First Reading: Acts 14:19-28
They called the Church together and reported what God had done with them.
In those days, some Jews from Antioch and Iconium
arrived and won over the crowds.
They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city,
supposing that he was dead.
But when the disciples gathered around him,
he got up and entered the city.
On the following day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.
After they had proclaimed the good news to that city
and made a considerable number of disciples,
they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch.
They strengthened the spirits of the disciples
and exhorted them to persevere in the faith, saying,
"It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships
to enter the Kingdom of God."
They appointed presbyters for them in each Church and,
with prayer and fasting, commended them to the Lord
in whom they had put their faith.
Then they traveled through Pisidia and reached Pamphylia.
After proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia.
From there they sailed to Antioch,
where they had been commended to the grace of God
for the work they had now accomplished.
And when they arrived, they called the Church together
and reported what God had done with them
and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.
Then they spent no little time with the disciples.
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 145:10-11, 12-13ab, 21
R./ Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your kingdom. or: Alleluia.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might.
R./ Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your kingdom. or: Alleluia.
Making known to men your might
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is a kingdom for all ages,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
R./ Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your kingdom. or: Alleluia.
May my mouth speak the praise of the LORD,
and may all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.
R./ Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your kingdom. or: Alleluia.
Gospel Reading: John 14:27-31a
My peace I give to you.
Jesus said to his disciples:
"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.
I will no longer speak much with you,
for the ruler of the world is coming.
He has no power over me,
but the world must know that I love the Father
and that I do just as the Father has commanded me."
Peace is the fruit of love
Dear friends,
There’s an old saying: “Peace is the work of justice” (“opus iustitiae pax”). Pope Pius XII even chose it as the motto of his papacy. It’s a wise expression. A peace that is not based on justice—meaning a peace that just hides violence, or is built on fear—is not real peace. It’s just an illusion. Or worse, the “peace of cemeteries.”
But we all know how fragile human justice can be. Too often, those in charge of justice are the ones who commit injustice—like the elders in the Book of Daniel who condemned Susanna, or those who judged Jesus in a false trial. Of course, there are good judges too. But still, justice is often just a mask used by the powerful, no matter their side.
Jesus gives us a different kind of peace—a peace much deeper than anything justice alone can give. This peace is not built on force, but on what seems like weakness. Jesus gives it to His disciples just before going to the cross. His peace is rooted in love—a love that is stronger than death.
That’s why Jesus encourages His disciples—and us—not to be afraid. He tells us to face life’s struggles with the peace He gives us. Even when we face problems because of our mission or because of our faith, we are not alone.
Paul is a great example of this peace and courage. He was always close to death, but nothing could stop him. When they thought he was dead, he stood up again—almost like a sign of the resurrection—and kept going with the mission Jesus had given him.
We live in troubled and divided times (just like every time in history). We’re often tempted to fight back, to create our own “justice” by raising our fists. But Jesus, who gives us His peace, shows us a different way: the way of self-giving love, even to the very end. And like Paul, we’re called to give bold witness—a faith that doesn’t back down, even in the face of trials.
Warm regards,
José M. Vegas, CMFIntroduction
In carrying out his mission of proclaiming the Gospel, Paul and Barnabas with him, is persecuted, stoned, driven from one place to another. He doesn’t give up; he continues founding local communities and giving them a basic structure of leadership, so that they can function on their own. He has even the courage to “put fresh hearts into the disciples” and to acknowledge that God has accomplished great things in them.
Likewise, before his passion and death, Christ speaks of peace and encourages the apostles not to be troubled or afraid. Nothing will keep him from carrying out his mission of love. No one can rob us of our interior peace, serenity, and freedom if we are united with God in love.
Opening Prayer
Lord our God, almighty Father,
you have absolute power over the world,
and yet you respect the freedom of people,
even of those who persecute your faithful.
Make us realize that our faith
does not protect us against the evil
which people bring upon one another,
but that you want us to build according to your plan
a kingdom of justice, love, and peace.
Help our faith to stand the test
when our meager efforts fail.
We ask you this through Christ, our Lord.
General Intercessions
– That Christians who are persecuted may learn from Christ to pray for their persecutors and to forgive them, we pray:
– That through trials and adversity, we may grow as human persons and as Christians, we pray:
– That we may always retain our serenity and peace of heart in suffering and contradiction, because we know God is with us, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord God, loyal Father,
your Son Jesus Christ,
retained his inner freedom and peace
at the moment of his passion and death,
because he was faithful to his mission of love.
Let him give us in this Eucharist
the same loyalty and love,
that the hardships of life
may not trouble our hearts
but keep us firmly anchored in you
who are our God forever.
Prayer after Communion
Lord our God, God of peace,
through your Son Jesus Christ,
you bring us peace, a kind of peace
which the world cannot give
and which no earthly power can take away.
Let us live in union with you,
that this peace of your Son
may be with us always
and that we may have the quiet strength
to put fresh hearts in our brothers and sisters,
through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Blessing
“Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not let them be afraid, for peace I leave with you, my peace I give you.” This is the assurance Jesus gives us. We are in God’s hands. May Almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
