Thursday of the 4th week of Eastertide
First Reading — Acts 13:13–25
God has raised up one of David’s descendants, Jesus, as Saviour
Paul and his friends went by sea from Paphos to Perga in Pamphylia where John left them to go back to Jerusalem. The others carried on from Perga till they reached Antioch in Pisidia. Here they went to synagogue on the sabbath and took their seats. After the lessons from the Law and the Prophets had been read, the presidents of the synagogue sent them a message: ‘Brothers, if you would like to address some words of encouragement to the congregation, please do so.’ Paul stood up, held up a hand for silence and began to speak:
‘Men of Israel, and fearers of God, listen! The God of our nation Israel chose our ancestors, and made our people great when they were living as foreigners in Egypt; then by divine power he led them out, and for about forty years took care of them in the wilderness. When he had destroyed seven nations in Canaan, he put them in possession of their land for about four hundred and fifty years. After this he gave them judges, down to the prophet Samuel. Then they demanded a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin. After forty years, he deposed him and made David their king, of whom he approved in these words, “I have selected David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will carry out my whole purpose.”
To keep his promise, God has raised up for Israel one of David’s descendants, Jesus, as Saviour, whose coming was heralded by John when he proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the whole people of Israel. Before John ended his career he said, “I am not the one you imagine me to be; that one is coming after me and I am not fit to undo his sandal.”
Responsorial Psalm — Psalm 88(89):2–3,21,22,25,27
I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord;
through all ages my mouth will proclaim your truth.
Of this I am sure, that your love lasts for ever,
that your truth is firmly established as the heavens.
I have found David my servant
and with my holy oil anointed him.
My hand shall always be with him
and my arm shall make him strong.
My truth and my love shall be with him;
by my name his might shall be exalted.
He will say to me: ‘You are my father,
my God, the rock who saves me.’
Gospel — John 13:16–20
Whoever welcomes the one I send welcomes me
After he had washed the feet of his disciples, Jesus said to them:
‘I tell you most solemnly,
no servant is greater than his master,
no messenger is greater than the man who sent him.
Now that you know this, happiness will be yours if you behave accordingly. I am not speaking about all of you: I know the ones I have chosen; but what scripture says must be fulfilled: Someone who shares my table rebels against me.
I tell you this now, before it happens,
so that when it does happen
you may believe that I am He.
I tell you most solemnly,
whoever welcomes the one I send welcomes me,
and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.’
Reflection
Paul’s speech is not rushed. He does not jump to conclusions. He walks through history—patiently, deliberately—because understanding requires looking back. The movement of God is not always visible in the moment. It becomes clear when you are willing to trace it.
This is difficult for us. We want immediate meaning. Immediate direction. But faith often asks for something else—to trust that what feels unresolved is still being shaped. The Catechism reminds us that God’s plan unfolds through time, not outside of it (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church 302–314).
In the Gospel, Jesus removes another illusion. To follow Him is not to rise above others, but to enter into the same pattern of service. “No servant is greater than his master.” If He kneels, then so will we. Not as performance, but as participation.
And yet, there is something easily missed. Christ is encountered through those He sends. Not always in obvious ways. Often through people, moments, or interruptions we would overlook. This reflects a deeper truth: God mediates His presence through real, human encounters (CCC 1088).
So growth becomes less about seeking something new, and more about recognising what is already there.
Where you are placed.
Who is in front of you.
What you are being asked to respond to.
The difficulty is not that God is absent.
It is that His presence does not always look the way we expect.
One line to carry today:
Pay attention—God often meets you in what you would normally overlook.
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