"To bring the truth to others."

“We need to bring the truth to others, The truth teaches us to love one another,

because love covers over many offences.

God sometimes moves the soul that it reaches

the perfection of justice at once, as took place in the conversion of Paul”

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊    

Acts 20:28-38

Keep watch over yourselves,

And over the whole flock the Holy Spirit has placed into your care.

Shepherd the Church of the Lord that he has won at the price of his own blood.

I know that after I leave, ruthless wolves will come among you and not spare the flock.

And, from among you, some will arise, corrupting the truth, and inducing the disciples to follow them.

Be on the watch, therefore, remembering that, for three years, night and day, I did not cease to warn everyone, even with tears.

Now, I commend you to God, and to his grace filled word,

which is able to make you grow and gain the inheritance that you shall share with all the saints.

 

I have not looked for anyone's silver, gold or clothing. You, yourselves,

know that these hands of mine have provided for both my needs and the needs of those who were with me.

In every way, I have shown you that by working hard one must help the weak,

remembering the words that the Lord Jesus himself said, 'Happiness lies more in giving than in receiving." 

 

After this discourse, Paul knelt down with them and prayed. Then,

they all began to weep and threw their arms around him and kissed him.

They were deeply distressed because he had said that they would never see him again.

And they went with him even to the ship.

 

Ps 68:29-30, 33-35a, 35bc-36ab Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊      

John 17:11b-19

Holy Father, keep those you have given me in your name, so that they may be one, as we also are.

When I was with them, I kept them safe in your name; and not one was lost, except the one who was already lost,

and in this, the Scripture was fulfilled. And now I come to you; in the world I speak these things,

so that those whom you gave me, might have joy all my joy within themselves.

 

I have given them your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world,

just as I am not of the world, I do not ask you to remove them from the world, but to keep them from the evil one.

They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth.

I have sent them into the world as you sent me into the world; and for their sake,

I go to the sacrifice by which I am consecrated, so that they too may be consecrated in truth.

 

Gospel Reflection ：

"To bring the truth to others."

If we think about the word consecrate, we might find it strange that Jesus applies it to himself,

as we often think of consecrate as meaning "to make holy."

However, this meaning fits into the wider notion of "setting apart" for God's service, a dedication of self or of things to God's purposes.

Thus Christ, who is holy, cannot be made holy, but he can continually renew his commitment to dedicate himself to the Father's will.

 

This is what he does in what's known as the Priestly Prayer of John 17. He dedicates himself to the Father's saving plan,

a dedication that is made complete in his self-sacrifice on the cross, and he prays for his disciples,

that they too might be set apart for God's service through a dedication to the fullness of truth that is only found in God.

 

The consecration of Jesus and his disciples are intertwined. In Christ's self-giving,

he reveals the true meaning of life to which they are to dedicate themselves.

It is to this Good News that Saint Paul has shed blood, sweat and tears,

and he is willing to give everything for Christ to bring that truth to others.