Saint Fidelis of Sigmaringen, Priest, Martyr
Liturgical Colour: White. Year: B(II)
Readings at Mass
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First reading
Acts 12:24-13:5
'I want Barnabas and Saul set apart'
The word of God continued to spread and to gain followers. Barnabas and Saul completed their task and came back from Jerusalem, bringing John Mark with them.
In the church at Antioch, the following were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, who had been brought up with Herod the Tetrarch, and Saul. One day while they were offering worship to the Lord and keeping a fast, the Holy Spirit said, ‘I want Barnabas and Saul set apart for the work to which I have called them.’ So it was that after fasting and prayer, they laid their hands on them and sent them off.
So these two, sent on their mission by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and from there sailed to Cyprus. They landed at Salamis and proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; John acted as their assistant.
Commentary
What's happening exactly? Is the author giving us all the details? The author talks about the leaders of the community. Prophets were important in the early communities, like the one in Corinth. They were mentioned right after the apostles (1 Corinthians 12.28). Their role was not just to predict the future, although they did that too, but also to explain the scriptures, interpret speaking in tongues, and understand and share God's will.
Barnabas made the Antiochene community stronger by bringing in Paul (in 11.25), even though Barnabas was the clear leader. But things were about to change because starting from 13.7, 'Barnabas and Saul' became 'Saul and Barnabas'! There was also Barnabas' cousin, 'John also called Mark', whose mother's house in Jerusalem was where the community gathered. Later on, Paul and the other two had a disagreement and went their separate ways. We learn from Galatians 1-2 that the Antiochene community had questions about following Jewish laws and customs, which is not surprising. When the Holy Spirit guided the community to send Barnabas and Paul to Jerusalem, were they sent two representatives who would argue for and against following these laws and customs? The author doesn't say, but he is hesitant to talk about disagreements in the Church (as we saw with the appointment of the Seven in Acts 6 during the Second Week of Easter). The issue was discussed in Acts 15 in Jerusalem, and these two might have been the delegates who brought up the question of regulations for non-Jewish Christians. Maybe the ongoing disagreement between Barnabas and Paul is why they split up in 15.38-39.
Disagreements about how Christian beliefs affect morality have always existed in the Church!
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Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 66(67):2-3,5-6,8
Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
or
Alleluia!
O God, be gracious and bless us
and let your face shed its light upon us.
So will your ways be known upon earth
and all nations learn your saving help.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
or
Alleluia!
Let the nations be glad and exult
for you rule the world with justice.
With fairness you rule the peoples,
you guide the nations on earth.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
or
Alleluia!
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.
May God still give us his blessing
till the ends of the earth revere him.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
or
Alleluia!
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Gospel Acclamation
Jn 20:29
Alleluia, alleluia!
‘You believe, Thomas, because you can see me.
Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.
Alleluia!
Or:
Jn 8:12
Alleluia, alleluia!
I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
anyone who follows me will have the light of life.
Alleluia!
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Gospel
John 12:44-50
I, the light, have come into the world
Jesus declared publicly:
‘Whoever believes in me
believes not in me
but in the one who sent me,
and whoever sees me,
sees the one who sent me.
I, the light, have come into the world,
so that whoever believes in me
need not stay in the dark anymore.
If anyone hears my words and does not keep them faithfully,
it is not I who shall condemn him,
since I have come not to condemn the world,
but to save the world.
He who rejects me and refuses my words has his judge already:
the word itself that I have spoken will be his judge on the last day.
For what I have spoken does not come from myself;
no, what I was to say,
what I had to speak,
was commanded by the Father who sent me,
and I know that his commands mean eternal life.
And therefore what the Father has told me
is what I speak.’
Commentary
The Gospel of John is split into two parts: the Book of Signs and the Book of Glory. This significant statement marks the conclusion of the Book of Signs. It summarizes Jesus' ministry, bringing together his teachings on various topics like dark and light, judge and save, reject and believe. The main theme is the unity of the Father and Jesus, emphasizing their shared purpose. Jesus clarifies that his mission is to save, not to judge, and that belief in him is the key to salvation. John focuses on faith rather than specific moral guidelines, highlighting the importance of love as an integral part of faith.
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The context: Today’s Gospel text, taken from John’s Gospel, is a passage from the last public discourse of Jesus before his arrest and crucifixion. The main ideas in the passage are
1) Jesus’ relationship with the Father; Jesus’ role as the Light and Life of the world; and the criteria for His final judgment of us – Heaven or Hell 1) Jesus teaches us that he is one with the Father and he is the image of his invisible Father. Because He is one with the Father, the Father speaks through him and operates through him. Hence, those who accept Jesus and his message accept God the Father’s message.
2) Jesus claims that he is the Light and Life of the world. Psalm 27 exclaims, “The Lord is my Light and my salvation!” As Light, Jesus removes the darkness of evil from the world and from our souls, shows us the correct way to go in life, and gives us the warmth of his sharing, sacrificial love. As Light, God’s word enables those with eyes of Faith to perceive the hidden truths of God’s Kingdom. As the Life of the world, Jesus, by his words, produces the very Life of God within those who receive these words with Faith.
3) We are rewarded or punished eternally based on whether or not we accept Jesus and his teachings and, if we have chosen Jesus, whether or not we live our lives accordingly.
Life messages: 1) As Christians, we must reflect and radiate the light of Jesus in the darkness of evil around us by acts of sharing love, kindness, forgiveness, and humble service. 2) Let us ask for the strength of the Holy Spirit to choose Christ and his ideals every day and to reject everything contrary to Christ’s teachings.
Lord Jesus, through your passion, death, and resurrection, you have gained eternal life for all peoples and enabled them to become children of God. Help me to see how I can bring more people to know you and believe in you so that they may enjoy eternal life in your name.
