May 27 2022

First reading Acts 18:9-18

‘I have many people on my side in this city’

At Corinth one night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision, ‘Do not be afraid to speak out, nor allow yourself to be silenced: I am with you. I have so many people on my side in this city that no one will even attempt to hurt you.’ So Paul stayed there preaching the word of God among them for eighteen months.

But, while Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a concerted attack on Paul and brought him before the tribunal. ‘We accuse this man’ they said ‘of persuading people to worship God in a way that breaks the Law.’ Before Paul could open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, ‘Listen, you Jews. If this were a misdemeanour or a crime, I would not hesitate to attend to you; but if it is only quibbles about words and names, and about your own Law, then you must deal with it yourselves – I have no intention of making legal decisions about things like that.’ Then he sent them out of the court, and at once they all turned on Sosthenes, the synagogue president, and beat him in front of the court house. Gallio refused to take any notice at all.

After staying on for some time, Paul took leave of the brothers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had his hair cut off, because of a vow he had made.

Responsorial Psalm 46(47):2-7

God is king of all the earth.

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.

Alleluia!

He subdues peoples under us

and nations under our feet.

Our inheritance, our glory, is from him,

given to Jacob out of love.

God is king of all the earth.

Alleluia!

God goes up with shouts of joy;

the Lord goes up with trumpet blast.

Sing praise for God, sing praise,

sing praise to our king, sing praise.

God is king of all the earth.

Alleluia!

Gospel John 16:20-23

Your hearts will be full of joy that no-one will take from you

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘I tell you most solemnly,

you will be weeping and wailing

while the world will rejoice;

you will be sorrowful,

but your sorrow will turn to joy.

A woman in childbirth suffers,

because her time has come;

but when she has given birth to the child she forgets the suffering

in her joy that a man has been born into the world.

So it is with you: you are sad now,

but I shall see you again, and your hearts will be full of joy,

and that joy no one shall take from you.

When that day comes,

you will not ask me any questions.’

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With Jesus, our joy will be complete

When a child is born, the intense pain of labour disappears, and the
mother’s anguish gives way to profound joy. In today’s gospel, Jesus
used the experience of childbirth to illustrate the joy of the resurrection
that would replace the pain and sadness of the cross. Jesus told His
disciples, “So it is with you: you are sad now, but I shall see you again,
and your hearts will be full of joy, and that joy no one shall take from
you”. Let us listen attentively to Jesus as He speaks these exact words

to us today. He invites us to have the same joy that comes from the
conviction that He is alive and is with us; that springs from the experience
of being unconditionally loved by Him.

The joy that Jesus gives us is something no one can take away. In this
time of prayer, let us strengthen our friendship with Jesus and savour
the joy that comes from His presence.

Question for reflection:
Is Jesus the cause of my joy?

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