Saturday of the Third Week of Easter

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Acts 9:31-42

The Church throughout
all Judea and Galilee and Samaria
had peace and were built up.
She multiplied,
walking in the fear of the Lord
and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

As Peter went
throughout all those parts,
he came down also to the saints
who lived at Lydda.
There he found a human named Aeneas,
who had been bedridden for eight years,
because he was paralyzed.
Peter said to him,
“Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you.
Get up and make your bed!”
Immediately he arose.
All who lived at Lydda and in Sharon
saw him and turned to the Lord.

Now there was at Joppa
a certain disciple named Tabitha,
which translated means Dorcas.
This woman was full of good works
and acts of mercy which she did.
In those days, she fell sick, and died.
When they had washed her,
they laid her in an upper room.
As Lydda was near Joppa,
the disciples, hearing that Peter was there,
sent two men to him,
imploring him not to delay
in coming to them.
Peter got up and went with them.
When he had come,
they brought him into the upper room.
All the widows stood by him weeping,
and showing the coats and garments
which Dorcas had made
while she was with them.
Peter sent them all out,
and knelt down and prayed.
Turning to the body, he said,
“Tabitha, get up!”
She opened her eyes,
and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
He gave her his hand, and raised her up.
Calling the saints and widows,
he presented her alive.
And it became known
throughout all Joppa,
and many believed in the Lord.

Responsorial – Psalm 116.12-13, 14-15, 16-17 Resp. 12

R. What will I give to the Lord for all his benefits toward me? or R. Alleluia!

What will I give to the Lord
for all his benefits toward me?
I will take the cup of salvation,
and call on the Lord’s name.

R. What will I give to the Lord for all his benefits toward me? or R. Alleluia!

I will pay my vows to the Lord,
yes, in the presence of all his people.
Precious in the sight of the Lord
is the death of his saints.

R. What will I give to the Lord for all his benefits toward me? or R. Alleluia!

O Lord, truly I am your servant.
I am your servant, the son of your handmaid.
You have freed me from my chains.
I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and will call on the name of the Lord.

R. What will I give to the Lord for all his benefits toward me? or R. Alleluia!

Gospel – John 6.60-69

Many of Jesus’ disciples,
when they heard this, said,
“This is a hard saying! Who can listen to it?”
But Jesus knowing in himself
that his disciples murmured at this,
said to them,
“Does this scandalize you?
Then what if you were to see
the Son of Human ascending
to where he was before?
It is the Spirit who gives life.
The flesh profits nothing.
The words that I speak to you
are Spirit and life.
But there are some of you
who do not believe.”
For Jesus knew from the beginning
who did not believe,
and who it was who would betray him.
He said, “For this cause have I said to you
that no one can come to me,
unless it is given to them by my Father.”

At this, many of his disciples went back,
and walked no more with him.
Jesus said therefore to the Twelve,
“You do not also want to go away, do you?”
Simon Peter answered him,
“Lord, to whom would we go?
You have the words of eternal life.
We have come to believe and know
that you are the Christ,
the Son of the living God.”