May 17 2022

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.

Responsorial Psalm 144(145):10-13a,21

Your friends, O Lord, shall make known the glorious splendour of your reign.

Alleluia!

All your creatures shall thank you, O Lord,

and your friends shall repeat their blessing.

They shall speak of the glory of your reign

and declare your might, O God,

to make known to men your mighty deeds

and the glorious splendour of your reign.

Yours is an everlasting kingdom;

your rule lasts from age to age.

Let me speak the praise of the Lord,

let all mankind bless his holy name

for ever, for ages unending.

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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I give you peace

Peace is neither the absence of trouble nor the avoidance of
confrontation. It neither depends on external events nor on feeling good.
Rather, peace is the inner calmness we possess even in the midst of
life’s challenges. Only Jesus can give us this inner peace that we yearn
for.

In this time of prayer, listen attentively to the loving words of Jesus to our
hearts, “Peace I bequeath 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.” Where do we truly need to experience peace as we look at
our lives? Perhaps we need His peace in the family, in a friendship, at
the workplace, etc. Let these words of Jesus guide us as we live through
this day. Stay close to Jesus because He, and only He, can give us real
peace.

Question for reflection:
What is Jesus’ invitation to me in this time of prayer?

Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year C” by Sr Sandra Seow FMVD.