Daily Mass Readings

First Reading: Acts 5:17-26

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9
Gospel: John 3:16-21

A Reading from the Gospel of John 3:16-21

God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son,

so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through him.
Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,
but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,
because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.
And this is the verdict,
that the light came into the world,
but people preferred darkness to light,
because their works were evil.
For everyone who does wicked things hates the light
and does not come toward the light,
so that his works might not be exposed.
But whoever lives the truth comes to the light,
so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.

Reflection:

Those that do not believe in Jesus have already been condemned. And those that do
believe in him will not be condemned.

Great, we believe so we can just sit back and relax right?

Not quite. This passage states that the wicked shy away from the light so that their evil
doings will not be exposed. On the other side of this is the faithful who go to the light so
that their works may be revealed.

This is not such an easy thing to do. The ability to live in the truth requires a
combination of grace and discipline. It requires a dedication of one’s life toward constant
betterment. Living in the truth requires walking down the road toward enlightenment, or
in other words going to the light.

How can we consistently choose truth and the light?

We can take time in life to breathe. Slow down, reflect, pray, allow the time for
introspection.

Let life in, experience, you will be amazed where God will show his face.

Be committed to doing what is right at all times. This does not come about by being
overly agreeable or by always controlling your emotions, even Jesus did not always
control his emotions. Being able to see what is right occurs once you remove the blinders
that prejudice you; greed, envy, lust, anything that stands in your way of a clear unbiased
mind.

And of course; pray, meditate, study scripture and learn to love a little more every day of
your life.