Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Easter
Lectionary: 281
Reading I
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.
Responsorial Psalm
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
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
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.”
Reflection: JESUS, THE SON OF THE FATHER
Saul (Paul) and Barnabas were among the leaders of the Church of Antioch. Along with the other teachers' and 'prophets' they were guiding their flock to grow in their Christian vocation. One day, while in prayer, the Holy Spirit reveals God's plan for Saul and Barnabas. "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." They were to travel to a new place to proclaim the good news and build up the Christian community. Obedient to God's call they leave Antioch for their new mission. By our very vocation as Christians (followers of Christ) we are called to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. While some of us may be set apart for a specific mission in the Church, most of us are called to bear witness to Christ by our lives lived in accordance with the Gospel. The Christian vocation is lived in varied ways - as married persons or singles, as priests and consecrated men and women. The Lord may or may not call us to leave our homes and families for far away mission lands to proclaim his message of love, compassion, and peace to those who have never heard it. But he expects all of us to be 'living gospels' to those around us.