FIRST READING
“The Lord opened her heart to listen to what was said by Paul.”
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 16:11-15)
Setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is the leading city of the district of Macedonia, and a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days; and on the sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshipper of God. The Lord opened her heart to listen to what was said by Paul. And when she was baptised, with her household, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 149: 1bc-2.3-4.5-6a and 9bc (R. 4a)
R/. The Lord takes delight in his people.
Or: Alleluia.
Sing a new song to the Lord,
his praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel rejoice in its Maker;
let Sion’s children exult in their king. R.
Let them praise his name with dancing,
and make music with timbrel and harp.
For the Lord takes delight in his people;
he crowns the poor with salvation. R.
Let the faithful exult in glory,
and rejoice as they take their rest.
Let the praise of God be in their mouths.
This is an honour for all his faithful. R.
ALLELUIA John 15:26b.27a
Alleluia. The Spirit of truth will bear witness to me, says the Lord; and you also are witnesses. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
“The Spirit of truth will bear witness to me.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (John 15:26-16:4a)
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “When the Counsellor comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness to me; and you also are witnesses, because you have been with me from the beginning. I have said all this to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues; indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do this because they have not known the Father, nor me. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you of them.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Today’s Reflection
The joy of knowing Christ is boundless, especially when a person is baptized into the Body of Christ. This was the case with Lydia, a devout woman who opened her heart to God by listening to Paul, and afterwards, with her entire household, was baptized into the one family of Christ. The sacrament of baptism washes away our sins, imprinting on our souls an indelible mark that makes us citizens of heaven and members of God’s household. In this Gospel, Jesus announces the coming of the Advocate, the Spirit of Truth, who will lead us to the complete truth. Jesus asks us to remain steadfast even in the face of death. May the comforter help us to remain ever faithful to the end!