Reading 1
Acts 12:24—13:5a
The word of God continued to spread and grow.
After Barnabas and Saul completed their relief mission,
they returned to Jerusalem,
taking with them John, who is called Mark.
Now there were in the Church at Antioch prophets and teachers:
Barnabas, Symeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene,
Manaen who was a close friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said,
“Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul
for the work to which I have called them.”
Then, completing their fasting and prayer,
they laid hands on them and sent them off.
So they, sent forth by the Holy Spirit,
went down to Seleucia
and from there sailed to Cyprus.
When they arrived in Salamis,
they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues.
Ps 67:2-3, 5, 6 and 8
Responsorial PsalmR. (4)
O God, let all the nations praise you!
or:
R. Alleluia.
May God have pity on us and bless us;
may he let his face shine upon us.
So may your way be known upon earth;
among all nations, your salvation.
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
or:
R. Alleluia.
May the nations be glad and exult
because you rule the peoples in equity;
the nations on the earth you guide.
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
or:
R. Alleluia.
May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you!
May God bless us,
and may all the ends of the earth fear him!
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
or:
R. Alleluia.
Gospel
Jn 12:44-50
Jesus cried out and said,
“Whoever believes in me believes not only in me
but also in the one who sent me,
and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me.
I came into the world as light,
so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness.
And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them,
I do not condemn him,
for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world.
Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words
has something to judge him: the word that I spoke,
it will condemn him on the last day,
because I did not speak on my own,
but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak.
And I know that his commandment is eternal life.
So what I say, I say as the Father told me.”
Meditation: Acts 12:24-13:5
“Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul.” (Acts 13:2)
Did these words from the Holy Spirit to the elders in Antioch come out of the blue? More likely, the elders had already been dreaming, discussing, and strategizing about the best way to spread the good news. They probably also knew that planning alone wasn’t going to be enough—they needed power and direction from God for their evangelism to be successful. So they prayed and fasted, seeking the voice of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus followed this same pattern when he chose his apostles. After interacting with Peter, Andrew, and the others, Jesus spent a full night in prayer, seeking his Father’s voice as to whom he should choose for this special calling.
So what can we learn from this? Well, for one, it’s good to plan and to use logic and intuition in our decision making. And two, God’s plans are higher than our plans. That may sound contradictory at first. We know how important it is to weigh our decisions carefully and use good logic to help guide us. But we also sense how important it is to ask the Holy Spirit for his insight and direction.
Some of these decisions we face may be as weighty as the ones Jesus and the elders of Antioch were confronted with. But most of them will surface in our day-to-day lives. Can you believe that the Holy Spirit wants to help us in those too? For example, how will we prioritize our time today? What should we say to someone in need of encouragement? Or how can we show God’s love to a family member?
As you face questions like these and ponder the best course of action, ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you. Maybe you can devote part of your daily prayer time to seeking his guidance. If a particularly important decision is looming, maybe you can have a Mass said for your special intention or even skip a meal as a form of intercession.
Once you believe you have heard the Holy Spirit, step out in faith. Then measure the fruit. Make any course corrections you feel are necessary and keep praying. With practice, faith, and obedience, you will become a better listener to the Holy Spirit.
“Holy Spirit, open my ears to hear your voice today and guide my decisions. Give me the grace of obedience when I hear you call.”
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