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distracted
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Tu Mass readings / Commentary (The established church persecutes St Paul… / the jailor accepts Christ / The Holy Spirit will convict the world…)
May 11, 2010
Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Easter
Reading 1
Acts 16:22-34
The crowd in Philippi joined in the attack on Paul and Silas,
***and the magistrates had them stripped
and ordered them to be beaten with rods.
After inflicting many blows on them,
they threw them into prison***
and instructed the jailer to guard them securely.
When he received these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell
and secured their feet to a stake.
About midnight, while Paul and Silas were praying
and singing hymns to God as the prisoners listened,
there was suddenly such a severe earthquake
that the foundations of the jail shook;
all the doors flew open, and the chains of all were pulled loose.
When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open,
he drew his sword and was about to kill himself,
thinking that the prisoners had escaped.
But Paul shouted out in a loud voice,
“Do no harm to yourself; we are all here.”
He asked for a light and rushed in and,
trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas.
Then he brought them out and said,
“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus
and you and your household will be saved.”
So they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to everyone in his house.
He took them in at that hour of the night and bathed their wounds;
then he and all his family were baptized at once.
He brought them up into his house and provided a meal
and with his household rejoiced at having come to faith in God.
Ps 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 7c-8Responsorial PsalmR. (7c) Your right hand saves me, O Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart,
for you have heard the words of my mouth;
in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;
I will worship at your holy temple,
and give thanks to your name.
R. Your right hand saves me, O Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Because of your kindness and your truth,
you have made great above all things
your name and your promise.
When I called, you answered me;
you built up strength within me.
R. Your right hand saves me, O Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Your right hand saves me.
The LORD will complete what he has done for me;
your kindness, O LORD, endures forever;
forsake not the work of your hands.
R. Your right hand saves me, O Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Jn 16:5-11Gospel
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Now I am going to the one who sent me,
***and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’
But because I told you this, grief has filled your hearts.***
But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go.
For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you.
But if I go, I will send him to you.
***And when he comes he will convict the world
in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation:
sin, because they do not believe in me; ***righteousness, because I am going to the Father
and you will no longer see me;
condemnation, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.”
Jesus says He will send the Advocate (Holy Spirit) and it will convict the world… elsewhere in scripture He says that on the last Day it is not He Himself who will convict sinners (unrepentant sinners) but the Words that He has spoken… interesting… guess its necessary to separate the person of Christ from His words… somewhat…
Maybe Jesus is telling us that He - as a person - does not condemn anyone… He knows how hard it is to be sinless (?)… but His Words… will condemn anyone who violates them… because… one plus one always equals two…
In other words Jesus does not want anyone to be condemned but God’s holiness cannot be scorned… ignored… disregarded… rejected… whatever… We must seek to obtain in even if it does seem elusive… and it does… (absolute holiness that is)
This kind of thing would prove the need 4 Purgatory if nothing else… this inability of humans to obtain holiness… in one lifetime…
May 11, 2010
Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Easter
Reading 1
Acts 16:22-34
The crowd in Philippi joined in the attack on Paul and Silas,
***and the magistrates had them stripped
and ordered them to be beaten with rods.
After inflicting many blows on them,
they threw them into prison***
and instructed the jailer to guard them securely.
When he received these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell
and secured their feet to a stake.
About midnight, while Paul and Silas were praying
and singing hymns to God as the prisoners listened,
there was suddenly such a severe earthquake
that the foundations of the jail shook;
all the doors flew open, and the chains of all were pulled loose.
When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open,
he drew his sword and was about to kill himself,
thinking that the prisoners had escaped.
But Paul shouted out in a loud voice,
“Do no harm to yourself; we are all here.”
He asked for a light and rushed in and,
trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas.
Then he brought them out and said,
“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus
and you and your household will be saved.”
So they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to everyone in his house.
He took them in at that hour of the night and bathed their wounds;
then he and all his family were baptized at once.
He brought them up into his house and provided a meal
and with his household rejoiced at having come to faith in God.
Ps 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 7c-8Responsorial PsalmR. (7c) Your right hand saves me, O Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart,
for you have heard the words of my mouth;
in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;
I will worship at your holy temple,
and give thanks to your name.
R. Your right hand saves me, O Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Because of your kindness and your truth,
you have made great above all things
your name and your promise.
When I called, you answered me;
you built up strength within me.
R. Your right hand saves me, O Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Your right hand saves me.
The LORD will complete what he has done for me;
your kindness, O LORD, endures forever;
forsake not the work of your hands.
R. Your right hand saves me, O Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Jn 16:5-11Gospel
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Now I am going to the one who sent me,
***and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’
But because I told you this, grief has filled your hearts.***
But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go.
For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you.
But if I go, I will send him to you.
***And when he comes he will convict the world
in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation:
sin, because they do not believe in me; ***righteousness, because I am going to the Father
and you will no longer see me;
condemnation, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.”
Jesus says He will send the Advocate (Holy Spirit) and it will convict the world… elsewhere in scripture He says that on the last Day it is not He Himself who will convict sinners (unrepentant sinners) but the Words that He has spoken… interesting… guess its necessary to separate the person of Christ from His words… somewhat…
Maybe Jesus is telling us that He - as a person - does not condemn anyone… He knows how hard it is to be sinless (?)… but His Words… will condemn anyone who violates them… because… one plus one always equals two…
In other words Jesus does not want anyone to be condemned but God’s holiness cannot be scorned… ignored… disregarded… rejected… whatever… We must seek to obtain in even if it does seem elusive… and it does… (absolute holiness that is)
This kind of thing would prove the need 4 Purgatory if nothing else… this inability of humans to obtain holiness… in one lifetime…