Category: Verse for the day

“These are His witnesses now before the people.” –Acts 13:31 Mass Readings: May 12 First: Acts 13:26-33;Resp: Psalm 2:6-11;Gospel: John 14:1-6 Listen to the Mass Readings Throughout Acts of the Apostles, the Lord repeatedly commands us to be His witnesses (Acts 1:8; 2:32; 3:15; 10:39; 13:31). Now that we are more than halfway through the Easter season, it is appropriate to ask ourselves whether we have obeyed the Lord’s command to be His witnesses. Hopefully, we have done this throughout our Christian lives and even more intensely in this Easter season. If you were subpoenaed as a witness by a...

“There John left them and returned to Jerusalem.” –Acts 13:13 Mass Readings: May 11 First: Acts 13:13-25; Resp:Psalm 89:2-3,21-22,25,27; Gospel: John 13:16-20 Listen to the Mass Readings John Mark had accompanied Barnabas and Saul on a relief mission to help the starving Judean Christians (Acts 12:25). Next, John Mark accompanied Barnabas and Saul on the first evangelistic mission of the Church (Acts 13:5). However, John Mark dropped out of that mission (Acts 13:13). There’s a big difference between a relief mission and an evangelistic mission. Many of us have been on relief missions. We have given our time, energy, and...

“May God bless us, and may all the ends of the earth fear Him!” –Psalm 67:8 Mass Readings: May 10 First: Acts 12:24–13:5; Resp: Psalm 67:2-3,5-6,8; Gospel: John 12:44-50 Listen to the Mass Readings. Without believing in Jesus, we remain in the dark (Jn 12:46). If we don’t accept Jesus’ words, we are already under judgment, and we deprive ourselves of eternal life (Jn 12:47). If we don’t give our lives to Jesus, we continue to be “dead because of [our] sins and offenses” (Eph 2:1). Without Jesus, there is no hope (see Eph 2:12). Therefore, let us pray for...

“He rejoiced to see the evidence of God’s favor.” –Acts 11:23 Mass Readings: May 9 First: Acts 11:19-26; Resp: Psalm 87:1-7; Gospel: John 10:22-30 Listen to the Mass Readings I was just handed several letters from readers of One Bread, One Body (OBOB). Each letter was an encouragement from a faithful reader who uses OBOB during prayer time, and each person expressed their gratitude, encouragement, and love. These readers are like Barnabas, offering encouragement for us to remain firm in our commitment to produce OBOB (see Acts 11:23). These letters cause us to rejoice as we “see the evidence of...

“The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” –John 10:11 Mass Readings: May 8 First: Acts 11:1-18; Resp: Psalm 42:2-3; 43:3-4;Gospel: John 10:11-18 Listen to the Mass Readings Jesus, the Good Shepherd, came that we “might have life more abundantly” (see Jn 10:10, RNAB). Paradoxically, life is given through death (see Jn 12:24). To give life to His sheep, Jesus the Good Shepherd laid down His life for His sheep (Jn 10:11, 15, 17). “There is no greater love than this: to lay down one’s life” (Jn 15:13). “It is rare that anyone should lay down his life...