1ST READING
Paul teaches that the responsibility of the minister of the Gospel is to speak the truth. He never shirked his responsibility to say what he needed to the people of Ephesus. We must be aware of the nature of our preaching to ensure we do not miss an essential aspect of the Gospel. For example, very few communities embrace the call to discipleship because it is difficult. Holiness requires an enormous amount of commitment and dedication.
Acts 20:17-27
17 From Miletus Paul had the presbyters of the church at Ephesus summoned. 18 When they came to him, he addressed them, “You know how I lived among you the whole time from the day I first came to the province of Asia. 19 I served the Lord with all humility and with the tears and trials that came to me because of the plots of the Jews, 20 and I did not at all shrink from telling you what was for your benefit, or from teaching you in public or in your homes. 21 I earnestly bore witness for both Jews and Greeks to repentance before God and to faith in our Lord Jesus. 22 But now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem. What will happen to me there I do not know, 23 except that in one city after another the Holy Spirit has been warning me that imprisonment and hardships await me. 24 Yet I consider life of no importance to me, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to bear witness to the Gospel of God’s grace. 25 But now I know that none of you to whom I preached the kingdom during my travels will ever see my face again. 26 And so I solemnly declare to you this day that I am not responsible for the blood of any of you, 27 for I did not shrink from proclaiming to you the entire plan of God.”
P S A L M
Psalm 68:10-11, 20-21
R: Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
9 [10] A bountiful rain you showered down, O God, upon your inheritance; you restored the land when it languished; 10 [11] your flock settled in it; in your goodness, O God, you provided it for the needy. (R) 19 [20] Blessed day by day be the Lord, who bears our burdens; God, who is our salvation. 20 [21] God is a saving God for us; the Lord, my Lord, controls the passageways of death. (R)
GOSPEL
The priestly prayer of Jesus is profound and we can reflect on it in many different ways. Jesus reminds us that we remain in the world while He returns to the Father. We are challenged to trust in His promise to remain with us in the person of the Holy Spirit and through our faith. Jesus has promised He will never abandon us; so He is with us in spirit as we go about the task of building His Kingdom.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
I will ask the Father and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always.
John 17:1-11
1 Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you, 2 just as you gave him authority over all people, so that your son may give eternal life to all you gave him. 3 Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ. 4 I glorified you on earth by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do. 5 Now glorify me, Father, with you, with the glory that I had with you before the world began. 6 I revealed your name to those whom you gave me out of the world. They belonged to you, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything you gave me is from you, 8 because the words you gave to me I have given to them, and they accepted them and truly understood that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me. 9 I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me, because they are yours, 10 and everything of mine is yours and everything of yours is mine, and I have been glorified in them. 11 And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming to you.”
Paul teaches that the responsibility of the minister of the Gospel is to speak the truth. He never shirked his responsibility to say what he needed to the people of Ephesus. We must be aware of the nature of our preaching to ensure we do not miss an essential aspect of the Gospel. For example, very few communities embrace the call to discipleship because it is difficult. Holiness requires an enormous amount of commitment and dedication.
Acts 20:17-27
17 From Miletus Paul had the presbyters of the church at Ephesus summoned. 18 When they came to him, he addressed them, “You know how I lived among you the whole time from the day I first came to the province of Asia. 19 I served the Lord with all humility and with the tears and trials that came to me because of the plots of the Jews, 20 and I did not at all shrink from telling you what was for your benefit, or from teaching you in public or in your homes. 21 I earnestly bore witness for both Jews and Greeks to repentance before God and to faith in our Lord Jesus. 22 But now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem. What will happen to me there I do not know, 23 except that in one city after another the Holy Spirit has been warning me that imprisonment and hardships await me. 24 Yet I consider life of no importance to me, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to bear witness to the Gospel of God’s grace. 25 But now I know that none of you to whom I preached the kingdom during my travels will ever see my face again. 26 And so I solemnly declare to you this day that I am not responsible for the blood of any of you, 27 for I did not shrink from proclaiming to you the entire plan of God.”
P S A L M
Psalm 68:10-11, 20-21
R: Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
9 [10] A bountiful rain you showered down, O God, upon your inheritance; you restored the land when it languished; 10 [11] your flock settled in it; in your goodness, O God, you provided it for the needy. (R) 19 [20] Blessed day by day be the Lord, who bears our burdens; God, who is our salvation. 20 [21] God is a saving God for us; the Lord, my Lord, controls the passageways of death. (R)
GOSPEL
The priestly prayer of Jesus is profound and we can reflect on it in many different ways. Jesus reminds us that we remain in the world while He returns to the Father. We are challenged to trust in His promise to remain with us in the person of the Holy Spirit and through our faith. Jesus has promised He will never abandon us; so He is with us in spirit as we go about the task of building His Kingdom.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
I will ask the Father and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always.
John 17:1-11
1 Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you, 2 just as you gave him authority over all people, so that your son may give eternal life to all you gave him. 3 Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ. 4 I glorified you on earth by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do. 5 Now glorify me, Father, with you, with the glory that I had with you before the world began. 6 I revealed your name to those whom you gave me out of the world. They belonged to you, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything you gave me is from you, 8 because the words you gave to me I have given to them, and they accepted them and truly understood that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me. 9 I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me, because they are yours, 10 and everything of mine is yours and everything of yours is mine, and I have been glorified in them. 11 And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming to you.”
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