St. John I, pope & martyr 

*** 1st Reading ***

Acts 16:11-15

So we put out to sea from Troas

and sailed straight across to Samo­thrace Island, and the next day to Nea­polis. From there we went inland to Philippi, the leading city of the district of Macedonia, and a Roman colony. We spent some days in that city. On the sabbath we went outside the city gate to the bank of the river where we thought the Jews would gather to pray.

We sat down and began speaking to the women who were gathering there. One of them was a God-fearing woman named Lydia from Thyatira City, a dealer in purple cloth. As she listened, the Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul was saying. After she had been baptized together with her household, she invited us to her house, “If you think I am faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us to accept her invitation.

 

Ps 149:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6a & 9b

The Lord takes delight in his people.

 

**** Gospel ****

John 15:26 – 16:4a

From the Father, I will send you the Spirit of truth. When this Helper has come from the Father, he will be my witness, and you, too, will be my witnesses for you have been with me from the beginning.

 I tell you all this to keep you from stumbling and falling away. They will put you out of the Jewish communities. Still more, the hour is coming when anyone who kills you will claim to be serving God; they will do this because they have not known the Father or me. I tell you all these things now so that when the time comes you may remember that I told you.

I did not tell you about this in the beginning because I was with you.

 

Gospel Reflection

The proclamation of the Good News is never going to be an easy task. There remains a real and undeniable antagonism between the world and Jesus. And it’s something that cannot simply be glossed over or swept under the rug.

No, it is real, and the more realistic we are about our prospects of being welcomed and accepted by the world, the more we shall become effective instruments of its reconciliation with God. Remain steadfast in the Christian values and principles, which you profess and which guide and anchor your life.