Daily Readings for May 5, 2016

1ST READING

 

Paul always worked with the local people in the places where he established the Church. Even though the one in charge of the new community is from another place, one of his main tasks was to raise up local leaders and form them in the ways of the Gospel. Being a leader is very difficult because you can never please all of the people all the time. But then difficult decisions need to be made.

Acts 18:1-8

1 Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. He went to visit them 3 and, because he practiced the same trade, stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. 4 Every sabbath, he entered into discussions in the synagogue, attempting to convince both Jews and Greeks. 5 When Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul began to occupy himself totally with preaching the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. 6 When they opposed him and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your heads! I am clear of responsibility. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” 7 So he left there and went to a house belonging to a man named Titus Justus, a worshiper of God; his house was next to a synagogue. 8 Crispus, the synagogue official, came to believe in the Lord along with his entire household, and many of the Corinthians who heard believed and were baptized.

 

P S A L M

 

Psalm 98:1, 2-3, 3-4

R: The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.

1 Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; His right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm. (R) 2 The Lord has made his salvation known: in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice. 3 He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel. (R) All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God. 4 Sing joyfully to the Lord, all you lands; break into song; sing praise. (R)

 

GOSPEL

When someone we love leaves us, we become desolate, even if the absence is for a short time. Goodbyes are never simple. With Jesus, however, His “goodbye” as He ascends to heaven is temporary and He will remain in relationship with us through the Holy Spirit, in prayer, and in many other ways. God has promised that He will never abandon us. Do you believe this promise?

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

I will not leave your orphans, says the Lord; I will come back to you, and your hearts will rejoice.

John 16:16-20

16 Jesus said to his disciples: “A little while and you will no longer see me, and again a little while later and you will see me.” 17 So some of his disciples said to one another, “What does this mean that he is saying to us, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” 18 So they said, “What is this ‘little while’ of which he speaks? We do not know what he means.” 19 Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Are you discussing with one another what I said, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? 20 Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.”