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May 21, 2017 Sixth Sunday of Easter Reading 1 Acts 8:5-8, 14-17Philip went down to the city of Samariaand proclaimed the Christ to them.With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philipwhen 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 Jerusalemheard that Samaria had accepted the word of God,they sent them Peter and John,who went down and prayed for them,that they might...

May 20, 2017 Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter Reading 1 Acts 16:1-10Paul reached also Derbe and Lystrawhere 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 decisionsreached by the Apostles and presbyters in Jerusalem.Day after...

May 19, 2017 Friday of the Fifth Week of Easter Reading 1 Acts 15:22-31The Apostles and presbyters, in agreement with the whole Church,decided to choose representativesand to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. The ones chosen were Judas, who was called Barsabbas,and Silas, leaders among the brothers.This is the letter delivered by them:"The Apostles and the presbyters, your brothers,to the brothers in Antioch, Syria, and Ciliciaof Gentile origin: greetings.Since we have heard that some of our numberwho went out without any mandate from ushave upset you with their teachingsand disturbed your peace of mind,we have with one...

May 18, 2017 Thursday of the Fifth Week of Easter Reading 1 Acts 15:7-21After much debate had taken place,Peter got up and said to the Apostles and the presbyters,"My brothers, you are well aware that from early daysGod made his choice among you that through my mouththe Gentiles would hear the word of the Gospel and believe.And God, who knows the heart,bore witness by granting them the Holy Spiritjust as he did us.He made no distinction between us and them,for by faith he purified their hearts.Why, then, are you now putting God to the testby placing on the shoulders...

May 17, 2017 Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Easter Reading 1 Acts 15:1-6Some who had come down from Judea were instructing the brothers,"Unless you are circumcised according to the Mosaic practice,you cannot be saved."Because there arose no little dissension and debateby Paul and Barnabas with them,it was decided that Paul, Barnabas, and some of the othersshould go up to Jerusalem to the Apostles and presbytersabout this question. They were sent on their journey by the Church,and passed through Phoenicia and Samariatelling of the conversion of the Gentiles,and brought great joy to all the brethren.When they arrived in Jerusalem,they were...

May 16, 2017 Tuesday of Fifth Week of Easter Reading 1 Acts 14:19-28In those days, some Jews from Antioch and Iconiumarrived and won over the crowds. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city,supposing that he was dead.But when the disciples gathered around him,he got up and entered the city. On the following day he left with Barnabas for Derbe. After they had proclaimed the good news to that cityand made a considerable number of disciples,they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch.They strengthened the spirits of the disciplesand exhorted them to persevere in the...

May 15, 2017 Monday of the Fifth Week of Easter Reading 1 Acts 14:5-18There was an attempt in Iconiumby both the Gentiles and the Jews,together with their leaders,to attack and stone Paul and Barnabas.They realized it,and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbeand to the surrounding countryside,where they continued to proclaim the Good News. At Lystra there was a crippled man, lame from birth,who had never walked. He listened to Paul speaking, who looked intently at him,saw that he had the faith to be healed,and called out in a loud voice, "Stand up straight on your feet."He...

“Hope for the Future and a Present Priesthood” (John 14:1-14; 1 Peter 2:2-10)You gotta have hope. Hope is faith facing the future. You and I, we need something to look forward to. Otherwise, we lose heart, we get depressed, and our hopelessness paralyzes us. So we need hope, hope for the future, in order to function well in the present. And really, we need hope for the big future, the eternal future. Because the reality is, at some point, we’re going to depart this life. At some point, something is going to do us in, and death is going to...

May 14, 2017 Fifth Sunday of Easter Reading 1 Acts 6:1-7As the number of disciples continued to grow,the Hellenists complained against the Hebrewsbecause their widowswere being neglected in the daily distribution.So the Twelve called together the community of the disciples and said,"It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table.Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men,filled with the Spirit and wisdom,whom we shall appoint to this task,whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayerand to the ministry of the word."The proposal was acceptable to the whole community,so they chose Stephen, a man...

May 13, 2017 Saturday of the Fourth Week of Easter Reading 1 Acts 13:44-52On the following sabbathalmost the whole citygathered to hear the word of the Lord. When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousyand with violent abuse contradicted what Paul said. Both Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said,"It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first,but since you reject itand condemn yourselves as unworthy of eternal life,we now turn to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us,I have made you a light to the Gentiles,that you may...

May 12, 2017 Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter Reading 1 Acts 13:26-33When Paul came to Antioch in Pisidia, he said in the synagogue:"My brothers, children of the family of Abraham,and those others among you who are God-fearing,to us this word of salvation has been sent. The inhabitants of Jerusalem and their leaders failed to recognize him,and by condemning him they fulfilled the oracles of the prophetsthat are read sabbath after sabbath. For even though they found no grounds for a death sentence,they asked Pilate to have him put to death,and when they had accomplished all that was...

May 11, 2017 Thursday of the Fourth Week of Easter Reading 1 Acts 13:13-25From Paphos, Paul and his companionsset sail and arrived at Perga in Pamphylia. But John left them and returned to Jerusalem. They continued on from Perga and reached Antioch in Pisidia. On the sabbath they entered into the synagogue and took their seats. After the reading of the law and the prophets,the synagogue officials sent word to them,"My brothers, if one of you has a word of exhortationfor the people, please speak." So Paul got up, motioned with his hand, and said,"Fellow children of Israel and...

May 10, 2017 Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Easter Reading 1 Acts 12:24—13:5aThe word of God continued to spread and grow. After Barnabas and Saul completed their relief mission,they returned to Jerusalem,taking with them John, who is called Mark. Now there were in the Church at Antioch prophets and teachers:Barnabas, Symeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene,Manaen who was a close friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said,"Set apart for me Barnabas and Saulfor the work to which I have called them." Then, completing their...

May 9, 2017 Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter Reading 1 Acts 11:19-26Those who had been scattered by the persecutionthat arose because of Stephenwent as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch,preaching the word to no one but Jews.There were some Cypriots and Cyrenians among them, however,who came to Antioch and began to speak to the Greeks as well,proclaiming the Lord Jesus. The hand of the Lord was with themand a great number who believed turned to the Lord. The news about them reached the ears of the Church in Jerusalem,and they sent Barnabas to go to Antioch.When he...

May 8, 2017 Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter Reading 1 Acts 11:1-18The Apostles and the brothers who were in Judeaheard that the Gentiles too had accepted the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalemthe circumcised believers confronted him, saying,'You entered the house of uncircumcised people and ate with them." Peter began and explained it to them step by step, saying,"I was at prayer in the city of Joppawhen in a trance I had a vision,something resembling a large sheet coming down,lowered from the sky by its four corners, and it came to me. Looking...

“The Good Shepherd for Straying and Suffering Sheep” (1 Peter 2:19-25) I’m guessing by now you’ve picked up on the theme of the day. You’ve heard it throughout the service so far. For example, in the Introit, the words of Jesus: “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, and I lay down my life for the sheep.” In the Psalm: “The Lord is my shepherd.” In the Holy Gospel, where Jesus calls himself “the shepherd of the sheep.” In the Hymn of the Day, “The King of Love My Shepherd Is.” Yes, no...

May 7, 2017 Fourth Sunday of Easter Reading 1 Acts 2:14a, 36-41Then Peter stood up with the Eleven,raised his voice, and proclaimed:"Let the whole house of Israel know for certainthat God has made both Lord and Christ,this Jesus whom you crucified." Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart,and they asked Peter and the other apostles,"What are we to do, my brothers?"Peter said to them,"Repent and be baptized, every one of you,in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins;and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.For the promise is made...

May 6, 2017 Saturday of the Third Week of Easter Reading 1 Acts 9:31-42The Church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samariawas at peace. She was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord,and with the consolation of the Holy Spirit she grew in numbers. As Peter was passing through every region,he went down to the holy ones living in Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas,who had been confined to bed for eight years, for he was paralyzed. Peter said to him,"Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed." He got up...

May 5, 2017 Friday of the Third Week of Easter Reading 1 Acts 9:1-20Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord,went to the high priest and asked himfor letters to the synagogues in Damascus, that,if he should find any men or women who belonged to the Way,he might bring them back to Jerusalem in chains. On his journey, as he was nearing 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 are you persecuting me?"He said, "Who are you, sir?" The reply...

May 4, 2017 Thursday of the Third Week of Easter Reading 1 Acts 8:26-40The angel of the Lord spoke to Philip,"Get up and head south on the roadthat goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza, the desert route." So he got up and set out. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch,a court official of the Candace,that is, the queen of the Ethiopians,in charge of her entire treasury,who had come to Jerusalem to worship, and was returning home.Seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah.The Spirit said to Philip,"Go and join up with that chariot." Philip ran up and...