The Easter Blog

Seventh Week of Easter - Thursday

May 24th, 2007

Seventh Week of Easter - Thursday

First Reading Acts 22:30; 23:6-11

You must bear witness in Rome.

A Reading from the Acts of the Apostles

Wishing to determine the truth about why Paul was being accused
by the Jews, the commander freed him and ordered the chief
priests and the whole Sanhedrin to convene. Then he brought
Paul down and made him stand before them.

Paul was aware that some were Sadducees and some Pharisees, so
he called out before the Sanhedrin, “My brothers, I am a
Pharisee, the son of Pharisees; I am on trial for hope in the
resurrection of the dead.” When he said this, a dispute broke
out between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the group became
divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection
or angels or spirits, while the Pharisees acknowledge all three.
A great uproar occurred, and some scribes belonging to the
Pharisee party stood up and sharply argued, “We find nothing
wrong with this man. Suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to
him?” The dispute was so serious that the commander, afraid
that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, ordered his troops
to go down and rescue Paul from their midst and take him into
the compound. The following night the Lord stood by him and
said, “Take courage. For just as you have borne witness to my
cause in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness in Rome.”

The Word of the Lord.

Alleluia, alleluia Jn 17:21 - May they all be one as
you, Father, are in me and I in you, that the world may believe
that you sent me, says the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia

Gospel Jn 17:20-26

May they all be one.

A Reading from the Holy Gospel According to John

Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed saying: “I pray
not only for these, but also for those who will believe in me
through their word, so that they may all be one, as you,
Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us,
that the world may believe that you sent me. And I have given
them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are
one, I in them and you in me, that they may be brought to
perfection as one, that the world may know that you sent me,
and that you loved them even as you loved me. Father, they are
your gift to me. I wish that where I am they also may be with
me, that they may see my glory that you gave me, because you
loved me before the foundation of the world. Righteous Father,
the world also does not know you, but I know you, and they
know that you sent me. I made known to them your name and I
will make it known, that the love with which you loved me may
be in them and I in them.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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