CLOTHED IN WHITE ROBES…

Acts 13:14,43-52

14 but they passed on from Perga and came to Antioch of Pisidia.And on the sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. 43 And when the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.
44 The next sabbath almost the whole city gathered together to hear the word of God. 45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with jealousy, and contradicted what was spoken by Paul, and reviled him.
46 And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.
47 For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, ‘I have set you to be a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the uttermost parts of the earth.'”48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of God; and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
49 And the word of the Lord spread throughout all the region.50 But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, and stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district.51 But they shook off the dust from their feet against them, and went to Iconium.52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Revelation 7:9,14-17

9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no man could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,
14 I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night within his temple; and he who sits upon the throne will shelter them with his presence.
16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat.17 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water; and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

John 10:27-30

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; 28 and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.30 I and the Father are one.”  

MEDITATION

St JOHN RECORD the missionary journey of Paul who was partnered with Barnabas his sponsor, who presented him to the Apostolic leadership in Jerusalem. Acts 9:26-28 The two apostolic evangelists were not welcomed by the Jewish leadership in Antioch, upon which they delivered the Good News to the gentiles, untill they were driven out of the city by the Jewish leaders.

THE SECOND READING describe John’s vision of the multitude believers who despite their suffering and persecution, had remained committed in their mission to serve Christ. John indicate that these saintly hero’s of the faith are in the company of the elect with Christ in heaven. Their holy garments have been washed with Christs blood, meaning that their martyrdom have won them their eternal reward placing them in the presence of the Truine God! 

THE GOSPEL READING: 

Catec 1721 God put us in the world to know, to love, and to serve him, and so to come to paradise. Beatitude makes us “partakers of the divine nature” and of eternal life. With beatitude, man enters into the glory of Christ and into the joy of the Trinitarian life.

Our knowledge of Christ Jesus has been passed down to us in both an oral and written form by the Apostles whom He called, and the many disciples who constantly followed the Lord from place to place. The Church teaches that most if not all the men who were martyred for unrelentingly proclaiming the ‘euangélion’ or Good News, are sitting at the feet of Christ, as St John attest to in today’s second reading. You and I are equally called to not give way to or adopt the political and social allures that are at odds with the magisterial teachings of Christ as derived from the Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition, so that we too may one day be robed in white in the eternal kingdom.

LET US PRAY:Psalms 100:1-3,5
1 A Psalm for the thank offering.Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the lands! 2 Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!
3 Know that the LORD is God! It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
5 For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures for ever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

Commentary. Henry R SYLVESTER Note: The daily scripture readings are taken from the Roman Missal which the Catholic Church use in the daily Celebration of the Holy Eucharist throughout the world.Some weekly readings may differ because of the celebration of local feast days.