Wednesday May 19

SEVENTH WEEK OF EASTER

 

THERE IS JOY IN GIVING AND IN BEING ONE!

                                   

Introduction

One of the songs used much in Church today says, “there’s joy in giving.” In his farewell address, Jesus said to his apostles that he wanted to share his joy with them to the full. And Paul, speaking from his own experience, says that there is more happiness in giving than in receiving. The Lord and the apostles gave themselves to others. In how far can we do this? And what a joy it would be if we could all be one!

 

Opening Prayer

Lord, our God,
your Son Jesus, gave himself totally
to those he loved – that is, to all.
Give us a bit of his unselfish love
that we too, may learn from experience
that there is more joy in giving ourselves
than in receiving honors or favors.
May the Spirit make us also one
that we graciously share with one another
our God-given riches and gifts as persons.
We ask you this through Christ, our Lord.

 

Reading 1: ACTS 20:28-38

At Miletus, Paul spoke to the presbyters of the Church of Ephesus:
“Keep watch over yourselves and over the whole flock
of which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers,
in which you tend the Church of God
that he acquired with his own Blood.
I know that after my departure savage wolves will come among you,
and they will not spare the flock.
And from your own group, men will come forward perverting the truth
to draw the disciples away after them.
So be vigilant and remember that for three years, night and day,
I unceasingly admonished each of you with tears.
And now I commend you to God
and to that gracious word of his that can build you up
and give you the inheritance among all who are consecrated.
I have never wanted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.
You know well that these very hands
have served my needs and my companions.
In every way I have shown you that by hard work of that sort
we must help the weak,
and keep in mind the words of the Lord Jesus who himself said,
‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

When he had finished speaking
he knelt down and prayed with them all.
They were all weeping loudly
as they threw their arms around Paul and kissed him,
for they were deeply distressed that he had said
that they would never see his face again.
Then they escorted him to the ship.

 

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 68:29-30, 33-35A, 35BC-36AB

(33a) Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Show forth, O God, your power,
the power, O God, with which you took our part;
For your temple in Jerusalem
let the kings bring you gifts.
R. Sing to God, O Kingdoms of the earth. 
or:
R. Alleluia.
You kingdoms of the earth, sing to God,
chant praise to the Lord
who rides on the heights of the ancient heavens.
Behold, his voice resounds, the voice of power:
“Confess the power of God!”
R. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.

or:
R. Alleluia.
Over Israel is his majesty;
his power is in the skies.
Awesome in his sanctuary is God, the God of Israel;
he gives power and strength to his people.
R. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Alleluia: JN 17:17B, 17A

Alleluia, alleluia.
Your word, O Lord, is truth;
consecrate us in the truth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

 

Gospel: JN 17:11B-19

Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed, saying:
“Holy Father, keep them in your name
that you have given me,
so that they may be one just as we are one.
When I was with them I protected them in your name that you gave me,
and I guarded them, and none of them was lost
except the son of destruction,
in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
But now I am coming to you.
I speak this in the world
so that they may share my joy completely.
I gave them your word, and the world hated them,
because they do not belong to the world
any more than I belong to the world.
I do not ask that you take them out of the world
but that you keep them from the Evil One.
They do not belong to the world
any more than I belong to the world.
Consecrate them in the truth.
Your word is truth.
As you sent me into the world,
so I sent them into the world.
And I consecrate myself for them,
so that they also may be consecrated in truth.”

 

Intercessions

–   God, who love us all in Jesus your Son, let the Holy Spirit unite us as people who accept and love one another, we pray:

–   God, unite in your Son Jesus all Churches who claim him as their Lord and Savior, we pray:

–   God, let your Spirit give us an attitude of total acceptance and appreciation for one another, we pray:

 

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord, our God,
your Son was close to people,
as he is close to you now in the Eucharist.
Give us his Spirit
that we too, may be close
to those you have entrusted to us,
full of attention and understanding,
not drawing attention to ourselves,
but to him who is in our midst
and who makes us one in all our diversity,
Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord.

 

Prayer after Communion

God, it is not shameful to be human
and to feel for others.
This was your Son’s way.
Let it also be ours.
Give us a deep sympathy for people,
that we may listen to them,
learn to understand them
and to take them as they are,
as your Son takes us as we are
to raise us above ourselves
and to lead us to you,
our God for ever.

 

Blessing

Psalm 133 says, “How good and pleasant it is when brothers (and sisters) live in unity.” Jesus prayed that we could. Can we? Are we willing? May the Spirit give us the grace to become one. May Almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

 

Commentary

In today’s Gospel we are presented with the second part of the “priestly prayer” of Jesus addresses to the Father. The passage expresses the concern of Jesus for his disciples who could be influenced by the powers of this world. Jesus himself has experienced this “evil” present in our world, the force that operates with spirit of lies, of deceit, of death. The situation of the disciples is delicate: they must remain in the world, uncontaminated. Today, the message of the Gospel stands all the more relevant. we live the danger of “making faith worldly and interpreting the scripture according to the criterion of the world.

This demands in the disciple a permanent exercise of discernment. Values contrary to the gospel that influence our hearts and our way of living can easily seep into our Christian life. Therefore, we need to ask insistently in prayer for the gift of discernment. Ultimately, it is about being attentive to the Spirit of God that is manifested in his Word. In this way we will be in the world, without being of the world.

Jesus prays for the unity among those who believe in him: “That they may be one just as we are one.” On May 17, Pope Francis appointed a new Bishop for the diocese of Hong Kong. This Special Administrative Region of People’s Republic of China in the recent past have gone through lots of divisions and fractions in the society and even within the Church. After being appointed as the Bishop, a Journalist asked the Bishop-elect Jesuit Father Stephen Chow how he plans to bring about the much needed unity with in the Church.

He said, “I have no big plans, I am very knew! But I believe that we have a God who wants us to be united.” The Bishop-elect reminded the people that we must learn to live in unity while respecting the plurality and diversity of different people.

Psalm 133 says, “How good and pleasant it is when brothers (and sisters) live in unity.” Jesus prayed that we could. Can we? Are we willing? May the Spirit give us the grace to become one.