Sixth Week of Easter
06th May 2024 (Monday)
Psalter: Week 2
Reading of the Day
First Reading: Acts 16:11-15
Setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days. And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.
Psalm 149:1-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b (R. 4a)
R/. The Lord takes delight in his people.
Gospel Acclamation
V/. Alleluia
R/. Alleluia
V/. The Spirit of truth will bear witness about me, says the Lord; you also will bear witness.
R/. Alleluia.
Gospel : John 15:26-16:4a
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning. “I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you..
Daily Gospel Reflection
Monday – Sixth Week of Easter
Guidelines: Openness matters a lot concerning both faith and relationships. Openness leads to receptivity and receptivity leads to interaction and action
1. We see in the Acts of the Apostles that the Lord opened the heart of a certain Lydia to pay attention to what was said by Paul. This openness leads to receiving the prompting of the Holy Spirit. She listens to the Word. She experiences inner stirring. She turns to the true God. She gets baptised along with her household. She becomes faithful to the Lord. She also hosts Paul and co. Her house becomes a house of prayer and a springboard for the mission.
2. In the gospel too, Jesus speaks of the coming of the Holy Spirit. He sends the Spirit from the Father. The Spirit will be the Spirit of truth. He will bear witness to Jesus, the Truth. Consequently, they will also bear witness to him. They will be faithful to this mission only because they keep themselves open to the grace of God. This openness makes them humble and docile to be taught and guided by God.
3. On the contrary, there will be enemies that oppose and persecute the disciples. They do not know the Father and the Son. They are not open to the divine knowledge of the Spirit. They fail to recognise the Truth. Instead, they are under falsity. They wrongly think that all their opposition to truth is a service to God Himself.
Practice: Lack of openness to truth leads to a lack of receptivity and further to false conviction and loyalty. Do we too suffer from false convictions and convictions?
