Faith in GOD

April 30, 2021, Friday
Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter (White)
Saint Pius V, Pope, Religious (Opt. Mem)
CYCLE B - YEAR I
Lectionary: 283

Reading I
Acts 13:26-33

When Paul came to Antioch in Pisidia, he said in the synagogue:
 “My brothers, children of the family of Abraham,
and those others among you who are God-fearing,
to us this word of salvation has been sent. 
The inhabitants of Jerusalem and their leaders failed to recognize him,
and by condemning him they fulfilled the oracles of the prophets
that are read sabbath after sabbath. 
For even though they found no grounds for a death sentence,
they asked Pilate to have him put to death,
and when they had accomplished all that was written about him,
they took him down from the tree and placed him in a tomb. 
But God raised him from the dead,
and for many days he appeared to those
who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. 
These are now his witnesses before the people.
We ourselves are proclaiming this good news to you
that what God promised our fathers
he has brought to fulfillment for us, their children, by raising up Jesus,
as it is written in the second psalm,
    You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.”

Responsorial Psalm
2:6-7, 8-9, 10-11ab

R.    (7bc)  You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.

or:

R.    Alleluia.

“I myself have set up my king
    on Zion, my holy mountain.”
I will proclaim the decree of the LORD:
    The LORD said to me, “You are my Son;
    this day I have begotten you.”

R.    You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.

or:

R.    Alleluia.

“Ask of me and I will give you
    the nations for an inheritance
    and the ends of the earth for your possession.
You shall rule them with an iron rod;
    you shall shatter them like an earthen dish.”

R.    You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.

or:

R.    Alleluia.

And now, O kings, give heed;
    take warning, you rulers of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice before him;
    with trembling rejoice.

R.    You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.

or:

R.    Alleluia.

Alleluia
Jn 14:6

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

I am the way and the truth and the life, says the Lord;
no one comes to the Father except through me.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL
Jn 14:1-6

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.”

REFLECTION:

Jesus knows we do experience many heartaches. He sympathizes with us. He says, ‘Do not let your hearts be troubled.’ He is full of encouragement. Though all sorts of things go wrong for us, we are not abandoned. We are destined for a blessed future because he will come again and take us to himself.

He is the way: where he goes, we follow. He is the truth: all other claims to truth are measured by him. He is the life: we have true life in us, the spring of water welling up into everlasting life, through him.

PRAYER:

Dear Jesus, I invite you into my heart space now. Let me be quiet and listen while you speak the precious words of this passage to me. They form one of the most consoling statements of your Good News. They reveal such love and appreciation for me. They put all my troubles into second place. My future is with you.