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.
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,
sing praise with all your skill.
God is king over the nations;
God reigns on his holy throne.
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.
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.’
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In Jesus’ name
In today’s Gospel, Jesus, knowing that He is leaving this world and going to His Father, encourages His disciples by saying, “I tell you most solemnly, anything you ask for from the Father he will grant in my name.” Today, Jesus also invites us to ask for whatever we need in His name, and our prayers will be heard. However, it is important to understand that asking in Jesus’ name is not simply a magical formula or something we recite at the end of prayer. In the Hebrew culture, a name represents a person’s authority, character, and purpose. Therefore, praying in Jesus’ name means asking Him for whatever we need, so that we live in a way that aligns with His heart and mission of love.
Jesus understands that following Him in today’s society is challenging. Gospel values like love, humility, peace, and service are often disregarded or contradicted by popular cultural values such as secularism, individualism, and materialism. When we struggle to live out our faith authentically and freely, we may feel tempted to give up. In these moments, it is important to remember that we can rely on Jesus rather than our own strength, allowing us to live our discipleship in faithful union with Him.
Reflective question:
When asking “in Jesus’ name,” how can I change my prayer and heart to better align with Jesus’ will instead of my own desires?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD
