First reading Acts 1:12-14
The apostles all joined in continuous prayer with Mary, the mother of Jesus
After Jesus was taken up into heaven the apostles went back from the Mount of Olives, as it is called, to Jerusalem, a short distance away, no more than a sabbath walk; and when they reached the city they went to the upper room where they were staying; there were Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Jude son of James. All these joined in continuous prayer, together with several women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
Responsorial Psalm 26(27):1,4,7-8
I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.
or
Alleluia!
The Lord is my light and my help;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
before whom shall I shrink?
There is one thing I ask of the Lord,
for this I long,
to live in the house of the Lord,
all the days of my life,
to savour the sweetness of the Lord,
to behold his temple.
O Lord, hear my voice when I call;
have mercy and answer.
Of you my heart has spoken:
‘Seek his face.’
Second reading 1 Peter 4:13-16
It is a blessing for you when they insult you for bearing the name of Christ
If you can have some share in the sufferings of Christ, be glad, because you will enjoy a much greater gladness when his glory is revealed. It is a blessing for you when they insult you for bearing the name of Christ, because it means that you have the Spirit of glory, the Spirit of God resting on you. None of you should ever deserve to suffer for being a murderer, a thief, a criminal or an informer; but if anyone of you should suffer for being a Christian, then he is not to be ashamed of it; he should thank God that he has been called one.
Gospel John 17:1-11
Father, it is time for you to glorify me
Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said:
‘Father, the hour has come:
glorify your Son
so that your Son may glorify you;
and, through the power over all mankind that you have given him,
let him give eternal life to all those you have entrusted to him.
And eternal life is this:
to know you,
the only true God,
and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
I have glorified you on earth
and finished the work that you gave me to do.
Now, Father, it is time for you to glorify me
with that glory I had with you
before ever the world was.
I have made your name known
to the men you took from the world to give me.
They were yours and you gave them to me,
and they have kept your word.
Now at last they know
that all you have given me comes indeed from you;
for I have given them the teaching you gave to me,
and they have truly accepted this, that I came from you,
and have believed that it was you who sent me.
I pray for them;
I am not praying for the world
but for those you have given me,
because they belong to you:
all I have is yours
and all you have is mine,
and in them I am glorified.
I am not in the world any longer,
but they are in the world,
and I am coming to you.’
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Eternal life
‘And eternal life is this: to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent’. Often, we associate “eternal life” as living forever with God when our physical life here on earth ends. Listen to Jesus as He tells us, “Eternal life is to know God”. To know God is more than just having intellectual knowledge. When Jesus speaks about eternal life, it refers to a relationship with God that starts here, now, and forever. Are we aware we have been created to have a loving and intimate relationship with God?
The gift of eternal life must make a difference in how we live our daily lives. Our relationship with God must be contagious and impact people for the better as well as enable us to face difficulties joyfully. In the first reading, we see the disciples, with Mother Mary, gathering together in prayer. As individuals and as a community, they were rooted in a living relationship with Jesus. Therefore, the early Christians found the strength to face challenges and become courageous witnesses. Let us live eternal life today.
Reflective question:
How has my relationship with God been the guiding force behind what I say and do each day?
How has my relationship with God been the guiding force behind what I say and do each day?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Sandra Seow FMVD.
