1ST READING
Peter
needs an intervention from God to be convinced that the Gospel is truly
meant for the Gentiles as well as the Jews. This radical idea, present
in the ministry of Jesus but never explicitly stated in an unequivocal
manner, is one we have to be grateful for as we would never have
received the Gospel without it. We need to remember that our evangelical
activity must include presenting and proclaiming the truths of the
Gospel to all men and women. If they choose to reject it, that is their
choice. It is our duty and responsibility to make sure we proclaim it to
those God places before us.
Acts 11:1-18
1 The Apostles and the brothers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles too had accepted the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem the circumcised believers confronted him, 3 saying, “You entered the house of uncircumcised people and ate with them.” 4 Peter began and explained it to them step by step,
saying, 5 “I
was at prayer in the city of Joppa when in a trance I had a vision,
something resembling a large sheet coming down, lowered from the sky by
its four corners, and it came to me. 6 Looking
intently into it, I observed and saw the four-legged animals of the
earth, the wild beasts, the reptiles, and the birds of the sky. 7 I also heard a voice say to me, ‘Get up, Peter. Slaughter and eat.’ 8 But I said, ‘Certainly not, sir, because nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ 9 But a second time a voice from heaven answered, ‘What God has made clean, you are not to call profane.’ 10 This happened three times, and then everything was drawn up again into the sky. 11 Just then three men appeared at the house where we were, who had been sent to me from Caesarea. 12 The
Spirit told me to accompany them without discriminating. These six
brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s house. 13 He
related to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, saying,
‘Send someone to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter, 14 who will speak words to you by which you and all your household will be saved.’ 15 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them as it had
upon us at the beginning, 16 and
I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, ‘John baptized with
water but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 If
then God gave them the same gift he gave to us when we came to believe
in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to be able to hinder God?” 18 When
they heard this, they stopped objecting and glorified God, saying, “God
has then granted life-giving repentance to the Gentiles too.”
P S A L M
Psalm 42:2-3; 43:3-4
R: Athirst is my soul for the living God.
1 [2] As the hind longs for the running waters, so my soul longs for you, O God. 2 [3] Athirst is my soul for God, the living God. When shall I go and behold the face of God? (R) 43:3 Send forth your light and your fidelity; they shall lead me on and bring me to your holy mountain, to your dwelling place. (R) 4 Then
will I go in to the altar of God, the God of my gladness and joy; then
will I give you thanks upon the harp, O God, my God! (R)
GOSPEL
The
desire of God is that all men and women be saved. The reality of this
desire is that God has chosen to use us to bring the Gospel to those who
have never heard it. We have all experienced the restlessness within
that can only be sated with the truth of the Gospel. This restlessness
is in all people. Let us do what we can to bring the truth of the Gospel
to them so that they can know and experience the peace that only God
can give.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
I am the good shepherd, says the Lord; I know my sheep, and mine know me.
John 10:1-10
1 Jesus
said: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever does not enter a sheepfold
through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber. 2 But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. 5 But they will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.” 6 Although Jesus used this figure of speech, they did not realize what he was trying to tell them. 7 So Jesus said again, “Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10 A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”
READING 2nd READING
LIST
think: God has chosen to use us to bring the Gospel to those who have never heard it.
T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST
Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________
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God’s special verse/thought for me today________________
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READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Numbers 29-33
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