May 4, 2023

Thursday of the Fourth Week of Easter

Reading 1 Acts 13:13-25 From Paphos, Paul and his companionsset sail and arrived at Perga in Pamphylia. But John left them and returned to Jerusalem. They continued on from Perga and reached Antioch in Pisidia. On the sabbath they entered into the synagogue and took their seats. After the reading of the law and the prophets,the synagogue officials sent word to them,"My brothers, if one of you has a word of exhortationfor the people, please speak."So Paul got up, motioned with his hand, and said,"Fellow children of Israel and you others who are God-fearing, listen.The God of this people Israel chose our ancestorsand exalted the people during their sojourn in the land of Egypt. With uplifted arm he led them out,and for about forty years he put up with them in the desert.When he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan,he gave them their land as an inheritanceat the end of about four hundred and fifty years.After these things he provided judges up to Samuel the prophet. Then they asked for a king.God gave them Saul, son of Kish,a man from the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. Then he removed him and raised up David as their king;of him he testified,I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart;he will carry out my every wish.From this man's descendants God, according to his promise,has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus. John heralded his coming by proclaiming a baptism of repentanceto all the people of Israel;and as John was completing his course, he would say,'What do you suppose that I am? I am not he.Behold, one is coming after me;I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his feet.'" Responsorial Psalm Ps 89:2-3, 21-22, 25 and 27 R.(2) For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.or:R. Alleluia.The favors of the LORD I will sing forever;through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness.For you have said, "My kindness is established forever";in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.or:R. Alleluia."I have found David, my servant;with my holy oil I have anointed him,That my hand may be always with him,and that my arm may make him strong."R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.or:R. Alleluia."My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him,and through my name shall his horn be exalted.He shall say of me, 'You are my father,my God, the Rock, my savior.'"R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.or:R. Alleluia. Alleluia See Rv 1:5ab R. Alleluia, alleluia.Jesus Christ, you are the faithful witness,the firstborn of the dead,you have loved us and freed us from our sins by your Blood.R. Alleluia, alleluia Gospel Jn 13:16-20 When Jesus had washed the disciples' feet, he said to them:"Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his masternor any messenger greater than the one who sent him.If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it.I am not speaking of all of you.I know those whom I have chosen.But so that the Scripture might be fulfilled,The one who ate my food has raised his heel against me.From now on I am telling you before it happens,so that when it happens you may believe that I AM. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I sendreceives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me." - - -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.
May 3, 2023

Feast of Saints Philip and James, Apostles

Reading 1 1 Cor 15:1-8 I am reminding you, brothers and sisters,of the Gospel I preached to you,which you indeed received and in which you also stand.Through it you are also being saved,if you hold fast to the word I preached to you,unless you believed in vain.For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received:that Christ died for our sinsin accordance with the Scriptures;that he was buried;that he was raised on the third dayin accordance with the Scriptures;that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve.After that, he appeared to morethan five hundred brothers and sisters at once,most of whom are still living,though some have fallen asleep.After that he appeared to James,then to all the Apostles.Last of all, as to one born abnormally,he appeared to me. Responsorial Psalm Ps 19:2-3, 4-5 R. (5)  Their message goes out through all the earth.or:R. Alleluia.The heavens declare the glory of God;and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.Day pours out the word to day;and night to night imparts knowledge.R. Their message goes out through all the earth.or:R. Alleluia.Not a word nor a discoursewhose voice is not heard;Through all the earth their voice resounds,and to the ends of the world, their message.R. Their message goes out through all the earth.or:R. Alleluia. Alleluia Jn 14:6b, 9c R. Alleluia, alleluia.I am the way, the truth, and the life, says the Lord;Philip, whoever has seen me has seen the Father.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Jn 14:6-14 Jesus said to Thomas, "I am the way and the truth and the life.No one comes to the Father except through me.If you know me, then you will also know my Father.From now on you do know him and have seen him."Philip said to him, "Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us."Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you for so long a timeand you still do not know me, Philip?Whoever 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 is in me?The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own.The Father who dwells in me is doing his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me,or else, believe because of the works themselves.Amen, amen, I say to you,whoever believes in me will do the works that I do,and will do greater ones than these,because I am going to the Father.And whatever you ask in my name, I will do,so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it." - - -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.
May 2, 2023

Memorial of Saint Athanasius, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Reading 1 Acts 11:19-26 Those who had been scattered by the persecutionthat arose because of Stephenwent as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch,preaching the word to no one but Jews.There were some Cypriots and Cyrenians among them, however,who came to Antioch and began to speak to the Greeks as well,proclaiming the Lord Jesus. The hand of the Lord was with themand a great number who believed turned to the Lord. The news about them reached the ears of the Church in Jerusalem,and they sent Barnabas to go to Antioch.When he arrived and saw the grace of God,he rejoiced and encouraged them allto remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of heart,for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith.And a large number of people was added to the Lord. Then he went to Tarsus to look for Saul,and when he had found him he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the Churchand taught a large number of people,and it was in Antioch that the discipleswere first called Christians. Responsorial Psalm Ps 87:1b-3, 4-5, 6-7 R. (117:1a) All you nations, praise the Lord.or:R. Alleluia.His foundation upon the holy mountainsthe LORD loves:The gates of Zion,more than any dwelling of Jacob.Glorious things are said of you,O city of God!R. All you nations, praise the Lord.or:R. Alleluia.I tell of Egypt and Babylonamong those who know the LORD;Of Philistia, Tyre, Ethiopia:"This man was born there."And of Zion they shall say:"One and all were born in her;And he who has established heris the Most High LORD."R. All you nations, praise the Lord.or:R. Alleluia.They shall note, when the peoples are enrolled:"This man was born there."And all shall sing, in their festive dance:"My home is within you."R. All you nations, praise the Lord.or:R. Alleluia. Alleluia Jn 10:27 R. Alleluia, alleluia.My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;I know them, and they follow me.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Jn 10:22-30 The feast of the Dedication was taking place in Jerusalem.It was winter. And Jesus walked about in the temple area on the Portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him,"How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." Jesus answered them, "I told you and you do not believe.The works I do in my Father's name testify to me.But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep.My sheep hear my voice;I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all,and no one can take them out of the Father's hand. The Father and I are one." - - -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.
May 1, 2023

Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter

Reading 1 Acts 11:1-18 The Apostles and the brothers who were in Judeaheard that the Gentiles too had accepted the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalemthe circumcised believers confronted him, saying,'You entered the house of uncircumcised people and ate with them." Peter began and explained it to them step by step, saying,"I was at prayer in the city of Joppawhen in a trance I had a vision,something resembling a large sheet coming down,lowered from the sky by its four corners, and it came to me. Looking intently into it,I observed and saw the four-legged animals of the earth,the wild beasts, the reptiles, and the birds of the sky. I also heard a voice say to me, 'Get up, Peter. Slaughter and eat.' But I said, 'Certainly not, sir,because nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.' But a second time a voice from heaven answered,'What God has made clean, you are not to call profane.' This happened three times,and then everything was drawn up again into the sky.Just then three men appeared at the house where we were,who had been sent to me from Caesarea. The Spirit told me to accompany them without discriminating. These six brothers also went with me,and we entered the man's house. He related to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, saying,'Send someone to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter,who will speak words to you by which you and all your household will be saved.' As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon themas it had upon us at the beginning,and I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said,'John baptized with waterbut you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' If then God gave them the same gift he gave to uswhen we came to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ,who was I to be able to hinder God?"When they heard this,they stopped objecting and glorified God, saying,"God has then granted life-giving repentance to the Gentiles too." Responsorial Psalm Ps 42:2-3; 43:3, 4 R.(see 3a) Athirst is my soul for the living God.or:R. Alleluia.As the hind longs for the running waters,so my soul longs for you, O God.Athirst is my soul for God, the living God.When shall I go and behold the face of God?R. Athirst is my soul for the living God.or:R. Alleluia.Send forth your light and your fidelity;they shall lead me onAnd bring me to your holy mountain,to your dwelling-place.R. Athirst is my soul for the living God.or:R. Alleluia.Then will I go in to the altar of God,the God of my gladness and joy;Then will I give you thanks upon the harp,O God, my God!R. Athirst is my soul for the living God.or:R. Alleluia. Alleluia Jn 10:14 R. Alleluia, alleluia.I am the good shepherd, says the Lord;I know my sheep, and mine know me.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Jn 10:11-18 Jesus said: “I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd. This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again. This command I have received from my Father.”   Readings for the Optional Memorial of Saint Joseph the Worker - - -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.