Comments and Notes on the Sunday Readings: The Fifth Sunday of Easter
Christ is Risen! Alleluia Alleluia!
He has truly Risen Alleluia!
The First Reading—Acts 9:26-31
This reading recounts to us the first encounter that Saul (latter known as Paul) had with the disciples whom he formerly persecuted. Only a short time earlier, Saul was trying to destroy the Church that Christ had just founded. In a few words people in the Church were afraid of Saul (Paul) and they were not quite sure if the rumors of his new conversion were true. Notice that it is Barnabas that takes charge of the situation, bringing Saul first to the Apostles so that he could recount to the leaders of the Church the events of His conversion. Immediately Saul begins to preach the gospel and even began to debate with Hellenist. Who were the Hellenist? They were Jews that gradually adopted some elements of Greek culture. Many spoke Greek and did not adhere to certain details of the Law as rigorously as other Jews. They were secular Jews. In any case, they took great issue with the message of Saul (Paul), and even attempted to kill him. In order to save his life Saul (Paul) was sent to Tarsus. Paul would suffer much more in the years to come as he continued to follow the special call that he had received from God..
The Responsorial Psalm- 22:26-18, 30-32
This psalm (22) starts off as a lament, and is one of the saddest and most desperate in all of scriptures. My God, My God, …why have you forsaken me? Christ refers to this psalm while nailed to the cross. In doing so he refers to the message of the whole psalm while calling our attention to the purpose of his sufferings. Many forget that this psalm ends in triumph. One would be mistaken to think that this psalm was only a desperate lament of defeat. It ends in triumph and because of this it is easy to see why the Church wanted to use this psalm for the fifth week of Easter. Christ, as terrible as his sufferings and death were has triumphed and is risen. Hence the words: “Let the coming generation be told of the Lord, that they may proclaim to a people yet to be born the justice that he has shown.” In Christ, in his death and his resurrection, we can read the psalm anew and see something marvelous that prophets and righteous desired to see.
The Second reading- 1 John 3:18-24
Let us not love in word or speech but in deed and truth..I
The commandments of God are not optional and the faith is not a salad bar where one can pick and choose what they wish to follow. When Christ came into the world he entered a world that was looking for universal truths…. Truths that were always true, in all places and at all times. In this world, the church of Christ, the Catholic Church was born. Hence, we can understand why very on the word “Catholic” (Universal) was used to refer to the true Church that Christ had founded. Hear, John tells us that the commandments are not and optional. Our faith is more that bold words, but it must be lived every day of our lives 24/7. In our modern times we see that the Church is gravely persecuted by our secular culture, because it will not bow down to the false gods of this world, and by doing so change the moral law, which no one can alter or change. The world wants to make the Church change what it cannot change. This sums up why the church will be persecuted and also why it should not surprise us. These are doctrines that have to do with faith and morals. Neither you, nor I could ever change them because God has ordained them. They often have to do with Marriage, purity, holiness, sin and the universal mission of Christ as Savior. Because the Church holds closely to these truths it will be persecuted and hated especially by the popular media. We must teach our children that they should not be surprised and that we must continue to live the faith in word and in deed just as St. John wrote..
The Gospel--- John 15:1-8
In this gospel reading Jesus is telling us that our faith must be more than mere words. We must remain in him because outside of him there is no life. Hence, just as branches that are cut off from the vine are gathered and burned so we must see and understand the absolutely essential need that we have to live every moment of our lives in Him, the true vine. I should note that this is the last of the Seven “I am” statements that Jesus gives us in the Gospel of John. With this Gospel reading the Church is direction our attention to the covenant relationship that we have in Christ. The very essence of this relationship is celebrated every time that we gather to celebrate the sacraments and especially when we celebrate the mass. May the Lord renew us so that we can this relationship with true fidelity and make our lives fruitful, enabling us produce everyday the fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-24).
He has truly Risen Alleluia!
The First Reading—Acts 9:26-31
This reading recounts to us the first encounter that Saul (latter known as Paul) had with the disciples whom he formerly persecuted. Only a short time earlier, Saul was trying to destroy the Church that Christ had just founded. In a few words people in the Church were afraid of Saul (Paul) and they were not quite sure if the rumors of his new conversion were true. Notice that it is Barnabas that takes charge of the situation, bringing Saul first to the Apostles so that he could recount to the leaders of the Church the events of His conversion. Immediately Saul begins to preach the gospel and even began to debate with Hellenist. Who were the Hellenist? They were Jews that gradually adopted some elements of Greek culture. Many spoke Greek and did not adhere to certain details of the Law as rigorously as other Jews. They were secular Jews. In any case, they took great issue with the message of Saul (Paul), and even attempted to kill him. In order to save his life Saul (Paul) was sent to Tarsus. Paul would suffer much more in the years to come as he continued to follow the special call that he had received from God..
The Responsorial Psalm- 22:26-18, 30-32
This psalm (22) starts off as a lament, and is one of the saddest and most desperate in all of scriptures. My God, My God, …why have you forsaken me? Christ refers to this psalm while nailed to the cross. In doing so he refers to the message of the whole psalm while calling our attention to the purpose of his sufferings. Many forget that this psalm ends in triumph. One would be mistaken to think that this psalm was only a desperate lament of defeat. It ends in triumph and because of this it is easy to see why the Church wanted to use this psalm for the fifth week of Easter. Christ, as terrible as his sufferings and death were has triumphed and is risen. Hence the words: “Let the coming generation be told of the Lord, that they may proclaim to a people yet to be born the justice that he has shown.” In Christ, in his death and his resurrection, we can read the psalm anew and see something marvelous that prophets and righteous desired to see.
The Second reading- 1 John 3:18-24
Let us not love in word or speech but in deed and truth..I
The commandments of God are not optional and the faith is not a salad bar where one can pick and choose what they wish to follow. When Christ came into the world he entered a world that was looking for universal truths…. Truths that were always true, in all places and at all times. In this world, the church of Christ, the Catholic Church was born. Hence, we can understand why very on the word “Catholic” (Universal) was used to refer to the true Church that Christ had founded. Hear, John tells us that the commandments are not and optional. Our faith is more that bold words, but it must be lived every day of our lives 24/7. In our modern times we see that the Church is gravely persecuted by our secular culture, because it will not bow down to the false gods of this world, and by doing so change the moral law, which no one can alter or change. The world wants to make the Church change what it cannot change. This sums up why the church will be persecuted and also why it should not surprise us. These are doctrines that have to do with faith and morals. Neither you, nor I could ever change them because God has ordained them. They often have to do with Marriage, purity, holiness, sin and the universal mission of Christ as Savior. Because the Church holds closely to these truths it will be persecuted and hated especially by the popular media. We must teach our children that they should not be surprised and that we must continue to live the faith in word and in deed just as St. John wrote..
The Gospel--- John 15:1-8
In this gospel reading Jesus is telling us that our faith must be more than mere words. We must remain in him because outside of him there is no life. Hence, just as branches that are cut off from the vine are gathered and burned so we must see and understand the absolutely essential need that we have to live every moment of our lives in Him, the true vine. I should note that this is the last of the Seven “I am” statements that Jesus gives us in the Gospel of John. With this Gospel reading the Church is direction our attention to the covenant relationship that we have in Christ. The very essence of this relationship is celebrated every time that we gather to celebrate the sacraments and especially when we celebrate the mass. May the Lord renew us so that we can this relationship with true fidelity and make our lives fruitful, enabling us produce everyday the fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-24).
posted by CFS at
2:21 PM
<< Home