Reading I
Some who had come down from Judea were instructing the brothers,
“Unless you are circumcised according to the Mosaic practice,
you cannot be saved.”
Because there arose no little dissension and debate
by Paul and Barnabas with them,
it was decided that Paul, Barnabas, and some of the others
should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders
about this question.
The apostles and elders, in agreement with the whole church,
decided to choose representatives
and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas.
The ones chosen were Judas, who was called Barsabbas,
and Silas, leaders among the brothers.
This is the letter delivered by them:
“The apostles and the elders, your brothers,
to the brothers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia
of Gentile origin: greetings.
Since we have heard that some of our number
who went out without any mandate from us
have upset you with their teachings
and disturbed your peace of mind,
we have with one accord decided to choose representatives
and to send them to you along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
who have dedicated their lives to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
So we are sending Judas and Silas
who will also convey this same message by word of mouth:
‘It is the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us
not to place on you any burden beyond these necessities,
namely, to abstain from meat sacrificed to idols,
from blood, from meats of strangled animals,
and from unlawful marriage.
If you keep free of these,
you will be doing what is right. Farewell.’”
Gospel
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.
Whoever does not love me does not keep my words;
yet the word you hear is not mine
but that of the Father who sent me.
“I have told you this while I am with you.
The Advocate, the Holy Spirit,
whom the Father will send in my name,
will teach you everything
and remind you of all that I told you.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
Not as the world gives do I give it to you.
Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.
You heard me tell you,
‘I am going away and I will come back to you.’
If you loved me,
you would rejoice that I am going to the Father;
for the Father is greater than I.
And now I have told you this before it happens,
so that when it happens you may believe.”
Reflection
In today’s Gospel, Jesus says, “Whoever loves me will keep my word…” and the Trinitarian Lord will thus dwell within them. The most basic purpose of our lives is union with God, and here Jesus lays out our path to this destiny: love Him and honor the truth—His Word—and, therefore, become God’s dwelling place.
Love and truth cannot be separated in God, for God is love and truth. His Word is instruction on how to love, and His love is instruction on who we are and who He is. To love Him without heeding Him is not love at all, and there is no listening to Him without loving Him.
Jesus knows, however, that to love Him and keep His word is not a task we can accomplish on our own. So, He promises an Advocate, the Holy Spirit, who “will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.” We see the Holy Spirit already in action during our first reading from the Acts of the Apostles. Paul, Barnabas, and the followers of Christ engage in heated debate as they discern the truth, and they identify the Holy Spirit as the guiding force of their decision: “It is the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us…”
The Holy Spirit still works in our Church today, teaching us and reminding us of all Christ said and is. Whenever modernity confronts us with a new issue, we trust that the Holy Spirit will help us reach a decision consistent with the total love and truth God calls us to. Just this month, Our Church experienced the action of the Holy Spirit through the Conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV. Today’s readings remind us that we can trust the Holy Spirit to continue to guide Pope Leo and the Church throughout his Pontificate.
Jesus has promised us His peace along with the Holy spirit, saying in the next line: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you.” The peace of Christ does not need any particular situation to exist, only love and truth, facilitated by the Holy Spirit. The world requires an empty schedule, a vacation spot, and a problem solved for a sense of serenity. The peace of Christ comes from the gift of Himself, and it penetrates the depths of our souls, untouchable by external circumstance. This peace is God within us as we love Him and keep His word.
Join me in praying to the Holy Spirit today, offering gratitude for His presence in our Church and in our lives. We ask the Spirit to open our hearts to love and truth, God Himself, that we may overflow with peace and enact our life’s purpose of union with Him.
Please be assured of my prayers for you before Our Lord, present in the Most Blessed Sacrament.
+ Bishop Schlert
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