Daily Reading

1. Saturday of the Third Week of Easter

   Reading 1 Acts 9:31-42

   The Church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria
   was 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 at once.
   And all the inhabitants of Lydda and Sharon saw him,
   and they turned to the Lord.
   
   Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha
   (which translated is Dorcas).
   She was completely occupied with good deeds and almsgiving.
   Now during those days she fell sick and died,
   so after washing her, they laid her out in a room upstairs.
   Since Lydda was near Joppa,
   the disciples, hearing that Peter was there,
   sent two men to him with the request,
   "Please come to us without delay."
   So Peter got up and went with them.
   When he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs
   where all the widows came to him weeping
   and showing him the tunics and cloaks
   that Dorcas had made while she was with them.
   Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed.
   Then he turned to her body and said, "Tabitha, rise up."
   She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up.
   He gave her his hand and raised her up,
   and when he had called the holy ones and the widows,
   he presented her alive.
   This became known all over Joppa,
   and many came to believe in the Lord.
   

   Responsorial Psalm Ps 116:12-13, 14-15, 16-17

   R. (12) How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?
   or:
   R. Alleluia.
   How shall I make a return to the LORD
   for all the good he has done for me?
   The cup of salvation I will take up,
   and I will call upon the name of the LORD
   R. How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?
   or:
   R. Alleluia.
   My vows to the LORD I will pay
   in the presence of all his people.
   Precious in the eyes of the LORD
   is the death of his faithful ones.
   R. How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?
   or:
   R. Alleluia.
   O LORD, I am your servant;
   I am your servant, the son of your handmaid;
   you have loosed my bonds.
   To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving,
   and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
   R. How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?
   or:
   R. Alleluia.
   

   Alleluia See Jn 6:63c, 68c

   R. Alleluia, alleluia.
   Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life;
   you have the words of everlasting life.
   R. Alleluia, alleluia.
   

   Gospel Jn 6:60-69

   Many of the disciples of Jesus who were listening said,
   "This saying is hard; who can accept it?"
   Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this,
   he said to them, "Does this shock you?
   What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?
   It is the Spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail.
   The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life.
   But there are some of you who do not believe."
   Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe
   and the one who would betray him.
   And he said, "For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me
   unless it is granted him by my Father."
   
   As a result of this,
   many of his disciples returned to their former way of life
   and no longer walked with him.
   Jesus then said to the Twelve, "Do you also want to leave?"
   Simon Peter answered him, "Master, to whom shall we go?
   You have the words of eternal life.
   We have come to believe
   and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God."
   

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   Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

2. Friday of the Third Week of Easter

   Reading 1 Acts 9:1-20

   Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord,
   went to the high priest and asked him
   for 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 came, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
   Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do."
   The men who were traveling with him stood speechless,
   for they heard the voice but could see no one.
   Saul got up from the ground,
   but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing;
   so they led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus.
   For three days he was unable to see, and he neither ate nor drank.
   
   There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias,
   and the Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias."
   He answered, "Here I am, Lord."
   The Lord said to him, "Get up and go to the street called Straight
   and ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul.
   He is there praying,
   and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias
   come in and lay his hands on him,
   that he may regain his sight."
   But Ananias replied,
   "Lord, I have heard from many sources about this man,
   what evil things he has done to your holy ones in Jerusalem.
   And here he has authority from the chief priests
   to imprison all who call upon your name."
   But the Lord said to him,
   "Go, for this man is a chosen instrument of mine
   to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and children of Israel,
   and I will show him what he will have to suffer for my name."
   So Ananias went and entered the house;
   laying his hands on him, he said,
   "Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me,
   Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came,
   that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."
   Immediately things like scales fell from his eyes
   and he regained his sight.
   He got up and was baptized,
   and when he had eaten, he recovered his strength.
   
   He stayed some days with the disciples in Damascus,
   and he began at once to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues,
   that he is the Son of God.
   

   Responsorial Psalm Ps 117:1bc, 2

   R. (Mark 16:15) Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
   or:
   R. Alleluia.
   Praise the LORD, all you nations;
   glorify him, all you peoples!
   R. Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
   or:
   R. Alleluia.
   For steadfast is his kindness toward us,
   and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever.
   R. Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
   or:
   R. Alleluia.
   

   Alleluia Jn 6:56

   R. Alleluia, alleluia.
   Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood,
   remains in me and I in him, says the Lord.
   R. Alleluia, alleluia.
   

   Gospel Jn 6:52-59

   The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying,
   "How can this man give us his Flesh to eat?"
   Jesus said to them,
   "Amen, amen, I say to you,
   unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood,
   you do not have life within you.
   Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood
   has eternal life,
   and I will raise him on the last day.
   For my Flesh is true food,
   and my Blood is true drink.
   Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood
   remains in me and I in him.
   Just as the living Father sent me
   and I have life because of the Father,
   so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.
   This is the bread that came down from heaven.
   Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died,
   whoever eats this bread will live forever."
   These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.
   

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   Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

3. Thursday of the Third Week of Easter

   Reading 1 Acts 8:26-40

   The angel of the Lord spoke to Philip,
   “Get up and head south on the road
   that 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 heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and said,
   “Do you understand what you are reading?”
   He replied,
   “How can I, unless someone instructs me?”
   So he invited Philip to get in and sit with him.
   This was the Scripture passage he was reading:
   
   Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter,
   and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
   so he opened not his mouth.
   In his humiliation justice was denied him.
   Who will tell of his posterity?
   For his life is taken from the earth.
   
   Then the eunuch said to Philip in reply,
   “I beg you, about whom is the prophet saying this?
   About himself, or about someone else?”
   Then Philip opened his mouth and, beginning with this Scripture passage,
   he proclaimed Jesus to him.
   As they traveled along the road
   they came to some water,
   and the eunuch said, “Look, there is water.
   What is to prevent my being baptized?”
   Then he ordered the chariot to stop,
   and Philip and the eunuch both went down into the water,
   and he baptized him.
   When they came out of the water,
   the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away,
   and the eunuch saw him no more,
   but continued on his way rejoicing.
   Philip came to Azotus, and went about proclaiming the good news
   to all the towns until he reached Caesarea.
   

   Responsorial Psalm Ps 66:8-9, 16-17, 20

   R. (1) Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
   or:
   R. Alleluia.
   Bless our God, you peoples,
   loudly sound his praise;
   He has given life to our souls,
   and has not let our feet slip.
   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.
   When I appealed to him in words,
   praise was on the tip of my tongue.
   R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
   or:
   R. Alleluia.
   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.
   

   Alleluia Jn 6:51

   R. Alleluia, alleluia.
   I am the living bread that came down from heaven,
   says the Lord;
   whoever eats this bread will live forever.
   R. Alleluia, alleluia.
   

   Gospel Jn 6:44-51

   Jesus said to the crowds:
   "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him,
   and I will raise him on the last day.
   It is written in the prophets:
   
   They shall all be taught by God.
   
   Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me.
   Not that anyone has seen the Father
   except the one who is from God;
   he has seen the Father.
   Amen, amen, I say to you,
   whoever believes has eternal life.
   I am the bread of life.
   Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died;
   this is the bread that comes down from heaven
   so that one may eat it and not die.
   I am the living bread that came down from heaven;
   whoever eats this bread will live forever;
   and the bread that I will give
   is my Flesh for the life of the world."
   

   - - -
   

   Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

4. Wednesday of the Third Week of Easter

   Reading 1 Acts 8:1b-8

   There broke out a severe persecution of the Church in Jerusalem,
   and all were scattered
   throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria,
   except the Apostles.
   Devout men buried Stephen and made a loud lament over him.
   Saul, meanwhile, was trying to destroy the Church;
   entering house after house and dragging out men and women,
   he handed them over for imprisonment.
   
   Now those who had been scattered went about preaching the word.
   Thus 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 and crippled people were cured.
   There was great joy in that city.
   

   Responsorial Psalm Ps 66:1-3a, 4-5, 6-7a

   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.
   

   Alleluia See Jn 6:40

   R. Alleluia, alleluia.
   Everyone who believes in the Son has eternal life,
   and I shall raise him on the last day, says the Lord.
   R. Alleluia, alleluia.
   

   Gospel Jn 6:35-40

   Jesus said to the crowds,
   "I am the bread of life;
   whoever comes to me will never hunger,
   and whoever believes in me will never thirst.
   But I told you that although you have seen me,
   you do not believe.
   Everything that the Father gives me will come to me,
   and I will not reject anyone who comes to me,
   because I came down from heaven not to do my own will
   but the will of the one who sent me.
   And this is the will of the one who sent me,
   that I should not lose anything of what he gave me,
   but that I should raise it on the last day.
   For this is the will of my Father,
   that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him
   may have eternal life,
   and I shall raise him on the last day."
   

   - - -
   

   Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

5. Tuesday of the Third Week of Easter

   Reading 1 Acts 7:51—8:1a

   Stephen said to the people, the elders, and the scribes:
   "You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears,
   you always oppose the Holy Spirit;
   you are just like your ancestors.
   Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute?
   They put to death those who foretold the coming of the righteous one,
   whose betrayers and murderers you have now become.
   You received the law as transmitted by angels,
   but you did not observe it."
   
   When they heard this, they were infuriated,
   and they ground their teeth at him.
   But Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit,
   looked up intently to heaven and saw the glory of God
   and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,
   and Stephen said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened
   and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."
   But they cried out in a loud voice,
   covered their ears, and rushed upon him together.
   They threw him out of the city, and began to stone him.
   The witnesses laid down their cloaks
   at the feet of a young man named Saul.
   As they were stoning Stephen, he called out,
   "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
   Then he fell to his knees and cried out in a loud voice,
   "Lord, do not hold this sin against them";
   and when he said this, he fell asleep.
   
   Now Saul was consenting to his execution.
   

   Responsorial Psalm Ps 31:3cd-4, 6 and 7b and 8a, 17 and 21ab

   R. (6a) Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
   or:
   R. Alleluia.
   Be my rock of refuge,
   a stronghold to give me safety.
   You are my rock and my fortress;
   for your name's sake you will lead and guide me.
   R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
   or:
   R. Alleluia.
   Into your hands I commend my spirit;
   you will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God.
   My trust is in the LORD;
   I will rejoice and be glad of your mercy.
   R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
   or:
   R. Alleluia.
   Let your face shine upon your servant;
   save me in your kindness.
   You hide them in the shelter of your presence
   from the plottings of men.
   R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
   or:
   R. Alleluia.
   

   Alleluia Jn 6:35ab

   R. Alleluia, alleluia.
   I am the bread of life, says the Lord;
   whoever comes to me will never hunger.
   R. Alleluia, alleluia.
   

   Gospel Jn 6:30-35

   The crowd said to Jesus:
   "What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you?
   What can you do?
   Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, as it is written:
   
   He gave them bread from heaven to eat."
   
   So Jesus said to them,
   "Amen, amen, I say to you,
   it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven;
   my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.
   For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven
   and gives life to the world."
   
   So they said to Jesus,
   "Sir, give us this bread always."
   Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life;
   whoever comes to me will never hunger,
   and whoever believes in me will never thirst."
   

   - - -
   

   Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.