Seventh Sunday of Easter Lectionary: 59

Seventh Sunday of Easter

Lectionary: 59

Reading 1

ACTS 1:12-14

After Jesus had been taken up to heaven the apostles

returned to Jerusalem

from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem,

a sabbath day’s journey away.

When they entered the city

they went to the upper room where they were staying,

Peter and John and James and Andrew,

Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew,

James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot,

and Judas son of James.

All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer,

together with some women,

and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

Responsorial Psalm

PS 27:1, 4, 7-8

R/ (13) I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.

or:

R/ Alleluia.

The LORD is my light and my salvation;

whom should I fear?

The LORD is my life’s refuge;

of whom should I be afraid?

R/ I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.

or:

R/ Alleluia.

One thing I ask of the LORD; 

this I seek:

To dwell in the house of the LORD

all the days of my life,

That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD

and contemplate his temple.

R/ I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.

or:

R/ Alleluia.

Hear, O Lord, the sound of my call;

have pity on me, and answer me.

Of you my heart speaks; you my glance seeks.

R/ I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.

or:

R/ Alleluia.

Reading 2

1 PT 4:13-16

Beloved:

Rejoice to the extent that you share in the sufferings of Christ,

so that when his glory is revealed

you may also rejoice exultantly.

If you are insulted for the name of Christ, blessed are you,

for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.

But let no one among you be made to suffer

as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as an intriguer.

But whoever is made to suffer as a Christian should not be ashamed

but glorify God because of the name.

Gospel

JN 17:1-11A

Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said,

“Father, the hour has come.

Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you,

just as you gave him authority over all people,

so that your son may give eternal life to all you gave him.

Now this is eternal life,

that they should know you, the only true God,

and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.

I glorified you on earth

by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do.

Now glorify me, Father, with you,

with the glory that I had with you before the world began.

“I revealed your name to those whom you gave me out of the world.

They belonged to you, and you gave them to me,

and they have kept your word.

Now they know that everything you gave me is from you,

because the words you gave to me I have given to them,

and they accepted them and truly understood that I came from you,

and they have believed that you sent me.

I pray for them.

I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me,

because they are yours, and everything of mine is yours

and everything of yours is mine,

and I have been glorified in them.

And now I will no longer be in the world,

but they are in the world, while I am coming to you.”

Priest's Ordination

Priest's Ordination

 Over the past few weeks and in the weeks coming, many Dioceses will or have ordained new Priests. These new Priests are in need of our prayers for their Vocations. Tomorrow, my Dioceses will be ordaining six new Priests and I am so glad and excited to be able to attend the ordination. 

   

   I am asking that we keep all newly Ordained Priests and Religious in our prayers. They have devoted their lives to the Faith and the Church. We are called to help them in their Vocations as well. Remember them in your prayers as well as asking if they are in need for anything as well. We need to remember that those who serve also need to be served as well. 

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and may our Priests and Religious feel our prayers.

Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Lectionary: 572

Reading 1

ZEP 3:14-18A

Shout for joy, O daughter Zion!

Sing joyfully, O Israel!

Be glad and exult with all your heart, 

O daughter Jerusalem!

The LORD has removed the judgment against you,

he has turned away your enemies;

The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst,

you have no further misfortune to fear.

On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem:

Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged!

The LORD, your God, is in your midst,

a mighty savior;

He will rejoice over you with gladness,

and renew you in his love,

He will sing joyfully because of you,

as one sings at festivals.

Or

ROM 12:9-16

Brothers and sisters:

Let love be sincere;

hate what is evil,

hold on to what is good;

love one another with mutual affection;

anticipate one another in showing honor.

Do not grow slack in zeal,

be fervent in spirit,

serve the Lord.

Rejoice in hope,

endure in affliction,

persevere in prayer.

Contribute to the needs of the holy ones,

exercise hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you,

bless and do not curse them.

Rejoice with those who rejoice,

weep with those who weep.

Have the same regard for one another;

do not be haughty but associate with the lowly;

do not be wise in your own estimation.

Responsorial Psalm

IS 12:2-3, 4BCD, 5-6

R. (6) Among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.

God indeed is my savior;

I am confident and unafraid.

My strength and my courage is the LORD,

and he has been my savior.

With joy you will draw water

at the fountain of salvation.

R. Among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.

Give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name;

among the nations make known his deeds,

proclaim how exalted is his name.

R. Among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.

Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement;

let this be known throughout all the earth.

Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,

for great in your midst 

is the Holy One of Israel!

R. Among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.

Gospel

LK 1:39-56

Mary set out

and traveled to the hill country in haste

to a town of Judah,

where she entered the house of Zechariah

and greeted Elizabeth.

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting,

the infant leaped in her womb,

and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,

cried out in a loud voice and said,

“Most blessed are you among women,

and blessed is the fruit of your womb.

And how does this happen to me,

that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,

A Picture sometimes just says it all

A Picture sometimes just says it all…. 

Friday of the Sixth Week of Easter
Lectionary: 295

Reading 1ACTS 18:9-18

One night while Paul was in Corinth, the Lord said to him in a vision,
“Do not be afraid.
Go on speaking, and do not be silent, for I am with you.
No one will attack and harm you,
for I have many people in this city.”
He settled there for a year and a half
and taught the word of God among them.

But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia,
the Jews rose up together against Paul
and brought him to the tribunal, saying,
“This man is inducing people to worship God contrary to the law.”
When Paul was about to reply, Gallio spoke to the Jews,
“If it were a matter of some crime or malicious fraud,
I should with reason hear the complaint of you Jews;
but since it is a question of arguments over doctrine and titles
and your own law, see to it yourselves.
I do not wish to be a judge of such matters.”
And he drove them away from the tribunal.
They all seized Sosthenes, the synagogue official,
and beat him in full view of the tribunal.
But none of this was of concern to Gallio.

Paul remained for quite some time,
and after saying farewell to the brothers he sailed for Syria,
together with Priscilla and Aquila.
At Cenchreae he had shaved his head because he had taken a vow. 

Responsorial Psalm PS 47:2-3, 4-5, 6-7

R. (8a) God is king of all the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
All you peoples, clap your hands,
shout to God with cries of gladness,
For the LORD, the Most High, the awesome,
is the great king over all the earth.
R. God is king of all the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He brings people under us;
nations under our feet.
He chooses for us our inheritance,
the glory of Jacob, whom he loves.
R. God is king of all the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
God mounts his throne amid shouts of joy;
the LORD, amid trumpet blasts.
Sing praise to God, sing praise;
sing praise to our king, sing praise.
R. God is king of all the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Gospel JN 16:20-23

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn,
while the world rejoices;
you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.
When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived;
but when she has given birth to a child,
she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy
that a child has been born into the world.
So you also are now in anguish.
But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice,
and no one will take your joy away from you.
On that day you will not question me about anything.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.” 

The Ascension of the Lord

The Ascension of the Lord

The Ascension of the Lord
Lectionary: 58

Reading 1

ACTS 1:1-11

In the first book, Theophilus,

I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught

until the day he was taken up,

after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit

to the apostles whom he had chosen.

He presented himself alive to them

by many proofs after he had suffered,

appearing to them during forty days

and speaking about the kingdom of God.

While meeting with the them,

he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem,

but to wait for “the promise of the Father

about which you have heard me speak;

for John baptized with water,

but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

When they had gathered together they asked him,

“Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

He answered them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons

that the Father has established 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,

and to the ends of the earth.”

When he had said this, as they were looking on,

he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.

While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going,

suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them.

They said, “Men of Galilee,

why are you standing there looking at the sky?

This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven

will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.”

Responsorial Psalm

PS 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9

R/ (6) God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.

or:

R/ Alleluia.

All you peoples, clap your hands,

shout to God with cries of gladness,

For the LORD, the Most High, the awesome,

is the great king over all the earth.

R/ God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.

or:

R/ Alleluia.

God mounts his throne amid shouts of joy;

the LORD, amid trumpet blasts.

Sing praise to God, sing praise;

sing praise to our king, sing praise.

R/ God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.

or:

R/ Alleluia.

For king of all the earth is God;

sing hymns of praise.

God reigns over the nations,

God sits upon his holy throne.

R/ God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.

or:

R/ Alleluia.

Reading 2

EPH 1:17-23

Brothers and sisters:

May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,

give you a Spirit of wisdom and revelation

resulting in knowledge of him.

May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened,

that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call,

what are the riches of glory

in his inheritance among the holy ones,

and what is the surpassing greatness of his power

for us who believe,

in accord with the exercise of his great might,

which he worked in Christ,

raising him from the dead

and seating him at his right hand in the heavens,

far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion,

and every name that is named

not only in this age but also in the one to come.

And he put all things beneath his feet

and gave him as head over all things to the church,

which is his body,

the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.

Gospel

MT 28:16-20

The eleven disciples went to Galilee,

to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them.

When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted.

Then Jesus approached and said to them,

“All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations,

baptizing them in the name of the Father,

and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,

teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.

And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”

Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter Lectionary: 293

Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter

Lectionary: 293

Reading 1

ACTS 17:15, 22-18:1

After Paul’s escorts had taken him to Athens,

they came away with instructions for Silas and Timothy

to join him as soon as possible.

Then Paul stood up at the Areopagus and said:

“You Athenians, I see that in every respect

you are very religious.

For as I walked around looking carefully at your shrines,

I even discovered an altar inscribed, ‘To an Unknown God.’

What therefore you unknowingly worship, I proclaim to you.

The God who made the world and all that is in it,

the Lord of heaven and earth,

does not dwell in sanctuaries made by human hands,

nor is he served by human hands because he needs anything.

Rather it is he who gives to everyone life and breath and everything.

He made from one the whole human race

to dwell on the entire surface of the earth,

and he fixed the ordered seasons and the boundaries of their regions,

so that people might seek God,

even perhaps grope for him and find him,

though indeed he is not far from any one of us.

For ‘In him we live and move and have our being,’

as even some of your poets have said,

‘For we too are his offspring.’

Since therefore we are the offspring of God,

we ought not to think that the divinity is like an image

fashioned from gold, silver, or stone by human art and imagination.

God has overlooked the times of ignorance,

but now he demands that all people everywhere repent

because he has established a day on which he will ‘judge the world

with justice’ through a man he has appointed,

and he has provided confirmation for all

by raising him from the dead.”

When they heard about resurrection of the dead,

some began to scoff, but others said,

“We should like to hear you on this some other time.”

And so Paul left them.

But some did join him, and became believers.

Among them were Dionysius,

a member of the Court of the Areopagus,

a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

After this he left Athens and went to Corinth.

Responsorial Psalm

PS 148:1-2, 11-12, 13, 14

R. Heaven and earth are full of your glory.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Praise the LORD from the heavens;

praise him in the heights.

Praise him, all you his angels;

praise him, all you his hosts.

R. Heaven and earth are full of your glory.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Let the kings of the earth and all peoples,

the princes and all the judges of the earth,

Young men too, and maidens,

old men and boys.

R. Heaven and earth are full of your glory.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Praise the name of the LORD,

for his name alone is exalted;

His majesty is above earth and heaven.

R. Heaven and earth are full of your glory.

or:

R. Alleluia.

He has lifted up the horn of his people;

Be this his praise from all his faithful ones,

from the children of Israel, the people close to him. 

Alleluia.

R. Heaven and earth are full of your glory.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Gospel

JN 16:12-15

Jesus said to his disciples:

“I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.

But when he comes, the Spirit of truth,

he will guide you to all truth.

He will not speak on his own,

but he will speak what he hears,

and will declare to you the things that are coming.

He will glorify me,

because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.

Everything that the Father has is mine;

for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine

and declare it to you.”

Mercy continued…

Mercy

   Mercy..... I know I said I would have discussed this sooner but this is not an easy topic for me to wrap my head and heart around and have them come close to an agreement. First I must say that I am very big on the idea of “accountability”. I have a strong belief that people need to be held “accountable” for their actions. It is that great cause and effect deal. You put something into motion and what comes after is on you. This is why mercy is hard for me at times because for me hearing the “reasons” or as I will say “excuses” do not come into bearing on the end result. 

   Before I go on... I will admit this is not how I know I need to be but I am not going to mislead either. This comes from my struggles with the concept and how I am trying to reconcile mercy in my world and in my faith. I know without a doubt our God is a merciful God. There is no doubt at all to me. Yet, I am also a believer in that I need and should be held accountable for all my sins. This is where the problem occurs for me. It is hard for me to ask for mercy because the overwhelming sense of being held accountable. This idea of God’s mercy and being accountable I will return to after jumping into mercy and justice for our world. 

   Justice and Mercy in the “secular” world is yet another issue to tackle. Again, the idea of being accountable is so very important to me. I feel that at this time in the world the sense of “accountability” is becoming less important and reasons for actions are becoming more of a leading force. It is more important for us to excuse behaviors then hold people to a standard. Also at times the victim’s or the victim’s families voice get drown out because the perpetrator’s excuses has a louder voice. Maybe for some they have to understand why the perpetrator did what they did or maybe to find a way this will not happen again. That I understand but when it comes down to the part of being accountable, where does these excuses come in? and where does Mercy enter in? Well, it is in the sentencing. This is where the Judge or Jury can show mercy. For example:

    case 1: A person is driving under the influence and has killed a pedestrian. This is the first time and this person came from the repass of his mother.

    case 2: A person is driving under the influence and has killed a pedestrian. This person has had 2 prior convictions and is driving while on the revoke list. 

  Both cases ended in a death. Yet, how dose Mercy come in. Case 1 say gets 5 years and the 2nd gets 10 years. Now, understand I have a hard time with this because no matter what, a person died. A family is forever changed. When the end result is death I personally find it hard to offer mercy. Yet, lets look at another situation.

      case 3: A man is found guilty of stealing. What he stole was food for his family.

      case 4: A man is found guilty of stealing. What he stole was dvd’s to sell and get money for drugs. 

   In this case I can without doubt show mercy to case 3 because of the reasons behind his actions. Others will say also for case 4 because it is a situation of addiction. How do you see these two cases? Does one get more mercy shown then another? Does showing Mercy teach them a lesson to learn or learn to use excuses? 

    This is my problem because we are to show Mercy across the board. Mercy like Justice should be blind. This is what Jesus and God shows to each of us when it comes to our sins. I know I am not worthy of Heaven by my means at all, it is only through the grace and mercy of God is that even attainable for me. 

     The justice system I would say works in mercy by the sentencing of the person. They hold them accountable but takes into account other factors in that term of sentencing. For those who are the victim or victims family, it is hard to see that mercy shown there because of what they lost. This is not for all victims. Some will speak on showing mercy and I give them much credit because I do not know if I could and honestly do not think I could. 

     That is Mercy and the Justice system but what about ourselves. How do we show mercy to each other? We are to act with mercy for one another. We are to go beyond what the situation is and offer mercy to those who are in need or for those who may have acted harshly. It is in part showing compassion to others and their circumstances. I find it easy to show mercy to those who are in need. It is what my Catholic Faith calls me to do and it is within me that I can act on it. It is harder for me to show mercy to someone who has “wronged” me or someone I care about. I know I still need to show that same mercy to them and yet it is hard to do. I am trying to do this because I know this action is wrong. That mercy is for all and not a select group of people. 

     I wonder and I may be a bit off course but would forgiving someone be an act of Mercy? Or even a step in the process of mercy? I think that is a part of mercy, forgiving. It is what comes after that forgiving that shows mercy. I do not think that it is going to the way things were that shows mercy but maybe just the fact of letting go and letting go of the anger and vengeance is where mercy starts to take root. Then if there comes a time when paths cross again, the root of mercy that took hold will help you to show that mercy. If we ask for mercy, we need to be able to offer it as well. 

      Mercy as you can tell is not easy for me. In some cases I can easily show and offer it and yet other times not at all. It is something I know I need to work and pray on and learn from others. God offers us Mercy and so does Jesus. There is no line of mercy that will end with Them for us. It is infinite. There is nothing we can do and ask for mercy and forgiveness that it will not be granted. This we have seen over and over in both New and Old Testament.  From Adam and Eve, Noah, Moses, David, Job, the Apostles, Mary Magdalene, the Women at the Well, the Thief on the Cross etc... There are many many more we can find in the bible as well. I ask you to read those stories of mercy and let them penetrate your heart and draw on them when faced to show mercy when it is hard. I know I will be.

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and let us show mercy to all those who are in need of mercy. 

Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Easter
Lectionary: 292

Reading 1

ACTS 16:22-34

The crowd in Philippi joined in the attack on Paul and Silas,

and the magistrates had them stripped

and ordered them to be beaten with rods.

After inflicting many blows on them,

they threw them into prison

and instructed the jailer to guard them securely.

When he received these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell

and secured their feet to a stake.

About midnight, while Paul and Silas were praying

and singing hymns to God as the prisoners listened,

there was suddenly such a severe earthquake

that the foundations of the jail shook;

all the doors flew open, and the chains of all were pulled loose. 

When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open,

he drew his sword and was about to kill himself,

thinking that the prisoners had escaped.

But Paul shouted out in a loud voice,

“Do no harm to yourself; we are all here.”

He asked for a light and rushed in and,

trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas.

Then he brought them out and said,

“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus

and you and your household will be saved.”

So they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to everyone in his house.

He took them in at that hour of the night and bathed their wounds;

then he and all his family were baptized at once.

He brought them up into his house and provided a meal

and with his household rejoiced at having come to faith in God.

Responsorial Psalm

PS 138:1-2AB, 2CDE-3, 7C-8

R. (7c) Your right hand saves me, O Lord.

or:

R. Alleluia.

I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart,

for you have heard the words of my mouth;

in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;

I will worship at your holy temple,

and give thanks to your name.

R. Your right hand saves me, O Lord.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Because of your kindness and your truth,

you have made great above all things

your name and your promise.

When I called, you answered me;

you built up strength within me.

R. Your right hand saves me, O Lord.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Your right hand saves me.

The LORD will complete what he has done for me;

your kindness, O LORD, endures forever;

forsake not the work of your hands.

R. Your right hand saves me, O Lord.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Gospel

JN 16:5-11

Jesus said to his disciples:

“Now I am going to the one who sent me,

and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’

But because I told you this, grief has filled your hearts.

But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go.

For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you.

But if I go, I will send him to you.

And when he comes he will convict the world

in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation:

sin, because they do not believe in me; 

righteousness, because I am going to the Father

and you will no longer see me;

condemnation, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.”

      

Memorial Day…..

Sixth Sunday of Easter Lectionary: 55

Sixth Sunday of Easter

Lectionary: 55

Reading 1

ACTS 8:5-8, 14-17

Philip went down to the city of Samaria

and proclaimed the Christ to them.

With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip

when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing.

For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice,

came out of many possessed people,

and many paralyzed or crippled people were cured.

There was great joy in that city.

Now when the apostles in Jerusalem

heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God,

they sent them Peter and John,

who went down and prayed for them,

that they might receive the Holy Spirit,

for it had not yet fallen upon any of them;

they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Then they laid hands on them

and they received the Holy Spirit.

Responsorial Psalm

PS 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20

R/ (1) Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

or:

R/ Alleluia.

Shout joyfully to God, all the earth,

sing praise to the glory of his name;

proclaim his glorious praise.

Say to God, “How tremendous are your deeds!”

R/ Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

or:

R/ Alleluia.

“Let all on earth worship and sing praise to you,

sing praise to your name!”

Come and see the works of God,

his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam.

R/ Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

or:

R/ Alleluia.

He has changed the sea into dry land;

through the river they passed on foot;

therefore let us rejoice in him.

He rules by his might forever.

R/ Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

or:

R/ Alleluia.

Hear now, all you who fear God, while I declare

what he has done for me.

Blessed be God who refused me not

my prayer or his kindness!

R/ Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

or:

R/ Alleluia.

Reading 2

1 PT 3:15-18

Beloved:

Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts.

Always be ready to give an explanation

to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope,

but do it with gentleness and reverence,

keeping your conscience clear,

so that, when you are maligned,

those who defame your good conduct in Christ

may themselves be put to shame.

For it is better to suffer for doing good,

if that be the will of God, than for doing evil.

For Christ also suffered for sins once,

the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous,

that he might lead you to God.

Put to death in the flesh,

he was brought to life in the Spirit.

Gospel

JN 14:15-21

Jesus said to his disciples:

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

And I will ask the Father, 

and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always,

the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept,

because it neither sees nor knows him.

But you know him, because he remains with you,

and will be in you.

I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

In a little while the world will no longer see me,

but you will see me, because I live and you will live.

On that day you will realize that I am in my Father

and you are in me and I in you.

Whoever has my commandments and observes them

is the one who loves me.

And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father,

and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”

Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day Weekend

 As most of us today stared at the clock counting down the hours and then minutes till a three day weekend started, remember those who laid down their lives so we can celebrate freedom. Also remember those families who will have one less person around the table this weekend to celebrate. It takes a great selfless person to put their life on the line for people and for freedom. This is not a weekend of bbq and drinking but should be a weekend of thanking, praying and celebrating all those who gave for us all. Raise a Flag this weekend and raise your eyes to the heavens and say Thank You. May we all have a blessed and safe weekend. 

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and remember the lives lost. 

Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter
Lectionary: 290

Reading 1

ACTS 16:1-10

Paul reached also Derbe and Lystra

where there was a disciple named Timothy,

the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer,

but his father was a Greek.

The brothers in Lystra and Iconium spoke highly of him,

and Paul wanted him to come along with him.

On account of the Jews of that region, Paul had him circumcised,

for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

As they traveled from city to city,

they handed on to the people for observance the decisions

reached by the Apostles and presbyters in Jerusalem.

Day after day the churches grew stronger in faith

and increased in number.

They traveled through the Phrygian and Galatian territory

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 into Bithynia,

but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them,

so they crossed through Mysia and came down to Troas.

During the night Paul had a vision.

A Macedonian stood before him and implored him with these words,

“Come over to Macedonia and help us.”

When he had seen the vision,

we sought passage to Macedonia at once, 

concluding that God had called us to proclaim the Good News to them.

Responsorial Psalm

PS 100:1B-2, 3, 5

R. (2a) Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;

serve the LORD with gladness;

come before him with joyful song.

R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Know that the LORD is God;

he made us, his we are;

his people, the flock he tends.

R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

or:

R. Alleluia.

The LORD is good:

his kindness endures forever,

and his faithfulness, to all generations.

R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Gospel

JN 15:18-21

Jesus said to his disciples: 

“If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first.

If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own;

but because you do not belong to the world,

and I have chosen you out of the world,

the world hates you.

Remember the word I spoke to you,

‘No slave is greater than his master.’

If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.

If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.

And they will do all these things to you on account of my name,

because they do not know the one who sent me.”