Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Easter

When I first read the readings for today, I couldn’t imagine how these three readings were related. The first reading concerned Paul being flogged, thrown in prison and being freed by his jailer after an earthquake opened the cell doors. The Responsorial is a hymn of thanksgiving, and the Gospel was Christ’s farewell to the apostles before his Ascension.

Gradually, after reading and re-reading, I realized the three readings have a commonality in faith and the Holy Spirit.

Paul and Silas having preached the Good News accepted torture and imprisonment. Even after the earthquake opened their cell doors, they did not escape but reassured their jailer that they were still there. The jailer, realizing the faith of Paul and Silas, asked them how he could be saved. The jailer took Paul and Silas into his home and cared for them. He and his family were eventually Baptized and celebrated their new found faith.

The Responsorial is a hymn of faith and thanksgiving to God for all that He has done.

In the Gospel, Christ reassures his apostles that he must go in order to send the Holy Spirit to them. The Holy Spirit is the fountain of faith.

Faith is the perfect gift from God which helps us to get through even the most trying times.

Bob Kolesar