Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection May 25, 2025

25th May 2025 (Sunday)

Psalter: Week 2

Readings of the Day

First Reading: Acts 15:1-2, 22-29

In those days: some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. Then 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.”

Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8 (R. 4)

R/. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!. Or: Alleluia.

Second Reading: Revelation 21:10-14, 22-23

The angel carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed— on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.

Gospel Acclamation

V/. Alleluia

R/. Alleluia

V/. If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, says the Lord, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him.

R/. Alleluia

Gospel: John 14:23-29

At that time; Jesus said to his disciples,“If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me. “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe.

Daily Gospel Reflection

Sunday – 6th Sunday of Easter

Main Point: Turn to God in times of trouble and fear. Trust in Him wholeheartedly. And He will grant you peace

1. We live in a world where day after day We experience troubles and fears. There is no peace. Instead there is a lot of anxiety. Many suffer from anxiety syndrome and the life of many is marked by tension.

2. It is in such a context, the words of Jesus cool and soothe us. “Let not your hearts be troubled; let them not be afraid”. Today, the first invitation for us is not to be troubled and afraid. This does not mean that we will not have any troubles and fears.

3. Our faith in God is no seal or guarantee against difficulties and suffering. The Lord does not wave off automatically and magically all the troubles. Rather, he assures us that we will remain in peace even amidst all the negativities.

4. Peace is the antidote in our troubles and trials. Jesus says, “My peace i give to you, and not the kind of peace that the world gives”. Now what is this different peace of the Lord? Where is the difference?

5. First of all, the peace of the world is temporary and passing. It is short- lived. But the peace of the Lord is stable and lasting. It may not give instant happiness and satisfaction. It may leave at times a bitter taste in the mouth. The Lord”s peace is steady and consistent. It is not easily shaken or wavering.

6. The peace of the Lord is deep and interior. Unlike the worldly peace, the Lord’s peace is not easily conditioned by external factors, like food, things, money, power, position, reputation, recognition, profitability. Even without these, one can be peaceful. It is deep-seared and interiorly built.

7. The peace of the Lord is not absence of afflictions and adversities. Often the world equates peace with problemless external condition. Just as the external conditions change, so also the peace condition changes according to the variable factors. The Lord’s peace is an inner power, a mental stamina that subsists even amidst all upsetting factors.

8. The peace of the Lord is ever calm, composed, and serene. It is never violent or aggressive. Like the world’s peace, it does not create and indulge in peaceless situations to establish peace. The peace of the world is like the peace on the battle world after killing numberless enemies. It is the joy of profit having deceived many. It is the joy of winning over others having put down many. It is the joy of feeling big having belittled many.

8. The peace of Lord is God-centred and other- oriented. The more one seeks to surrender oneself to God, the more one will be in peace. The more one is faithful to God, the more one will enjoy peace. Further, the Lord’s peace is ever altruistic. Those who experience the peace of Lord will always commit themselves to the good of others. Lack of charity is lack of peace. This is what we see in the first reading. The apostles in wisdom gave importance to the essentials of faith, fidelity to God and moral integrity. They were clear not to lay unnecessary burdens on their fellow believers.

My Practice: What is the kind of peace that we search and strive for? Is it the peace of the Lord that is deep and positive and constructive? Or is it the peace of the world that is self-centered and shallow?