Spread the Word

Apr. 24: Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Easter

God reveals Himself in many ways—a burning bush; a soft wind; a man from Jerusalem. But He is also revealed in His followers, by the way we treat each other. Most people don’t get a direct revelation, so it’s up to us to spread God’s good news by our own words and action.

Reading I

Acts 12:24—13:5a

The word of God continued to spread and grow.

After Barnabas and Saul completed their relief mission, they returned to Jerusalem, taking with them John, who is called Mark.

Now there were in the Church at Antioch prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Symeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who was a close friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, completing their fasting and prayer, they laid hands on them and sent them off.

So they, sent forth by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and from there sailed to Cyprus. When they arrived in Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues.

The church at Antioch was one of the most important in early Christian history. It’s about 300 miles from Jerusalem, which is quite a distance in those days. As much as the Apostles would have liked to spread the Word personally, it’s impossible. So their disciples and disciples of their disciples and so on and on spread out.

By having these outlying centers of Christianity, the faithful could go farther on missions, before returning to report on what they had seen and done.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps. 67:2-3, 5, 6 and 8

R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
May God have pity on us and bless us;
may he let his face shine upon us.
So may your way be known upon earth;
among all nations, your salvation.
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
May the nations be glad and exult
because you rule the peoples in equity;
the nations on the earth you guide.
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you!
May God bless us,
and may all the ends of the earth fear him!
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!

Judaism remained mostly a provincial religion, rooted as it was in Israel and tied to blood relations. Christianity, on the other hand, reached out to all people, wherever they were. They made God known among all nations, as Jesus commanded. This was God’s plan all along, as this Psalm indicates.

Alleluia

Jn 8:12

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
whoever follows me will have the light of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

We reflect Jesus’ light to the world.

Gospel

Jn 12:44-50

Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in the one who sent me, and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me. I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness. And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them, I do not condemn him, for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world. Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words has something to judge him: the word that I spoke, it will condemn him on the last day, because I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. So what I say, I say as the Father told me.”

This is part of the foundation of our belief in the Holy Trinity. Believing in Jesus is the same as believing in the Father, because they are both persons of the same God. We can take Jesus’ words as divine revelation, just as Moses and Elijah did on Mount Horeb.