Daily Bible Readings Saturday May 16 2009 Fifth Week of Easter

May 16 2009 Saturday Fifth Week of Easter
Saint of the Day – St. Margaret of Cortona

About the sources used. The readings on this site are not official for the Mass of Roman Rite of the Catholic Church in the USA, but are from sources free from copyright. They are here to present the comparable readings alongside traditional Catholic commentary as published in the Haydock Bible for your own personal study. Readings vary depending on your local calendar.

Official Readings of the Liturgy at – http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/051609.shtml

The Acts of the Apostles 16:1-10
Haydock NT

AND he came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold there was a certain disciple there named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who believed, his father being a Gentile. To this man the brethren, who were in Lystra and Iconium, gave a good testimony. Him Paul would have to go along with him: and taking him, he circumcised him, because of the Jews, who were in those places. For they all knew that his father was a Gentile. And as they passed through the cities, they delivered to them the decrees to keep, that were decreed by the apostles and ancients, who were at Jerusalem. And the churches indeed were confirmed in faith, and increased in number daily.

Now having passed through Phrygia, and the country of Galatia, they were forbidden, by the Holy Ghost, to preach the word of God in Asia. And when they were come into Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus permitted them not. And when they had passed through Mysia, they went down to Troas: And a vision was shewn to Paul in the night: A man of Macedonia standing, and beseeching him, and saying:

Pass over into Macedonia, and help us.

And as soon as he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, being assured that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

Responsorial Psalm 99 (Psalm 100 NAB)
DR Challoner Text Only

Sing joyfully to God, all the earth:
serve ye the Lord with gladness.
Come in before his presence with exceeding great joy.
Know ye that the Lord he is God:
he made us, and not we ourselves.
We are his people and the sheep of his pasture.
Go ye into his gates with praise,
into his courts with hymns:
and give glory to him. Praise ye his name:
For the Lord is sweet, his mercy endureth for ever,
and his truth to generation and generation.

The Gospel According to Saint John 15:18-21
Haydock NT

Jesus said:

If the world hate you, know ye that it hated me before you. If you had been of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember my word that I said to you: The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you: if they have kept my word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for my name’s sake: because they know not him that sent me.

Haydock Commentary Acts 16:1-10
Notes copied from Haydock Commentary Site

• Ver. 3. Circumcised him. Not to obstruct the conversion of the Jews; and because it was still lawful to observe the Jewish ceremonies, though the obligation of keeping the old law had ceased.  Wi. — This S. Paul did in order to gain the Jews, and make Timothy acceptable to them. Tirinus. — To the Jew, says he, (1 Cor. ix. 20.) I became a Jew, that I might gain the Jews.  If he refused to circumcise Titus, in order to vindicate the Christian’s independence of the Mosaic ceremonies; he now submits to the observance of them, to shew there is nothing of itself bad in them, and that they might without crime be practised, till time by degrees had abolished them.  S. Aug. ep. lxxxii. ad S. Hieronymum.
• Ver. 4. Here, as well as in the last verse of the former chapter, we see S. Paul ordering the new converts, wherever he went, to receive, as their rule of conduct, the ordinances of the apostles and priests assembled in Jerusalem.
• Ver. 6. They were forbidden by the Holy Ghost, to go, and preach at that time in the Lesser Asia, perhaps because their preaching in Macedonia was more necessary; or because S. John was to be sent into Asia.  Wi. — Forbidden. Why?  Because they were not yet prepared to receive the gospel; or, perhaps, these provinces were reserved for S. John, as Bithynia was for S. Luke.  Menochius. — S. Leo compares this question to many others respecting the inscrutable judgments of God.  Why did not the Son of God come into the world may ages before?  Why did he suffer so many to die in ignorance?  Why are there yet so many in infidelity?  Why, in one family, does one believe and is converted, while another remains in darkness, and crime?  Who shall account for the exercise he pleases to make of his rigour, or his mercy, when all were justly victims of the former?  S. Leo de vocat. Gentium. lib. ii. c. 2.
• Ver. 7. The spirit of Jesus permitted them not. It is the same spirit, which just before was called the Holy Ghost: for the Holy Ghost is the spirit of Jesus, as proceeding from the Son as well as from the Father.  Wi.
• Ver. 9. A vision, &c.  The tutelar angel of the province, according to most interpreters, under the form of a Macedonian, who implored S. Paul in behalf of the province he guarded.
• Ver. 10. We. This change in the narration from the third, to the first person, we sought, &c. is remarkable.  It is hence inferred, that S. Luke, the author of this book, joined S. Paul at Troas, and became his inseparable companion.  Calmet. — It is, however, probable, that as the narrative in the first person changes again at the end of this chapter, and is not resumed, till the fifth verse of the 20th chap. that S. Luke was absent on some mission during the time that elapsed between this and their sailing from Philippi, as mentioned hereafter.  Chap. xx. ver. 6.  Tirinus.

Haydock Commentary John 15:18-21

• Ver. 18. If the world hate you. The wicked, unbelieving world, hate and persecute you, as they have done me; remember, that the servant must not desire to be treated better than his master.  Wi.
• Ver. 20. Here Christ predicts, that many will be deaf to the words of his Church, as they have neglected to attend to his precepts.