First Reading: Acts 1: 1 - 11
1 In the first book, O The-oph'ilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach,
2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.
3 To them he presented himself alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days, and speaking of the kingdom of God.
4 And while staying with them he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, "you heard from me,
5 for John baptized with water, but before many days you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
6 So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?"
7 He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority.
8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Sama'ria and to the end of the earth."
9 And when he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.
10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes,
11 and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."
Psalms 47: 2 - 3, 6 - 9
2 For the LORD, the Most High, is terrible, a great king over all the earth.
3 He subdued peoples under us, and nations under our feet.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
7 For God is the king of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm!
8 God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne.
9 The princes of the peoples gather as the people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God; he is highly exalted!
Second Reading: Ephesians 1: 17 - 23
17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,
18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power in us who believe, according to the working of his great might
20 which he accomplished in Christ when he raised him from the dead and made him sit at his right hand in the heavenly places,
21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come;
22 and he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church,
23 which is his body, the fulness of him who fills all in all.
Gospel Reading: Matthew 28: 16 - 20
16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them.
17 And when they saw him they worshiped him; but some doubted.
18 And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age."
1 In the first book, O The-oph'ilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach,
2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.
3 To them he presented himself alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days, and speaking of the kingdom of God.
4 And while staying with them he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, "you heard from me,
5 for John baptized with water, but before many days you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
6 So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?"
7 He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority.
8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Sama'ria and to the end of the earth."
9 And when he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.
10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes,
11 and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."
Psalms 47: 2 - 3, 6 - 9
2 For the LORD, the Most High, is terrible, a great king over all the earth.
3 He subdued peoples under us, and nations under our feet.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
7 For God is the king of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm!
8 God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne.
9 The princes of the peoples gather as the people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God; he is highly exalted!
Second Reading: Ephesians 1: 17 - 23
17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,
18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power in us who believe, according to the working of his great might
20 which he accomplished in Christ when he raised him from the dead and made him sit at his right hand in the heavenly places,
21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come;
22 and he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church,
23 which is his body, the fulness of him who fills all in all.
Gospel Reading: Matthew 28: 16 - 20
16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them.
17 And when they saw him they worshiped him; but some doubted.
18 And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age."
(Courtesy By - Divine Retreat Center )
"YOU ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH" (MATTHEW 5:13)
Rev. Fr. Augustine Vallooran V.C.'s inspiring June Monthly Reflection "YOU ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH" (MATTHEW 5:13), [繁體中文版 / 简体中文版 / Deutsch ], reminds us of the Power of the Holy Spirit that is within us to carry out Christ's mission in our lives.
"As Jesus visualized it, the raison d'etre, that is the one reason of existence for a disciple, is to bear witness to the Lord. Wherever he is, be it in Jerusalem, Judaea or Samaria or any part of the world, his life is to be moulded by this mission - to bring the Father's Love to everyone everywhere!"
"Jesus Himself knew the human impossibility of this mission that He was entrusting the disciples with. On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended upon them and these disciples were transformed to live radical lives of commitment to the Father’s will - declaring His Glory to the ends of the earth!"
"The Church has always considered as priority the mission to bear witness to Jesus. Pope John Paul II of Blessed Memory has written and spoken much on this. He says, 'Evangelization is not the most important task of the Church. It is the only one.' "
"However we need to bear witness to Jesus not only where He is accepted but even in unfavorable circumstances, we have the mission to proclaim Him. This responsibility is given to us by the declaration of Jesus - "You are the light of the world." (Matthew 5:14) Light shines in darkness by dispelling it."
"This should be a constant experience in working for the Lord. We need to come to the Lord in prayer and submit ourselves humbly trusting in His Wisdom, waiting for the Lord to determine the course of our action. Then we shall be assured as St. Paul was, "I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me." (Galatians 2:20) Then our refrain will continue “I work, but not I. Jesus works in me.” Our evangelization activity will flow from our union with the Lord. Then will we be the salt of the earth and the light of the world, living out the mission we were sent to this world for!"
During the Feast of Pentecost on 12 June, let us fervently pray that God’s Spirit will inflame our hearts to carry out wholeheartedly our life’s only mission – proclaiming Him to the world!
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