Saturday in the third Easter week

Invitation

May I hereby call your attention to
the daily reading of the Gospel?

This invitation wants to share with you the joy of the Gospel.
Everyone, no one excepted,
can experience that joy by opening his heart
to the healing effect of God’s word.

Available every morning from 7 a.m.

Consideration

To whom would we go? This is Peter’s answer to Jesus’ question, at a time when many disciples are withdrawing and wanting to leave him. Resistance and incomprehension arise at what Jesus and His Church have to say. Eating His flesh and drinking His blood: this is beginning to sound very strange. Every day, or at least regularly, we hear the same words in the Eucharist. Perhaps we are still barely aware of the meaning of those words. Today Jesus wants to know where we stand. ‘There are some among you who have no faith’…Can Jesus count on us?

FIRST READING  Acts 9, 31-42

The church was strengthened and steadily increased in number by the consolation of the Holy Spirit.

From the Acts of the Apostles

In those days the church enjoyed
throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria peace ;
she was more and more confirmed in the fear of the Lord
and was steadily increasing in number
by the consolation of the Holy Spirit.
Once Peter came
on a grand tour
also to disciples who lived in Lydda,
and found there a certain Eneas
who for eight years
had been confined to his bed because of paralysis.
Peter spoke to him :
“Enéas,
Jesus Christ heals you,
arise
and make your bed yourself.”
Immediately he got up.
All the inhabitants of Lydda and of the Saron plain saw him
and converted to the Lord.

There lived in Joppe at the time a disciple by the name of Tabita,
which in translation means Dorkas, Gazelle.
She was inexhaustible in doing good works
and in giving alms.
Just in those days, however, she had died after an illness.
They washed her and laid her in an upper room.
Because Lydda is close to Joppe
the disciples sent
,who had heard that Peter was staying there,
two men to him with the request :
“Come to us without delay.”
Peter immediately went with them.
On his arrival they brought him into the upper room,
where all the widows surrounded him, weeping.
and showed him all the clothes and cloaks
that Dorkas had made while she was still among them.
Peter made all go out,
knelt down
and prayed.
Then he spoke, turning to the corpse :
“Tabita, get up.”
She opened her eyes, saw Peter
and sat up.
He reached out to her
and helped her to get up.
Then he called the saints and the widows
and gave her back to them alive.
This became known throughout all of Joppa
so that many took faith in the Lord.

INTERLUDIUM   Ps. 116(115), 12-13, 14-15, 16-17

How can I give thanks
For all that the Lord has given me?

How can I give thanks
For all that the Lord has given me?
I lift up the sacrificial cup,
I call upon the name of the Lord.

I will fulfill my vows
Where all his people see it.
For precious in His sight
The life of those who revere Him.

O Lord, I am your servant,
thy servant, the son of thy handmaid,
Thou hast removed my bonds.
With sacrifices I will praise Thee,
The name of the Lord I call upon.

ALLELUIA John 20,29

Alleluia.
Because you have seen Me, Thomas, you believe ;
Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.
Alleluia.

GOSPEL     John 6, 60-69

To whom should we go? Your words are words of eternal life.

From the holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to
John

In those days many of the disciples of Jesus said :
“This language is repugnant to someone.
“Who is still able to listen to Him?”
But Jesus
who knew himself that his disciples were muttering about this,
asked them :
“Do you take offence at this?
“When ye see then the Son of Man ascending
to where He was before….?
“It is the spirit that makes alive,
the flesh is of no use.
“The words that I have spoken to you
are spirit and life.
“But there are some among you who have no faith.”
Jesus indeed knew from the beginning
who it was that did not believe
and who would hand Him over.
He added :
“Therefore I have told you
that no one can come to Me
if it be not given him by the Father.”
As a result of this
many of his disciples withdrew
and left his company.
Whereupon Jesus asked the twelve :
“Do you also want to leave?”
Simon Peter answered Him :
“Lord, to whom should we go ?
“Your words are words of eternal life
and we believe and know that thou art the Holy One of God.”

______________________________________________________________

Laudato Si

Encyclic by

POPE FRANCIS

On the care of the common home 

44. Today, for example, we are witnessing the immoderate and disorderly growth of many cities, which have become unlivable from a health point of view, not only because of the pollution caused by toxic emissions, but also because of the chaos in the cities, the problems of transport and visual and acoustic pollution. Many cities are large inefficient structures that consume excessive amounts of water and energy. There are neighbourhoods that, although recently built, are congested and disorderly, without sufficient green space. It does not suit the inhabitants of this planet to live increasingly buried under concrete, asphalt, glass and metal without physical contact with nature.

To be continued            For all previous publications scroll down

The Bible text in this issue is taken from The New Bible Translation,
©Dutch Bible Society 2004/2007.
Considerations from Liturgical Suggestions for Weekdays and Sundays
Laudato Si Official English translation

______________________________________________________________