had done they shouted in the language of Lycaonia, ‘These people are gods who have come down to us disguised as men.’ They addressed Barnabas as Zeus, and since Paul was the principal speaker they called him Hermes. The priests of Zeus-outside-the-Gate, proposing that all the people should offer sacrifice with them, brought garlanded oxen to the gates. When the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard what was happening they tore their clothes, and rushed into the crowd, shouting, ‘Friends, what do you think you are doing? We are only human beings like you. We have come with good news to make you turn from these empty idols to the living God who made heaven and earth and the sea and all that these hold. In the past he allowed each nation to go its own way; but even then he did not leave you without evidence of himself in the good things he does for you: he sends you rain from heaven, he makes your crops grow when they should, he gives you food and makes you happy.’ Even this speech, however, was scarcely enough to stop the crowd offering them sacrifice.
Gospel
John 14:21-26
The Advocate, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything
Jesus said to his disciples:
‘Anybody who receives my commandments and keeps them
will be one who loves me;
and anybody who loves me will be loved by my Father,
and I shall love him and show myself to him.’
Judas – this was not Judas Iscariot – said to him, ‘Lord, what is all this about? Do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?’ Jesus replied:
‘If anyone loves me he will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we shall come to him and make our home with him.
Those who do not love me do not keep my words.
And my word is not my own:
it is the word of the one who sent me.
I have said these things to you while still with you;
but the Advocate, the Holy Spirit,
whom the Father will send in my name,
will teach you everything
and remind you of all I have said to you.’
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