Saint Athanasius, whom we honor today.

Athanasius was born in Alexandria, in northern Egypt, in 293.

The fourth century bishop is known as “the father of orthodoxy” for his absolute dedication to the doctrine of Christ's divinity.

Arius taught that the Father created the Son, making the Son subordinate to the Father and neither co-eternal nor co-equal with Him.

Finally, at a Church council in Nicaea, called by the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great.

The Nicene Creed got it right, and today’s saint made sure of it.

 

  

St. Athanasius, bishop & doctor

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Acts 15:7-21

As the discussions

Became heated, Peter stood up and said to them, "Brothers, you know that from the beginning, God chose me among you, so that non-Jews could hear the Good News from me, and believe. God, who can read hearts, put himself on their side, by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He made no distinction between us and them, and cleansed their hearts through faith. So, why do you want to put God to the test? Why do you lay on the disciples a burden that neither our ancestors nor we, ourselves, were able to carry? We believe, indeed, that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they are."

 

The whole assembly kept silent as they listened to Paul and Barnabas tell of all the miraculous signs and wonders that God had done, through them, among the non-Jews.

After they had finished, James spoke up, "Listen to me, brothers. Symeon has just explained how God first showed his care, by taking a people for himself from non-Jewish nations. And the words of the prophets agree with this, for Scripture says, After this I will return and rebuild the booth of David which has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins and set it up again. Then, the rest of humanity will look for the Lord, and all the nations will be consecrated to my Name. So says the Lord, who does today what he decided from the beginning.

 

Because of this, I think that we should not make difficulties for those non-Jews who are turning to God. Let us just tell them, not to eat food that is unclean from having been offered to idols; to keep themselves from prohibited marriages; and not to eat the flesh of animals that have been strangled; or any blood. For, from the earliest times, Moses has been taught in every place, and every Sabbath his laws are recalled."

 

Ps 96:1-2a, 2b-3, 10 Proclaim God's marvelous deeds to all the nations.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊      John 15:9-11

As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Remain in my love! You will remain in my love if you keep my commandments, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain in his love.

I have told you all this, that my own joy may be in you, and your joy may be complete.

 

Gospel Reflection ：

"Remain in His love."

Many times, we tend to confuse true joy with fleeting enjoyment. On the one hand, true joy is felt from within when we know that we have given ourselves to others in the name of love, which is one of the truest realities in life. On the other hand, momentary enjoyment is external, fleeting, and incomplete, and which on the contrary, can blur our perception of our true selves.

 

We aspire to attain the true joy, the complete joy, the joy that Jesus offers us in the name of pure love. In today's Gospel, Jesus invited his disciples to remain in his love. Jesus first let them experience his love all throughout the time that they were together. Now then, in today's Gospel passage, Jesus called them to remain in the love they experienced with him.

 

Jesus shared with them his love. If they would remain in Jesus' love, Jesus would also share with them his joy – the joy that would complete the joy of his disciples. The only way to experience complete joy is to abide by the love with which Jesus has loved us.