Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection May 18, 2026

18th May 2026 (Monday)

Psalter: Week 3

Readings of the Day

First Reading: Acts 19:1-8

While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. There were about twelve men in all. And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God.

Psalm 68:2-3ab, 4-5 acd, 6-7ab R. (33a)

R/. You kingdoms of the earth, sing to God. Or: Alleluia.

Gospel Acclamation

V/. Alleluia

R/. Alleluia

V/. If then you have been raised with Christ seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

R/. Alleluia

Gospel: John 16:29-33

At that time, The disciples said to Jesus, “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.” Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Daily Gospel Reflection

Monday – 7th Week of Easter

Main Point: A person’s faith life must be steady and steady, useful and moving forward. There’s no stop or pause. It has to be a move forward. Stopping to grow means you’ve already gone down.

1. Being tired is something that a lot of people go through. At first, a lot of people will be very excited. These, on the other hand, get sluggish and boring over time. They lose the spark that was setting them on fire. They start to be happy with the bare necessities. They miss that drive to do the best and the most.

2. This is what happened to the Christians in Ephesus. It was John the Baptist who baptised them. It was an act of turning away from sin. They did change their minds and stop following the old ways, that much was true.

3. That’s not enough, though. There is more they should do than just turn away from the fake gods. They should really turn to the real God. They should grow in Him, be rooted in Him, and bear fruit.

4. They should get to know and feel the Lord. That they would be devoted, devoted, and committed to the Lord for whom they were baptised. The Holy Spirit should baptise them. From their stumbling walk, they should learn to walk slowly and strongly. They should always be moving from having a weak faith to having a strong faith.

5. They need to be completely refreshed. With the gospel as a guide, they should be able to see and understand what the Lord says. They should be aware that everyone will be against them and hurt them.

6. Because of this, they should be ready to stand firm and not get spread out. They must be sure that their boss has taken over the world and that nothing can really disturb their peace.

My Practice: It’s becoming less beautiful and joyful to be a teacher because people are losing their belief and clarity, their guts and bravery, their loyalty and dedication. The more excited we are, the more we will win!