Reading 1
As the number of disciples continued to grow,
the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews
because their widows
were being neglected in the daily distribution.
So the Twelve called together the community of the disciples and said,
"It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table.
Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men,
filled with the Spirit and wisdom,
whom we shall appoint to this task,
whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer
and to the ministry of the word."
The proposal was acceptable to the whole community,
so they chose Stephen, a man filled with faith and the Holy Spirit,
also Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas,
and Nicholas of Antioch, a convert to Judaism.
They presented these men to the apostles
who prayed and laid hands on them.
The word of God continued to spread,
and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly;
even a large group of priests were becoming obedient to the faith.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (22) Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our
trust in you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Exult, you just, in the LORD;
praise from the upright is fitting.
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;
with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Reading 2
Beloved:
Come to him, a living stone, rejected by human beings
but chosen and precious in the sight of God,
and, like living stones,
let yourselves be built into a spiritual house
to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices
acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
For it says in Scripture:
Behold, I am laying a stone in Zion,
a cornerstone, chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in it shall not be put to shame.
Therefore, its value is for you who have faith, but for those without faith:
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone, and
A stone that will make people stumble,
and a rock that will make them fall.
They stumble by disobeying the word, as is their destiny.
You are "a chosen race, a royal priesthood,
a holy nation, a people of his own,
so that you may announce the praises" of him
who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the way, the truth and the life, says the Lord;
no one comes to the Father, except through me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Do not let your hearts be troubled.
You have faith in God; have faith also in me.
In my Father's house there are many dwelling places.
If there were not,
would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?
And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come back again and take you to myself,
so that where I am you also may be.
Where I am going you know the way."
Thomas said to him,
"Master, we do not know where you are going;
how can we know the way?"
Jesus said to him, I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.
If you know me, then you will also know my Father.
From now on you do know him and have seen him."
Philip said to him,
"Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us."
Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you for so long a time
and you still do not know me, Philip?
Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.
How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?
Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?
The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own.
The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.
Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me,
or else, believe because of the works themselves.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever believes in me will do the works that I do,
and will do greater ones than these,
because I am going to the Father."
MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,
We are called to action by our faith. The words of the Gospels should be constantly on our mind, on our lips, and in our hearts. These words are then expected to influence our actions and initiate acts of charity in the name of Jesus Christ. They should also influence what we say and how we conduct ourselves. It is written in The Book of Proverbs,
“What is in the heart comes out of the mouth.”
If we find ourselves saying bad things, regardless of the reason, then there are bad things impeding our relationship with God. We have either knowingly or knowingly turned away from God and have prevented ourselves from receiving the Fruits of the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Peter reminds us to let God build us up into a spiritual house with Jesus Christ as the cornerstone. This cannot happen if we resist the spiritual process. We have already been called. We have already been chosen. Now we must be the ones that go forward to receive what is being offered.
The Holy Spirit is perpetually urging us forward in that direction where Jesus waits for us, but it is us who need to take those steps necessary to get there. When we are thinking right things, we will be saying and doing right things. This will then allow ourselves to be built into what God wants us to be. Peter further calls us a chosen race, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation.” If this is true, then there is some responsibility that comes with that. If we do not take that responsibility seriously, then what is it exactly that separates us from the rest of the people in the world? Part of that responsibility goes back to right speech, right action, and right conduct. This leads us to the light, which is Jesus Christ.
Jesus told his disciples to,
“Remain in me and I will remain in you.”
He also said,
“Whoever lives in me and I in him will yield much fruit.”
These should be comforting words for us and gives us further insight into the benefits that we receive as this chosen race, this royal priesthood, and holy nation. We are bound together as the Living Body of Jesus Christ and are united with Him. It is through Jesus Christ that our fullest potential is realized and can be put into action in His name. So, we have this personal experience with Him as well as a common experience. There is a personal relationship and a communal relationship. This is not only true in this life, but also will carry on into the next. When we are finally reunited with the Father, that experience will also be different for each of us. We retain our individuality as well as our commonality. This is an experience and process that never ends. It is eternal as we are also eternal. It is part of the transformative experience that is guaranteed when we turn our lives and will over to God.
We are all workers in the field that are provided with different tools. Some things we work on together while other things we will do alone. Some of the work will be for our benefit while others will be for the benefit of other people and the community at large. In the end, all of it is done in the name of Jesus, for Jesus, and through Jesus.
Deacon Tom
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