Reading 1 Acts 20:17-27 From Miletus Paul had the presbytersof the Church at Ephesus summoned. When they came to him, he addressed them,"You know how I lived among youthe whole time from the day I first came to the province of Asia.I served the Lord with all humilityand with the tears and trials that came to mebecause of the plots of the Jews,and I did not at all shrink from telling youwhat was for your benefit,or from teaching you in public or in your homes.I earnestly bore witness for both Jews and Greeksto repentance before God and to faith in our Lord Jesus.But now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem.What will happen to me there I do not know,except that in one city after anotherthe Holy Spirit has been warning methat imprisonment and hardships await me.Yet I consider life of no importance to me,if only I may finish my courseand the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus,to bear witness to the Gospel of God's grace."But now I know that none of youto whom I preached the kingdom during my travelswill ever see my face again.And so I solemnly declare to you this daythat I am not responsible for the blood of any of you,for I did not shrink from proclaiming to you the entire plan of God." Responsorial Psalm Ps 68:10-11, 20-21 R. (33a) Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.or:R. Alleluia.A bountiful rain you showered down, O God, upon your inheritance;you restored the land when it languished;Your flock settled in it;in your goodness, O God, you provided it for the needy.R. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.or:R. Alleluia.Blessed day by day be the Lord,who bears our burdens; God, who is our salvation.God is a saving God for us;the LORD, my Lord, controls the passageways of death. R. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.or:R. Alleluia. Alleluia Jn 14:16 R. Alleluia, alleluia.I will ask the Fatherand he will give you another Advocateto be with you always.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Jn 17:1-11a Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said,"Father, the hour has come.Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you,just as you gave him authority over all people,so that your son may give eternal life to all you gave him.Now this is eternal life,that they should know you, the only true God,and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.I glorified you on earthby accomplishing the work that you gave me to do.Now glorify me, Father, with you,with the glory that I had with you before the world began."I revealed your name to those whom you gave me out of the world.They belonged to you, and you gave them to me,and they have kept your word.Now they know that everything you gave me is from you,because the words you gave to me I have given to them,and they accepted them and truly understood that I came from you,and they have believed that you sent me.I pray for them.I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me,because they are yours, and everything of mine is yoursand everything of yours is mine,and I have been glorified in them.And now I will no longer be in the world,but they are in the world, while I am coming to you." - - -Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Reading 1 Acts 19:1-8 While Apollos was in Corinth,Paul traveled through the interior of the countryand down to Ephesus where he found some disciples. He said to them,"Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?"They answered him,"We have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."He said, "How were you baptized?"They replied, "With the baptism of John."Paul then said, "John baptized with a baptism of repentance,telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him,that is, in Jesus."When they heard this,they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.And when Paul laid his hands on them,the Holy Spirit came upon them,and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.Altogether there were about twelve men.He entered the synagogue, and for three months debated boldlywith persuasive arguments about the Kingdom of God. Responsorial Psalm Ps 68:2-3ab, 4-5acd, 6-7ab R. (33a) Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.or:R. Alleluia.God arises; his enemies are scattered,and those who hate him flee before him.As smoke is driven away, so are they driven;as wax melts before the fire. R. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.or:R. Alleluia.But the just rejoice and exult before God;they are glad and rejoice.Sing to God, chant praise to his name;whose name is the LORD. R. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.or:R. Alleluia.The father of orphans and the defender of widowsis God in his holy dwelling.God gives a home to the forsaken;he leads forth prisoners to prosperity.R. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.or:R. Alleluia. Alleluia Col 3:1 R. Alleluia, alleluia.If then you were raised with Christ,seek what is above,where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Jn 16:29-33 The disciples said to Jesus,"Now you are talking plainly, and not in any figure of speech.Now we realize that you know everythingand that you do not need to have anyone question you.Because of this we believe that you came from God."Jesus answered them, "Do you believe now?Behold, the hour is coming and has arrivedwhen each of you will be scattered to his own homeand you will leave me alone.But I am not alone, because the Father is with me.I have told you this so that you might have peace in me.In the world you will have trouble,but take courage, I have conquered the world." Readings for the Optional Memorial of Saint Rita of Cascia, religious - - -Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Seventh Sunday of Easter Solemnity of the Ascension - - -Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Reading 1 Acts 18:23-28 After staying in Antioch some time,Paul left and traveled in orderly sequencethrough the Galatian country and Phrygia,bringing strength to all the disciples.A Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria,an eloquent speaker, arrived in Ephesus.He was an authority on the Scriptures.He had been instructed in the Way of the Lord and,with ardent spirit, spoke and taught accurately about 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 asideand explained to him the Way of God more accurately.And when he wanted to cross to Achaia,the brothers encouraged himand wrote to the disciples there to welcome him.After his arrival he gave great assistanceto those who had come to believe through grace.He vigorously refuted the Jews in public,establishing from the Scriptures that the Christ is Jesus. Responsorial Psalm Ps 47:2-3, 8-9, 10 R. (8a) God is king of all the earth.or:R. Alleluia.All you peoples, clap your hands;shout to God with cries of gladness.For the LORD, the Most High, the awesome,is the great king over all the earth.R. God is king of all the earth.or:R. Alleluia.For king of all the earth is God;sing hymns of praise.God reigns over the nations,God sits upon his holy throne. R. God is king of all the earth.or:R. Alleluia.The princes of the peoples are gathered togetherwith the people of the God of Abraham.For God's are the guardians of the earth;he is supreme. R. God is king of all the earth.or:R. Alleluia. Alleluia Jn 16:28 R. Alleluia, alleluia.I came from the Father and have come into the world;now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Jn 16:23b-28 Jesus said to his disciples:"Amen, amen, I say to you,whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.Until now you have not asked anything in my name;ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete."I have told you this in figures of speech.The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figuresbut I will tell you clearly about the Father.On that day you will ask in my name,and I do not tell you that I will ask the Father for you.For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved meand have come to believe that I came from God.I came from the Father and have come into the world.Now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father." Readings for the Memorial of Saint Bernardine of Siena, priest - - -Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.