Response with Patience and Peace

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to rethink and rework those situations in which we sense a negative response rising toward others with patience and peace.

Act with Peace and Patience 

The Reading from the Acts of the Apostles describes Paul and Silas' Deliverance from Prison.

* [16:11–40] The church at Philippi became a flourishing community to which Paul addressed one of his letters (see Introduction to the Letter to the Philippians). (Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 16 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 138 is a thanksgiving to God, who came to the rescue of the psalmist.

* [Psalm 138] A thanksgiving to God, who came to the rescue of the psalmist. Divine rescue was not the result of the psalmist’s virtues but of God’s loving fidelity (Ps 138:1–3). The act is not a private transaction but a public act that stirs the surrounding nations to praise God’s greatness and care for the people (Ps 138:4–6). The psalmist, having experienced salvation, trusts that God will always be there in moments of danger (Ps 138:7–8). (Psalms, PSALM 138 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of John proclaims Jesus’ Departure and the Coming of the Advocate.

* [16:5] Not one of you asks me: the difficulty of reconciling this with Simon Peter’s question in Jn 13:36 and Thomas’ words in Jn 14:5 strengthens the supposition that the last discourse has been made up of several collections of Johannine material.

* [16:8–11] These verses illustrate the forensic character of the Paraclete’s role: in the forum of the disciples’ conscience he prosecutes the world. He leads believers to see (a) that the basic sin was and is refusal to believe in Jesus; (b) that, although Jesus was found guilty and apparently died in disgrace, in reality righteousness has triumphed, for Jesus has returned to his Father; (c) finally, that it is the ruler of this world, Satan, who has been condemned through Jesus’ death (Jn 12:32). (John, CHAPTER 16 | USCCB, n.d.)

David Crawford asks if we did think of the jailer, would our first impulse be to save him or would we think, “Not my problem.” Or, “He had it coming. Payback!” Maybe we would lump him in with the larger group of Philippians who were responsible for the suffering and imprisonment: “This will teach them to mess with us and our God!” In other words, how many of us would adopt a “me first, them last” attitude?

Christ calls us to love our neighbors and our enemies, in times of crisis – such as Paul and Silas experienced – and in everyday life. As Christians, we often may not be aware of how easily we succumb to the temptation NOT to love those before us. Think of times when we are in a store, frustrated that staff won’t make an exception to a policy in our favor. When we think of those individuals first, we realize that they are not the ones who made the policy, that they would probably lose their job for making the exception, and that berating them makes us hateful and them miserable. The temptations to unlovingness pop up in the political arena, the workplace, at sporting events, in social media, even at church. The temptations may be greater when we are frightened or threatened. Yet it is in those moments that Paul and Silas prayed, praised God, and extended God’s love to others. In those moments of temptation, may the Holy Spirit move in us to color all we do with love and mercy so that others are drawn to Christ, so that God is glorified. 

They Will Know We Are Christians by Our Love (Crawford, 2026)

 Don Schwager quotes “Whatever is not of faith is sin,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"When the Lord said of the Holy Spirit, 'He shall convict the world of sin,' he meant unbelief. For this is what he meant when he said, 'Of sin because they believed not on me.' And he means the same when he says, 'If I had not come and spoken to them, they should not have sin.' (John 15:22). He was not talking about [a time] before they had no sin. Rather, he wanted to indicate that very lack of faith by which they did not believe him even when he was present to them and speaking to them. These were the people who belonged to 'the prince of the power of the air, who now works in the children of unbelief' (Ephesians 2:2). Therefore those in whom there is no faith are the children of the devil because they have nothing in their inner being that would cause them to be forgiven for whatever is committed either by human infirmity, ignorance or any evil will whatever. But the children of God are those who certainly, if they should 'say that they have no sin, deceive themselves, and the truth is not in them,' but immediately (as it continues) 'when they confess their sins' (which the children of the devil do not do, or do not do according to the faith which is peculiar to the children of God), 'he is faithful and just to forgive them their sins and to cleanse them from all unrighteousness'" (1 John 1:9). (excerpt from AGAINST TWO LETTERS OF THE PELAGIANS 3.4) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Acts 16:22-34 comments that today’s reading shows us that suffering can be redeemed, even in the hardest of times. It can become fertile ground where virtues like patience, hope, and even joy can grow. If we try to stay close to the Lord during these times, our sufferings won’t just strengthen our own faith; they’ll also draw other people to deepen their relationship with the Lord.

This is easier said than done, but every time we take just one step closer to Jesus in the midst of hardships, he takes a thousand steps closer to us. He not only comforts and strengthens us, but he finds a way to bring good from it. So never doubt the goodness of the Lord, even in the hardest times!

“Jesus, reach out to all who are suffering right now. Help them and their loved ones to find you today.” (Meditation on Acts 16:22-34, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that in Acts, Paul and Silas made a mistake healing a slave who had been a source of income to an influential family. The next morning, Paul, as a Roman Citizen, had rights to be heard in court. Paul and Silas remain in the cell after the earthquake. The jailer takes them to his home and is received with baptism. God uses all circumstances for good. The discourse in the Gospel of John identifies the “world” as that part of reality that has rejected the Gospel message. The “sin” is to not believe in the Son of God, in John. Jesus shows His righteousness going to Father. Condemnation is by Jesus death of the ruler of this “world”. Friar Jude notes Satan has been convicted by an act of love not violence. This demonstrates how much Jesus loves us.

Father Richard Rohr, OFM, recounts the work of Theologian Matthew Fox who describes Julian of Norwich as a mystic for our times. He highlighted her writings during the COVID-19 pandemic, living as she did through the Black Death (bubonic plague). He writes:

What is remarkable about her life and teaching is that instead of yielding to despair or blame, she sought out in depth the goodness of life and creation. Indeed, she established her entire worldview on this sense of goodness and the sacred marriage of grace and nature, a sense of God-in-nature. [2] (Rohr, n.d.)

Julian’s teachings are encouragement for our time:

Our sister and ancestor Julian is eager not only to speak to us today but to shout at us—albeit in a gentle way—to wake up and to go deep, to face the darkness and to dig down and find goodness, joy and awe. And to go to work to defend Mother Earth and all her creatures, stripping ourselves of racism, sexism, nationalisms, anthropocentrism, sectarianism—anything that interferes with our greatness as human beings. And to connect anew to the sacredness of life. [3] (Rohr, n.d.)

We seek the Spirit of Peace to guide our response from anger and dramatic overreaction to peace, understanding, and gratitude for the opportunity to transform relationships.

References

Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 16 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 12, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/16 

Crawford, D. (2026, May 12). Daily Reflection May 12, 2026 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved May 12, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-may-12-2026 

John, CHAPTER 16 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 12, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/16 

Meditation on Acts 16:22-34. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved May 12, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/05/12/1562666/ 

Psalms, PSALM 138 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 12, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/138 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). A Mystic Who Suffered. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved May 12, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/a-mystic-who-suffered/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). I Will Send the Counselor to You. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved May 12, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

Deliverance from Condemnation

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary invites us to ponder our attitude to sin, righteousness and condemnation and invoke the Advocate in our exploration of the Love of God.

Sin, Righteousness and Condemnation

The Reading from the Acts of the Apostles presents the Deliverance from Prison of Paul and Silas.

* [16:11–40] The church at Philippi became a flourishing community to which Paul addressed one of his letters (see Introduction to the Letter to the Philippians). (Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 16, n.d.)

Psalm 138 is a thanksgiving to God.

* [Psalm 138] A thanksgiving to God, who came to the rescue of the psalmist. Divine rescue was not the result of the psalmist’s virtues but of God’s loving fidelity (Ps 138:1–3). The act is not a private transaction but a public act that stirs the surrounding nations to praise God’s greatness and care for the people (Ps 138:4–6). The psalmist, having experienced salvation, trusts that God will always be there in moments of danger (Ps 138:7–8). (Psalms, PSALM 138, n.d.)

In the Gospel of John, Jesus reveals His Departure and the Coming of the Advocate.

* [16:5] Not one of you asks me: the difficulty of reconciling this with Simon Peter’s question in Jn 13:36 and Thomas’ words in Jn 14:5 strengthens the supposition that the last discourse has been made up of several collections of Johannine material.

* [16:8–11] These verses illustrate the forensic character of the Paraclete’s role: in the forum of the disciples’ conscience he prosecutes the world. He leads believers to see (a) that the basic sin was and is refusal to believe in Jesus; (b) that, although Jesus was found guilty and apparently died in disgrace, in reality righteousness has triumphed, for Jesus has returned to his Father; (c) finally, that it is the ruler of this world, Satan, who has been condemned through Jesus’ death (Jn 12:32). (John, CHAPTER 16, n.d.)

Tamora Whitney asserts that the truth and what is right are above unjust laws and orders.

In the Gospel Jesus is preparing his disciples for his departure, but they are having a hard time with it. They are grieving the loss of their friend and teacher. Of course they will miss him. A lot. They want him to stay with them. But he says, the truth is, they will be better off that he is gone. He will go to prepare a place for us all, and he will send down the Holy Spirit to help the righteous on the right path, and condemn those who continue in sin and false ways. (Whitney, 2025)

Don Schwager quotes “Whatever is not of faith is sin,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"When the Lord said of the Holy Spirit, 'He shall convict the world of sin,' he meant unbelief. For this is what he meant when he said, 'Of sin because they believed not on me.' And he means the same when he says, 'If I had not come and spoken to them, they should not have sin.' (John 15:22). He was not talking about [a time] before they had no sin. Rather, he wanted to indicate that very lack of faith by which they did not believe him even when he was present to them and speaking to them. These were the people who belonged to 'the prince of the power of the air, who now works in the children of unbelief' (Ephesians 2:2). Therefore those in whom there is no faith are the children of the devil because they have nothing in their inner being that would cause them to be forgiven for whatever is committed either by human infirmity, ignorance or any evil will whatever. But the children of God are those who certainly, if they should 'say that they have no sin, deceive themselves, and the truth is not in them,' but immediately (as it continues) 'when they confess their sins' (which the children of the devil do not do, or do not do according to the faith which is peculiar to the children of God), 'he is faithful and just to forgive them their sins and to cleanse them from all unrighteousness'" (1 John 1:9). (excerpt from AGAINST TWO LETTERS OF THE PELAGIANS 3.4) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Acts 16:22-34 comments that we can work to develop this same habit of gratitude. Like anything we do, giving thanks and praise is something we can get better at. So practice it today, even in life’s ordinary moments. Thank the Lord for a beautiful sunrise, or for a short wait at the doctor’s office, or for the smiling clerk at your favorite store. Look for the Holy Spirit’s presence in these situations and praise God. Then, like Paul and Silas, we will be more likely to give thanks to God even in the more difficult moments.

As you keep doing this, you will find the “prison doors” inside your heart opening. Any chains of fear and anxiety that you may struggle with will fall away, and you will be loosed from the shackles of resentment or bitterness that hold you bound.

“Lord, teach me to be thankful in every circumstance!” (Meditation on Acts 16:22-34, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the Acts reading where Paul and Silas are beaten and in jail and are freed by an earthquake. Paul includes the jailer and his family and they are baptized. This may be a record supporting infant baptism In John 16. Jesus continues the Last Supper Discourse. Friar Jude reminds us of the grief of the disciples and the assertion in John’s Gospel that the one sin is not to believe in the Son, Jesus reveals who God is and what God wants of us.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Spiritual writer Ruth Haley Barton who explores the necessity of doing our shadow work through the story of Moses, who was born into a Hebrew family and raised by the Egyptian pharaoh’s daughter (see Exodus 2:1–15). Barton invites us to consider how silence might help us respond when we are trapped in reactive patterns.

That one glimpse of the destructive power of his raw and unrefined leadership was so frightening to Moses that he fled into solitude…. He said, in effect, “This part of me, if left as it is, will be no good for anyone.” Yes, he ran because he was afraid of Pharaoh, but oftentimes it is the fear of being found out or the actual experience of being found out that alerts us to what lies beneath. It actually places us on the path of self-discovery and (hopefully) forces us to do whatever work we need to do to take more responsibility for the dark forces that have propelled our bad behavior…. (Rohr, n.d.)

We may experience our imprisonment to patterns and behaviours about which we can seek the help of the Advocate to enlighten our journey to deeper understanding of “Who God is” and “What God asks of us”.

References

Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 16. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved May 27, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/16?22 

John, CHAPTER 16. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved May 27, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/16?5 

Meditation on Acts 16:22-34. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved May 27, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/05/27/1285205/ 

Psalms, PSALM 138. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved May 27, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/138?1 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Surprised by Our Shadow. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved May 27, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/surprised-by-our-shadow/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). I Will Send the Counselor to You. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved May 27, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=may27 

Whitney, T. (2025, May 27). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved May 27, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/052725.html 

Sin Righteousness and Judgement

 

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to contemplate truths revealed through the Spirit in our relationship with Christ.

Revealed by the Spirit

 

The reading from the Acts of the Apostles details Paul and Silas' deliverance from prison and rejoicing that the jailor had become a believer in God.

 

* [16:11–40] The church at Philippi became a flourishing community to which Paul addressed one of his letters (see Introduction to the Letter to the Philippians).1

Psalm 138 offers thanksgiving and praise to God.

 * [Psalm 138] A thanksgiving to God, who came to the rescue of the psalmist. Divine rescue was not the result of the psalmist’s virtues but of God’s loving fidelity (Ps 138:1–3). The act is not a private transaction but a public act that stirs the surrounding nations to praise God’s greatness and care for the people (Ps 138:4–6). The psalmist, having experienced salvation, trusts that God will always be there in moments of danger (Ps 138:7–8).2

In the Gospel of John, Jesus prepares the disciples for his departure and the coming of the Advocate.

 

* [16:8–11] These verses illustrate the forensic character of the Paraclete’s role: in the forum of the disciples’ conscience he prosecutes the world. He leads believers to see (a) that the basic sin was and is refusal to believe in Jesus; (b) that, although Jesus was found guilty and apparently died in disgrace, in reality righteousness has triumphed, for Jesus has returned to his Father; (c) finally, that it is the ruler of this world, Satan, who has been condemned through Jesus’ death (Jn 12:32).3

Nicky Santos, S.J. comments that the Spirit would enable the world to see that Jesus’ claim of his relationship to the Father was true, thereby, silencing the critics and exposing as the ultimate sin, their unwillingness to believe.

 

In many ways, this ultimate sin continues to be present even in our day. There is still an unwillingness to open ourselves to the vision of life that Jesus gives us; a vision of God’s unconditional love for us and of our intricate interconnected-ness with each other and with the physical environment. We fail to treat one another as sisters and brothers as evidenced by racism, human trafficking, etc. And we fail to relate to the environment with care, instead exploiting and polluting it. As, followers of Jesus, it is our task, inspired and guided by the Spirit, that we make that vision of life that Jesus gives us a reality. And like in the case of Jesus, this might mean laying down our life. But like Paul and Silas in the first reading, we can be assured that the Holy Spirit will give us the strength to do so.4

Don Schwager quotes “Whatever is not of faith is sin,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

 

"When the Lord said of the Holy Spirit, 'He shall convict the world of sin,' he meant unbelief. For this is what he meant when he said, 'Of sin because they believed not on me.' And he means the same when he says, 'If I had not come and spoken to them, they should not have sin.' (John 15:22). He was not talking about [a time] before they had no sin. Rather, he wanted to indicate that very lack of faith by which they did not believe him even when he was present to them and speaking to them. These were the people who belonged to 'the prince of the power of the air, who now works in the children of unbelief' (Ephesians 2:2). Therefore those in whom there is no faith are the children of the devil because they have nothing in their inner being that would cause them to be forgiven for whatever is committed either by human infirmity, ignorance or any evil will whatever. But the children of God are those who certainly, if they should 'say that they have no sin, deceive themselves, and the truth is not in them,' but immediately (as it continues) 'when they confess their sins' (which the children of the devil do not do, or do not do according to the faith which is peculiar to the children of God), 'he is faithful and just to forgive them their sins and to cleanse them from all unrighteousness'" (1 John 1:9). (excerpt from AGAINST TWO LETTERS OF THE PELAGIANS 3.4)5

The Word Among Us Meditation on John 16:5-11 asks isn’t it comforting to know that Jesus doesn’t minimize our difficulties? Isn’t it inspiring to hear that he has sent us the Spirit to help keep grief from completely overwhelming our hearts? That’s exactly what the Spirit has come to do: to give us a heavenly perspective so that we can still perceive how God is working in the people around us who are suffering and in the difficult situations we ourselves face.

 

“I have told you all these things,” Jesus tells us, “but don’t focus only on them. Ask my Spirit to help you focus on what I am doing as well.” When you are in the middle of a crisis, try to open yourself to a bigger picture than the immediate problem right in front of you. It may seem hard, but take a moment or two to look for signs of the Spirit. Is he inviting you to trust him more deeply in this challenge? Is he asking you to surrender a situation or a loved one into his hands? Or maybe he wants you to take another courageous step forward in faith.6

Friar Jude Winkler shares the backstory to the arrest of Paul and Silas. It is not clear why Jesus must go away for the Advocate to arrive. Friar Jude reminds us of the sin in John’s Gospel to not believe in Jesus, Son of God.

 

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Carl McColman who has written many accessible books on spirituality, the mystics, and contemplative prayer. McColman explores a biblical book of “bridal mysticism” and also offers an example of a modern mystic who experienced this kind of union with God.

 Elizabeth of the Trinity [1880–1906] serves as a wonderful modern example of a bridal mystic. She entered the Carmelite order at age twenty-one and died only a few years later, but her legacy of letters and other writings reveals a deep sense of God’s presence in her life, a presence luminous with love. As she wrote in one of her letters, “I feel so much love over my soul, it is like an Ocean I immerse and lose myself in: it is my vision on earth while waiting for the face-to-face vision in light. [God] is in me, I am in Him. I have only to love Him, to let myself be loved, all the time, through all things: to wake in Love, to move in Love, to sleep in Love, my Soul in His Soul, my heart in His Heart, my eyes in His eyes . . . .” [1] Elizabeth prayed that God would make her soul his heaven. In doing so, she recognized the heart of the mystery: that heaven is not just a place we go after we die, it is a state into which we are invited now.7

Our faith in Jesus as Son is revealed by the Spirit that exposes the lies and deceptions in the world.

 

References

 

1	(n.d.). Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 16 | USCCB. Retrieved May 11, 2021, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/16
2	(n.d.). Psalms, PSALM 138 | USCCB. Retrieved May 11, 2021, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/138
3	(n.d.). John, CHAPTER 16 | USCCB. Retrieved May 11, 2021, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/16
4	(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections - Online .... Retrieved May 11, 2021, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/051121.html
5	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved May 11, 2021, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/
6	(n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved May 11, 2021, from https://wau.org/meditations/2021/05/11/188885/
7	(n.d.). Mystical Marriage Archives — Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved May 11, 2021, from https://cac.org/themes/mystical-marriage/