01 May friday Joseph the Worker Psalter: Proper by marlon rante

01 May friday

Joseph the Worker Psalter: Proper

Ps 117:1bc, 2 Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.

1st Reading: Acts 9:1–20* Meanwhile Saul considered nothing but violence and death for the disciples of the Lord. … As he traveled along and was approaching Damascus, a light from the sky suddenly flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul! Why do you persecute me?” And he asked, “Who are you, Lord?” The voice replied, “I am Jesus whom you persecute. Now get up and go into the city; there you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood there speechless; they had heard the sound, but could see no one. Saul got up from the ground and, opening his eyes, he could not see. They took him by the hand and brought him to Damascus. He was blind and he did not eat or drink for three days. … So Ananias left and went to the house. He laid his hands upon Saul and said, “Saul, my brother, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me to you so that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes and he could see; he got up and was baptized. Then he took food and was strengthened. For several days Saul stayed with the disciples at Damascus, and he soon began to proclaim in the synagogues that Jesus was the Son of God. Gospel: Mt 13:54–58 Jesus went to his hometown and taught the people in their synagogue. They were amazed and said, “Where did he get this wisdom and these special powers? Isn’t he the carpenter’s son? Isn’t Mary his mother and aren’t James, Joseph, Simon and Judas his brothers? Aren’t all his sisters living here? How did he get all this?” And so they took offense at him. Jesus said to them, “The only place where prophets are not welcome is their hometown and in their own family.” And he did not perform many miracles there because of their lack of faith.

nce again, Jesus was confronted with the issue of “over familiarity” in today’s reading. The people in his hometown could not believe themselves that the son of a carpenter and Mary was actually teaching them in the synagogue! This is why; Jesus felt that there is no use to perform any miracles to them because of their lack of faith. True enough, Jesus lost his relatives but found his true brothers and sisters in those people who have put their trust in Him. In the same way, when we lose our relatives and friends because we commit ourselves to God’s work and have faith in Jesus, we discover new brothers and sisters. And from here, Jesus starts to perform miracles in our lives because of our faith in Him.

1st Reading: Acts 9:31–42* … As Peter traveled around, he went to visit the saints who lived in Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas who was paralyzed, and had been bedridden for eight years. Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your bed!” And the man got up at once. All the people living in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord. There was a disciple in Joppa named Tabitha, which means Dorcas or Gazelle. She was always doing good works and helping the poor. At that time she fell sick and died. After having washed her body, they laid her in the upstairs room. As Lydda is near Joppa, the disciples, on hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the request, “Please come to us without delay.” … So Peter went with them. Peter made them all leave the room and then he knelt down and prayed. Turning to the dead body he said, “Tabitha, stand up.” She opened her eyes, looked at Peter and sat up. Peter gave her his hand and helped her up. …

saturday

May

3rd Week of Easter Athanasius Psalter: Week 3

Ps 116:12–13, 14–15, 16–17 How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?

Gospel: Jn 6:60–69 Many of Jesus’ followers said, “This language is very hard! Who can accept it?” Jesus was aware that his disciples were murmuring about this and so he said to them, “Does this offend you? Then how will you react when you see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh cannot help. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. But among you there are some who do not believe.” From the beginning, Jesus knew who would betray him. So he added, “As I have told you, no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.” After this many disciples withdrew and no longer followed him. Jesus asked the Twelve, “Will you also go away?” Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We now believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”

esus’ disciples thought some of his words were “hard.” Jesus spoke these words out of love for his disciples, even though they didn’t like what they heard. Love was the foundation of his life. Even after they had heard Jesus speak the hard truth, time and time again, and when his words didn’t register as they ought to have registered, what the disciples needed was a powerful wake-up call. And that was what they got: a swift, gracious kick in the pants from Jesus, who wanted nothing from them so much than that they would change their sinful ways. We all forget or abuse God’s grace at times. When we are poor, when we are struggling, when we have no money, we know what it’s like to be in a tough situation. We often say to ourselves: “If I ever get out of this mess, I’ll always remember what it was like.” But then, when we get out of the mess and our life moves on, we tend to forget what it was like. Let us resolve, therefore, never to forget God’s love, or to share it around…every day of our lives!

1st Reading: Acts 4:8–12 Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, spoke up, “Leaders of the people! Elders! It is a fact that we are being examined today for a good deed done to a cripple. How was he healed? You and all the people of Israel must know that this man stands before you cured through the Name of Jesus Christ the Nazarean. You had him crucified, but God raised him from the dead. Jesus is the stone rejected by you the builders which has become the cornerstone. There is no salvation in anyone else, for there is no other Name given to humankind all over the world by which we may be saved.” 2nd Reading: 1 Jn 3:1–2 See what singular love the Father has for us: we are called children of God, and we really are. This is why the world does not know us, because it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children and what we shall be has not yet been shown. Yet when he appears in his glory, we know that we shall be like him, for then we shall see him as he is.

Ps 118:1, 8–9, 21–23, 26, 28, 29 The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.

sunday

Gospel: Jn 10:11–18 Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. Not so the hired hand or any other person who is not the shepherd and to whom the sheep do not belong. They abandon the sheep as soon as they see the wolf coming; then the wolf snatches and scatters the sheep. This is because the hired hand works for pay and cares nothing for the sheep. “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, as the Father knows me and I know the Father. Because of this I give my life for my sheep. “I have other sheep that are not of this fold. These I have to lead as well, and they shall listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock since there is one Shepherd. “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 freely. It is mine to lay down and to take up again: this mission I received from my Father.”

May

4th Sunday of Easter Psalter: Week 4

he image of the Good Shepherd is most compelling, for it gives us an unforgettable mental picture of the abiding presence of Jesus in our lives. As long as we stay within range of the voice of the Good Shepherd, we need not fear the power of the enemy who seeks only to scatter and steal and slaughter. The Good Shepherd attacks the enemy with great force and deadly accuracy, using the weapon of His cross to secure our safety. The love that Jesus has for us is no mere sentiment or feeling. His love is about great fidelity, commitment and sacrifice, “for there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for a friend.” By laying down His life for us upon the cross Jesus establishes with us the new and everlasting covenant, pledging to lead us through the valley of the shadow of death and to guide us to verdant pastures and restful waters. May we always remain near to our good and gentle shepherd.

04 May

monday

1st Reading: Acts 11:1–18* News came to the apostles and the brothers and sisters in 4th Week of Easter Judea that even foreigners had received the Word of God. … Psalter: Week 4 So Peter began to give them the facts as they had happened, “I was at prayer in the city of Joppa when, in a trance, I saw Ps 42:2–3, 43:3, 4 a vision. Something like a large sheet came down from the Athirst is my soul for the living God. sky and drew near to me, landing on the ground by its four corners. As I stared at it, I saw four-legged creatures of the earth, wild beasts and reptiles, and birds of the sky. Then I heard a voice saying to me: ‘Get up, Peter, kill and eat!’ I replied, ‘Certainly not, Lord! No common or unclean creature has ever entered my mouth.’ A second time the voice from the heavens spoke, “What God has made clean, you must not call unclean.” This happened three times, and then it was all drawn up into the sky. At that moment three men, who had been sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at the house where we were staying. The Spirit instructed me to go with them without hesitation; … Gospel: Jn 10:1–10 Jesus said to the Pharisees, “Truly, I say to you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber. But the shepherd of the sheep enters by the gate. The keeper opens the gate to him and the sheep hear his voice; he calls each of his sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them and the sheep follow him for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, rather they will run away from him because they don’t recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this comparison, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, I am the gate of the sheep. All who came were thieves and robbers, and the sheep did not hear them. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved; he will go in and out freely and find food. “The thief comes to steal and kill and destroy, but I have come that they may have life, life in all its fullness.”

arly Christianity could easily have become just another sect of Judaism; and many believed that was all Christianity was. The concept of taking the Gospel to the gentiles was a monumental event in the life of the Church and the plan of God. But, God knew the first Christians had a terrible problem with prejudice. Even now, in our spiritual lives, we are often determined by prejudice. While we might be zealous about our Christian way of life, we should take care that we don’t stand in God’s way. Those of us, who love God, should glorify Him, especially when we see that He has wrought repentance in the lives of our fellow-sinners. So, let us allow grace to take away our heart of stone and replace it with a heart of warmth and love for everybody in His creation!

1st Reading: Acts 11:19–26 Those who had been scattered because of the persecution over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message, but only to the Jews. But there were some natives of Cyprus and Cyrene among them who, on coming into Antioch, spoke also to the Greeks, giving them the good news of the Lord Jesus. The hand of the Lord was with them so that a great number believed and turned to the Lord. News of this reached the ears of the Church in Jerusalem, so they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw the manifest signs of God’s favor, he rejoiced and urged them all to remain firmly faithful to the Lord; for he himself was a good man filled with Holy Spirit and faith. Thus large crowds came to know the Lord. Then Barnabas went off to Tarsus to look for Saul and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they had meetings with the Church and instructed many people. It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians.

tuesday

May

4th Week of Easter Psalter: Week 4

Ps 87:1b–3, 4–5, 6–7 All you nations, praise the Lord.

Gospel: Jn 10:22–30 The time came for the feast of the Dedication. It was winter and Jesus walked back and forth in the portico of Solomon. The Jews then gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in doubt? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered, “I have already told you but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name proclaim who I am, but you don’t believe because, as I said, you are not my sheep. “My sheep hear my voice and I know them; they follow me and I give them eternal life. They shall never perish and no one will ever steal them from me. What the Father has given me is stronger than everything and no one can snatch it from the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

itherto, the followers of Jesus were called disciples or learners; but from the time of today’s reading, they were called Christians. Properly speaking, this name denotes a follower of Christ, one who, after serious thought and prayer, embraces faith in Christ, believes His promises and makes it a chief concern to live by Christ’s precepts and example. Now, what do we have to do to be a Christian? It’s not what we do, but what Christ does within us. Being a Christian isn’t about rules and regulations to follow. Being a Christian means that we have encountered the true and living God and that we have undergone a change in our heart and soul. Our heart has been changed forever by the love of God. It means having a daily relationship with Christ, that we are changed on the inside, not controlled from the outside. Our heart has been changed forever by the love of God. God finds pleasure in the complete person that we have become. To be a Christian means to follow Christ, to be in fellowship with Him, to live with Him and bring glory to Him in every day of our lives!

06 May

wednesday

4th Week of Easter Psalter: Week 4

Ps 67:2–3, 5, 6, 8 O God, let all the nations praise you!

1st Reading: Acts 12:24–13:5a Meanwhile the word of God was increasing and spreading. Barnabas and Saul carried out their mission and then came back from Jerusalem, taking with them John also called Mark. There were at Antioch—in the Church which was there— prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Symeon known as Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod, and Saul. On one occasion while they were celebrating the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said to them, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul to do the work for which I have called them.” So, after fasting and praying, they laid their hands on them and sent them off. These then, sent by the Holy Spirit, went down to the port of Seleucia and from there sailed to Cyprus. Upon their arrival in Salamis they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogue; John was with them as an assistant. Gospel: Jn 12:44–50 Jesus had said, and even cried out, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. And whoever sees me, sees him who sent me. I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. “If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I am not the one to condemn him; for I have come, not to condemn the world, but to save the world. The one who rejects me, and does not receive my word, already has a judge: the very word I have spoken will condemn him on the last day. “For I have not spoken on my own authority; the Father who sent me has instructed me in what to say and how to speak. I know that his commandment is eternal life, and that is why the message I give, I give as the Father instructed me.”

oday, we meet some of the leaders of the early church in Antioch. If there was one common thing about them, it was that they had little in common. This diversity described the nature of the Church at that time. There was genuine love among the members that broke down walls of prejudice. The leaders represented the diversity of their congregation. One day, God made it known to them that there was a need for Barnabas and Saul to leave and start on a missionary journey. Here, for the first time, Saul was called Paul, and never again Saul. This shows us that the Holy Spirit uses many ways of prompting us to take action. We might learn of a need that exists. The Holy Spirit places love in our hearts; that love gives us the desire to see that the need is met. When we feel the prompting to pray, that may be the indication of how we can meet that need, inspired as we are to take the need to Christ in prayer. The only thing to know is that prayer is the right way to meet our needs and attain happiness!

1st Reading: Acts 13:13–25* From Paphos, Paul and his companions set sail and came to Perga in Pamphylia. (…) On the Sabbath day they entered the synagogue and sat down. After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the officials of the synagogue sent this message to them, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the assembly, please speak up.” So Paul said, “Fellow Israelites and also all you who fear God, listen. The God of our people Israel chose our ancestors, and after he had made them increase during their stay in Egypt, he led them out by powerful deeds. For forty years he fed them in the desert, and after he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance. All this took four hundred and fifty years. After that, he gave them Judges until Samuel the prophet. Then they asked for a king and God gave them Saul, son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, and he was king for forty years. After that time, God removed him and raised up David as king, to whom he bore witness saying: I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will do all I want him to do. It is from the descendants of David that God has now raised up the promised savior of Israel, Jesus. Before he appeared, John proclaimed a baptism of repentance for all the people of Israel. As John was ending his life’s work, he said: ‘I am not what you think I am, for after me another one is coming whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.’”

thursday

May

4th Week of Easter Psalter: Week 4

Ps 89:2–3, 21–22, 25 and 27 For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

Gospel: Jn 13:16–20 After Jesus had washed the feet of the disciples he said. “Truly, I say to you, the servant is not greater than his master, nor is the messenger greater than he who sent him. Understand this, and blessed are you if you put it into practice. I am not speaking of you all, because I know the ones I have chosen and the Scripture has to be fulfilled that says, The one who shared my table has risen against me. I tell you this now before it happens, so that when it does happen, you may know that I am He. Truly, I say to you, whoever welcomes the one I send, welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me, welcomes the One who sent me.”

et’s look at Jesus’ claim that whoever welcomes him, welcomes God; or, put another way: is Jesus the Son of God? Some say his followers created a myth, in claiming that Jesus was the Son of God. It’s true that Jesus claimed divinity. That was the reason they put him on trial and put him to death. People believed Jesus’ claim to be God, because he was so absolutely trustworthy. He lived a perfect life; he was sinless. And he had more insight into life and people than anyone in history. It would be inconsistent to think that he wouldn’t know his own identity. Jesus referred to his miracles as signs. These signs pointed to Jesus’ divinity. Of the hundreds of miracles, one was especially important: he rose from the dead, never to die again. As Son of God, Jesus Christ continues to touch and transform us people, all over the world!

08 May friday

4th Week of Easter Psalter: Week 4

Ps 2:6–7, 8–9, 10–11ab You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.

1st Reading: Acts 13:26–33 Brothers, children and descendants of Abraham, and you also who fear God, it is to you that this message of salvation has been sent. It is a fact that the inhabitants of Jerusalem and their leaders did not recognize Jesus. Yet in condemning him, they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath but not understood. Even though they found no charge against him that deserved death, they asked Pilate to have him executed. And after they had carried out all that had been written concerning him, they took him down from the cross and laid him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead, and for many days thereafter he showed himself to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They have now become his witnesses before the people. We ourselves announce to you this Good News: All that God promised our ancestors, he has fulfilled for us, their descendants, by raising Jesus, according to what is written in the second psalm: You are my Son, today I have begotten you. Gospel: Jn 14:1–6 Jesus said to his disciples, “Do not be troubled; trust in God and trust in me. In my Father’s house there are many rooms. Otherwise I would not have told you that I go to prepare a place for you. After I have gone and prepared a place for you, I shall come again and take you to me, so that where I am, you also may be. Yet you know the way where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going; how can we know the way?” Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me.”

hen Paul delivered his sermons, he was doing all he could to convince the Jews to receive and embrace Christ as the promised Messiah. He made no attempt to concealing the death of Jesus; they always preached Christ crucified. Complete separation from sin is represented by being buried with Christ. But Christ rose from the dead and saw no corruption. This was the great truth that Paul preached. Jesus was indeed the promised Messiah; but first he had to suffer and die for their sins. Later, he would come as conquering king to establish the kingdom of God. The dozens of prophecies, recorded by the prophets, about a Messiah…prophecies fulfilled in Christ…are among the strongest proofs that the Gospels are the inspired word of God. Many writings have been revered by other religions, claiming to be holy and divinely inspired. But none of these other writings prophesied the future and then, hundreds of years later, provided a record of exactly how those prophecies came to pass. Jesus Christ was the Messiah, prophesied throughout the Old Testament. That is the message we convey to an unbelieving world, whenever we proclaim and live out our Christian faith in our daily lives!

1st Reading: Acts 13:44–52* The following Sabbath almost the entire city gathered to listen to Paul, who spoke a fairly long time about the Lord. But the presence of such a crowd made the Jews jealous. So they began to oppose with insults whatever Paul said. Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out firmly, saying, “It was necessary that God’s word be first proclaimed to you, but since you now reject it and judge yourselves to be unworthy of eternal life, we turn to non-Jewish people. For thus we were commanded by the Lord: I have set you as a light to the pagan nations, so that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.” Those who were not Jews rejoiced when they heard this and praised the message of the Lord, and all those destined for everlasting life believed in it. Thus the Word spread throughout the whole region. …

saturday

May

4th Week of Easter Psalter: Week 4

Ps 98:1, 2–3ab, 3cd–4 All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.

Gospel: Jn 14:7–14 Jesus said to his disciples, “If you know me, you will know the Father also; indeed you know him and you have seen him.” Philip asked him, “Lord, show us the Father and that is enough.” Jesus said to him, “What! I have been with you so long and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever sees me sees 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? “All that I say to you, I do not say of myself. The Father who dwells in me is doing his own work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; at least believe it on the evidence of these works that I do. “Truly, I say to you, the one who believes in me will do the same works that I do; and he will even do greater than these, for I am going to the Father. Everything you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. And everything you ask in calling upon my Name, I will do.”

aul was once an absolute tyrant, until he received the Holy Spirit and then there was a complete reversal in the message that he preached. It was the Holy Spirit that made all the difference and nothing could stop Paul from preaching the Gospel. That didn’t go over too well with the unconverted Jews, many of whom were filled with envy when they heard Paul and Barnabas preaching the message of eternal life to the multitudes of people following them. The Jews opposed the doctrine the apostles preached; and when they could find no objection, they blasphemed against Christ and His Gospel. While many judge themselves unworthy of eternal life, there are others, who appear less likely, want to hear more of the glad tidings of salvation. It is sad, however, when some people try to show their hatred of Christianity, under cover of being devoted to their concept of God. The more we relish the comforts and encouragements we meet with in the power of Christ, and the fuller our hearts are of them, the better prepared we are to face difficulties in the profession of our Christian faith.

1st Reading: Acts 9:26–31 When Saul came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples there, but they were afraid of him because they could not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He recounted to them how Saul had seen the Lord on his way and the words the Lord had spoken to him. He told them also how Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. Then Saul began to live with them. He moved about freely in Jerusalem and preached openly in the name of the Lord. He also spoke to the Hellenists and argued with them, but they wanted to kill him. When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. Meanwhile, the Church had peace. It was building up throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria with eyes turned to the Lord and filled with comfort from the Holy Spirit. 2nd Reading: 1 Jn 3:18–24 My dear children, let us love not only with words and with our lips, but in truth and in deed. Then we shall know that we are of the truth and we may calm our conscience in his presence. Every time it reproaches us, let us say: God is Ps 22:26a–27, 28, 30, 31–32 greater than our conscience, and he knows I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly everything. of your people. When our conscience does not condemn us, dear friends, we may have complete confidence in God. Then whatever we ask we shall receive, since we keep his commands and do what pleases him. His command is that we believe in the Name of his Son Jesus Christ and that we love one another, as he has commanded us. Whoever keeps his commands remains in God and God in him. It is by the Spirit God has given us that we know he lives in us.

sunday

Gospel: Jn 15:1–8 Jesus said to his disciples, “I am the true vine and my Father is the vinegrower. If any of my branches doesn’t bear fruit, he breaks it off; and he prunes every branch that does bear fruit, that it may bear even more fruit. “You are already made clean by the word I have spoken to you; live in me as I live in you. The branch cannot bear fruit by itself but has to remain part of the vine; so neither can you if you don’t remain in me. “I am the vine and you are the branches. As long as you remain in me and I in you, you bear much fruit; but apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not remain in me is thrown away as they do with branches and they wither. Then they are gathered and thrown into the fire and burned. “If you remain in me and my words in you, you may ask whatever you want and it will be given to you. My Father is glorified when you bear much fruit: it is then that you become my disciples.”

May

5th Sunday of Easter Psalter: Week 1

he Lord Jesus comes so that we might have life and have it to the full. He draws us into a relationship with Him that is as life-giving as the relationship between a vine and its branches. For when we are connected to Jesus through the sacraments of the Church we experience blessings beyond measure. We find in this re lationship comfort in distress, safety in times of trouble and solace in moments of woe. So, too, do we experience the joy of bearing in His name the good fruit of stewardship and evangelization, truly making a positive difference in the world and leading others closer to the Kingdom. May we always be grateful for this close connection with the Lord Jesus, made possible only through His saving death and glorious resurrection. In Him do we have life. Through Him do we bear fruit in good works. With Him do we experience the joy and peace that this world cannot provide.

11 May

monday

5th Week of Easter Psalter: Week 1

Ps 115:1–2, 3–4, 15–16 Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the glory.

1st Reading: Acts 14:5–18* A move was made by pagans and Jews, together with their leaders, to harm the apostles and to stone them. But Paul and Barnabas learned of this and fled to the Lycaonian towns of Lystra and Derbe. … There was a crippled man in Lystra who had never been able to stand or walk. One day, as he was listening to the preaching, Paul looked intently at him and saw that he had the faith to be saved. So he spoke to him in a loud voice, “In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I command you to stand up on your feet!” And the man stood up and began to walk around. When the people saw what Paul had done, they cried out in the language of Lycaonia, “The gods have come to us in human likeness!” They named Barnabas Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes, since he was the chief speaker. … When Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their garments to show their indignation and rushed into the crowd, shouting, “Friends, why are you doing this? We are human beings with the same weakness you have and we are now telling you to turn away from these useless things to the living God who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and all that is in them. … Gospel: Jn 14:21–26 Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever keeps my commandments is the one who loves me. If he loves me, he will also be loved by my Father; I too shall love him and show myself clearly to him.” Judas—not the Iscariot—asked Jesus, “Lord, how can it be that you will show yourself clearly to us and not to the world?” Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word and my Father will love him; and we will come to him and make a room in his home. But if anyone does not love me, he will not keep my words, and these words that you hear are not mine but the Father’s who sent me. I told you all this while I was still with you. From now on the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of all that I have told you.”

hen Christ appeared in the likeness of men and performed many miracles, people were so far from doing sacrifice to Him that they made Him a sacrifice to their pride and malice. The same power of this world, which closes the human heart against the truth, makes gods of errors and mistakes. Paul and Barnabas did not tear their clothes when the people threatened to stone them; but when the people spoke of worshipping them, they couldn’t bear it. While we might easily obtain undue honors if we wink at the world’s errors and vices, we should dread and detest such false respect much more than we fear any worldly criticism of our faith. The most powerful arguments, or the most earnest and affectionate speeches are scarcely convincing enough to shield some people from absurdity and superstition. Unless we receive special grace from God, we shall never turn the hearts of sinners to God and holiness. That is one of the best arguments for contemplative orders of men and women, who rely upon the power of their prayer to effect in the world the peace and love of God.

1st Reading: Acts 14:19–28 Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and turned the people against them. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the town, leaving him for dead. But when his disciples gathered around him, he stood up and returned to the town. And the next day he left for Derbe with Barnabas. After proclaiming the gospel in that town and making many disciples, they returned to Lystra and Iconium and on to Antioch. They were strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain firm in the faith, for they said, “We must go through many trials to enter the Kingdom of God.” In each church they appointed elders and, after praying and fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had placed their faith. Then they traveled through Pisidia, and came to Pamphylia. They preached the Word in Perga and went down to Attalia. From there they sailed back to Antioch, where they had first been commended to God’s grace for the task they had now completed. On their arrival they gathered the Church together and told them all that God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the non-Jews. They spent a fairly long time there with the disciples.

tuesday

May

5th Week of Easter Nereus and Achilleus / Pancras Psalter: Week 1

Ps 145:10–11, 12–13ab, 21 Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

Gospel: Jn 14:27–31a Jesus said to his disciples, “Peace be with you; I give you my peace. Not as the world gives peace do I give it to you. Do not be troubled; do not be afraid. You heard me say: ‘I am going away, but I am coming to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. “I have told you this now before it takes place, so that when it does happen you may believe. It is very little what I may still tell you, for the ruler of this world is at hand, although there is nothing in me that he can claim. But see, the world must know that I love the Father and that I do what the Father has taught me to do.”

hy doesn’t God take away all of my problems? Didn’t I become a Christian so that I could escape the hardships of this cruel world? Unfortunately, this is the mentality of many Christians these days, because this is the message of many preachers. They often try to attract people to Christ with messages about prosperity and happiness. The avoidance of hardships was definitely not a reason to become a Christian in the first century. In fact, becoming a Christian almost certainly meant hardship and persecution. In many places throughout the world this is true, today. God loves us and doesn’t desire that we experience hardship. He sent His son to us so that we wouldn’t have to endure eternal hardship in hell. But, he doesn’t remove hardship completely from our lives so that we can walk on easy street. Experiencing hardship and trials, and ultimately enduring them, is an integral part of our sanctification process. Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean we should look for hardship for hardship’s sake. There is nothing holy about that. When hard times do come, consider them to be a time of refining and a chance for us to give glory to God!

13 May

wednesday

5th Week of Easter Our Lady of Fatima Psalter: Week 1

Ps 122:1–2, 3–4ab, 4cd–5 Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

1st Reading: Acts 15:1–6 Some persons who had come from Judea to Antioch were teaching the brothers in this way, “Unless you are circumcised according to the law of Moses, you cannot be saved.” Because of this there was trouble, and Paul and Barnabas had fierce arguments with them. For Paul told the people to remain as they were when they became believers. Finally those who had come from Jerusalem suggested that Paul and Barnabas and some others go up to Jerusalem to discuss the matter with the apostles and elders. They were sent on their way by the Church. As they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria they reported how the non-Jews had turned to God, and there was great joy among all the brothers and sisters. On their arrival in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the Church, the apostles and the elders, to whom they told all that God had done through them. Some believers, however, who belonged to the party of the Pharisees, stood up and said that non-Jewish men must be circumcised and instructed to keep the law of Moses. So the apostles and elders met together to consider this matter. Gospel: Jn 15:1–8 Jesus said to his disciples, “I am the true vine and my Father is the vinegrower. If any of my branches doesn’t bear fruit, he breaks it off; and he prunes every branch that does bear fruit, that it may bear even more fruit. You are already made clean by the word I have spoken to you; live in me as I live in you. The branch cannot bear fruit by itself but has to remain part of the vine; so neither can you if you don’t remain in me. I am the vine and you are the branches. As long as you remain in me and I in you, you bear much fruit; but apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not remain in me is thrown away as they do with branches and they wither. Then they are gathered and thrown into the fire and burned. “If you remain in me and my words in you, you may ask whatever you want and it will be given to you. My Father is glorified when you bear much fruit: it is then that you become my disciples.”

e need to remember that Jesus was talking to his disciples and, therefore, to us when he said: “I am the vine and you are the branches!” The union of the human and the divine resembles the root of the vine. The root is unseen; the root supports the vine and supplies its life. We believers are branches of this vine. The branches of the vine are many, and yet are all integral parts of the one vine. Thus, all true Christians, although separated by distance and opinion from each other, come together in Christ. We believers, like the branches of the vine, aren’t strong enough to stand on our own. In order to be fruitful, we must abide in Christ and must have union with Him by faith. It is of great concern for all of us that we stay constantly in communion with Him. Let us seek to live more simply in Christ’s fullness and to be fruitful in every one of our good words and works, so that our joy in Him and His salvation may be full.

1st Reading: Acts 1:15–17, 20–26* … “Peter said, “Brothers, it was necessary that the Scriptures referring to Judas be fulfilled. The Holy Spirit had spoken through David about the one who would lead the crowd coming to arrest Jesus. He was one of our number and had been called to share our common ministry. In the book of Psalms it is written: Let his house become deserted and may no one live in it. But it is also written: May another take his office. Therefore we must choose someone from among those who were with us during all the time that the Lord Jesus moved about with us, beginning with John’s baptism until the day when Jesus was taken away from us. One of these has to become, with us, a witness to his resurrection.” Then they proposed two: Joseph, called Barsabbas, also known as Justus, and Matthias. They prayed: “You know, Lord, what is in the hearts of all. Show us, therefore, which of the two you have chosen to replace Judas in this apostolic ministry.” Then they drew lots between the two and the choice fell on Matthias who was added to the eleven apostles.

thursday

May

Matthias, apostle Psalter: Proper

Ps 113:1–2, 3–4, 5–6, 7–8 The Lord will give him a seat with the leaders of his people.

Gospel: Jn 15:9–17 Jesus said to his disciples, “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; remain in my love. You will remain in my love if you keep my commandments, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. “I have told you all this, that my own joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I have loved you. There is no greater love than this, to give one’s life for one’s friends; and you are my friends if you do what I command you. “I shall not call you servants any more, because servants do not know what their master is about. Instead I have called you friends, since I have made known to you everything I learned from my Father. You did not choose me; it was I who chose you and sent you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last. And everything you ask the Father in my name, he will give you. This is my command, that you love one another.”

ove is a word that has been confused for many years now. Society has turned love into what it is not supposed to be. We say we love certain things and we tell people we love them. Love has so many different connotations that we need to be careful how we use the word, so that God’s love can be communicated through our vocabulary. Sometimes the best way to communicate God’s love is simply to speak of how God has made a difference in our lives. Loving others can be very difficult. Jesus knew His disciples would have a hard time loving each other, because they were human and had different personalities. We are all different from each other; that is the beautiful way God made us. However, it brings on challenges when we have to deal with personalities, and that is where love needs to come into the picture. We need to learn to love each other at the same time as we appreciate our differences. We should love more effectively. Not because we have to and are commanded to, but because we want to!

15 May friday

5th Week of Easter Isidore the Farmer Psalter: Week 1

Ps 57:8–9, 10 and 12 I will give you thanks among the peoples, O Lord.

1st Reading: Acts 15:22–31 Then the apostles and elders together with the whole Church decided to choose representatives from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. These were Judas, known as Barsabbas, and Silas, both leading men among the brothers. They took with them the following letter: Greetings from the apostles and elders, your brothers, to the believers of non-Jewish birth in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia. We have heard that some persons from among us have worried you with their discussions and troubled your peace of mind. They were not appointed by us. But now, it has seemed right to us in an assembly, to choose representatives and to send them to you, along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, who have dedicated their lives to the service of our Lord Jesus Christ. We send you then Judas and Silas who themselves will give you these instructions by word of mouth. We, with the Holy Spirit, have decided not to put any other burden on you except what is necessary: You are to abstain from blood from the meat of strangled animals and from prohibited marriages. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.” After saying goodbye, the messengers went to Antioch, where they assembled the community and handed them the letter. When they read the news, all were delighted with the encouragement it gave them. Gospel: Jn 15:12–17 Jesus said to his disciples, “This is my commandment: love one another as I have loved you. There is no greater love than this, to give one’s life for one’s friends; and you are my friends if you do what I command you. I shall not call you servants any more, because servants do not know what their master is about. Instead I have called you friends, since I have made known to you everything I learned from my Father. You did not choose me; it was I who chose you and sent you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last. And everything you ask the Father in my name, he will give you. “This is my command, that you love one another.”

t’s important to notice that Jesus links love of God with love of our neighbor. Loving God is all about loving each other. If we love God, then we should love the things that God loves. This is a rallying cry to get out of our self-centered life-styles and take an active part in God’s love for the poor and oppressed in this world. We proclaim these words of hope, the hope of God’s social concern for the needy, when we bring them food to eat, or we visit prisoners, or reach out to the homeless in our land. We make ourselves available to God’s new life, when we give up the securities of life and walk with vulnerable people into what seems like an uncertain future. It is only then that we realize what is remarkable about the Christian life: we believe that we are alive only by the grace of God. Our future happiness is not something we can achieve by ourselves; instead, it’s something we receive while we walk along the path, Christ has shown us.

1st Reading: Acts 16:1–10 Paul traveled on to Derbe and then to Lystra. A disciple named Timothy lived there, whose mother was a believer of Jewish origin but whose father was a Greek. As the believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him, Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him. So he took him and, because of the Jews of that place who all knew that his father was a Greek, he circumcised him. As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions of the apostles and elders in Jerusalem, for the people to obey. Meanwhile, the churches grew stronger in faith and increased in number every day. They traveled through Phrygia and Galatia, because they had been prevented by the Holy Spirit from preaching the message in the province of Asia. When they came to Mysia, they tried to go on to Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to do this. So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. There one night Paul had a vision. A Macedonian stood before him and begged him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” When he awoke, he told us of this vision and we understood that the Lord was calling us to give the Good News to the Macedonian people.

saturday

May

5th Week of Easter Psalter: Week 1

Ps 100:1b–2, 3, 5 Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

Gospel: Jn 15:18–21 Jesus said to his disciples, “If the world hates you, remember that the world hated me before you. This would not be so if you belonged to the world, because the world loves its own. But you are not of the world since I have chosen you from the world; because of this the world hates you. “Remember what I told you: the servant is not greater than his master; if they persecuted me, they will persecute you, too. Have they kept my teaching? Will they then keep yours? All this they will do to you for the sake of my name because they do not know the One who sent me.”

uffering persecution is part of the Christian life. If we have never experienced ridicule, criticism, or rejection, because of our walk with God, we have never had reason to examine the genuineness of our walk. Many television ‘preachers’ would love to sell us on how to be happy and avoid trouble. But, it’s simple really: we just have to live like the world and mimic the world’s standards. To go along with the world, to laugh at its jokes when it mocks God and takes His name in vain, or to be ashamed of our life as Christians, does not bring persecution. Faithfulness, on the other hand, always has a cost. The Christian response to persecution should not be to run and hide. We should be glad. In the early days of the church, the price paid for following Christ was often the ultimate price. To choose Christ often meant death by stoning or being wrapped in animal skins and fed to the lions. Today, to be persecuted for the sake of the Gospel is to stand in the ranks of the prophets. To be persecuted for our beliefs verifies that we belong to the family of Christ!

1st Reading: Acts 10:25–26, 34–35, 44–48 As Peter was about to enter, Cornelius went to him, fell on his knees and bowed low. But Peter lifted him up saying, “Stand up, for I too am a human being.” Peter then spoke to them, “Truly, I realize that God does not show partiality, but in all nations he listens to everyone who fears God and does good.” Peter was still speaking when the Holy Spirit came upon all who listened to the Word. And the believers of Jewish origin who had come with Peter were amazed, “Why! God gives and pours the Holy Spirit on foreigners also!” For indeed this happened: they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter declared, “Can we refuse to baptize with water these people who have received the Holy Spirit, just as we have?” So he had them baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. After that they asked him to remain with them for some days. 2nd Reading: 1 Jn 4:7–10 My dear friends, let us love one another for love comes from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Those who do not love have not known God, for God is love. How did the love of God appear among us? God sent his only Son into this world that we Ps 98:1, 2b–3, 3–4 might have life through him. The Lord has revealed to the nations This is love: not that we loved God but that his saving power. he first loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

sunday

Gospel: Jn 15:9–17 Jesus said to his disciples, “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; remain in my love. You will remain in my love if you keep my commandments, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. “I have told you all this, that my own joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I have loved you. There is no greater love than this, to give one’s life for one’s friends; and you are my friends if you do what I command you. “I shall not call you servants any more, because servants do not know what their master is about. Instead I have called you friends, since I have made known to you everything I learned from my Father. “You did not choose me; it was I who chose you and sent you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last. And everything you ask the Father in my name, he will give you. “This is my command, that you love one another.”

May

6th Sunday of Easter Psalter: Week 2

n our modern world “love” is a word that is cheapened by its overuse. In modern parlance “love” can mean just about anything we want it to mean, including actions that are steeped in selfishness and hedonism. In the Gospel, the meaning of the word “love” is crystal clear, for Jesus Himself defines the term by stretching His arms out upon the cross, dying to self so that we might live forever. Jesus gives us His great love, the greatest love the world has ever known, and He gives us this love as stewards. As we benefit for all eternity from the love of Jesus, so too are we called to share His love generously with others. In so doing, we bear in abundance the fruit of charity and mercy, bringing into other people’s lives the priceless treasures of faith, hope and love. In the Kingdom of God, “love” is a word whose meaning is unambiguous.

18 May

monday

6th Week of Easter John I Psalter: Week 2

Ps 149:1b–2, 3–4, 5–6a and 9b The Lord takes delight in his people.

1st Reading: Acts 16:11–15 So we put out to sea from Troas and sailed straight across to Samothrace Island, and the next day to Neapolis. From there we went inland to Philippi, the leading city of the district of Macedonia, and a Roman colony. We spent some days in that city. On the sabbath we went outside the city gate to the bank of the river where we thought the Jews would gather to pray. We sat down and began speaking to the women who were gathering there. One of them was a God-fearing woman named Lydia from Thyatira City, a dealer in purple cloth. As she listened, the Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul was saying. After she had been baptized together with her household, she invited us to her house, “If you think I am faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us to accept her invitation. Gospel: Jn 15:26–16:4 Jesus said to his disciples, “From the Father, I will send you the Spirit of truth. When this Helper has come from the Father, he will be my witness, and you, too, will be my witnesses for you have been with me from the beginning. “I tell you all this to keep you from stumbling and falling away. They will put you out of the Jewish communities. Still more, the hour is coming when anyone who kills you will claim to be serving God; they will do this because they have not known the Father or me. I tell you all these things now so that when the time comes you may remember that I told you. “I did not tell you about this in the beginning because I was with you.”

primary role of the Holy Spirit is that He bears witness to Christ. He tells people’s hearts about the truth of Christ. He reveals God’s will and God’s truth to a Christian. The Holy Spirit chose to live inside those who believe in Christ, in order to produce God’s character in the life of a believer. In a way that we cannot do on our own, the Holy Spirit builds into our lives the qualities of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Rather than us trying to be patient and kind on our own, God asks us to rely on Him to produce these qualities in our lives. Thus, Christians are told to walk in the Spirit and be filled with the Spirit. The Holy Spirit empowers Christians to perform duties that promote spiritual growth among us all. The Holy Spirit also performs a function for non-Christians. He convinces people of God’s truth concerning how sinful we are, needing God’s forgiveness, and how righteous Jesus is, in dying for our sins. The Holy Spirit dwells within our hearts and minds, asking us to repent and turn to God for forgiveness and a new life.

1st Reading: Acts 16:22–34* So they set the crowd against them and the officials tore the clothes off Paul and Silas and ordered them to be flogged. And after inflicting many blows on them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to guard them safely. … About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. Suddenly a severe earthquake shook the place, rocking the prison to its foundations. Immediately all the doors flew open and the chains of all the prisoners fell off. The jailer woke up to see the prison gates wide open. Thinking that the prisoners had escaped, he drew his sword to kill himself, but Paul shouted to him, “Do not harm yourself! We are all still here.” The jailer asked for a light, then rushed in, and fell at the feet of Paul and Silas. After he had secured the other prisoners, he led them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They answered, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you and your household will be saved.” Then they spoke the word of God to him and to all his household. Even at that hour of the night, the jailer took care of them and washed their wounds; and he and his whole household were baptized at once. …

tuesday

May

6th Week of Easter Psalter: Week 2

Ps 138:1–2ab, 2cde–3, 7c–8 Your right hand saves me, O Lord.

Gospel: Jn 16:5–11 Jesus said to his disciples, “But now I am going to the One who sent me and none of you asks me where I am going; instead you are overcome with grief because of what I have said. Indeed believe me: It is better for you that I go away, because as long as I do not leave, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go away, it is to send him to you, and when he comes, he will vindicate the truth in face of the world with regard to sin, to the way of righteousness, and to the Judgment. “What has been the sin? They did not believe in me. What is the way of righteousness? I am on the way to the Father, meanwhile you will not see me. What Judgment? The Ruler of this world has himself been condemned.”

y warning his disciples of bad times ahead, Jesus intended that, when troubles came, as they certainly would, they would not come as a surprise. He didn’t tell them sooner, because he was there with them to teach, guide, and comfort them. The message for us here, as well, is that we shouldn’t worry about when troubles might be coming to us, or when they will end, because we know that troubles can work towards our good spiritual health. In his sufferings, Christ looked towards fulfilling scripture; and so should we, His followers, in ours. It is a common fault and folly of melancholy Christians to look only on the dark side of the cloud, or to turn a deaf ear to the voice of joy and gladness. This is tantamount to surrendering faith and losing hope in God. The main thing, which seemed to fill the hearts of the disciples with the greatest sorrow, was their great affection for this life. Nothing hinders our joy in God more than love of the world and, ironically, the sorrow of the world, which inevitably follows it.

20 May

wednesday

6th Week of Easter Bernardine of Siena Psalter: Week 2

Ps 148:1–2, 11–12, 13, 14 Heaven and earth are full of your glory.

1st Reading: Acts 17:15, 22–18:1* Paul was taken as far as Athens by his escort, who then returned to Beroea with instructions for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible. Then Paul stood up in the Areopagus hall and said, “Athenian citizens, I note that in every way you are very religious. “As I walked around looking at your shrines, I even discovered an altar with this inscription: To an unknown God. Now, what you worship as unknown, I intend to make known to you. “God, who made the world and all that is in it, does not dwell in sanctuaries made by human hands, being as he is Lord of heaven and earth. Nor does his worship depend on anything made by human hands, as if he were in need. Rather it is he who gives life and breath and everything else to everyone. From one stock he created the whole human race to live throughout all the earth, and he fixed the time and the boundaries of each nation. He wanted them to seek him by themselves, even if it were only by groping for him, succeed in finding him. Yet he is not far from any one of us. For in him we live and move and have our being, as some of your poets have said: for we too are his offspring. If we are indeed God’s offspring, we ought not to think of divinity as something like a statue of gold or silver or stone, a product of human art and imagination. But now God prefers to overlook this time of ignorance and he calls on all people to change their ways. He has already set a day on which he will judge the world with justice through a man he has appointed. And, so that all may believe it, he has just given a sign by raising this man from the dead.” … Gospel: Jn 16:12–15 Jesus said to his disciples, “I still have many things to tell you, but you cannot bear them now. When he, the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into the whole truth. “He has nothing to say of himself but he will speak of what he hears, and he will tell you of the things to come. He will take what is mine and make it known to you; in doing this, he will glorify me. All that the Father has is mine; because of this I have just told you, that the Spirit will take what is mine and make it known to you.”

fter the death of Jesus, the disciples, like Jesus before them, were anti-authoritarian; they ignored social propriety if it was a hindrance to their spirit-directed work and extended their influence through the ability to deliver charismatic sermons, heal, exorcise demons, and initiate these gifts in others. The message of Jesus was that God is alive and present here in the material world in the person of the Holy Spirit. At its inception, Christianity was never meant solely to be about Jesus. The coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost marked the beginning of Christianity. Christianity is about the grace and power that arise when we become an instrument of the living presence of the Holy Spirit.

1st Reading: Acts 18:1–8 After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, following a decree of the Emperor Claudius which ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to visit them and then stayed and worked with them because they shared the same trade of tentmaking. Every Sabbath he held discussions in the synagogue, trying to convince both Jews and Greeks. When Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul was able to give himself wholly to preaching and proving to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. One day when they opposed him and insulted him, he shook the dust from his clothes in protest, saying, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. I am not to blame if from now on I go to the non-Jews.” So Paul left there and went to the house of a Godfearing man named Titus Justus who lived next door to the synagogue. A leading man of the synagogue, Crispus, along with his whole household, believed in the Lord. On hearing Paul, many more Corinthians believed and were baptized.

thursday

May

6th Week of Easter Christopher Magallanes Psalter: Week 2

Ps 98:1, 2–3ab, 3cd–4 The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.

Gospel: Jn 16:16–20 Jesus said to his disciples, “A little while and you will see me no more; and then a little while, and you will see me.” Some of the disciples wondered, “What does he mean by: ‘A little while and you will not see me, and then a little while and you will see me’? And why did he say: ‘I go to the Father’?” And they said to one another, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand.” Jesus knew that they wanted to question him; so he said to them, “You are puzzled because I told you that in a little while you will see me no more, and then a little while later you will see me. Truly, I say to you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy.”

he greatest word that can ever be said to a person in sorrow would be the promise that his sorrow will be temporary. Jesus comforted his sorrowful disciples and alleviated their sorrow with promises, wonderful hopes, and the assurance of his presence through the Holy Spirit. He told them they would do greater things than he did and that if they asked for anything in his name, it would be granted. He said they would have the power to be victorious over the world and that they would be his witnesses. Jesus gave them the greatest comfort possible: the promise that their sorrow would be temporary. Jesus told the disciples that he understood their sorrow. He knew they were grieving over the prospect of losing him, that they simply didn’t understand much of what he was saying about his physical death and departure. So, he turned his thoughts and concerns towards them and endeavoured to comfort them. He climaxed his message of comfort with the statement that soon their sorrow would be turned to joy because his departure was only temporary. Equally well, his message is a comfort for each one of us, who desires to follow in his footsteps!

22 May friday

6th Week of Easter Rita of Cascia Psalter: Week 2

Ps 47:2–3, 4–5, 6–7 God is king of all the earth.

1st Reading: Acts 18:9–18 One night, in a vision, the Lord said to Paul, “Do not be afraid, but continue speaking and do not be silent, for many people in this city are mine. I am with you, so no one will harm you.” So Paul stayed a year and a half in that place, teaching the word of God among them. When Gallio was governor of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him before the court. And they accused him, “This man tries to persuade us to worship God in ways that are against the Law.” Paul was about to speak in his own defense when Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of a misdeed or vicious crime, I would have to consider your complaint. But since this is a quarrel about teachings and divine names that are proper to your own law, see to it yourselves: I refuse to judge such matters.” And he sent them out of the court. Then the people seized Sosthenes, a leading man of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal; but Gallio paid no attention to it. Paul stayed on with the disciples in Corinth for many days; he then left them and sailed off with Priscilla and Aquila for Syria. And as he was no longer under a vow he had taken, he shaved his head before sailing from Cenchreae. Gospel: Jn 16:20–23 Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy. A woman in childbirth is in distress because her time is at hand. But after the child is born, she no longer remembers her suffering because of such great joy: a human being is born into the world. “You feel sorrowful now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice. And no one will take your joy from you. When that day comes you will not ask me anything. Truly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my Name, he will give you.”

s a man of true feeling, Jesus knew he would need to prepare his disciples for his departure. So, he gave them the promise of prayer answered. This must have been wonderful news for them. Although contact with the visible Jesus would be gone, a deeper, stronger, more inward contact with God was thrown wide open to them. That same privilege, that same inward contact with God, that same speaking to God in word and thought, has also been given to us, so that our joy may be complete. But, because God loves us, He only gives us those things that are for our good, those things that draw us closer to Christ, in whose name we pray. Even when God refuses to give us a particular thing, for which we are asking, our prayers do not go unanswered. God always knows best and He always answers our prayers in His own way, in His own time. Prayer is our whole response to God’s work in our lives: our deliverance from sin by the blood of Christ. As we breathe out our love for God with our prayer, we breathe in His never-ending love and mercy with His answer!

1st Reading: Acts 18:23–28 After spending some time there, he left and traveled from place to place through Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening the disciples. A certain Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, arrived at Ephesus. He was an eloquent speaker and an authority on the Scriptures, and he had some knowledge of the way of the Lord. With great enthusiasm he preached and taught correctly about Jesus, although he knew only of John’s baptism. As he began to speak boldly in the synagogue, Priscilla and Aquila heard him; so they took him home with them and explained to him the way more accurately. As Apollos wished to go to Achaia, the believers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly strengthened those who, by God’s grace, had become believers, for he vigorously refuted the Jews, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah.

saturday

May

6th Week of Easter Psalter: Week 2

Ps 47:2–3, 8–9, 10 God is king of all the earth.

Gospel: Jn 16:23–28 Jesus said to his disciples, “When that day comes you will not ask me anything. Truly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my Name, he will give you. So far you have not asked in my Name; ask and receive that your joy may be full. I taught you all this in veiled language, but the time is coming when I shall no longer speak in veiled language, but will tell you plainly of the Father. When that day comes, you will ask in my Name and it will not be for me to ask the Father for you, for the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and you believe that I came from the Father. As I came from the Father and have come into the world, so I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”

itherto, Jesus had spoken in parables, the import of which the disciples did not fully understand. But now, he plainly intended to teach them such things as relate to God and the way to Him, through his intercession. Our praying to God for help shows a sense of spiritual want and a desire for spiritual blessings, with conviction that help is to be had from God alone. Asking in Christ’s name acknowledges our unworthiness to receive any favors from God and shows our full dependence upon Christ. And the frequency, with which we pray to Christ, offering up petitions in His name, shows that His mediation impresses upon us a deep sense of our sinfulness and of the power of His death, whereby we have access to God. Let us remember that, to address the Father in the name of Christ, or to address the Son of God, dwelling in human nature and reconciling the world to the Father, are the same, since the Father and Son are one. Here is a plain declaration of Christ’s coming from the Father. By telling them this, the disciples were able to increase in knowledge and in faith, just as we must do!

1st Reading: Acts 1:1–11 In the first part of my work, Theophilus, I wrote of all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when he ascended to heaven. But first he had instructed through the Holy Spirit the apostles he had chosen. After his passion, he presented himself to them, giving many signs that he was alive; over a period of forty days he appeared to them and taught them concerning the kingdom of God. Once when he had been eating with them, he told them, “Do not leave Jerusalem but wait for the fulfillment of the Father’s promise about which I have spoken to you: John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit within a few days.” When they had come together, they asked him, “Is it now that you will restore the Kingdom of Israel?” And he answered, “It is not for you to

Ps 47:2–3, 6–7, 8–9 God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord. know the time and the steps that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the earth.” After Jesus said this, he was taken up before their eyes and a cloud hid him from their sight. While they were still looking up to heaven where he went, suddenly, two men dressed in white stood beside them and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking up at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken from you into heaven, will return in the same way as you have seen him go there.”

2nd Reading: Eph 4:1–13 (or 4:1–7, 11–13) I, a prisoner of Christ, invite you to live the vocation you have received. Be humble, kind, patient, and bear with one another in love. Make every effort to keep among you the unity of Spirit through bonds of peace. Let there be one body and one spirit, for God, in calling you, gave the same Spirit to all. One Lord, one faith, one baptism. One God, the Father of all, who is above all and works through all and is in all. But to each of us divine grace is given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it is said: When he ascended to the heights, he brought captives and gave his gifts to people. He ascended, what does it mean but that he had also descended to the lower parts of the world? Himself who went down, then ascended far above all the heavens to fill all things. As for his gifts, to some he gave to be apostles, to others prophets, or even evangelists, or pastors and teachers. So he prepared those who belong to him for the ministry, in order to build up the Body of Christ, until we are all united in the same faith and knowledge of the Son of God. Thus we shall become the perfect Man, upon reaching maturity and sharing the fullness of Christ. Gospel: Mk 16:15–20 Jesus said, “Go out to the whole world and proclaim the Good News to all creation. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; the one who refuses to believe will be condemned. Signs like these will accompany those who have believed: in my Name they will cast out demons and speak new languages; they will pick up snakes and, if they drink anything poisonous, they will be unharmed. They will lay their hands on the sick and they will be healed.” So then, after speaking to them, the Lord Jesus was taken up into heaven and took his place at the right hand of God. The Eleven went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that accompanied them.

sunday

May

Ascension Sunday Psalter: Proper

hrough our baptism we are profoundly connected with the Lord and His apostles. Our Lord entered into the waters of the Jordan River, thereby making holy the water that would be the sign and means of our entrance into the life of the Holy Trinity. Jesus promised the apostles that they would be baptized in the Holy Spirit, a promise that He kept on the day of Pentecost. Before He ascended into heaven, our Lord commanded the apostles to go forth into the world, baptizing in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. On the day of our baptism we were configured to Christ Jesus and drawn into the life of the Church. On this Feast of the Ascension, may we be conscious of our baptismal promises: to reject sin, to embrace the Lord Jesus, and to live out our lives as good and faithful stewards of so great a gift as life in Christ. As we strive to bear witness to Jesus in what we say and do, may others be drawn to conversion and new life in Jesus Christ.

25 May

monday

7th Week of Easter Venerable Bede / Gregory VII / Mary Magdalene de Pazzi Psalter: Week 3

Ps 68:2–3ab, 4–5acd, 6–7ab Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.

1st Reading: Acts 19:1–8 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior of the country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples whom he asked, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” They answered, “We have not even heard that anyone may receive the Holy Spirit.” Paul then asked, “What kind of baptism have you received?” And they answered, “The baptism of John.” Paul then explained, “John’s baptism was for conversion, but he himself said they should believe in the one who was to come, and that one is Jesus.” Upon hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Paul laid his hands on them and the Holy Spirit came down upon them; and they began to speak in tongues and to prophesy. There were about twelve of them in all. Paul went into the synagogue and for three months he preached and discussed there boldly, trying to convince them about the Kingdom of God. Gospel: Jn 16:29–33 The disciples said to Jesus, “Now you are speaking plainly and not in veiled language! Now we see that you know all things, even before we question you. Because of this we believe that you came from God.” Jesus answered them, “You say that you believe! The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each one to his home, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. “I have told you all this, so that in me you may have peace. You will have trouble in the world; but, courage! I have overcome the world.”

hrist lives within us today to help us face life and live it victoriously. Being a Christian means having the courage to face life, and facing it as a victor and not a victim. It means singing a song when others are complaining. To live day after day, year after year, with pain or poverty takes enormous courage. If Jesus’ crucifixion looked like a defeat, his resurrection from the dead changed all that. We look back at the cross and realize that it was not a defeat, but a tremendous victory over death. All of us have times of depression when we feel like throwing in the towel and quitting; but those are the times we need to turn to Christ and let His power go to work. It takes courage to live like Christ. In ourselves, we don’t have this courage. But through faith in Christ we can face life with confidence and know that He will see us through. He never leaves us; He never forsakes us. His power will meet every demand of life. He will always give us what we need…patience, wisdom, kindness, love, understanding, and moral courage. He will never fail us!

1st Reading: Acts 20:17–27* From Miletus Paul sent word to Ephesus, summoning the elders of the Church. When they came to him, he addressed them, “You know how I lived among you from the first day I set foot in the province of Asia, how I served the Lord in humility through the sorrows and trials that the Jews caused me. You know that I never held back from doing anything that could be useful for you; I spoke publicly and in your homes and I urged Jews and non-Jews alike to turn to God and believe in our Lord Jesus. But now I am going to Jerusalem, chained by the Spirit, without knowing what will happen to me there. Yet in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that imprisonment and troubles await me. Indeed I put no value on my life, if only I can finish my race and complete the service to which I have been assigned by the Lord Jesus, to announce the good news of God’s grace.” …

tuesday

May

7th Week of Easter Philip Neri Psalter: Week 3

Ps 68:10–11, 20–21 Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.

Gospel: Jn 17:1–11 Jesus said, “Father, the hour has come; give glory to your Son, that the Son may give glory to you. You have given him power over all mortals, and you want him to bring eternal life to all you have entrusted to him. For this is eternal life: to know you, the only true God, and the One you sent, Jesus Christ. I have glorified you on earth and finished the work that you gave me to do. Now, Father, give me in your presence the same Glory I had with you before the world began. “I have made your name known to those you gave me from the world. They were yours and you gave them to me, and they kept your word. And now they know that all you have given me comes indeed from you. I have given them the teaching I received from you, and they received it and know in truth that I came from you; and they believe that you have sent me. I pray for them; I do not pray for the world but for those who belong to you and whom you have given to me— indeed all I have is yours and all you have is mine—and now they are my glory. I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world whereas I am going to you. Holy Father, keep them in your Name (that you have given me,) so that they may be one, just as we are.”

hrist offered this prayer for His people alone; not for the world at large. Everyone, who wants to come to God and knows that he or she is unworthy to come on merit alone, should be encouraged by Christ’s declaration, that He is both willing and able to save the least of us, who come to God through Him. Earnest convictions and desires are hopeful signs of Christ’s work already in us; they begin to show the world that we have been chosen for salvation, through sanctification and belief in the truth of the Gospel. Just look at the foundation, upon which the prayer of Christ is grounded: All I have is yours and all you have is mine! This clearly shows that the Father and Son are one! The Son owns none of us that are not devoted to the service of the Father.

27 May

wednesday

7th Week of Easter Augustine of Canterbury Psalter: Week 3

Ps 68:29–30, 33–35a, 35bc–36ab Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.

1st Reading: Acts 20:28–38* “Keep watch over yourselves and over the whole flock the Holy Spirit has placed into your care. Shepherd the Church of the Lord that he has won at the price of his own blood. I know that after I leave, ruthless wolves will come among you and not spare the flock. And from among you, some will arise corrupting the truth and inducing the disciples to follow them. “Be on the watch, therefore, remembering that for three years, night and day, I did not cease to warn everyone even with tears. Now I commend you to God and to his gracefilled word, which is able to make you grow and gain the inheritance that you shall share with all the saints. “I have not looked for anyone’s silver, gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have provided for both my needs and the needs of those who were with me. In every way I have shown you that by so working hard one must help the weak, remembering the words that the Lord Jesus himself said, ‘Happiness lies more in giving than in receiving.’” … Gospel: Jn 17:11b–19 Jesus prayed, “I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world whereas I am going to you. Holy Father, keep them in your Name (that you have given me,) so that they may be one, just as we are. When I was with them, I kept them safe in your Name, and not one was lost except the one who was already lost, and in this the Scripture was fulfilled. But now I am coming to you and I leave these my words in the world that my joy may be complete in them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them because they are not of the world; just as I am not of the world. I do not ask you to remove them from the world but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world; consecrate them in the truth—your word is truth. “I have sent them into the world as you sent me into the world, and for their sake, I go to the sacrifice by which I am consecrated, so that they too may be consecrated in truth.”

hrist didn’t pray that we might be prosperous and great in the world, but that we might be kept free from sin, strengthened for our duty, and brought safely to heaven. He didn’t pray that we should be removed from the world in order that we might escape its rage, since we have great work to do for the glory of God and the benefit of humankind. He prayed that the Father would keep us from evil, from being corrupted by the world and from the power and craft of the devil, so that we might pass through the world as through an enemy’s country, just as He did. The Spirit of God, in true Christians, is opposed to the spirit of the world. Christ prayed for us, so that we might not only be kept from the devil, but turned into good and faithful citizens of this world, in which we live. It is a call for action that means we are made holy and happy, through the work we do in the name of Christ. We must pray for His sanctifying grace, so that we may be set apart for Christ and for His service!

1st Reading: Acts 22:30; 23:6–11* … Paul knew that part of the Council were Sadducees and others Pharisees; so he spoke out in the Council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, son of a Pharisee. It is for the hope in the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial here.” At these words, an argument broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees and the whole assembly was divided. For the Sadducees claim that there is neither resurrection, nor angels nor spirits, while the Pharisees acknowledge all these things. Then the shouting grew louder, and some teachers of the Law of the Pharisee party protested, “We find nothing wrong with this man. Maybe a spirit or an angel has spoken to him.” With this the argument became so violent that the commander feared that Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He therefore ordered the soldiers to go down and rescue him from their midst and take him back to the fortress. That night the Lord stood by Paul and said, “Courage! As you have borne witness to me here in Jerusalem, so must you do in Rome.”

thursday

May

7th Week of Easter Psalter: Week 3

Ps 16:1–2a and 5, 7– 8, 9–10, 11 Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.

Gospel: Jn 17:20–26 Jesus looked up to heaven and prayed, “I pray not only for these but also for those who through their word will believe in me. May they all be one as you Father are in me and I am in you. May they be one in us; so the world may believe that you have sent me. “I have given them the Glory you have given me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. Thus they shall reach perfection in unity and the world shall know that you have sent me and that I have loved them just as you loved me. “Father, since you have given them to me, I want them to be with me where I am and see the Glory you gave me, for you loved me before the foundation of the world. “Righteous Father, the world has not known you but I have known you, and these have known that you have sent me. As I revealed your Name to them, so will I continue to reveal it, so that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I also may be in them.”

hrist prayed that all of us, as Christians, might be one body beneath one head, animated by one soul, in union with Christ and the Father, through the Holy Spirit dwelling in us. Let us endeavor to stay united in the bond of peace, praying that we all may be more and more united in one mind and one judgment. Thus, we shall convince the world of the truth and excellence of our faith, and find sweet communion with God and his saints. He declared the name and character of God, by His doctrine and His Spirit, so that the love of God towards Him might abide with us also. Thus, being joined to Christ and living by the Holy Spirit, we should be consumed with the conviction of our faith and, with joy and hope in God, enjoy a blessed happiness, of which we can form no real idea in our present state.

29 May friday

7th Week of Easter Psalter: Week 3

Ps 103:1–2, 11–12, 19–20ab The Lord has established his throne in heaven.

1st Reading: Acts 25:13b–21* … Festus told the king about Paul’s case and said to him. “We have here a man whom Felix left as a prisoner. When I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews accused him and asked me to sentence him. I told them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand over a man without giving him an opportunity to defend himself in front of his accusers. So they came and I took my seat without delay on the tribunal and sent for the man. “When the accusers had the floor, they did not accuse him of any of the crimes that I was led to think he had committed; instead they quarreled with him about religion and about a certain Jesus who has died but whom Paul asserted to be alive. I did not know what to do about this case, so I asked Paul if he wanted to go to Jerusalem to be tried there. But Paul appealed to be judged by the emperor. So I ordered that he be kept in custody until I send him to Caesar.” Gospel: Jn 21:15–19 After Jesus and his disciples had finished breakfast, he said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” And Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” A second time Jesus said to him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” And Peter answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Look after my sheep.” And a third time he said to him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was saddened because Jesus asked him a third time, “Do you love me?” and he said, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus then said, “Feed my sheep. Truly, I say to you, when you were young you put on your belt and walked where you liked. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and another will put a belt around you and lead you where you do not wish to go.” Jesus said this to make known the kind of death by which Peter was to glorify God. And he added, “Follow me.”

oday, Christ is calling us to the same vocation He gave to Peter: Feed my lambs; feed my sheep!” He’s calling us to bring the power of His Word to bear in people’s lives. Have we gone out of our way lately to help a homeless person, send food to a food pantry, donate clothing to a thrift shop or clothing bank, or buy a hungry person a meal? Do we encourage our elected officials to find ways to help us reach out with love and compassion, to provide assistance to those in need? While we might realize that we are our brother’s keeper, all too often we fall short of providing the care and concern, which so many hurting people need. Besides the physical hunger people face there is the spiritual hunger, integrally wound into the fabric of human existence. We, who have been called into the light of God’s mercy, love, and forgiveness, have also been called by Him to share that same spiritual food with others. Today, Christ is calling upon us to share His love, grace, mercy and forgiveness with everyone, so they might have life forever in Him.

1st Reading: Acts 28:16–20, 30–31 Upon our arrival in Rome, the captain turned the prisoners over to the military governor but permitted Paul to lodge in a private house with the soldier who guarded him. After three days, Paul called together the leaders of the Jews. When they had gathered, he said to them: “Brothers, though I have not done anything against our people or against the traditions of our fathers, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. They examined me and wanted to set me free, for they saw nothing in my case that deserved death. But the Jews objected, so I was forced to appeal to Caesar without the least intention of bringing any case against my own people. Therefore, I have asked to see you and speak with you, since it is because of the hope of Israel that I bear these chains.” Paul stayed for two whole years in a house he himself rented, where he received without any hindrance all those who came to see him. He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught the truth about Jesus Christ, the Lord, quite openly and without any hindrance.

saturday

May

7th Week of Easter Psalter: Week 3

Ps 11:4, 5, 7 The just will gaze on your face, O Lord.

Gospel: Jn 21:20–25 Peter looked back and saw that the disciple Jesus loved was following as well, the one who had reclined close to Jesus at the supper and had asked him, “Lord, who is to betray you?” On seeing him Peter asked Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain until I come, does that concern you? Follow me.” Because of this the rumor spread in the community that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus had not said to Peter, “He will not die,” but “suppose I want him to remain until I come.” It is this disciple who testifies about the things he has recorded here and we know that his testimony is true. But Jesus did many other things; if all were written down, the world itself would not hold the books recording them.

t was the will of Christ that His disciples should attend to their own affairs and not be curious about future events, whether they related to themselves or to others. Likewise, many things we are apt to be anxious about should mean nothing to us. We should work quietly and mind our own business. If we attend to the duty of following Christ, we shall find neither heart nor time to meddle in those things, which do not belong to us. Only a small part of the actions of Jesus have been written in the Gospels. But, let us bless God for all that is in them, and be thankful that there is so much in so small a space. Enough is recorded to direct our faith and regulate our practice; any more than that would have been unnecessary. Much of what is written is overlooked, much is forgotten, and much is made the matter of doubtful dispute. We can, however, receive joy from a thorough knowledge of all that Christ did and said, as well as learning from His generosity and grace, now, in his dealings with each and every one of us. May this be our never-ending happiness!

1st Reading: Acts 2:1–11 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. And suddenly out of the sky came a sound like a strong rushing wind and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. There appeared tongues as if of fire which parted and came to rest upon each one of them. All were filled with Holy Spirit and began to speak other languages, as the Spirit enabled them to speak. Staying in Jerusalem were religious Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd gathered, all excited because each heard them speaking in his own language. Full of amazement and wonder, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? How is it that we hear them in our own native language? Here are Parthians, Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and foreigners who accept Jewish beliefs, Cretians and Arabians; and all of us hear them proclaiming in our own language what God, the Savior, does.” 2nd Reading: 1 Cor 12:3b–7, 12–13 (or Gal 5:16–25) I tell you that nobody inspired by the Spirit of Ps 104:1, 24, 29–30, 31, 34 God may say, “A curse on Jesus,” as no one can Lord, send out your Spirit, say, “Jesus is the Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. and renew the face of the earth. There is diversity of gifts, but the Spirit is the same. There is diversity of ministries, but the Lord is the same. There is diversity of works, but the same God works in all. The Spirit reveals his presence in each one with a gift that is also a service. As the body is one, having many members, and all the members, while being many, from one body, so it is with Christ. All of us, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free, have been baptized in one Spirit to form one body and all of us have been given to drink from the one Spirit.

sunday

May

Gospel: Jn 15:26–27; 16:12–15 (or Jn 20:19–23) Jesus said to his disciples, “From the Father, I will send you the Spirit of truth. When this Helper has come from the Father, he will be my witness, and you, too, will be my witnesses for you have been with me from the beginning. I still have many things to tell you, but you cannot bear them now. When he, the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into the whole truth. He has nothing to say of himself but he will speak of what he hears, and he will tell you of the things to come. He will take what is mine and make it known to you; in doing this, he will glorify me. All that the Father has is mine; because of this I have just told you, that the Spirit will take what is mine and make it known to you.”

“C

Pentecost Sunday Psalter: Proper

ome, Holy Spirit!” the Church prays with great fervor. We pray that the fire of the Holy Spirit will bring interior renewal and the conversion of our hearts. We pray that the light of the Gospel might draw all people into the life of Christ and His Church. We pray that the Lord’s unconditional love for sinners will bring back to the fold those who have wandered astray. We pray that the strong, driving wind of the Holy Spirit will transform the prevailing culture of death into a culture of life. “Come, Holy Spirit!” we pray on this Feast of Pentecost, the birthday of the Church. We pray that, like the apostles, we will be so filled with zeal for the Gospel that we will never hesitate to proclaim our love for the Lord in our words and deeds, and that by the power of the Holy Spirit working within us, we might draw others closer to the Lord. Please, God, may we become the faithful stewards and the authentic evangelizers that we are called to be.