Do not let your hearts be troubled for the prince of this world has no power over Jesus. We have been inserted into the life, death and resurrection of the Son of God our Heavenly Father through our baptism, therefore the prince of this world has no power over us too! For we are children of God our Heavenly Father so loved and protected by Him.
That is why even when St Paul was terribly beaten, stoned and left to die outside of town, he picked him himself up and went back to the very town that left him for dead! Unthinkable? Why would he do such a thing? How did he do it? Well he carried the peace, love and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ with him! Recuperated and renewed by Jesus he went on with St. Barnabas to preach the Good News and put fresh heart into the disciples. For every disciple knows that before we enter the kingdom of God we will have face many hardships and persevere in our faith.
We can do so, because having searched the world over we know that only true peace and joy is to be found in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ alone. He is the way, the truth and the life. Amen Alleluia!
First reading
Acts 14:19-28 ·
They gave an account of how God had opened the door of faith to the pagans
Some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium, and turned the people against the apostles. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the town, thinking he was dead. The disciples came crowding round him but, as they did so, he stood up and went back to the town. The next day he and Barnabas went off to Derbe.
Having preached the Good News in that town and made a considerable number of disciples, they went back through Lystra and Iconium to Antioch. They put fresh heart into the disciples, encouraging them to persevere in the faith. ‘We all have to experience many hardships’ they said ‘before we enter the kingdom of God.’ In each of these churches they appointed elders, and with prayer and fasting they commended them to the Lord in whom they had come to believe.
They passed through Pisidia and reached Pamphylia. Then after proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia and from there sailed for Antioch, where they had originally been commended to the grace of God for the work they had now completed.
On their arrival they assembled the church and gave an account of all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith to the pagans. They stayed there with the disciples for some time.
Gospel
John 14:27-31
A peace the world cannot give is my gift to you
Jesus said to his disciples:
‘Peace I bequeath to you, my own peace I give you,
a peace the world cannot give,
this is my gift to you.
Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.
You heard me say: I am going away, and shall return.
If you loved me you would have been glad to know that I am going to the Father,
for the Father is greater than I.
I have told you this now before it happens,
so that when it does happen you may believe.
I shall not talk with you any longer,
because the prince of this world is on his way.
He has no power over me,
but the world must be brought to know
that I love the Father
and that I am doing exactly what the Father told me.’
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