Wednesday of 4th Week of Easter

Today readings teach people to obey God through the Holy Spirit’s guidance and to practice what Jesus teaches. In the first reading, though the church at Antioch has just been established, but they were ready to follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance. They sacrificed so that Paul, Barnabas and John Mark could be on their way to proclaim the Gospel for people who don’t have the chance to know Jesus yet. In the Gospel, Jesus declared that he only speaks what he has heard from God, his Father. Therefore, to obey his word is to obey God’s word; if not, this word shall be a judge to condemn the disobedient people.

linhmuthanhtam

Reading I

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 Saulfor 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 Seleuciaand from there sailed to Cyprus.When they arrived in Salamis,they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues.Responsorial Psalm

67:2-3, 5, 6 and 8

R.        (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.

Alleluia

Jn 8:12

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
whoever follows me will have the light of life.
R. Alleluia, 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.”