First reading Acts 20:28-38
I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, and its power
Paul addressed these words to the elders of the church of Ephesus:
‘Be on your guard for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you the overseers, to feed the Church of God which he bought with his own blood. I know quite well that when I have gone fierce wolves will invade you and will have no mercy on the flock. Even from your own ranks there will be men coming forward with a travesty of the truth on their lips to induce the disciples to follow them. So be on your guard, remembering how night and day for three years I never failed to keep you right, shedding tears over each one of you. And now I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace that has power to build you up and to give you your inheritance among all the sanctified.
‘I have never asked anyone for money or clothes; you know for yourselves that the work I did earned enough to meet my needs and those of my companions. I did this to show you that this is how we must exert ourselves to support the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, who himself said, “There is more happiness in giving than in receiving.”’
When he had finished speaking he knelt down with them all and prayed. By now they were all in tears; they put their arms round Paul’s neck and kissed him; what saddened them most was his saying they would never see his face again. Then they escorted him to the ship.
Responsorial Psalm 67(68):29-30,33-36
Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God.
or
Alleluia!
Show forth, O God, show forth your might,
your might, O God, which you have shown for us.
For the sake of your temple high in Jerusalem
may kings come to you bringing their tribute.
Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God, praise the Lord
who rides on the heavens, the ancient heavens.
He thunders his voice, his mighty voice.
Come, acknowledge the power of God.
His glory is on Israel; his might is in the skies.
God is to be feared in his holy place.
He is the Lord, Israel’s God.
He gives strength and power to his people.
Blessed be God!
Gospel John 17:11-19
Father, keep those you have given me true to your name
Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said:
‘Holy Father,
keep those you have given me true to your name,
so that they may be one like us.
While I was with them,
I kept those you had given me true to your name.
I have watched over them
and not one is lost
except the one who chose to be lost,
and this was to fulfil the scriptures.
But now I am coming to you
and while still in the world I say these things
to share my joy with them to the full.
I passed your word on to them,
and the world hated them,
because they belong to the world
no more than I belong to the world.
I am not asking you to remove them from the world,
but to protect them from the evil one.
They do not belong to the world
any more than I belong to the world.
Consecrate them in the truth;
your word is truth.
As you sent me into the world,
I have sent them into the world,
and for their sake I consecrate myself
so that they too may be consecrated in truth.’
___________________________________________________________________
Love is to give of oneself
“I did this to show you that is how we must support the weak, recalling the words of the Lord Jesus, who said, ‘There is more happiness in giving than in receiving’” (1st reading). This message is part of St Paul’s address to the leaders of Ephesus, and it continues to resonate with us today. In our society, the desire to possess often outweighs the desire to share. We are frequently driven by our personal interests and may struggle to give of ourselves selflessly to others. Today, Jesus invites us to follow Him by giving our time, talents, energy, and material resources to help others, especially those in need. This act of giving is the true source of joy.
In the Gospel, Jesus reminds us that, as His disciples, we are in the world but do not belong to it, nor should we conform to its values and ways. He calls us to spread His self-giving love and service to those around us: in our families, neighbourhoods, churches, and workplaces. Let us follow Jesus in His mission of love.
Reflective question:
Have I experienced that “There is more happiness in giving than in receiving” in my life?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year C” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD.
