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.”