Theme of the Sunday: The Many Ways of Giving up One’s Life. The central theme of today’s readings is the “many rooms” present in the house of the Father, that is, the many ways we can help each other. In the gospel Jesus says that the way to the Father is the service of our brothers and sisters. The second reading uses the image of a new building and the first reading describes how the community of Jerusalem solved a problem. Both readings help us to deepen our understanding of the message.
Entrance Antiphon
O sing a new song to the Lord, for he has worked wonders; in the sight of the nations he has shown his deliverance, alleluia.
Collect
Almighty everliving God, constantly accomplish the paschal mystery within us, that those you were pleased to make new in Holy Baptism may, under your protective care, bear much fruit and come to the joys of life eternal. Through our Lord.
FIRST READING
“They picked out seven men full of the Holy Spirit.”
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 6: 1-7)
In these days when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists murmured against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. And the Twelve summoned the body of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” And what they said pleased the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands upon them. And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 33: 1-2.4-5.18-19 (R. 22)
R/. May your merciful love be upon us, as we hope in you, O Lord.
Ring out your joy to the LORD, O you just;
for praise is fitting for the upright.
Give thanks to the Lord upon the harp;
with a ten-stringed lute sing him songs. R.
For the word of the LORD is faithful,
and all his works to be trusted.
The Lord loves justice and right,
and his merciful love fills the earth. R.
Yes, the Lord’s eyes are on those who fear him,
who hope in his merciful love,
to rescue their souls from death,
to keep them alive in famine. R.
SECOND READING
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood.”
A reading from the first Letter of Saint Peter (I Peter 2:4-9)
Beloved: Come to the Lord, to that living stone, rejected by men but in God’s sight chosen and precious; and like living stones be yourselves built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and he who believes in him will not be put to shame.” To you therefore who believe, he is precious, but for those who do not believe, “The very stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and “A stone that will make men stumble, a rock that will make them fall”; for they stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.
The word of the Lord.
ALLELUIA John 14:6
Alleluia. I am the way, and the truth, and the life, says the Lord; no one comes to the Father, but by me. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (John 14: 1- 12)
In those days: Jesus said to his disciples, “Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also; henceforth you know him and have seen him.” Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we shall be satisfied.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you do not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or else believe me for the sake of the works themselves. “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father.”
The Gospel of the Lord.