References:
First Reading: (Acts 13:44–52)
Responsorial Psalm: (Psalm 98)
Response: All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Acclamation Alleluia: (John 8:31–32)
Alleluia, alleluia.
If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples,
and you will know the truth, says the Lord.
Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel: (John 14:7–14)
Reflection:
The readings from today draws its strength from the First Reading (Acts 13:44–52), and the message is clear and direct:
Be resolute in doing good, even in the face of evil opposition.
We are presented with two contrasting forces:
the jealousy of the Jews and the steadfastness of Paul and Barnabas.
The Jews, seeing the crowds gathering around Paul and Barnabas, became filled with jealousy. And jealousy, if not checked, is never passive. It grows, it distorts, and it corrupts. It led them not only to reject the truth, but to actively oppose it, contradicting, reviling, and even spreading falsehoods.
This is the danger of jealousy: it blinds us to truth and goodness in others.
Paul was preaching truth. Souls were being saved. Lives were being transformed. But instead of rejoicing in this good, the Jews saw it as a threat. Why? Because they began to see Paul not as a co-worker in God’s vineyard, but as a competitor.
And once someone becomes a competitor in your mind, you begin to justify actions you would normally condemn, gossip, slander, manipulation, even character assassination. Do you see this at your work place?
Let us bring this closer to our own lives.
How often have we felt uncomfortable at another person’s success?
How often have we spoken negatively about someone, not because they were wrong, but because they were doing well?
How often have we tried, subtly or openly, to discredit others just to elevate ourselves?
If we are honest, we will recognize that jealousy often hides behind comparison.
But the Gospel today (John 14:7–14) reminds us of something deeper:
our identity and worth are rooted in Christ. There is no need for rivalry when we are united in Him. “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father,” Jesus says. In Him, we already have fullness.
Now, look at the response of Paul and Barnabas.
They did not retaliate.
They did not waste time defending themselves.
They did not abandon their mission.
Instead, they did two powerful things:
1. They remained focused on their mission
They continued preaching. They did not allow negativity to distract them from their calling.
My friends, this is a lesson for us:
We should not stop doing good because others choose to do evil.
Sometimes people provoke you so that you abandon your purpose. If you stop, they succeed. So do not stop.
We must focus on our assignment.
We must focus on our goodness.
We must focus on what God has entrusted to us.
2. They walked away when necessary
When persecution intensified, they left. Not out of fear, but out of wisdom.
There are battles we are not called to fight.
There are environments we are not called to remain in.
Walking away is not weakness, it is pure discernment.
And what happened after they left?
“The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.”
Even in rejection, there was joy. Even in opposition, there was growth.
We had missionaries of age, they were great defenders of the faith. The were exiled, suffered greatly. And yet, they never abandoned the truth. Their lives echoes the same message: Stand firm. Do not compromise. Do not give up.
In this world, we will not always celebrate goodness of others.
Sometimes it is resisted. Sometimes it is attacked senselessly.
But our call is not to win approval, our call is to remain faithful.
So:
When others gossip → do good
When others envy → do good
When others oppose → do good
And when necessary, walk away, but never walk away from our mission.
Let us be resolute in doing good, even in the face of grave evil oppositions.
God bless
Amen.
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