Thursday of the Second Week of Easter Lectionary: 270

Thursday of the Second Week of Easter

Lectionary: 270

Reading 1

ACTS 5:27-33

When the court officers had brought the Apostles in

and made them stand before the Sanhedrin,

the high priest questioned them,

“We gave you strict orders did we not,

to stop teaching in that name.

Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching

and want to bring this man’s blood upon us.”

But Peter and the Apostles said in reply,

“We must obey God rather than men. 

The God of our ancestors raised Jesus,

though you had him killed by hanging him on a tree.

God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior

to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins.

We are witnesses of these things,

as is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”

When they heard this,

they became infuriated and wanted to put them to death.

Responsorial Psalm

PS 34:2 AND 9, 17-18, 19-20

R. (7a) The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

or:

R. Alleluia.

I will bless the LORD at all times;

his praise shall be ever in my mouth.

Taste and see how good the LORD is;

blessed the man who takes refuge in him.

R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

or:

R. Alleluia.

The LORD confronts the evildoers,

to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.

When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,

and from all their distress he rescues them.

R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

or:

R. Alleluia.

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;

and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.

Many are the troubles of the just man,

but out of them all the LORD delivers him.

R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Gospel

JN 3:31-36

The one who comes from above is above all.

The one who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of earthly things.

But the one who comes from heaven is above all.

He testifies to what he has seen and heard,

but no one accepts his testimony.

Whoever does accept his testimony certifies that God is trustworthy.

For the one whom God sent speaks the words of God.

He does not ration his gift of the Spirit.

The Father loves the Son and has given everything over to him.

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life,

but whoever disobeys the Son will not see life,

but the wrath of God remains upon him.

Wednesday of the Second Week of Easter Lectionary: 269

Wednesday of the Second Week of Easter

Lectionary: 269

Reading 1

ACTS 5:17-26

The high priest rose up and all his companions,

that is, the party of the Sadducees,

and, filled with jealousy,

laid hands upon the Apostles and put them in the public jail.

But during the night, the angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison,

led them out, and said,

“Go and take your place in the temple area,

and tell the people everything about this life.”

When they heard this,

they went to the temple early in the morning and taught.

When the high priest and his companions arrived,

they convened the Sanhedrin,

the full senate of the children of Israel,

and sent to the jail to have them brought in.

But the court officers who went did not find them in the prison,

so they came back and reported,

“We found the jail securely locked

and the guards stationed outside the doors,

but when we opened them, we found no one inside.”

When the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard this report, 

they were at a loss about them,

as to what this would come to.

Then someone came in and reported to them,

“The men whom you put in prison are in the temple area

and are teaching the people.” 

Then the captain and the court officers went and brought them,

but without force,

because they were afraid of being stoned by the people.

Responsorial Psalm

PS 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9

R. (7a) The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

or:

R. Alleluia.

I will bless the LORD at all times;

his praise shall be ever in my mouth.

Let my soul glory in the LORD;

the lowly will hear me and be glad.

R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Glorify the LORD with me,

let us together extol his name.

I sought the LORD, and he answered me

and delivered me from all my fears.

R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,

and your faces may not blush with shame.

When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,

and from all his distress he saved him.

R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

or:

R. Alleluia.

The angel of the LORD encamps

around those who fear him, and delivers them.

Taste and see how good the LORD is;

blessed the man who takes refuge in him.

R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Gospel

JN 3:16-21

God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son,

so that everyone who believes in him might not perish

but might have eternal life.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,

but that the world might be saved through him.

Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,

but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,

because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.

And this is the verdict,

that the light came into the world,

but people preferred darkness to light,

because their works were evil.

For everyone who does wicked things hates the light

and does not come toward the light,

so that his works might not be exposed.

But whoever lives the truth comes to the light,

so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.

Prayer Request

Prayer Request

  This evening I am asking for prayers for dear friends of mine who lost a Mother and a Mother-in-Law. I am asking that you keep Patricia Morgan in your prayers as well as her family at this time. 

   It is always hard to lose someone you love no matter what the circumstances are that are surrounding the loss. Sometimes a life that was enriched with memories of family and friends comes to a point that people and memories are hard to recall in this life and it becomes ever so apparent that this life is fading away so the new life can start again with those fond memories of a life that was blessed and enriched. For those who are left behind in this life, can hold onto those memories and know that in Jesus, He makes all things new and the person who you loved is again whole and anew watching over you. 

    I am always reminded when someone passes from this life to the next of the Irish Funeral Prayer. Who that person was to you, they shall forever be. Your Mom is your Mom no matter what side of Life you are on. Death does not change the love she had for you or the love you had for her. Pat was and will always be a Daughter, a Wife, a Mother, a Grandmother, a Great Grandmother, Family and a Friend. 

    I ask that we all keep Patricia Morgan in our prayers and offer up prayers of peace and love for her family.  I also ask that you read the Irish Funeral Prayer and remember all those who have gone before us and know they are just waiting for us on the other side of Heaven.

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and may eternal rest grant to her, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon her. Amen

An Irish Funeral Prayer 

Death is nothing at all.

It does not count.

I have only slipped away into the next room.

Everything remains as it was.

The old life that we lived so fondly together is untouched, unchanged.

Whatever we were to each other, that we are still.

Call me by the old familiar name.

Speak of me in the easy way which you always used.

Put no sorrow in your tone.

Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes that we enjoyed together.

Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.

Let my name be ever the household word that it always was.

Let it be spoken without  effort

Life means all that it ever meant. It is the same as it ever was.

There is unbroken continuity.

Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?

I am but waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near, just around the corner.

All is well. Nothing is hurt; nothing is lost.

One brief moment and all will be as it was before.

How we shall laugh at the trouble of parting,  when we meet again.

Blessed Are We…. Saint John Paul II & Saint John the XXIII

Blessed Are We…. 

Saint John Paul II & 

Saint John the XXIII

   This is yet another reason why I love being Catholic. I love Saints and the ability to ask for their prayers and intersessions. Bothe Popes were amazing Men that answered God's call to the Vocation of Priesthood and then later a call to the Papacy. Waking up today at the house of the Benedictine Monks knowing that we have two new Saints in the Church was amazing. To be surrounded by Holy Men in a Holy Place was inspiring. I will blog more about the weekend later in the week.

   I was able to find a translation of the Prayers to both Saint John Paul II and Saint John XXIII. I will post them below along with the homily of Pope Francis today. I thought that Pope Francis's Homily was right on cue today. I hope you all were able to watch some if not all of the coverage and if you missed any check out EWTN and you will see it there. 

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and pray to our Two New Saints… May we have the courage they had in the world today to Shine the light of Truth and Stand for our Catholic Faith. 

Prayer to St. John Paul II

Oh, St. John Paul, from the window of heaven, grant us your blessing! Bless the church that you loved and served and guided, courageously leading it along the paths of the world in order to bring Jesus to everyone and everyone to Jesus. Bless the young, who were your great passion. Help them dream again, help them look up high again to find the light that illuminates the paths of life here on earth.

May you bless families, bless each family! You warned of Satan’s assault against this precious and indispensable divine spark that God lit on earth. St. John Paul, with your prayer, may you protect the family and every life that blossoms from the family.

Pray for the whole world, which is still marked by tensions, wars and injustice. You tackled war by invoking dialogue and planting the seeds of love: pray for us so that we may be tireless sowers of peace.

Oh St. John Paul, from heaven’s window, where we see you next to Mary, send God’s blessing down upon us all. Amen.

Prayer to St. John XXIII

Dear Pope John,

Your simplicity and meekness carried the scent of God and sparked in people’s hearts the desire for goodness. You spoke often of the beauty of the family gathered around the table to share bread and faith: pray for us that once again true families would live in our homes.

With outstretched hands you sowed hope, and you taught us to listen for God’s footsteps as he prepares a new humanity: help us have a healthy optimism of defeating evil with good.

You loved the world with its light and darkness, and you believed that peace is possible: help us be instruments of peace at home and in our communities.

With paternal gentleness you gave all children a caress: you moved the world and reminded us that hands have been given to us not for striking, but for embracing and drying tears.

Pray for us so that we do not limit ourselves to cursing the darkness but that we bring the light, bringing Jesus everywhere and always praying to Mary. Amen.

Pope Francis Homily

At the heart of this Sunday, which concludes the Octave of Easter and which John Paul II wished to dedicate to Divine Mercy, are the glorious wounds of the risen Jesus.

He had already shown those wounds when he first appeared to the Apostles on the very evening of that day following the Sabbath, the day of the resurrection. But, as we heard, Thomas was not there that evening, and when the others told him that they had seen the Lord, he replied that unless he himself saw and touched those wounds, he would not believe. A week later, Jesus appeared once more to the disciples gathered in the Upper Room, and Thomas was present; Jesus turned to him and told him to touch his wounds. Whereupon that man, so straightforward and accustomed to testing everything personally, knelt before Jesus with the words: “My Lord and my God!” (Jn 20:28).

The wounds of Jesus are a scandal, a stumbling block for faith, yet they are also the test of faith. That is why on the body of the risen Christ the wounds never pass away: they remain, for those wounds are the enduring sign of God’s love for us. They are essential for believing in God. Not for believing that God exists, but for believing that God is love, mercy and faithfulness. Saint Peter, quoting Isaiah, writes to Christians: “by his wounds you have been healed” (1 Pet 2:24, cf. Is 53:5).

Saint John XXIII and Saint John Paul II were not afraid to look upon the wounds of Jesus, to touch his torn hands and his pierced side. They were not ashamed of the flesh of Christ, they were not scandalized by him, by his cross; they did not despise the flesh of their brother (cf. Is 58:7), because they saw Jesus in every person who suffers and struggles. These were two men of courage, filled with the parrhesia of the Holy Spirit, and they bore witness before the Church and the world to God’s goodness and mercy.
They were priests, bishops and popes of the twentieth century. They lived through the tragic events of that century, but they were not overwhelmed by them. For them, God was more powerful; faith was more powerful – faith in Jesus Christ the Redeemer of man and the Lord of history; the mercy of God, shown by those five wounds, was more powerful; and more powerful too was the closeness of Mary our Mother.

In these two men, who looked upon the wounds of Christ and bore witness to his mercy, there dwelt a living hope and an indescribable and glorious joy (1 Pet 1:3,8). The hope and the joy which the risen Christ bestows on his disciples, the hope and the joy which nothing and no one can take from them. The hope and joy of Easter, forged in the crucible of self-denial, self-emptying, utter identification with sinners, even to the point of disgust at the bitterness of that chalice. Such were the hope and the joy which these two holy popes had received as a gift from the risen Lord and which they in turn bestowed in abundance upon the People of God, meriting our eternal gratitude.

This hope and this joy were palpable in the earliest community of believers, in Jerusalem, as we read in the Acts of the Apostles (cf. 2:42-47), as we heard in the second reading. It was a community which lived the heart of the Gospel, love and mercy, in simplicity and fraternity.

This is also the image of the Church which the Second Vatican Council set before us. John XXIII and John Paul II cooperated with the Holy Spirit in renewing and updating the Church in keeping with her pristine features, those features which the saints have given her throughout the centuries. Let us not forget that it is the saints who give direction and growth to the Church. In convening the Council, John XXIII showed an exquisite openness to the Holy Spirit. He let himself be led and he was for the Church a pastor, a servant-leader, led by the Spirit. This was his great service to the Church; he was the pope of openness to the Spirit.

In his own service to the People of God, John Paul II was the pope of the family. He himself once said that he wanted to be remembered as the pope of the family. I am particularly happy to point this out as we are in the process of journeying with families towards the Synod on the family. It is surely a journey which, from his place in heaven, he guides and sustains.

May these two new saints and shepherds of God’s people intercede for the Church, so that during this two-year journey toward the Synod she may be open to the Holy Spirit in pastoral service to the family. May both of them teach us not to be scandalized by the wounds of Christ and to enter ever more deeply into the mystery of divine mercy, which always hopes and always forgives, because it always loves.

Prayer Weekend

Prayer Weekend

  This weekend I will be going away so this blog will be the last one till Sunday Night. I have included all the readings for the weekend below. 

     This weekend I will be spending time with the Benedictine Monks at St. Marry's Abby. This will be a new experience for sure and I am excited and nervous at the same time. Being unclear on the weekend makes me nervous and for once I am just trying to go with the flow. Not sure how long that will last but ehhh giving it a shot. 

   I will be praying for all of you this weekend and if anyone has special intentions please let me know and I will add them to my prayers this weekend. I also will be praying about this blog and where to take it and about any changes that need to happen. 

    I hope you are also thinking about yesterdays blog and the questions about Mercy and Justice. There will be a follow up blog this week about this topic and I hope to pray on the topic myself this weekend. 

   Until Sunday, God Bless, and may we keep each other in prayer.

Friday in the Octave of Easter
Lectionary: 265

Reading 1

ACTS 4:1-12

After the crippled man had been cured,

while Peter and John were still speaking to the people,

the priests, the captain of the temple guard,

and the Sadducees confronted them,

disturbed that they were teaching the people

and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.

They laid hands on Peter and John

and put them in custody until the next day,

since it was already evening.

But many of those who heard the word came to believe

and the number of men grew to about five thousand.

On the next day, their leaders, elders, and scribes

were assembled in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest,

Caiaphas, John, Alexander,

and all who were of the high-priestly class.

They brought them into their presence and questioned them,

“By what power or by what name have you done this?”

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, answered them,

“Leaders of the people and elders:

If we are being examined today

about a good deed done to a cripple,

namely, by what means he was saved,

then all of you and all the people of Israel should know

that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean

whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead;

in his name this man stands before you healed.

He is the stone rejected by you, the builders,

which has become the cornerstone.

There is no salvation through anyone else,

nor is there any other name under heaven

given to the human race by which we are to be saved.”

Responsorial Psalm

PS 118:1-2 AND 4, 22-24, 25-27A

R. (22) The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,

for his mercy endures forever.

Let the house of Israel say,

“His mercy endures forever.”

Let those who fear the LORD say,

“His mercy endures forever.”

R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.

or:

R. Alleluia.

The stone which the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone.

By the LORD has this been done;

it is wonderful in our eyes.

This is the day the LORD has made;

let us be glad and rejoice in it.

R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.

or:

R. Alleluia.

O LORD, grant salvation!

O LORD, grant prosperity!

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD;

we bless you from the house of the LORD.

The LORD is God, and he has given us light.

R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Gospel

JN 21:1-14

Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias.

He revealed himself in this way.

Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus,

Nathanael from Cana in Galilee,

Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples.

Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.”

They said to him, “We also will come with you.”

So they went out and got into the boat,

but that night they caught nothing.

When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore;

but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.

Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?”

They answered him, “No.”

So he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat

and you will find something.”

So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in

because of the number of fish.

So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.”

When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord,

he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad,

and jumped into the sea.

The other disciples came in the boat,

for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards,

dragging the net with the fish.

When they climbed out on shore,

they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread.

Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.”

So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore

full of one hundred fifty-three large fish.

Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.

Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.”

And none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?”

because they realized it was the Lord.

Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them,

and in like manner the fish.

This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples

after being raised from the dead.

Saturday in the Octave of Easter
Lectionary: 266

Reading 1

ACTS 4:13-21

Observing the boldness of Peter and John

and perceiving them to be uneducated, ordinary men,

the leaders, elders, and scribes were amazed,

and they recognized them as the companions of Jesus.

Then when they saw the man who had been cured standing there with them,

they could say nothing in reply.

So they ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin,

and conferred with one another, saying,

“What are we to do with these men?

Everyone living in Jerusalem knows that a remarkable sign

was done through them, and we cannot deny it.

But so that it may not be spread any further among the people,

let us give them a stern warning

never again to speak to anyone in this name.”

So they called them back

and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

Peter and John, however, said to them in reply,

“Whether it is right in the sight of God

for us to obey you rather than God, you be the judges.

It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.”

After threatening them further,

they released them,

finding no way to punish them,

on account of the people who were all praising God

for what had happened.

Responsorial Psalm

PS 118:1 AND 14-15AB, 16-18, 19-21

R. (21a) I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,

for his mercy endures forever.

My strength and my courage is the LORD,

and he has been my savior.

The joyful shout of victory

in the tents of the just.

R. I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me.

or:

R. Alleluia.

“The right hand of the LORD is exalted;

the right hand of the LORD has struck with power.”

I shall not die, but live,

and declare the works of the LORD.

Though the LORD has indeed chastised me,

yet he has not delivered me to death.

R. I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Open to me the gates of justice;

I will enter them and give thanks to the LORD.

This is the gate of the LORD;

the just shall enter it.

I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me

and have been my savior.

R. I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Gospel

MK 16:9-15

When Jesus had risen, early on the first day of the week,

he appeared first to Mary Magdalene,

out of whom he had driven seven demons.

She went and told his companions who were mourning and weeping.

When they heard that he was alive

and had been seen by her, they did not believe.

After this he appeared in another form

to two of them walking along on their way to the country.

They returned and told the others;

but they did not believe them either.

But later, as the Eleven were at table, he appeared to them

and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart

because they had not believed those

who saw him after he had been raised.

He said to them, “Go into the whole world

and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.”

Second Sunday of Easter
Sunday of Divine Mercy
Lectionary: 43

Reading 1

ACTS 2:42-47

They devoted themselves 

to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, 

to the breaking of bread and to the prayers.

Awe came upon everyone,

and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.

All who believed were together and had all things in common;

they would sell their property and possessions

and divide them among all according to each one’s need.

Every day they devoted themselves

to meeting together in the temple area

and to breaking bread in their homes.

They ate their meals with exultation and sincerity of heart,

praising God and enjoying favor with all the people.

And every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

Responsorial Psalm

PS 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24

R/ (1) Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, his love is everlasting.

or:

R/ Alleluia.

Let the house of Israel say,

“His mercy endures forever.”

Let the house of Aaron say,

“His mercy endures forever.”

Let those who fear the LORD say,

“His mercy endures forever.”

R/ Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, his love is everlasting.

or:

R/ Alleluia.

I was hard pressed and was falling,

but the LORD helped me.

My strength and my courage is the LORD,

and he has been my savior.

The joyful shout of victory

in the tents of the just: 

R/ Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, his love is everlasting.

or:

R/ Alleluia.

The stone which the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone.

By the LORD has this been done;

it is wonderful in our eyes.

This is the day the LORD has made;

let us be glad and rejoice in it.

R/ Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, his love is everlasting.

or:

R/ Alleluia.

Reading 2

1 PT 1:3-9

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope

through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading,

kept in heaven for you

who by the power of God are safeguarded through faith,

to a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the final time.

In this you rejoice, although now for a little while

you may have to suffer through various trials,

so that the genuineness of your faith,

more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire,

may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor

at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Although you have not seen him you love him;

even though you do not see him now yet believe in him,

you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy,

as you attain the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Gospel

JN 20:19-31

On the evening of that first day of the week,

when the doors were locked, where the disciples were,

for fear of the Jews,

Jesus came and stood in their midst

and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.

The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.

As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”

And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,

“Receive the Holy Spirit.

Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,

and whose sins you retain are retained.”

Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve,

was not with them when Jesus came.

So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”

But he said to them,

“Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands

and put my finger into the nailmarks

and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

Now a week later his disciples were again inside

and Thomas was with them.

Jesus came, although the doors were locked,

and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.”

Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands,

and bring your hand and put it into my side,

and do not be unbelieving, but believe.”

Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me?

Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

Now, Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples

that are not written in this book.

But these are written that you may come to believe

that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,

and that through this belief you may have life in his name.

Mercy & Justice

Mercy & Justice

    This evening I went to St. Paul’s Inside the Walls to hear a presentation on “Balancing Justice with Mercy”. The speakers were a Judge, a Lawyer (Prosecutor), and a Theologian (Monsignor). While I am still digesting the night I wanted to put some questions out there for your consideration before I speak about the topic. I find this topic to be challenging for me because I am very much so “ The Letter of the Law” kind of person. This does come into conflict at times. The questions for your consideration are below.

What is Mercy?   What is Justice?

Can one act with justice and show mercy? 

Can one who seeks justice give or show mercy?

Can one who is seeking mercy accept justice?

Is turning the other cheek showing mercy?

Where does accountability come into play with mercy?

Is justice for a victim more important then mercy of the sinner?

Can a victim see justice in the act of mercy?

Can accountability be held to justice while mercy is given?

Does showing mercy mean the loss of justice?

  These are just some questions that I hope you pray and think on and see where you are in that spectrum of showing and giving mercy yet still give justice. 

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and may we all act with justice and show mercy to those around us.

Thursday in the Octave of Easter
Lectionary: 264

Reading 1

ACTS 3:11-26

As the crippled man who had been cured clung to Peter and John,

all the people hurried in amazement toward them

in the portico called “Solomon’s Portico.”

When Peter saw this, he addressed the people,

“You children of Israel, why are you amazed at this,

and why do you look so intently at us

as if we had made him walk by our own power or piety?

The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob,

the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus

whom you handed over and denied in Pilate’s presence,

when he had decided to release him.

You denied the Holy and Righteous One

and asked that a murderer be released to you.

The author of life you put to death,

but God raised him from the dead; of this we are witnesses.

And by faith in his name,

this man, whom you see and know, his name has made strong,

and the faith that comes through it

has given him this perfect health,

in the presence of all of you.

Now I know, brothers and sisters,

that you acted out of ignorance, just as your leaders did;

but God has thus brought to fulfillment

what he had announced beforehand

through the mouth of all the prophets,

that his Christ would suffer.

Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away,

and that the Lord may grant you times of refreshment

and send you the Christ already appointed for you, Jesus,

whom heaven must receive until the times of universal restoration

of which God spoke through the mouth

of his holy prophets from of old.

For Moses said:

A prophet like me will the Lord, your God, raise up for you

from among your own kin;

to him you shall listen in all that he may say to you.

Everyone who does not listen to that prophet

will be cut off from the people. 

“Moreover, all the prophets who spoke,

from Samuel and those afterwards, also announced these days.

You are the children of the prophets

and of the covenant that God made with your ancestors

when he said to Abraham,

In your offspring all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

For you first, God raised up his servant and sent him to bless you

by turning each of you from your evil ways.”

Responsorial Psalm

PS 8:2AB AND 5, 6-7, 8-9

R. (2ab) O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!

or:

R. Alleluia.

O LORD, our Lord,

how glorious is your name over all the earth!

What is man that you should be mindful of him,

or the son of man that you should care for him?

R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!

or:

R. Alleluia.

You have made him little less than the angels,

and crowned him with glory and honor.

You have given him rule over the works of your hands,

putting all things under his feet.

R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!

or:

R. Alleluia.

All sheep and oxen,

yes, and the beasts of the field,

The birds of the air, the fishes of the sea,

and whatever swims the paths of the seas.

R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!

or:

R. Alleluia.

Gospel

LK 24:35-48

The disciples of Jesus recounted what had taken place along the way,

and how they had come to recognize him in the breaking of bread.

While they were still speaking about this,

he stood in their midst and said to them,

“Peace be with you.”

But they were startled and terrified

and thought that they were seeing a ghost.

Then he said to them, “Why are you troubled?

And why do questions arise in your hearts?

Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself.

Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones

as you can see I have.”

And as he said this,

he showed them his hands and his feet.

While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed,

he asked them, “Have you anything here to eat?”

They gave him a piece of baked fish; 

he took it and ate it in front of them.

He said to them,

“These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you,

that everything written about me in the law of Moses

and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.”

Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.

And he said to them,

“Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer

and rise from the dead on the third day

and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins,

would be preached in his name

to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

You are witnesses of these things.”