FIRST READING
Acts 5:27-33
When the court officers had brought the Apostles in and made them stand before the Sanhedrin, the high priest questioned them, “We gave you strict orders did we not, to stop teaching in that name. Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and want to bring this man’s blood upon us.” But Peter and the Apostles said in reply, “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our ancestors raised Jesus, though you had him killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins. We are witnesses of these things, as is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”
When they heard this, they became infuriated and wanted to put them to death.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 34:2 and 9, 17-18, 19-20
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall be ever in my mouth. Taste and see how good the LORD is; blessed the man who takes refuge in him.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD confronts the evildoers, to destroy remembrance of them from the earth. When the just cry out, the LORD hears them, and from all their distress he rescues them.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; and those who are crushed in spirit he saves. Many are the troubles of the just man, but out of them all the LORD delivers him.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
ALLELUIA
John 20:29
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
You believe in me, Thomas, because you have seen me, says the Lord; blessed are those who have not seen, but still believe!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL
John 3:31-36
The one who comes from above is above all. The one who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of earthly things. But the one who comes from heaven is above all. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. Whoever does accept his testimony certifies that God is trustworthy. For the one whom God sent speaks the words of God. He does not ration his gift of the Spirit. The Father loves the Son and has given everything over to him. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him.
REFLECTIONS:
Do you hunger for the true life which God offers
through the gift of his Holy Spirit? The Jews understood that God gave
a certain portion of his Spirit to his prophets. When Elijah was about
to depart for heaven, his servant Elisha asked for a double portion of
the Spirit (2 Kings 2:9). Jesus tells his disciples
that they can believe the words he speaks because God the Father has poured
his Spirit on him in full measure, without keeping anything back. The function
of the Holy Spirit is to reveal God's truth to us. When we receive the
Holy Spirit he enables us to recognize and understand God's truth. Jesus
is the Word of God and he gives us his Holy Spirit so that we can recognize
his truth and live according to it.
God's truth has consequences and he gives us the freedom to choose how
we will respond. The choice he gives us has eternal consequences – everlasting
life or everlasting death. God challenged his people in the Old Covenant:
"See
I have set before you this day life and good, death and evil. ...I call
heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before
you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore choose life, that you
may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice, and cleaving to
him" (Deuteronomy 30:15-20). And he issues the
same challenge to the people of the New Covenant today. Do you weigh the
consequences of your choices? Do they lead you towards life or towards
death? If you choose to obey God's voice and to do his will, then you will
know and experience that life which comes from God himself. If you choose
to follow your own way apart from God and his will, then you choose for
death – a spiritual death which poisons and then kills the soul until there
is nothing left but an empty person devoid of love, truth, goodness, purity,
peace, and joy. Do your choices lead you towards God or away from God?
"Lord Jesus Christ, let your Holy Spirit fill me and transform my heart
and mind that I may choose life – abundant life in you and with you. And
give me the courage and strength to always discern good from evil and to
reject everything that is false and contrary to your holy will."
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