Acts 14: 19 - 28
19
But Jews came there from Antioch and Ico'nium; and having persuaded the people, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead.
20
But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city; and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe.
21
When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Ico'nium and to Antioch,
22
strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.
23
And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they believed.
24
Then they passed through Pisid'ia, and came to Pamphyl'ia.
25
And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attali'a;
26
and from there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had fulfilled.
27
And when they arrived, they gathered the church together and declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.
28
And they remained no little time with the disciples.
Psalms 145: 10 - 13, 21
10
All thy works shall give thanks to thee, O LORD, and all thy saints shall bless thee!
11
They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and tell of thy power,
12
to make known to the sons of men thy mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of thy kingdom.
13
Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endures throughout all generations. The LORD is faithful in all his words, and gracious in all his deeds.
21
My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD, and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.
John 14: 27 - 31
27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
28
You heard me say to you, `I go away, and I will come to you.' If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I go to the Father; for the Father is greater than I.
29
And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place, you may believe.
30
I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me;
31
but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go hence.
What stood out for me from today's readings is that we are to TESTIFY of the kingdom of God. Each reading talking about going out and talking about the kingdom of Heaven, to let others know of the good news. It should be obvious that we are Christians. This doesn't mean getting in people's faces about our religion, but letting our words and deeds shine through. However, feer of alienating people shouldn't keep us from talking about God either. There is certainly a balance between not being obnoxious about our faith, and never talking about our faith either. We shouldn't use the excuse that our lives are our testimony and never talk about our beliefs either. While it should be obvious from our lives that something is different, people need to know WHY we are different.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Sunday, May 10th
I've decided to do a blog of my thoughts on the daily readings from the mass. It's my way to make sure I'm getting in the Word and reflecting on God.
Today is the 5th Sunday of Easter.
The first reading is Acts 9:26-31
26
And when he had come to Jerusalem he attempted to join the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple.
27
But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus.
28
So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem,
29
preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists; but they were seeking to kill him.
30
And when the brethren knew it, they brought him down to Caesare'a, and sent him off to Tarsus. 31
So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Sama'ria had peace and was built up; and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit it was multiplied.
The reading from Psalms is Psalm 22:26-28, 30-32
26
The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the LORD! May your hearts live for ever!
27
All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD; and all the families of the nations shall worship before him.
28
For dominion belongs to the LORD, and he rules over the nations.
30
Posterity shall serve him; men shall tell of the Lord to the coming generation,
31
and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn, that he has wrought it.
The second reading is 1 John 3:18-24
18
Little children, let us not love in word or speech but in deed and in truth.
19
By this we shall know that we are of the truth, and reassure our hearts before him
20
whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
21
Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God;
22
and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.
23
And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.
24
All who keep his commandments abide in him, and he in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit which he has given us.
The Gospel reading is John 15:1-8
1
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.
2
Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
3
You are already made clean by the word which I have spoken to you.
4
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
5
I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
6
If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned.
7
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.
8
By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples.
What stands out to me in today's reading is ACTION. First, in Acts, immediately after Paul's conversion he is moved to ACTION. He begins proclaiming the Word of God and spreading the Good News. The reading from 1 John empahsizes that it is not what we say that is important, it is that our actions reflect our faith. Words alone do nothing, it is our lives that proclaim God's word. This is further emphasized in the Gospel reading. As believers we need to produce fruit. Our fruit (our good works) are what show our faith in God. This is what "proves" that we are Christ's disciples. If we do not bear fruit, then our faith is empty and we will wither and be pruned away to be cast into the fire.
Many Christians argue that we are saved by faith alone. But James emphasizes that faith without works is meaningless. What this means is that if your life does not show your faith, if you do not do good works, if you do not bear fruit, then you will be pruned away. No, good works alone (without faith) do not save us, but good works that are a product of our FAITH are part of God's salvatory plan. It is by GRACE that we are saved. Faith is definately essential, but it is but one part of salvation.
Today is the 5th Sunday of Easter.
The first reading is Acts 9:26-31
26
And when he had come to Jerusalem he attempted to join the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple.
27
But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus.
28
So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem,
29
preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists; but they were seeking to kill him.
30
And when the brethren knew it, they brought him down to Caesare'a, and sent him off to Tarsus. 31
So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Sama'ria had peace and was built up; and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit it was multiplied.
The reading from Psalms is Psalm 22:26-28, 30-32
26
The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the LORD! May your hearts live for ever!
27
All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD; and all the families of the nations shall worship before him.
28
For dominion belongs to the LORD, and he rules over the nations.
30
Posterity shall serve him; men shall tell of the Lord to the coming generation,
31
and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn, that he has wrought it.
The second reading is 1 John 3:18-24
18
Little children, let us not love in word or speech but in deed and in truth.
19
By this we shall know that we are of the truth, and reassure our hearts before him
20
whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
21
Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God;
22
and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.
23
And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.
24
All who keep his commandments abide in him, and he in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit which he has given us.
The Gospel reading is John 15:1-8
1
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.
2
Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
3
You are already made clean by the word which I have spoken to you.
4
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
5
I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
6
If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned.
7
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.
8
By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples.
What stands out to me in today's reading is ACTION. First, in Acts, immediately after Paul's conversion he is moved to ACTION. He begins proclaiming the Word of God and spreading the Good News. The reading from 1 John empahsizes that it is not what we say that is important, it is that our actions reflect our faith. Words alone do nothing, it is our lives that proclaim God's word. This is further emphasized in the Gospel reading. As believers we need to produce fruit. Our fruit (our good works) are what show our faith in God. This is what "proves" that we are Christ's disciples. If we do not bear fruit, then our faith is empty and we will wither and be pruned away to be cast into the fire.
Many Christians argue that we are saved by faith alone. But James emphasizes that faith without works is meaningless. What this means is that if your life does not show your faith, if you do not do good works, if you do not bear fruit, then you will be pruned away. No, good works alone (without faith) do not save us, but good works that are a product of our FAITH are part of God's salvatory plan. It is by GRACE that we are saved. Faith is definately essential, but it is but one part of salvation.
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