Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection June 04, 2025

04th June 2025 (Wednesday)

Psalter: Week 3

Readings of the Day

First Reading: Acts 20:28-38

In those days: Paul said to the elders of the Church of Ephesus,”Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears. And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. And there was much weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him, being sorrowful most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship.

Psalm 68:29-30, 33-35a, 35bc-36ab R. (33a)

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

Gospel Acclamation

V/. Alleluia

R/. Alleluia

V/. You word, O Lord. is truth; sanctify us in the truth

R/. Alleluia

Gospel: John 17:11b-19

At that time, [Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven and prayed, saying,] “Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.

Daily Gospel Reflection

Wednesday – 7th Week of Easter

Main Point: Unity is the hallmark of the followers of Christ. It is the testing tag for the community of believers

1. Jesus prays for his disciples as he is preparing to depart from them. He prays that they be one and united. He feels concerned to guard them, to keep them from the evil one because the world would hate them just as it hated him.

2. The same are the sentiments at Ephesus at the farewell scene of Paul. He warns them of “fierce wolves”, even among their own selves. They will twist things to draw away the disciples after them.

3. Now how to remain guarded and united? It is just by following the very same example of the master. It is to keep ourselves always in the Father’s name. This cautions us not to keep us under any other name tag or seek any other name and glory. It is only the name of God and nothing else.

4. Another requisite to remain one and united is never to be of the world but of God. We are placed in the world to transform it from within and should never be overfed by its false nourishments. We should never be identified with the marks and the tattoos of the world.

5. Further we should be sanctified in the truth. God’s word is the truth. And this implies that we must grow in sanctity in line with the word. The word becomes the means of holiness and also the measuring rod for it.

6. Finally, we grow as one by being consecrated in the truth, just as Jesus himself was consecrated in the truth. This means that we must commit ourselves to follow the truth. In a false world, we must distinguish ourselves as truthful.

My Practice: Failure in unity is failure in truth. Failure in truth is failure in word. Failure in word is failure in love for God. Therefore, love Him and be loyal to Him.