1ST READING
I have stood at the Areopagus in Corinth and said Mass on one of the stones at the front of it. It is a funny sort of feeling to preach where someone of the caliber and fame as Paul probably preached. It is both humbling and inspiring — something I am very unlikely to forget. It is important for us to remember significant faith experiences. When times of doubt come, and they will surely come especially if we grow close to God, we can use these memories to help us return to belief and faith in God and His love and mercy toward us.
Acts 17:15, 22-18:1
15 After Paul’s escorts had taken him to Athens, they came away with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible. 22 Then Paul stood up at the Areopagus and said: “You Athenians, I see that in every respect you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around looking carefully at your shrines, I even discovered an altar in scribed, ‘To an Unknown God.’ What therefore you unknowingly worship, I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and all that is in it, the Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in sanctuaries made by human hands, 25 nor is he served by human hands because he needs anything. Rather it is he who gives to everyone life and breath and everything. 26 He made from one the whole human race to dwell on the entire surface of the earth, and he fixed the ordered seasons and the boundaries of their regions, 27 so that people might seek God, even perhaps grope for him and find him, though indeed he is not far from any one of us. 28 For ‘In him we live and move and have our being,’ as even some of your poets have said, ‘For we too are his offspring.’ 29 Since therefore we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the divinity is like an image fashioned from gold, silver, or stone by human art and imagination. 30 God has overlooked the times of ignorance, but now he demands that all people everywhere repent 31 because he has established a day on which he will ‘judge the world with justice’ through a man he has appointed, and he has provided confirmation for all by raising him from the dead.” 32 When they heard about resurrection of the dead, some began to scoff, but others said, “We should like to hear you on this some other time.” 33 And so Paul left them. 34 But some did join him, and became believers. Among them were Dionysius, a member of the Court of the Areopagus, a woman named Damaris, and others with them. 18: 1 After this he left Athens and went to Corinth.
P S A L M
Psalm 148:1-2, 11-12, 13, 14
R: Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
1 Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise him in the heights; 2 Praise him, all you his angels, praise him, all you his hosts. (R) 11 Let the kings of the earth and all peoples, the princes and all the judges of the earth, 12 young men too, and maidens, old men and boys. (R) 13 Praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his majesty is above earth and heaven. (R) 14 He has lifted up the horn of his people; Be this his praise from all his faithful ones, from the children of Israel, the people close to him. Alleluia. (R)
GOSPEL
Truth has become a commodity of inconvenience for a society largely inspired by relativism. This is very unfortunate as it is only the truth that can set us free. And it is only with the truth that the Holy Spirit can do its work within us. There is no doubt that the world needs to rediscover the value of truth no matter what the cost. Scientists know this when they use billions of dollars to build a superconducting super collider to investigate the nature of matter. They are looking for the truth and they know that they cannot seek anything less than this, or it will not answer their questions, or make sense at all.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
I will ask the Father and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always.
John 16:12-15
12 Jesus said to his disciples: “I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. 13 But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. 14 He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. 15 Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.”
1st READING 2nd READING
oshua 21-24
think: Memories of our significant faith experiences will help us return to belief in God and His love and mercy toward us whenever doubts come.
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 Joshua 21-24
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