What these passages tell us about God
What these passages tell us to do
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Reading 1 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, 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 PS 2:6-7, 8-9, 10-11AB
R. (7bc) You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
“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.
“Ask of me and I will giveyou 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.
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.
“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.
“Ask of me and I will giveyou 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.
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.
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.
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.”
1. God is trustworthy. He comes through on His promises, In spite of the efforts of seemingly powerful earthly forces (i.e. the Romans & the Jewish authorities of Jesus’ time) and seemingly insurmountable natural obstacles (death)(first reading).
2. There are however times when circumstances cause us fear and doubt. Think of the 100-year-old Abraham wondering where his promised child was, the Hebrews on the banks of the Red Sea with the Egyptian army closing in, Hezekiah confronted with the Assyrians. Those were truly scary times where godly folks were understandably afraid, BUT GOD CAME THROUGH, overcoming seemingly impossible circumstances.
3. So how do we respond when we are confronted with fear provoking circumstances?
A. “Do not let your hearts be troubled” (emphasis added). Jesus’ statement implies that we have some control over our emotions; we are not helpless before them. That’s consistent with the many scriptural exhortations to fortitude; God would not have exhorted us to something we could not do. Some of those exhortations are collected at Wisdom Principles--Fortitude.
B. “[H]ave faith in God; have faith also in me.” As Sirach 2:10 instructs, think back on all the times in scripture that God came through for His faithful ones. Recall also all the things that have brought youto faith and the many ways God has been faithful to youin the past. Psalm 34:5
C. “Serve the LORD,” as today’s psalm says. Get busy with whatever God has tasked you with. That will get your mind off the fear. God has tasked each of us with something, however mundane those tasks may seem; we should focus on them when fear occurs. Psalm 37:3 & Psalm 37:27give us similar advice.
D. Today’s psalm also tells us to “[R]ejoice before him,” even if we have to do so while “trembling.” Intentionally look for things in your life that prompt joy, savor them, and give God thanks for them. That too will get your mind off your fear.
4. I speak from experience. I woke up this morning upset about issues my teenage daughter is confronting that I do not know how to deal with. Focusing on today’s readings (considering How God has been faithful in the past), putting this post together (getting busy on God’s work), and savoring the process of doing so (rejoicing) has brought me peace. Your prayers would also help and would be much appreciated.
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