The Catholic Calendar for Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Easter

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Acts 14:19-28
Psalm 145:10-13,21
John 14:27-31

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

In today's reading from the Acts of the Apostles, there is an account of the stoning of St. Paul. With this we learn again of the trials that faithfulness to the Gospel message entails and the necessity for great perseverance.

Being determined to persevere and then actually doing it requires God's grace and our cooperation with grace. Marred by sin as we are, we often need incentives to encourage and spur us on. St Paul understood that and gave the disciples reassurances and encouraged them to persevere in the faith with this instruction "We must undergo many trials if we are to enter the reign of God."

The incentive for determined perseverance is everlasting glory, something that we need to remember and remind others about. The need for support in this troubled world is great and without this vision of the reign of God, we can easily become discouraged

By faithfully reading Holy Scripture and frequent reception of the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist we receive what we need, first for ourselves and then to be a source of strength and hope for others. It is only in union with the suffering Christ that strength, courage and fortitude will be found, the tools for determined perseverance

Once fortified by God's gifts of grace let us, as the Responsorial Psalm says,
" . . . bless You and tell of the glory of Your kingdom . . . . Making known to men Your might and the glorious splendor of Your kingdom." (Ps. 145:10-12)

- Donna Nelson, OCDS
(drn3rd at hotmail dot com)