Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection May 23, 2025

23rd May 2025 (Friday)

Psalter: Week 1

Readings of the Day

First Reading: Acts 15:22-31

In those days: It seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, with the following letter: “The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.” So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement.

Psalm 57:8-9, 10 and 12 (R. 10a)

R/. I will give you thanks among the peoples, O Lord. Or: Alleluia.

Gospel Acclamation

V/. Alleluia

R/. Alleluia

V/. I have called you friends, says the Lord, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

R/. Alleluia

Gospel: John 15:12-17

At that time; Jesus said to his disciples,“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

Daily Gospel Reflection

Friday – 5th Week of Easter

Main Point: The greatest guideline and norm for any follower of Christ is love. It is a twofold love, namely for God and for others. There is no other principle greater than this

1. The secret to the success of the apostles in the early church was they were men deeply convinced and committed. They were deeply rooted in love for their Lord and nurtured it in their benevolence toward others.

2. That is why their faith does not make them blind and rigid like the unbelieving Jews of their time. Rather they become so enlightened and noble as not to load the Gentile believers with unnecessary burdens like circumcision or other Jewish traditions.

3. They were able to sift between the greatest commandment of their master and the other commandments. They knew that their master’s one and only commandment is to love another. This love too is modeled on their master’s love itself. He commanded them, “Love one another just as I have loved you”.

4. It is a love that sacrifices itself totally even to the extent of dying for the other. It is a love that elevates the dignity of the other from being a servant to being a friend. It is a love that always surrenders itself to the will and choices of God. It is a love that bears lasting fruit.

5. Today in the church, both among the authorities and the believing communities, there is so much confusion and conflict. There is no clarity of priorities. The main reason for this is the lack of fraternal charity and benevolence.

6. This in turn is because there is no deep abiding love for God and there is no enthusiasm to be faithful to His word and commandment. Many forget the fundamental truth that we are friends of the Lord and friends to one another.

My Practice: If only we are a little more aware that we are bound by love for God and for others, that we are called to live in friendship with God and others, and that we are to bear abundant fruits, how qualitative will our faith be!