First reading Acts 18:23-28
Apollos demonstrated from the scriptures that Jesus was the Christ
Paul came down to Antioch, where he spent a short time before continuing his journey through the Galatian country and then through Phrygia, encouraging all the followers.
An Alexandrian Jew named Apollos now arrived in Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, with a sound knowledge of the scriptures, and yet, though he had been given instruction in the Way of the Lord and preached with great spiritual earnestness and was accurate in all the details he taught about Jesus, he had only experienced the baptism of John. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him speak boldly in the synagogue, they took an interest in him and gave him further instruction about the Way.
When Apollos thought of crossing over to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote asking the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived there he was able by God’s grace to help the believers considerably by the energetic way he refuted the Jews in public and demonstrated from the scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.
Responsorial Psalm 46(47):2-3,8-10
God is king of all the earth.
or
Alleluia!
All peoples, clap your hands,
cry to God with shouts of joy!
For the Lord, the Most High, we must fear,
great king over all the earth.
God is king of all the earth.
or
Alleluia!
God is king of all the earth,
sing praise with all your skill.
God is king over the nations;
God reigns on his holy throne.
God is king of all the earth.
or
Alleluia!
The princes of the people are assembled
with the people of Abraham’s God.
The rulers of the earth belong to God,
to God who reigns over all.
God is king of all the earth.
or
Alleluia!
Gospel John 16:23-28
The Father loves you for loving me and believing that I came from God
Jesus said to his disciples:
‘I tell you most solemnly,
anything you ask for from the Father he will grant in my name.
Until now you have not asked for anything in my name.
Ask and you will receive, and so your joy will be complete.
I have been telling you all this in metaphors,
the hour is coming when I shall no longer speak to you in metaphors;
but tell you about the Father in plain words.
When that day comes you will ask in my name;
and I do not say that I shall pray to the Father for you,
because the Father himself loves you for loving me
and believing that I came from God.
I came from the Father and have come into the world
and now I leave the world to go to the Father.’
____________________________________________
Ask and you will receive
“Ask and you will receive, and so your joy will be complete.” Jesus told
His disciples to ask God with trust in their hearts for what they truly
needed. What does “ask and you will receive” mean for us? Jesus, too,
wants us to ask God with trust that He would provide. However, we know
that there are many times when we ask God for things, and He does not
seem to answer our prayers. As a result, we end up feeling disappointed
and discouraged.
His disciples to ask God with trust in their hearts for what they truly
needed. What does “ask and you will receive” mean for us? Jesus, too,
wants us to ask God with trust that He would provide. However, we know
that there are many times when we ask God for things, and He does not
seem to answer our prayers. As a result, we end up feeling disappointed
and discouraged.
“…the Father himself loves you for loving me”. Let us ponder on these
words of Jesus and allow the reality that God loves us to sink into our
hearts. Often, we bring our prayers to God and say to Him how we want
our prayers to be answered, what He has to do, when the prayers have
words of Jesus and allow the reality that God loves us to sink into our
hearts. Often, we bring our prayers to God and say to Him how we want
our prayers to be answered, what He has to do, when the prayers have
to be fulfilled, etc. If we truly are convinced that God loves us and trusts
in His care for us, we would pray and let go of the need to be in control.
Today, let us ask for a trusting heart that allows God to be God.
in His care for us, we would pray and let go of the need to be in control.
Today, let us ask for a trusting heart that allows God to be God.
Question for reflection:
What is Jesus’ message for me today?
What is Jesus’ message for me today?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year C” by Sr Sandra Seow FMVD.
