Wednesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time (II)

Official Translation

Reading 1 – 1 Peter 1.18-25

Beloved:
Know that you were redeemed,
not with corruptible things,
such as silver or gold,
from the useless way of life
handed down from your fathers,
but with precious Blood of Christ,
as of a faultless and pure lamb,
who was foreknown indeed
before the foundation of the world,
but was revealed at the end of times
for your sake,
you who through him are believers in God,
who raised him from the dead,
and gave him glory;
so that your faith and hope might be in God.

Seeing you have purified your souls
in your obedience to the truth
through the Spirit
in sincere brotherly affection,
love one another from the heart fervently:
having been born anew,
not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible,
through the word of God,
which lives and remains forever.

For, “All flesh is like grass,
and all glory like the flower in the grass.
The grass withers, and its flower wilts;
but the Lord’s word endures forever.”

This is the word of the Gospel for you.

Responsorial – Psalm 147.12-13, 14-15, 19-20 Resp. 12a

R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem! or R. Alleluia!

Praise the Lord, Jerusalem!
Praise your God, Zion!
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates.
He has blessed your children within you.

R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem! or R. Alleluia!

He makes peace in your borders.
He fills you with the finest of the wheat.
15 He sends out his commandment to the earth.
His word runs very swiftly.

R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem! or R. Alleluia!

He shows his word to Jacob;
his statutes and his ordinances to Israel.
He has not done this for any other nation.
They do not know his ordinances. Alleluia!

R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem! or R. Alleluia!

Gospel – Mark 10.32-45

They were on the way,
going up to Jerusalem;
and Jesus was going in front of them,
and they were amazed;
and those who followed were afraid.

He again took the Twelve,
and began to tell them the things
that were going to happen to him.
“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem.
The Son of Man will be delivered
to the chief priests and the scribes.
They will condemn him to death,
and will deliver him to the Gentiles.
They will mock him, spit on him,
scourge him, and kill him.
On the third day he will rise again.”

James and John, the sons of Zebedee,
came near to him, saying,
“Teacher, we want you to do for us
whatever we will ask.”
He said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?”
They said to him,
“Grant to us that we may sit,
one at your right hand, and one at your left hand,
in your glory.”

But Jesus said to them,
“You do not know what you are asking.
Are you able to drink the chalice that I drink,
and to be baptized with the baptism
that I am baptized with?”
They said to him, “We are able.”
Jesus said to them,
“You shall indeed drink the chalice that I drink,
and you shall be baptized with the baptism
that I am baptized with;
but to sit at my right hand and at my left hand
is not mine to give,
but for whom it has been prepared.”

When the ten heard it,
they began to be indignant towards James and John.
Jesus summoned them, and said to them,
“You know that they who are recognized as
rulers over the Gentiles
lord it over them
and their great ones exercise authority over them.
But it shall not be so among you,
but whoever wants to become great among you
shall be your servant.
Whoever of you wants to become first among you,
shall be the slave of all.
For the Son of Man did not come to be served,
but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Tuesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time (II)

Official Translation

Reading 1 – 1 Peter 1.10-16

Beloved:
Concerning this salvation,
the prophets sought and searched diligently,
those who prophesied
of the grace that would come to you,
searching for who or what kind of time
the Spirit of Christ in them pointed to,
when it predicted the sufferings of Christ,
and the glories that would follow them.

To them it was revealed,
that not to themselves, but to you,
they ministered these things,
which now have been announced to you
through those who preached the Gospel to you
by the Holy Spirit sent out from heaven;
which things angels desire to look into.

Therefore gird the loins of your mind,
be sober and set your hope
fully on the grace that will be brought to you
at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
As children of obedience,
not conforming yourselves
to your former lusts as in your ignorance,
but as he who called you is holy,
you yourselves also be holy in all of your behavior;
for it is written, “Be holy; for I am holy.”

Responsorial – Psalm 98.1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4 Resp. 2a

R. The Lord has made known his salvation.

Sing to the Lord a new song,
because he has done wonderful things.
His right hand has saved,
and his holy arm.

R. The Lord has made known his salvation.

The Lord has made known his salvation.
he has revealed his justice in the sight of the nations.
He has remembered his mercy and his fidelity
toward the house of Israel.

R. The Lord has made known his salvation.

All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to God, all the earth;
make melody, rejoice and sing.

R. The Lord has made known his salvation.

Gospel – Mark 10.28-31

Peter began to tell Jesus “Behold, we have left all, and have followed you.”
Jesus said, “Amen I tell you, there is no one
who has left house, or brothers, or sisters,
or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or land,
for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel,
but they will receive one hundred times more now in this time:
houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and land, with persecutions;
and in the age to come eternal life.
But many who are first will be last; and the last first.”

Monday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time (II)

Official Translation

Reading 1 - 1 Peter 1.3-9

Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who according to his great mercy
rebegot us to a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ
from the dead
to an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance
that does not fade away,
reserved in Heaven for you,
who by the power of God
are guarded through faith
for a salvation ready to be revealed
in the last time.

In this you greatly rejoice,
though now for a little while,
if necessary,
you have been put to grief in various trials,
that the proof of your faith,
which is more precious than gold
(which perishes even though it is tested by fire)
may be found to result in
praise, glory, and honor
at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Not having known him, you love;
though now you do not see him,
yet believing, you rejoice greatly
with joy unspeakable and full of glory
receiving the result of your faith,
the salvation of your souls.

Responsorial – Psalm 111.1-2, 5-6, 9+10c Resp. 5

R. The Lord always remembers his covenant. or R. Alleluia!

I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
in the council of the upright, and in the congregation.
The Lord’s works are great,
pondered by all who delight in them.

R. The Lord always remembers his covenant. or R. Alleluia!

He has given food to those who fear him.
He always remembers his covenant.
He has shown his people the power of his works,
in giving them the heritage of the nations.

R. The Lord always remembers his covenant. or R. Alleluia!

He has sent redemption to his people.
He has ordained his covenant forever.
His name is holy and awesome!
His praise endures forever!

R. The Lord always remembers his covenant. or R. Alleluia!

Gospel – Mark 10.17-27

As Jesus was going out on the way, someone ran to him and knelt before him,
and asked him, “Good Teacher,what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”
Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good if not one: God.
You know the commandments:
‘Do not murder,’
‘Do not commit adultery,’
‘Do not steal,’
‘Do not give false testimony,’
‘Do not defraud,’
‘Honor your father and mother.’”

He said to him, “Teacher, I have observed all these things from my youth.”
Jesus looking at him loved him, and said to him,
“One thing you lack. Go, sell whatever you have and give to the poor,
and you will have treasure in heaven; and come follow me.”

But his face darkened at that saying, and he went away sorrowful,
for he was one who had great possessions.
Jesus looked around, and said to his disciples,
“How difficult it is for those who have riches to enter into the Kingdom of God!”
The disciples were amazed at his words.
But Jesus answered again,
“Children, how hard it is to enter into the Kingdom of God!
It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle
than for someone rich to enter into the Kingdom of God.”
They were exceedingly astonished, saying to him, “Then who can be saved?”
Jesus, looking at them, said,
“With humans it is impossible, but not with God, for all things are possible with God.”

Pentecost Sunday during the Day (B)

Official Translation

(I will clean up these readings later tonight, but I just wanted to get them out now.)

Reading 1 – Acts 2.1-11

1 Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 Suddenly there came from the sky a sound like the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 Tongues like fire appeared and were distributed to them, and one sat on each of them. 4 They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak. 5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under the sky. 6 When this sound was heard, the multitude came together, and were bewildered, because everyone heard them speaking in his own language. 7 They were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Behold, aren’t all these who speak Galileans? 8 How do we hear, everyone in our own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, 10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the parts of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabians: we hear them speaking in our languages the mighty works of God!”

Responsorial – Psalm 104:1+24, 31+34, 29-30 Resp. 30

R. Lord, send out your Spirit; renew the face of the earth. or R. Alleluia!

Bless the Lord, my soul.
Lord, my God, you are very great.
O Lord, how many are your works!
The earth is full of your riches.

R. Lord, send out your Spirit; renew the face of the earth. or R. Alleluia!

Let the Lord’s glory endure forever.
Let the Lord rejoice in his works.
Let your meditation be sweet to him.
I will rejoice in the Lord.

R. Lord, send out your Spirit; renew the face of the earth. or R. Alleluia!

You take away their breath: they die,
and return to the dust.
You send out your Spirit and they are created.
You renew the face of the earth.

R. Lord, send out your Spirit; renew the face of the earth. or R. Alleluia!

Reading 2 – 1 Corinthians 12.3b-7, 12-13

Brothers and sisters:
No one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” but by the Holy Spirit. 4 Now there are various kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 There are various kinds of service, and the same Lord. 6 There are various kinds of workings, but the same God, who works all things in all. 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the profit of all.

For as the body is one, and has many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all given to drink into one Spirit.

Or Galatians 5.16-25

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, that you may not do the things that you desire. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious, which are: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies, 21 envyings, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; of which I forewarn you, even as I also forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,* 23 gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let’s also walk by the Spirit.

Gospel – John 20.19-23

When therefore it was evening, on that day,
the first day of the week,
and when the doors were locked
where the disciples were assembled,
for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood in the middle,
and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

When he had said this,
he showed them his hands and his side.
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.”
When he had said this,
he breathed on them, and said to them,
“Receive the Holy Spirit!
Whosoever’s sins you forgive, are forgiven them.
Whosoever’s you retain are retained.”

Or John 15.26-27; 16.12-15

Jesus said to his disciples:
“When the Paraclete has come,
whom I will send to you from the Father,
the Spirit of truth,
who proceeds from the Father,
he will testify about me.
You will also testify,
because you have been
with me from the beginning.”

“I have yet many things to tell you,
but you cannot bear them now.
However when he, the Spirit of truth, has come,
he will guide you into all truth,
for he will not speak from himself;
but whatever he hears, he will speak.
He will declare to you things that are coming.
He will glorify me,
for he will take from what is mine,
and will declare it to you.
All things whatever the Father has are mine;
therefore I said that he takes of mine,
and will declare it to you.”

Pentecost Sunday Vigil -

Official Translation

(I will clean up these readings later tonight, but I just wanted to get them out now.)

Reading 1 – Genesis 11.1-9

1 The whole earth was of one language and of one speech. 2 As they traveled east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they lived there. 3 They said to one another, “Come, let’s make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar. 4 They said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top reaches to the sky, and let’s make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad on the surface of the whole earth.”
5 the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men built. 6 the Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is what they begin to do. Now nothing will be withheld from them, which they intend to do. 7 Come, let’s go down, and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” 8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from there on the surface of all the earth. They stopped building the city. 9 Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth. From there, the Lord scattered them abroad on the surface of all the earth.

Or Exodus 19.3-8a, 16-20b

Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him out of the mountain, saying, “This is what you shall tell the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: 4 ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to myself. 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice, and keep my covenant, then you shall be my own possession from among all peoples; for all the earth is mine; 6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”
7 Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which the Lord commanded him. 8 All the people answered together, and said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do.”

Or Ezekiel 37.1-14

1 The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out in the Lord’s Spirit, and set me down in the middle of the valley; and it was full of bones. 2 He caused me to pass by them all around: and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and behold, they were very dry. 3 He said to me, Son of man, can these bones live? I answered, Lord the Lord, you know. 4 Again he said to me, Prophesy over these bones, and tell them, you dry bones, hear the Lord’s word. 5 Thus says the Lord the Lord to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. 6 I will lay sinews on you, and will bring up flesh on you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord. 7 So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, an earthquake; and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8 I saw, and, behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh came up, and skin covered them above; but there was no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, Prophesy to the wind, prophesy, son of man, and tell the wind, Thus says the Lord the Lord: Come from the four winds, breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live. 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up on their feet, an exceedingly great army. 11 Then he said to me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are clean cut off. 12 Therefore prophesy, and tell them, Thus says the Lord the Lord: Behold, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, my people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel. 13 You shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, and caused you to come up out of your graves, my people. 14 I will put my Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land: and you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it and performed it, says the Lord.

Or Joel 3.1-5

Thus says the LORD:
1 “For, behold, in those days,
and in that time,
when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,
2 I will gather all nations,
and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat;
and I will execute judgment on them there for my people,
and for my heritage, Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations.
They have divided my land,
3 and have cast lots for my people,
and have given a boy for a prostitute,
and sold a girl for wine, that they may drink.
4 “Yes, and what are you to me, Tyre, and Sidon,
and all the regions of Philistia?
Will you repay me?
And if you repay me,
I will swiftly and speedily return your repayment on your own head.
5 Because you have taken my silver and my gold,
and have carried my finest treasures into your temples,

Responsorial – Psalm 104.1-2, 24+35b, 27-28, 29b+30 Resp. 30

R. Lord, send out your Spirit; renew the face of the earth. or R. Alleluia!

Bless the Lord, my soul.
Lord, my God, you are very great.
You are clothed with honor and majesty;
covered with light as with a garment.

R. Lord, send out your Spirit; renew the face of the earth. or R. Alleluia!

O Lord, how many are your works!
In wisdom have you made them all.
The earth is full of your riches.
Bless the Lord, my soul! Alleluia.

R. Lord, send out your Spirit; renew the face of the earth. or R. Alleluia!

These all wait for you,
that you may give them their food in due season.
You give to them; they gather.
You open your hand; they are satisfied with good.

R. Lord, send out your Spirit; renew the face of the earth. or R. Alleluia!

You take away their breath: they die,
and return to the dust.
You send out your Spirit and they are created.
You renew the face of the earth.

R. Lord, send out your Spirit; renew the face of the earth. or R. Alleluia!

Reading 2 – Romans 8.22-27

Brothers and sisters:
For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now. 23 Not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for adoption, the redemption of our body. 24 For we were saved in hope, but hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for that which he sees? 25 But if we hope for that which we don’t see, we wait for it with patience. 26 In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don’t know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can’t be uttered. 27 He who searches the hearts knows what is on the Spirit’s mind, because he makes intercession for the saints according to God.

Gospel – John 7.37-39

The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said to them, “What are you looking for?”
They said to him, “Rabbi” (which is to say, being interpreted, Teacher), “where are you staying?”
39 He said to them, “Come, and see.”
They came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about the tenth hour.

Friday of the Seventh Week of Easter

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Acts 25.13b-21

King Agrippa and Bernice
arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus.
As he stayed there many days,
Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying,
“There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix;
about whom, when I was at Jerusalem,
the chief priests and the elders of the Jews
informed me, asking for a judgment against him.
To whom I answered that
it is not the custom of the Romans
to give up any human to destruction,
before the accused
has met the accusers face to face,
and has had opportunity
to make their defense
concerning the matter laid against them.
When therefore they had come together here,
I did not delay but on the next day
sat on the judgment seat,
and commanded the man to be brought.
Concerning him, when the accusers stood up,
they brought no charge of
such wrongs as I supposed;
but had certain questions against him
about their own religion,
and about one Jesus, who was dead,
whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
Being perplexed how to inquire
concerning these things,
I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem
and there be judged concerning these matters.
But when Paul had appealed
to be kept for the decision of the emperor,
I commanded him to be kept
until I could send him to Caesar.”

Responsorial – Psalm 103.1-2, 11-12, 19-20ab Resp. 19a

R. The Lord has established his throne in the heavens. or R. Alleluia!

Praise the Lord, my soul!
All that is within me, praise his holy name!
Praise the Lord, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.

R. The Lord has established his throne in the heavens. or R. Alleluia!

For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so great is his loving kindness toward those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

R. The Lord has established his throne in the heavens. or R. Alleluia!

The Lord has established his throne in the heavens.
His kingdom rules over all.
Praise the Lord, you his angels,
who are mighty in strength, who fulfill his word.

R. The Lord has established his throne in the heavens. or R. Alleluia!

Gospel – John 21.15-19

After Jesus had revealed himself to his disciples,
when they had eaten their breakfast,
Jesus said to Simon Peter,
“Simon, son of John,
do you love me more than these?”
He said to him,
“Yes, Lord; you know that I have affection for you.”
He said to him, “Feed my lambs.”
He said to him again a second time,
“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
He said to him,
“Yes, Lord; you know that I have affection for you.”
He said to him, “Tend my sheep.”
He said to him the third time,
“Simon, son of John,
do you have affection for me?”
Peter was grieved because he asked him the third time,
“Do you have affection for me?”
He said to him, “Lord, you know everything.
You know that I have affection for you.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.
Amen, amen, I tell you,
when you were young,
you dressed yourself
and walked where you wanted to.
But when you are old,
you will stretch out your hands,
and another will dress you
and carry you where you do not want to go.”
Now he said this signifying
by what kind of death he would glorify God.
When he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.”

Thursday of the Seventh Week of Easter

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Acts 22.30; 23.6-11

Desiring to know the truth
about why Paul was accused by the Jews,
the commander freed him from the bonds,
and commanded the chief priests
and all the Sanhedrin to come together,
and brought Paul down and set him before them.

But when Paul perceived
that the one part were Sadducees
and the other Pharisees,
he cried out in the Sanhedrin,
“Men, brothers,
I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees.
Concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead
I am being judged!”
When he had said this,
an argument arose between
the Pharisees and Sadducees,
and the assembly was divided.
For the Sadducees say that
there is no resurrection,
nor angels, nor spirits;
but the Pharisees confess all of these.
A great clamor arose,
and some of the scribes
of the Pharisees’ party
stood up, and contended, saying,
“We find no evil in this human.
But if a spirit or angel has spoken to him,
let us not fight against God!”

When a great argument arose,
the commanding officer,
fearing that Paul would be torn in pieces by them,
commanded the soldiers to go down
and take him by force from among them,
and bring him into the barracks.

The following night,
the Lord stood by him, and said,
“Take courage, Paul,
for as you have testified about me in Jerusalem,
so you must testify also in Rome.”

Responsorial – Psalm 16:1-2a+5, 7-8, 9-10, 11 Resp. 1

R. Preserve me, God, for in you do I take refuge. or R. Alleluia.

Preserve me, God, for in you do I take refuge.
My soul, you have said to the Lord, “You are my Lord.”
The Lord assigned my portion and my cup.
You made my lot secure.

R. Preserve me, God, for in you do I take refuge. or R. Alleluia.

I will bless the Lord, who has given me counsel.
Yes, my heart instructs me in the night seasons.
I have set the Lord always before me.
Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

R. Preserve me, God, for in you do I take refuge. or R. Alleluia.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my tongue rejoices.
My body shall also dwell in safety.
For you will not leave my soul in Sheol,
nor will you allow your holy one to see corruption.

R. Preserve me, God, for in you do I take refuge. or R. Alleluia.

You will show me the path of life.
In your presence is fullness of joy.
In your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.

R. Preserve me, God, for in you do I take refuge. or R. Alleluia.

Gospel – John 17.20-26

Jesus, lifting up his eyes to heaven, said,
“Not for these alone do I pray,
but for those also
who believe in me
through their word,
that they may all be one;
even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you,
that they also may be one in us;
that the world may believe that you sent me.
The glory which you have given me,
I have given to them;
that they may be one, even as we are one;
I in them, and you in me,
that they may be perfected into one;
that the world may know that you sent me,
and loved them, even as you loved me.
Father, those given to me,
I wish that where I am,
they shall be with me,
that they may see the glory of mine,
which you have given me,
because you loved me
before the foundation of the world.
Righteous Father,
the world has not known you,
but I knew you;
and these knew that you sent me.
I made known to them your name,
and will make it known;
that the love with which you loved me
may be in them, and I in them.”

Wednesday of the Seventh Week of Easter

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Acts 20.28-38

At Miletus, Paul spoke to
the presbyters of the Church of Ephesus:
Closely hold yourselves
and all the flock,
of which the Holy Spirit
has made you overseers,
to shepherd the Church of God
which he purchased with his own blood.

I know that after my departure,
vicious wolves will come among you,
not sparing the flock.
And out from you yourselves,
there will arise men
speaking contortions,
to tear away the disciples after them.
Therefore stay awake,
remembering that
for a period of three years
I did not cease to admonish everyone
night and day with tears.

Now, I entrust you to God,
and to the word of his grace,
which is able to build up,
and to give you the inheritance
among all those who are sanctified.
I did not covet anyone’s
silver, or gold, or clothing.
You yourselves know that
these hands served my necessities,
and those who were with me.
In all things I gave you an example,
that so laboring you ought to help the weak,
and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus,
that he himself said,
‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

When he had spoken these things,
he knelt down and prayed with them all.
They all wept loudly,
and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him,
sorrowing most of all
because of the word which he had spoken,
that they should see his face no more.
And they accompanied him to the ship.

Responsorial – Psalm 68.29-30, 33-35a, 35bc-36ab Resp. 33a

R. Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth! or R. Alleluia!

Your God has commanded your strength.
Strengthen, God, that which you have done for us.
Because of your temple at Jerusalem,
kings shall bring presents to you.

R. Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth! or R. Alleluia!

Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth!
Sing praises to the Lord!
To him who rides on the heaven of heavens, which are of old;
behold, he utters his voice, a mighty voice.
Ascribe strength to God!

R. Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth! or R. Alleluia!

His excellency is over Israel,
his strength is in the skies.
You are awesome, God, in your sanctuaries, O God of Israel.
He gives strength and power to his people.

R. Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth! or R. Alleluia!

Gospel – John 17.11b-19

Jesus, lifting up his eyes to heaven, said,
“Holy Father,
keep them in your name
which you have given me,
that they may be one,
even as we are one.
While I was with them in the world,
I kept them in your name,
which you gave me.
I have kept them,
and none of them is lost,
except the son of destruction,
that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
But now I am coming to you,
and I say these things in the world,
that they may have my joy
made complete in themselves.
I have given them your word.
The world hated them,
because they are not of the world,
even as I am not of the world.
I pray not that you would
take them from the world,
but that you would keep them
from the evil one.
They are not of the world
even as I am not of the world.
Sanctify them in your truth.
Your word is truth.
As you sent me into the world,
even so I have sent them into the world.
For their sakes I sanctify myself,
that they themselves
also may be sanctified in truth.”

Monday of the Seventh Week of Easter

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Acts 19.1-8

While Apollos was at Corinth,
Paul, having passed through the upper country,
came to Ephesus,
and found some disciples.
He said to them,
“Did you receive the Holy Spirit
when you believed?”
They said to him,
“No, we have not even heard
that there is a Holy Spirit.”

He said, “Into what then were you baptized?”
They said, “Into John’s baptism.”
Paul said, “John indeed baptized
with the baptism of repentance,
saying to the people
that they should believe
in the one who would come after him,
that is, in Jesus.”

When they heard this,
they were baptized
in the name of the Lord Jesus.
When Paul had laid his hands on them,
the Holy Spirit came on them,
and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
They were about twelve men in all.

He entered into the synagogue,
and spoke boldly
for a period of three months,
reasoning and persuading
about what concerned the Kingdom of God.

Responsorial – Psalm 68.2-3ab, 4-5acd, 6-7ab Resp. 33a

R. Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth! or R. Alleluia!

Let God arise! Let his foes be scattered!
Let them who hate him flee before him.
As smoke is driven away, so drive them away.
As wax melts before the fire.

R. Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth! or R. Alleluia!

But let the righteous be glad. Let them rejoice before God.
Yes, let them rejoice with gladness.
Sing to God! Sing praises to his name!
to the Lord, his name!

R. Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth! or R. Alleluia!

A father of the fatherless, and a defender of the widows,
is God in his holy dwelling.
God sets the lonely in families.
He brings out the prisoners with singing,

R. Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth! or R. Alleluia!

Gospel – John 16.29-33

The disciples said to Jesus,
“Behold, now you speak plainly,
and speak no figures of speech.
Now we know that you know all things,
and do not need for anyone
to question you.
By this we believe that you came from God.”

Jesus answered them,
“Do you now believe?
Behold, the hour is coming,
yes, and has now come,
when you will be scattered,
everyone to their own place,
and you will leave me alone.
Yet I am not alone,
because the Father is with me.

I have told you these things,
that in me you may have peace.
In the world you will have trouble;
but take courage!
I have overcome the world.”

Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord (B)

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Acts 1.1-11

The first book I wrote, Theophilus,
concerned all that Jesus
began both to do and to teach,
until the day in which
he was received up,
after he had given commandment
through the Holy Spirit
to the Apostles whom he had chosen.

To these he also showed himself alive
after he suffered,
by many proofs,
appearing to them over a period of forty days,
and speaking about the Kingdom of God.
Being assembled together with them,
he commanded them,
“Do not depart from Jerusalem,
but wait for the promise of the Father,
which you heard from me.
For John indeed baptized in water,
but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit
not many days from now.”

Therefore when they had come together,
they asked him,
“Lord, are you now restoring
the kingdom to Israel?”
He said to them,
“It is not for you to know
times or seasons which the Father
has set within his own authority.
But you will receive power
when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.
You will be witnesses to me
in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria,
and to the uttermost parts of the earth.”

When he had said these things,
as they were looking, he was taken up,
and a cloud received him out of their sight.
While they were looking steadfastly
into the sky as he went,
behold, two men stood by them in white clothing,
who said, “You men of Galilee,
why do you stand looking into heaven?
This Jesus, who was received up from you into heaven
will come back in the same way
as you saw him going into heaven.”

Responsorial – Psalm 47.2-3, 6-7, 8-9 Resp. 6

R. God has gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet. or R. Alleluia!

O clap your hands, all you nations.
Shout to God with the voice of triumph!
For the Lord Most High is awesome.
He is a great King over all the earth.

R. God has gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet. or R. Alleluia!

God has gone up with a shout,
The Lord with the sound of a trumpet.
Sing praise to God, sing praises.
Sing praises to our King, sing praises.

R. God has gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet. or R. Alleluia!

For God is the King of all the earth.
Sing praises with understanding.
God reigns over the nations.
God sits on his holy throne.

R. God has gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet. or R. Alleluia!

Reading 2 – Ephesians 1.17-23

Brothers and sisters:
May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of glory,
give to you a spirit
of wisdom and revelation
in the knowledge of him;
having the eyes of your hearts
enlightened that you may know
what is the hope of his calling,
and what are the riches of the glory
of his inheritance in the saints,
and what is the exceeding greatness
of his power toward us who believe,
according to that working
of the strength of his might
which he worked in Christ,
when he raised him from the dead,
and made him sit at his right hand
in the heavenly places,
far above all rule, and authority,
and power, and dominion,
and every name that is named,
not only in this age,
but also in that which is to come.
He put all things in subjection under his feet,
and gave him to be head over all things
for the Church, which is his body,
the fullness of him who fills all in all.

OR Ephesians 4.1-13

Brothers and sisters,
I, the prisoner in the Lord,
beg you to walk in a manner
worthy of the calling
with which you were called,
with all lowliness and humility, with patience,
bearing with one another in love;
being eager to keep
the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

There is one body, and one Spirit,
even as you also were called
in one hope of your calling;
one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
one God and Father of all,
who is over all and through all and in us all.

But to each one of us was the grace given
according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
Therefore it says,
“When he ascended on high,
he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.”
Now this, “He ascended”,
what is it but that he also first descended
into the lower parts of the earth?
He who descended is the one
who also ascended far above all the heavens,
that he might fill all things.

He gave some to be apostles;
and some, prophets; and some, evangelists;
and some, pastors and teachers;
for the perfecting of the saints,
to the work of serving,
to the building up of the body of Christ;
until we all attain to the unity of the faith,
and of the knowledge of the Son of God,
to a full-grown man,
to the measure of the stature
of the fullness of Christ.

Gospel – Mark 16.15-20

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Go into all the world,
and preach the Gospel to the whole creation.
The one who believes and is baptized
will be saved;
but the one who disbelieves
will be condemned.

These signs will accompany those who believe:
in my name they will cast out demons;
they will speak with new languages;
they will take up serpents;
and if they drink any deadly thing,
it will in no way hurt them;
they will lay hands on the sick,
and they will recover.”

So then the Lord Jesus,
after he had spoken to them,
was received up into heaven,
and sat down at the right hand of God.
They went out, and preached everywhere,
the Lord working with them,
and confirming the word by the signs that followed.

Saturday of the Sixth Week of Easter

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Acts 18.23-28

Paul, having spent some time in Antioch,
departed and went through
the region of Galatia, and Phrygia,
in order,
establishing all the disciples.

Now a certain Jew named Apollos,
an Alexandrian by race,
an eloquent man,
came to Ephesus.
He was mighty in the Scriptures.
This one had been instructed
in the Way of the Lord;
and being fervent in spirit,
he spoke and taught accurately
the things concerning Jesus,
although he knew only the baptism of John.
He began to speak boldly in the synagogue.
But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him,
they took him aside,
and explained to him
the Way of God more accurately.

When he had determined
to pass over into Achaia,
the brothers encouraged him,
and wrote to the disciples to receive him.
When he had come,
he greatly helped those
who had believed through grace;
for he powerfully refuted the Jews,
publicly showing by the Scriptures
that Jesus was the Christ.

Responsorial – Psalm 47.2-3, 8-9, 10 Resp. 8a

R. God is the King of all the earth. or R. Alleluia!

O clap your hands, all you nations.
Shout to God with the voice of triumph!
For the Lord Most High is awesome.
He is a great King over all the earth.

R. God is the King of all the earth. or R. Alleluia!

For God is the King of all the earth.
Sing praises with understanding.
God reigns over the nations.
God sits on his holy throne.

R. God is the King of all the earth. or R. Alleluia!

The princes of the peoples are gathered together,
the people of the God of Abraham.
For the shields of the earth belong to God.
He is greatly exalted!

R. God is the King of all the earth. or R. Alleluia!

Gospel – John 16.23b-28

Jesus said to his disciples:
"Amen, amen, I say to you,
whatever you may ask
of the Father in my name,
he will give it to you.
Until now,
you have asked nothing in my name.
Ask, and you will receive,
that your joy may be made full.

I have spoken these things to you
in figures of speech.
But the hour is coming
when I will no longer speak to you
in figures of speech,
but will tell you plainly
about the Father.

On that day
you will ask in my name,
and I do not say to you
that I will pray to the Father for you,
for the Father himself loves you,
because you have loved me
and have believed that I came from God.
I came from the Father
and have come into the world.
Now I leave the world
and go to the Father.”

Friday of the Sixth Week of Easter

Official Translation

Reading 1 - Acts 18.9-18

The Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision,
“Do not be afraid,
but speak and do not be silent;
for I am with you,
and no one will attack you to harm you,
for I have many people in this city.”

He lived there a year and six months,
teaching the word of God among them.
But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia,
the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul
and brought him before the judgment seat,
saying, “This one persuades humans
to worship God contrary to the law.”

But when Paul was about to open his mouth,
Gallio said to the Jews,
“If indeed it were a matter of wrong or of wicked crime,
it would be reasonable that
I should bear with you Jews;
but if they are questions about
words and names and your own law,
look to it yourselves.
For I do not want
to be a judge of these matters.”
He drove them from the judgment seat.

Then they laid hold of Sosthenes,
the ruler of the synagogue,
and beat him before the judgment seat.
But Gallio did not care about any of these things.

Paul, having stayed after this many more days,
took his leave of the brothers,
and sailed from there for Syria,
together with Priscilla and Aquila.
He shaved his head in Kenchreae,
for he had taken a vow.

Responsorial – Psalm 47.2-3, 4-5, 6-7 Resp. 8a

R. God reigns over the nations. or R. Alleluia!

O clap your hands, all you nations.
Shout to God with the voice of triumph!
For The Lord Most High is awesome.
He is a great King over all the earth.

R. God reigns over the nations. or R. Alleluia!

He subdues nations under us,
and peoples under our feet.
He chooses our inheritance for us,
the glory of Jacob whom he loved.

R. God reigns over the nations. or R. Alleluia!

God has gone up with a shout,
The Lord with the sound of a trumpet.
Sing praise to God, sing praises.
Sing praises to our King, sing praises.

R. God reigns over the nations. or R. Alleluia!

Gospel – John 16.20-23

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Amen, amen, I tell you, that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice.
You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.
A woman, while in labor, has sorrow, because her time has come.
But when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish anymore,
for the joy that a human is born into the world.

Therefore you now have sorrow, but I will see you again,
and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.
On that day you will ask me no questions.
Amen, amen, I tell you, whatever you may ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.”

Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Acts 18.1-8

Paul departed from Athens
and went to Corinth.
He found a certain Jew named Aquila,
Pontikian by race,
who had recently come from Italy,
with his wife Priscilla,
because Claudius had commanded
all the Jews to depart from Rome.

He went to them
and because he practiced the same trade,
he lived with them and worked,
for by trade they were tentmakers.
He dialogued in the synagogue every Sabbath,
to persuade Jews and Greeks.
But when Silas and Timothy
came down from Macedonia,
Paul was occupied with the word,
testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.
When they opposed him and blasphemed,
he shook out his clothing and said to them,
“Your blood be on your own heads! I am clean.
From now on, I will go to the Gentiles!”

He departed there
and went into the house
of someone named Titus Justus,
a worshiper of God,
whose house was
next door to the synagogue.
Crispus, the head of the synagogue,
believed in the Lord with all his house.
Many of the Corinthians,
when they heard,
believed and were baptized.

Responsorial – Psalm 98.1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4 Resp. 2ac

R. The Lord has made known his salvation in the sight of the nations. or R. Alleluia!

Sing to the Lord a new song,
because he has done wonderful things.
His right hand has saved,
and his holy arm.

R. The Lord has made known his salvation in the sight of the nations. or R. Alleluia!

The Lord has made known his salvation.
he has revealed his justice in the sight of the nations.
He has remembered his mercy and his fidelity
toward the house of Israel.

R. The Lord has made known his salvation in the sight of the nations. or R. Alleluia!

All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to God, all the earth;
make melody, rejoice and sing.

R. The Lord has made known his salvation in the sight of the nations. or R. Alleluia!

Gospel – John 16.16-20

Jesus said to his disciples:
A little while
and you will not see me.
Again a little while
and you will see me.”
Some of his disciples therefore
said to one another,
“What is this that he says to us,
‘A little while,
and you will not see me,
and again a little while,
and you will see me;’
and, ‘Because I go to the Father’?”
So they said,
“What is this that he says, ‘A little while’?
We don’t know what he is saying.”

So Jesus perceived
that they wanted to ask him,
and he said to them,
“Do you inquire among yourselves
concerning this that I said,
‘A little while, and you will not see me,
and again a little while,
and you will see me?’
Amen, amen, I tell you
that you will weep and lament,
but the world will rejoice.
You will be sorrowful,
but your sorrow will be turned into joy.

Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Acts 17.15, 22-18.1

Those who escorted Paul
brought him as far as Athens.
They left, receiving instructions for Silas and Timothy,
that they should come to him very quickly.

Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus, and said,
“You men of Athens,
I perceive that you are very religious
in every way.
For as I passed along
and observed the objects of your worship,
I found also an altar with this inscription:
‘TO GOD UNKNOWN.’

What therefore you worship in ignorance,
I announce to you:
The God who made the world and all things in it,
Lord of heaven and earth,
he does not dwell in temples made with hands,
nor is he served by human hands,
as though he needed anything,
since he himself gives to all
life and breath and all things.
He made from one, all nations of humans
dwelling upon all faces of the earth,
having determined appointed seasons,
and the boundaries of their places,

so that they should seek God,
even perhaps they might reach for him and find him,
though he is not far from any one of us.
For in him we live, and move, and have our being.
As some of your own poets have said,
‘For we are also his offspring.
Being then the offspring of God,
we ought not to think
that the Divine Nature is like
gold, or silver, or stone,
engraved by art and design of humans.

The times of ignorance therefore
God overlooked.
But now he commands that
all people everywhere should repent,
because he has appointed a day
on which he will judge the world
in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained;
of which he has given assurance to all,
in that he has raised him from the dead.”

Now when they heard of
the resurrection of the dead,
some mocked; but others said,
“We want to hear you again concerning this.”
Thus Paul went out from among them.
But certain men joined with him, and believed,
among whom also was Dionysius the Areopagite,
and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

After these things Paul departed from Athens
and went to Corinth.

Responsorial – Psalm 148.1-2, 11-12, 13, 14 Resp. 13c

R. His glory is above the earth and the heavens. or R. Alleluia

Praise the Lord from the heavens!
Praise him in the heights!
Praise him, all his angels!
Praise him, all his host!

R. His glory is above the earth and the heavens. or R. Alleluia

Kings of the earth and all peoples;
princes and all judges of the earth;
both young men and maidens;
old men and children:

R. His glory is above the earth and the heavens. or R. Alleluia

Let them praise the Lord’s name,
for his name alone is exalted.
His glory is above the earth and the heavens.

R. His glory is above the earth and the heavens. or R. Alleluia

He has lifted up the horn of his people,
the praise of all his saints;
even of the children of Israel, a people near to him.
Alleluia!

R. His glory is above the earth and the heavens. or R. Alleluia

Gospel – John 16.12-15

Jesus said to his disciples:
“I have yet many things to tell you,
but you cannot bear them now.
However when he, the Spirit of truth, has come,
he will guide you into all truth,
for he will not speak from himself;
but whatever he hears, he will speak.
He will declare to you things that are coming.
He will glorify me,
for he will take from what is mine,
and will declare it to you.
All things whatever the Father has are mine;
therefore I said that he takes of mine,
and will declare it to you.”

Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Easter

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Acts 16.22-34

The crowd in Philippi
rose up together against them,
and the magistrates
tore their clothes off of them,
and commanded them
to be beaten with rods.
When they had laid many wounds on them,
they threw them into prison,
charging the jailer to keep them safely,
who, having received such a command,
threw them into the inner prison,
and secured their feet in the stocks.

But about midnight
Paul and Silas were
praying and singing hymns to God,
and the prisoners were listening to them.
Suddenly there was a great earthquake,
so that the foundations of the prison were shaken;
and immediately
all the doors were opened,
and everyone’s bonds were loosened.
The jailer, being roused out of sleep
and seeing the prison doors open,
drew his sword and was about to kill himself,
supposing that the prisoners had escaped.
But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying,
“Do not harm yourself,
for we are all here!”

He called for lights, sprang in,
and fell down trembling
before Paul and Silas,
brought them out, and said,
“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

They said,
“Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ,
and you will be saved,
you and your household.”
They spoke the word of the Lord to him
and to all who were in his house.
He took them the same hour of the night,
and washed their wounds,
and was immediately baptized,
he and all his household.
He brought them up into his house,
and set food before them,
and rejoiced greatly,
with all his household,
having believed in God.

Responsorial – Psalm 138.1-2ab, 2cde-3, 7c-8 Resp. 7c

R. Your right hand saves me, O Lord. or R. Alleluia!

I will give you thanks with my whole heart.
for you have heard the words of my mouth
before the gods I will sing your praise.
I will bow down toward your holy temple,
and give thanks to your Name.

R. Your right hand saves me, O Lord. or R. Alleluia!

Because of your loving kindness and your truth,
for you have exalted above all
your Name and your Word.
In the day that I called, you answered me.
You encouraged me with strength in my soul.

R. Your right hand saves me, O Lord. or R. Alleluia!

Your right hand will save me.
The Lord will fulfill that which concerns me;
your loving kindness, O Lord, endures forever.
Do not forsake the works of your own hands.

R. Your right hand saves me, O Lord. or R. Alleluia!

Gospel – John 16.5-11

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Now I am going to him who sent me,
and none of you asks me,
‘Where are you going?’
But because I have told you this,
sorrow has filled your hearts.
Nevertheless I tell you the truth:
It is to your advantage that I go away,
for if I do not go away,
the Advocate will not come to you.
But if I go, I will send him to you.

When he has come,
he will convict the world
about sin, righteousness, and judgment;
about sin,
because they do not believe in me;
about righteousness,
because I am going to my Father,
and you will not see me anymore;
about judgment,
because the prince of this world has been judged.”

Feast of Saint Matthias, Apostle

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Acts 1.15-17, 20-26

In those days,
Peter stood up
in the middle of the disciples
(The names of the crowd
numbered about 120)
and said,
“Men; Brothers,
it was necessary
that this Scripture should be fulfilled,
which the Holy Spirit spoke before
by the mouth of David
concerning Judas,
who was guide to those who took Jesus.
For he was numbered with us,
and received his portion in this ministry

For it is written in the book of Psalms,
‘Let his habitation be made desolate.
Let no one dwell therein;’
and,‘Let another take his office.’
Of the men therefore
who have accompanied us
all the time that the Lord Jesus
came and went among us,
beginning from the baptism of John,
to the day that he was received up from us,
of these one must become
a witness with us of his resurrection.”
They put forward two,
Joseph called Barsabbas,
who was also called Justus,
and Matthias.
They prayed, and said,
“You, Lord, who know the hearts of all,
show which one of these two you have chosen
to take part in this ministry and apostleship
from which Judas fell away to go to his own place.”
They drew lots for them,
and the lot fell on Matthias,
and he was numbered with the Eleven Apostles.

Responsorial – Psalm 113.1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 Resp. 8

R. The Lord will set him with the princes of his people. or R. Alleluia!

Praise, you servants of the Lord,
praise the Lord’s name.
Blessed be the Lord’s name,
from this time forward and forever more.

R. The Lord will set him with the princes of his people. or R. Alleluia!

From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same,
the Lord’s name is to be praised
the Lord is high above all nations,
his glory above the heavens.

R. The Lord will set him with the princes of his people. or R. Alleluia!

Who is like the Lord, our God, who has his seat on high,
Who stoops down to see in heaven and in the earth?

R. The Lord will set him with the princes of his people. or R. Alleluia!

He raises up the poor out of the dust.
Lifts up the needy from the ash heap;
that he may set him with princes,
even with the princes of his people.

R. The Lord will set him with the princes of his people. or R. Alleluia!

Gospel – John 15.9-17

Jesus said to his disciples:
“As the Father loved me, I also loved you.
Remain in my love.
If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love;
even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and remain in his love.
I have spoken these things to you, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be complete.
This is my commandment: that you love one another, even as I have loved you.
Greater love has no one than this: that someone lay down their life for their friends.

You are my friends, if you do what I command you.
No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what their Lord does.
But I have called you friends, for everything that I heard from my Father, I have made known to you.
You did not choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you,
that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain;
so that whatever you will ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
I command these things to you, so that you will love one another.”

Sixth Sunday of Easter (B)

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Acts 10.25-26, 34-35, 44-48

When Peter entered, Cornelius met him,
fell down at his feet, and worshiped him.
But Peter raised him up, saying,
“Stand up! I myself am also a human.”

Peter opened his mouth and said,
“Truly I perceive that
God does not show favoritism;
but in every nation, the one who
fears him and works righteousness
is acceptable to him.

While Peter was still speaking these words,
the Holy Spirit fell on
all those who heard the word.
The circumcised who believed were amazed,
as many as came with Peter,
because the gift of the Holy Spirit
was also poured out on the Gentiles.
For they heard them speaking
in other languages and magnifying God.
Then Peter answered,
“Can anyone forbid these people
from being baptized with water?
They have received the Holy Spirit just like us.”
He commanded them to be baptized
in the name of Jesus Christ.

Responsorial – Psalm 98.1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4 Resp. 2ac

R. The Lord has made known his salvation in the sight of the nations. or R. Alleluia!

Sing to the Lord a new song,
because he has done wonderful things.
His right hand has saved,
and his holy arm.

R. The Lord has made known his salvation in the sight of the nations. or R. Alleluia!

The Lord has made known his salvation.
he has revealed his justice in the sight of the nations.
He has remembered his mercy and his fidelity
toward the house of Israel.

R. The Lord has made known his salvation in the sight of the nations. or R. Alleluia!

All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to God, all the earth;
make melody, rejoice and sing.

R. The Lord has made known his salvation in the sight of the nations. or R. Alleluia!

Reading 2 – 1 John 4.7-10

Beloved, let us love one another,
for love is of God;
and everyone who loves
has been born of God
and knows God.

The one who does not love,
does not know God,
for God is love.
By this God’s love was revealed in us,
that God has sent
his one and only Son
into the world that
we might live through him.
In this is love,
not that we loved God,
but that he loved us,
and sent his Son
as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Gospel – John 15.9-17

Jesus said to his disciples:
“As the Father loved me,
I also loved you.
Remain in my love.
If you keep my commandments,
you will remain in my love;
even as I have kept my Father’s commandments,
and remain in his love.
I have spoken these things to you,
that my joy may remain in you,
and that your joy may be complete.
This is my commandment,
that you love one another,
even as I have loved you.
Greater love has no one than this,
that someone lay down their life
for their friends.

You are my friends,
if you do what I command you.
No longer do I call you slaves,
for the slave does not know
what their Lord does.
But I have called you friends,
for everything that I heard from my Father,
I have made known to you.
You did not choose me,
but I chose you,
and appointed you,
that you should go and bear fruit,
and that your fruit should remain;
so that whatever you will ask
of the Father in my name,
he may give it to you.
I command these things to you,
so that you will love one another.”

Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Acts 16.1-10

Paul came to Derbe and Lystra:
and behold, a certain disciple was there,
named Timothy, the son of
a Jewish woman who believed;
but his father was a Greek.

The brothers who were
at Lystra and Iconium
gave a good testimony about him.
Paul wanted to have him go out with him,
and he took and circumcised him
because of the Jews
who were in those parts;
for they all knew that
his father was a Greek.

As they went on their way through the cities,
they delivered the decrees to them
to keep what had been ordained
by the Apostles and presbyters
who were at Jerusalem.
So the churches were strengthened in the faith,
and increased in number daily.

When they had gone through
the region of Phrygia and Galatia,
they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit
to speak the word in Asia.
When they had come opposite Mysia,
they tried to go into Bithynia,
but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.

Passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas.
A vision appeared to Paul in the night.
There was a Macedonian standing,
begging him, and saying,
“Come over into Macedonia and help us.”
When he had seen the vision,
immediately we sought to go out to Macedonia,
concluding that the Lord
had called us to preach the Gospel to them.

Responsorial – Psalm 100.1b-2, 3, 5 Resp. 2a

R. Shout for joy to the Lord, all you lands! or R. Alleluia!

Shout for joy to the Lord, all you lands!
Serve the Lord with gladness.
Come before his presence with singing.

R. Shout for joy to the Lord, all you lands! or R. Alleluia!

Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who has made us, and we are his.
We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

R. Shout for joy to the Lord, all you lands! or R. Alleluia!

For the Lord is good.
His loving kindness endures forever,
his faithfulness to all generations.

R. Shout for joy to the Lord, all you lands! or R. Alleluia!

Gospel – John 15.18-21

Jesus said to his disciples:
If the world hates you,
know that it has hated me prior to you.
If you were of the world,
the world would love its own.
But because you are not of the world,
since I chose you out of the world,
therefore the world hates you.

Remember the word that I said to you:
‘A servant is not greater than his lord.’
If they persecuted me,
they will also persecute you.
If they kept my word,
they will keep yours also.
But they will do all these things to you
for my name’s sake,
because they do not know him who sent me.

Friday of the Fifth Week of Easter

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Acts 15.22-31

Then it seemed good
to the Apostles and the presbyters,
with the whole Church,
to choose men out of their company,
and send them to Antioch
with Paul and Barnabas:
Judas called Barsabbas and Silas,
chief men among the brothers.

They wrote these things by their hand:
“The Apostles and the presbyters,
brothers to those in Antioch, Syria, and Kilikia,
brothers from the nations: Greetings.
Because we have heard
that some who went out from us
have troubled you with words,
unsettling your souls, saying,
‘You must be circumcised and keep the law,’
(to whom we gave no mandate);

it seemed good to us,
having come to one accord,
to choose out men
and send them to you
with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
humans who have risked their lives
for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We have sent therefore Judas and Silas,
who themselves will also tell you
the same things by word of mouth.

For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit,
and to us,
to lay no greater burden on you
than these necessary things:
that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols,
from blood, from things strangled,
and from sexual immorality.
If you keep yourselves from these,
it will be well with you. Farewell.”

So, when they were sent off,
they came to Antioch.
Having gathered the multitude together,
they delivered the letter.
When they had read it,
they rejoiced over the encouragement.

Responsorial – Psalm 57.8-9, 10+12 Resp. 10a

R. I will give thanks to you, Lord, among the peoples. or R. Alleluia!

My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast.
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises.
Wake up, my soul! Wake up, lyre and harp!
I will wake up the dawn.

R. I will give thanks to you, Lord, among the peoples. or R. Alleluia!

I will give thanks to you, Lord, among the peoples.
I will sing praises to you among the nations.
For your great loving kindness reaches to the heavens,
and your truth to the skies.
Be exalted, God, above the heavens.
Let your glory be over all the earth.

R. I will give thanks to you, Lord, among the peoples. or R. Alleluia!

Gospel – John 15.12-17

Jesus said to his disciples:
“This is my commandment,
that you love one another,
even as I have loved you.
Greater love has no one than this,
that someone lay down their life
for their friends.

You are my friends,
if you do what I command you.
No longer do I call you slaves,
for the slave does not know
what their Lord does.
But I have called you friends,
for everything that I heard from my Father,
I have made known to you.
You did not choose me,
but I chose you,
and appointed you,
that you should go and bear fruit,
and that your fruit should remain;
so that whatever you will ask
of the Father in my name,
he may give it to you.
I command these things to you,
so that you will love one another.”

Thursday of the Fifth Week of Easter

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Acts 15.7-21

When there had been much discussion,
Peter rose up and said to the Apostles and presbyters,
“Men, brothers,
you know that in the beginning days
God made a choice among you,
that by my mouth the Gentiles
should hear the word of the Gospel and believe.
God, who knows the heart,
testified to them,
by giving them the Holy Spirit,
just like he did to us.
He made no distinction
between us and them,
cleansing their hearts by faith.
Now therefore why do you tempt God,
that you should put a yoke
on the neck of the disciples
which neither our fathers
nor we were able to bear?
But we believe that we are saved
through the grace of the Lord Jesus,
just as they are.”

The whole crowd kept silence,
and they listened to Barnabas and Paul
reporting what signs and wonders
God had done among the nations through them.
After they were silent, James answered,
“Men, brothers, listen to me.
Simeon has reported
how God first visited the nations,
to take out of them
a people for his name.
This agrees with the words of the prophets.

As it is written,
‘After these things I will return.
I will again build the tent of David,
which has fallen.
I will again build its ruins.
I will set it up,
that the rest of humans may seek the Lord;
all the Gentiles who are called by my name,
says the Lord,
who does all these things,
known from eternity.’

“Therefore my judgment
is that we do not trouble
those from among the Gentiles
who turn to God,
but that we write to them
that they abstain from the pollution of idols,
from sexual immorality,
from what is strangled and from blood.
For Moses from generations of old
has in every city those who preach him,
being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”

Responsorial – Psalm 96.1-2a, 2b-3, 10 Resp. 3

R. Declare God’s marvelous works among all the people. or R. Alleluia!

Sing to the Lord a new song!
Sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Sing to the Lord! Bless his name!

R. Declare God’s marvelous works among all the people. or R. Alleluia!

Proclaim his salvation from day to day!
Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous works among all the peoples.

R. Declare God’s marvelous works among all the people. or R. Alleluia!

Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.”
The world is also established. It cannot be moved.
He will judge the people with equity.

R. Declare God’s marvelous works among all the people. or R. Alleluia!

Gospel – John 15.9-11

Jesus said to his disciples:
“As the Father loved me,
I also loved you.
Remain in my love.
If you keep my commandments,
you will remain in my love;
even as I have kept my Father’s commandments,
and remain in his love.
I have spoken these things to you,
that my joy may remain in you,
and that your joy may be complete.”

Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Easter

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Acts 15.1-6

Some who came down from Judea
taught the brothers,
“Unless you are circumcised
after the custom of Moses,
you cannot be saved.”
So when Paul and Barnabas
had no small discord and discussion with them,
they appointed Paul and Barnabas,
and some others of them,
to go up to Jerusalem
to the Apostles and presbyters
about this question.

They, being sent on their way by the Church,
passed through Phoenicia and Samaria,
announcing the conversion of the Gentiles.
They caused great joy to all the brothers.

When they had come to Jerusalem,
they were received by the Church
and the Apostles and the presbyters,
and they reported all things
that God had done with them.
But some of the sect of
the Pharisees who believed
rose up, saying,
“It is necessary to circumcise them
and to command them
to keep the law of Moses.”

The Apostles and the presbyters
gathered together to see about this matter.

Responsorial – Psalm 122.1-2, 3-4ab, 4cd-5 Resp. 1

R. Let us gladly go to the house of the Lord. or R. Alleluia!

I was glad when they said to me,
“Let us go to the house of the LORD.”
Our feet are standing
within your gates, O Jerusalem.

R. Let us gladly go to the house of the Lord. or R. Alleluia!

Jerusalem is built as a city
that is compact together.
To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD.

R. Let us gladly go to the house of the Lord. or R. Alleluia!

According to the covenant of Israel,
to give thanks unto the name of the LORD.
For there are set thrones of judgment,
the thrones of the house of David.

R. Let us gladly go to the house of the Lord. or R. Alleluia!

Gospel – John 15.1-8

Jesus said to his disciples:
“I am the true vine,
and my Father is the farmer.
Every branch in me
that does not bear fruit,
he takes away.
Every branch that bears fruit,
he prunes,
so that it may bear more fruit.

You are already pruned
because of the word
which I have spoken to you.
Remain on me, as I remain on you.
As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself,
unless it remains on the vine,
so neither can you,
unless you remain on me.

I am the vine. You are the branches.
They who remain on me, and I on them,
bear much fruit,
for apart from me
you can do nothing.

If someone does not remain on me,
they are thrown out as a branch and wither,
and they gather them,
throw them into the fire,
and they are burned.
If you remain on me,
and my words remain on you,
you will ask whatever you desire,
and it will be done for you.

In this is my Father glorified:
that you bear much fruit;
and so you will be my disciples.”

Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Easter

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Acts 14.19-28

Some Jews from Antioch and Iconium
came there
and having persuaded the crowd,
they stoned Paul
and dragged him out of the city,
supposing that he was dead.
But as the disciples stood around him,
he rose up, and entered into the city.

On the next day,
he went out with Barnabas to Derbe.
When they had preached the Gospel to that city,
and had made many disciples,
they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch,
confirming the souls of the disciples,
exhorting them to continue in the faith,
that “Through many afflictions
we must enter into the Kingdom of God.”
When they had appointed presbyters for them
in every assembly,
with prayer and fasting,
they commended them to the Lord,
in whom they put their faith.

They passed through Pisidia
and came to Pamphylia.
When they had spoken the word in Perga,
they went down to Attalia.
From there they sailed to Antioch,
where they had been committed
to the grace of God
for the work which they had fulfilled.

When they had arrived
and had gathered the assembly together,
they reported all the things
that God had done with them,
and that he had opened
a door of faith to the nations.
They stayed there with the disciples
for not a little time.

Responsorial – Psalm 145.10-11, 12-13ab, 21

R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glory of the majesty of your kingdom. or R. Alleluia!

Let all your works, O Lord, praise you,
and let your holy ones bless you.
They will speak of the glory of your kingdom:
and tell of your power.

R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glory of the majesty of your kingdom. or R. Alleluia!

To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts,
the glory of the majesty of his kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.
Your dominion endures throughout all generations.

R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glory of the majesty of your kingdom. or R. Alleluia!

My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord.
Let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glory of the majesty of your kingdom. or R. Alleluia!

Gospel – John 14.27-31a

Jesus said to his disciples:
Peace I leave with you.
My peace I give to you.
Not as the world gives,
do I give to you.

Do not let your hearts be troubled,
neither let them be fearful.
You heard how I told you,
‘I go away,
but I will come back to you.’
If you loved me,
you would have rejoiced,
because I said ‘I am going to my Father;’
for the Father is greater than I.
Now I have told you
before it happens so that,
when it happens, you may believe.

I will no longer speak much with you,
for the prince of the world comes.
He has nothing on me,
but the world must know that I love the Father,
and as the Father commanded me,
so do I do.”

Monday of the Fifth Week of Easter

Official Translation

Reading 1 Acts 14:5-18

When, in Iconium, some,
both of the Gentiles and of the Jews,
along with their rulers,
made a violent attempt
to mistreat and stone Paul and Barnabas,
they became aware of it
and fled to the cities of Lycaonia:
Lystra, Derbe, and the surrounding region.
There they preached the Gospel.

At Lystra a certain man sat,
crippled in his feet,
a cripple from his mother’s womb,
who had never walked.
He was listening to Paul speaking,
who, fastening eyes on him
and seeing that he had
faith to be made whole,
said with a loud voice,
“Stand upright on your feet!”
He leaped up and walked.

When the crowds saw what Paul had done,
they lifted up their voice,
saying in the language of Lycaonia,
“The gods have come down to us
in the likeness of humans!”
They called Barnabas “Zeus”,
and Paul “Hermes”,
because he was the chief speaker.
The priest of Zeus,
whose temple was in front of their city,
brought oxen and garlands to the gates,
and would have made a sacrifice
along with the crowds.

But when the Apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it,
they tore their clothes,
and sprang into the crowd, crying out,
“Men, why are you doing these things?
We also are humans of similar nature with you,
and bring you the Gospel,
that you should turn
from these vain things to the living God,
who made the sky and the earth and the sea,
and all that is in them;
who in the generations gone by
allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways.
Yet he did not leave himself without witness,
in that he did good
and gave you rains from the sky and fruitful seasons,
filling our hearts with food and gladness.”

Even saying these things,
they hardly stopped the crowds
from making a sacrifice to them.

Responsorial – Psalm 115.1-2, 3-4, 15-16 Resp. 1ab

R. Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory. or R. Alleluia!

Not to us, Lord, not to us,
but to your name give glory,
for your loving kindness, and for your truth’s sake.
Why should the nations say,
“Where is their God, now?”

R. Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory. or R. Alleluia!

But our God is in the heavens.
He does whatever he pleases.
Their idols are silver and gold,
the work of men’s hands.

R. Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory. or R. Alleluia!

Blessed are you by the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
The heavens are the heavens of the Lord;
but the earth has he given to the children of men.

R. Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory. or R. Alleluia!

Gospel – John 14.21-26

Jesus said to his disciples:
Whoever has my commandments
and keeps them,
is the one who loves me.
Whoever loves me
will be loved by my Father,
and I will love him
and reveal myself to him.”

Judas (not Iscariot) said to him,
“Lord, what has happened
that you are about to reveal yourself to us
and not to the world?”

Jesus answered and said to him,
“If anyone loves me,
they will keep my word.
My Father will love them,
and we will come to them,
and make our home with them.
Whoever does not love me,
does not keep my words.
The word which you hear is not mine,
but the Father’s who sent me.
I have said these things to you,
while I am with you.
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit,
whom the Father will send in my name,
he will teach you all things,
and will remind you of all that I said to you.”

Fifth Sunday of Easter (B)

Official Translation

Reading 1 - Acts 9.26-31

When Saul had come to Jerusalem,
he tried to join himself to the disciples;
but they were all afraid of him,
not believing that he was a disciple.
But Barnabas took him,
and brought him to the Apostles,
and declared to them
how he had seen the Lord on the way,
and that he had spoken to him,
and how at Damascus
he had preached boldly
in the name of Jesus.

He was with them in Jerusalem, moving freely,
preaching boldly
in the name of the Lord Jesus.
He spoke and disputed against the Hellenists,
but they were seeking to kill him.
When the brothers knew it,
they brought him down to Caesarea,
and sent him off to Tarsus.
So the assemblies throughout
all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace,
and were built up.
They were multiplied,
walking in the fear of the Lord
and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

Responsorial - Psalm 22:26-27, 28, 30, 31-32 Resp. 26a

R. My praise comes from you, Lord, in the great assembly. or R. Alleluia!

I will pay my vows before those who fear the Lord.
The humble shall eat and be satisfied.
They shall praise the Lord who seek after him.
May your hearts live forever.

R. My praise comes from you, Lord, in the great assembly. or R. Alleluia!

All the ends of the earth
shall remember and turn to the Lord.
All the families of the nations
shall worship before you.

R. My praise comes from you, Lord, in the great assembly. or R. Alleluia!

They shall eat and worship
all the rich ones of the earth.
All those shall bow before him,
who go down to the dust.

R. My praise comes from you, Lord, in the great assembly. or R. Alleluia!

To him my soul shall live.
Posterity shall serve him.
Future generations shall be told about the Lord.
They shall declare to a people that yet to be born,
his righteousness that he has done.

R. My praise comes from you, Lord, in the great assembly. or R. Alleluia!

Reading 2 – 1 John 3.18-24

My little children,
Let us not love in word only,
nor with the tongue only,
but in deed and truth.

By this we know that we are of the truth,
and persuade our hearts before him,
because if our heart condemns us,
God is greater than our heart,
and knows all things.
Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us,
we have confidence in God;
and whatever we ask,
we receive from him,
because we keep his commandments
and do the things
that are pleasing in his sight.

This is his commandment:
that we should believe
in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ,
and love one another,
even as he commanded.
They who keep his commandments
remains in him, and he in them.
By this we know
that he remains in us:
by the Spirit which he gave us.

Gospel – John 15.1-8

Jesus said to his disciples:
“I am the true vine,
and my Father is the farmer.
Every branch in me
that does not bear fruit,
he takes away.
Every branch that bears fruit,
he prunes,
so that it may bear more fruit.

You are already pruned
because of the word
which I have spoken to you.
Remain on me, as I remain on you.
As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself,
unless it remains on the vine,
so neither can you,
unless you remain on me.

I am the vine. You are the branches.
They who remain on me, and I on them,
bear much fruit,
for apart from me
you can do nothing.

If someone does not remain on me,
they are thrown out as a branch and wither,
and they gather them,
throw them into the fire,
and they are burned.
If you remain on me,
and my words remain on you,
you will ask whatever you desire,
and it will be done for you.

In this is my Father glorified:
that you bear much fruit;
and so you will be my disciples.”

Saturday of the Fourth Week of Easter

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Acts 13.44-52

The next Sabbath
almost the whole city
was gathered together
to hear the word of God.
But when the Jews saw the crowds,
they were filled with jealousy
and contradicted the things
which were spoken by Paul,
blaspheming.

Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly,
and said,
“It was necessary that God’s word
should be spoken to you first.
Since indeed you thrust it from you,
and judge yourselves
unworthy of eternal life,
behold, we turn to the Gentiles.
For so has the Lord commanded us, saying,
‘I have set you as a light for the Gentiles,
that you should bring salvation
to the ends of the earth.’”

As the Gentiles heard this,
they were glad
and glorified the word of God.
As many as were destined to eternal life
believed.
The Lord’s word was spread
abroad throughout all the region.
But the Jews stirred up
the devout and prominent women
and the chief men of the city
and stirred up a persecution
against Paul and Barnabas
and threw them out of their borders.
But they shook off the dust of their feet
against them
and came to Iconium.
The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.

Responsorial – Psalm 98.1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4 Resp. 3cd

R. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. or R. Alleluia!

Sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done marvelous things!
His right hand, and his holy arm,
have worked salvation for him.

R. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. or R. Alleluia!

The Lord has made known his salvation.
He has openly shown his righteousness in the sight of the nations.
He has remembered his loving kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.

R. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. or R. Alleluia!

All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
Burst out and sing for joy, yes, sing praises!

R. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. or R. Alleluia!

Gospel – John 14.7-14

Jesus said to his disciples:
If you had known me,
you would have known my Father also.
From now on,
you know him, and have seen him.”

Philip said to him,
“Lord, show us the Father
and that will be enough for us.”
Jesus said to him,
“Have I been with you such a long time,
and do you not know me, Philip?
He who has seen me has seen the Father.
How can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’
Do you not believe that I am in the Father,
and the Father in me?

The words that I tell you,
I speak not from myself;
but the Father who lives in me
does his works.
Believe me that I am in the Father,
and the Father in me;
or else believe me for the very works’ sake.

Amen, amen, I tell you,
they who believe in me,
the works that I do, they will do also;
and they will do greater works than these,
because I am going to my Father.
Whatever you will ask in my name,
that will I do,
that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
If you will ask anything in my name, I will do it.