Daily Reflection for Friday, April 30,, 2021
Peace and Blessings, Friends and Parishioners,
We encourage you to reflect on Friday’s readings at this link:
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/043021.cfm
If you prefer to use your own Bible, the readings are:
First Reading: Acts 13:26-33
Responsorial: Psalm 2:6-7, 8-9, 10-11ab
Gospel: John 14:1-6
Our reflection on Friday’s readings:
Peace in the Promise
At the beginning of this year Father John McCaslin invited us to join him in reading the Bible in a year. Initially I followed the schedule as posted in the Sunday bulletin but switched to listening to Fr. Mike Schmitz's Bible in a Year podcast. I find the accounts of the brutal slaughter of the inhabitants of Palestine difficult to read or justify as the Israelites did. I also struggle with the overt patriarchal slant in the Old Testament. Father Mike Schmitz's podcast helps to make those stories understandable if not palatable.
However, through all the bloodshed and brutal justice of the Old Testament I could feel an underlying flowing river of peace. That feeling of peace surprised me. In reflection I realized that the peace I felt was from the Lord's covenant, His promise that He would redeem us.
In today's first reading we hear from Saint Paul as he proclaimed in the synagogue in Antioch that Jesus is the Son of God, the fulfillment of the psalm: “You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.” Acts 13:33
Our gospel reading takes the covenant promise one step further as Jesus promises us that he is preparing a place for us and he will come back again and take us to his father's house. In response to Thomas' doubt Jesus assures us that: “I am the way and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6
May we always see Christ as the way and the truth and the life and be at peace with His promise of our salvation.
Peace and Blessings,
Deacon John McShea