Sunday, May 12, 2019

God loves and calls ALL people, EVERYWHERE, to Himself (readings for May 12, 2019 annotated)

Key
What these scriptures tell us about God
What these scriptures tell us to do
Hyperlinks to additional resources
Commentary


Reading 1 Acts 13:14, 43-52
Paul and Barnabas continued on from Perga and reached Antioch in Pisidia. On the sabbath they entered the synagogue and took their seats.
Many Jews and worshipers who were converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to 
remain faithful to the grace of God.
On the following sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and with violent abuse contradicted what Paul said. Both Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first, but since you reject it and condemn yourselves as unworthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us, I have made you a light to the Gentiles, that you may be an instrument of salvation to the ends of the earth.”

The Gentiles were delighted when they heard this and glorified the word of the Lord. All who were destined for eternal life came to believe, and the word of the Lord continued to spread through the whole region. The Jews, however, incited the women of prominence who were worshipers and the leading men of the city, stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas,
and expelled them from their territory. So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them, and went to Iconium. The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.

Responsorial Psalm  Psalm 100:1-2, 3
R.(3c) We are his people, the sheep of his flock.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands; serve the LORD with gladness;come before him with joyful song.
R. 
We are his people, the sheep of his flock.
Know that the LORD is God;
he made ushis we are; his people, the flock he tends.
R. 
We are his people, the sheep of his flock.
The LORD is goodhis kindness endures forever, and his faithfulness,to all generations.
R. 
We are his people, the sheep of his flock.

I, John, had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.

Then one of the elders said to me, “These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

“For this reason they stand before God’s throne and worship him day and night in his temple. The one who sits on the throne will shelter themThey will not hunger or thirst anymorenor will the sun or any heat strike them.
For the Lamb who is in the center of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to springs of life-giving water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Alleluia  John 10:14
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the good shepherd, says the Lord; I know my sheep, and mine 
know me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel John 10:27-30
Jesus said:
“My sheep 
hear my voice;
I know them, and they 
follow me.
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.
No one can take them out of my hand
.
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all,
and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand.
The Father and I are one.”

What these scriptures tell us about God
salvation to the ends of the earth
the word of the Lord continued to spread
The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.
We are his people, the sheep of his flock.
We are his people, the sheep of his flock.
the LORD is God
he made us
his we are; his people, the flock he tends.
We are his people, the sheep of his flock
The LORD is good
his kindness endures forever
his faithfulness, to all generations.
We are his people, the sheep of his flock.
a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. 
They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.
The one who sits on the throne will shelter them
They will not hunger or thirst anymore
nor will the sun or any heat strike them 
the Lamb who is in the center of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to springs of life-giving water
God will wipe away every tear from their eyes
I am the good shepherd
I know my sheep, and mine know me.
I know them
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.
No one can take them out of my hand
.
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all,
no one can take them out of the Father’s hand.
The Father and I are one

What these scriptures tell us to do
remain faithful to the grace of God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD
serve the LORD with gladness
come before him with joyful song
know me 
hear my voice
follow me
These readings are consistent with the scriptures collected in Wisdom Principles—God Loves and Calls Us to Him, In Spite of our Sin.  

The very first paragraph of the Catechism of the Catholic Church well summarizes the love described in today’s reading and the scriptures collected in the post just referenced:

God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man to make him share in his own blessed life. For this reason, at every time and in every place, God draws close to man. He calls man to seek him, to know him, to love him with all his strength. He calls together all men, scattered and divided by sin, into the unity of his family, the Church. To accomplish this, when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son as Redeemer and Saviour. In his Son and through him, he invites men to become, in the Holy Spirit, his adopted children and thus heirs of his blessed life.

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