May 5, Friday, the 4th week of Easter,
Daily Readings: 1st Reading – ACTS 13:26-33; Gospel – John 14:1-6
The first reading for today continues to recall what happened to Jesus, even though there were no grounds for a death sentence. They proceeded as planned, and Jesus was crucified on the cross. The crucifixion of Jesus allows us to be saved from our sins. He died on the cross because of our sinfulness, and He redeemed us by dying on the cross. But on the third day, God raised him from the dead. As evidence, he visited his disciples and even joined them in the breaking of the bread.
The death of Jesus and his resurrection are also the fulfillment of what God promised to our forefathers before, as written in Psalm 2: “You are my son; this day I have begotten you.” How do we understand the begotten Son? One of the references says, “ Jesus was the only person to be born of a mortal mother, Mary, and an immortal father, God the Father. That is why Jesus is called the "only begotten son of God." From His Father, He inherited divine powers. “ Why does God then offer His Begotten Son to the world? It is answered in John 3:16. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. This is very much connected to our gospel today.
The gospel for today encourages us not to be anxious because if we believed in Him, he would have prepared a place for us. After all, there are many dwelling places in His Father's house. God offers us an opportunity for salvation, for he sent his begotten son to redeem the world. Aside from that, he also prepared a place for us in his father’s house. It means if we truly believe in Him, we have the opportunity to have a special place in His heart. It is a nice feeling knowing that God prepares a particular place, which assures us of His infinite love for all of us.
Lord God, may we have a welcoming heart to all the opportunities that you have offered us, and may this opportunity bring us to your dwelling place. Amen!
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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