Our Lady of Fatima

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Acts 18:1-8

After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.

There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pon­tus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, following a decree of the Emperor Claudius which ordered all Jews to leave Rome.

Paul went to visit them and then stayed and worked with them because they shared the same trade of tentmaking. Every Sab­bath he held discussions in the synagogue, trying to convince both Jews and Greeks.

When Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul was able to give himself wholly to preaching and proving to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. One day when they opposed him and insulted him, he shook the dust from his clothes in protest, saying, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. I am not to blame if from now on I go to the non-Jews.”

 So Paul left there and went to the house of a God-fearing man named Titus Justus who lived next door to the synagogue. A leading man of the sy­na­gogue, Crispus, along with his whole household, believed in the Lord. On hearing Paul, many more Corinthians believed and were baptized.

 

Ps 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4

The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

John 16:16-20

 A little while and you will see me no more; and then a little while, and you will see me.”  Some of the disciples wondered, “What does he mean by: ‘A little while and you will not see me, and then a little while and you will see me’? And why did he say: ‘I go to the Father’?” And they said to one another, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand.”

 Jesus knew that they wanted to question him; so he said to them, “You are puzzled be­cause I told you that in a little while you will see me no more, and then a little while later you will see me.  Truly, I say to you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy.

 

Gospel Reflection：

The hints of Jesus’ death and resurrection are thick in the air. Yet his disciples are clueless about it. They are still replete with the idea of grandeur and power when the Lord will finally reveal Himself as the long-awaited Messiah.

What they have in mind is a political Messiah. Someone who will liberate them from the yoke of foreign rule and give Israel the right for self-determination. The reality is that Jesus is the Messiah of all.

He will redeem humanity not by force and violence, striking down the wicked, but by dying on the cross and rising up again on the third day. That is why they are puzzled. When we do not speak on common ground, confusion sets in. The disciples are confused now. Everything will be clear after all that Jesus said regarding His fate will come to pass.