Saturday in the seventh week of Easter

Invitation

May I draw your attention to
the daily reading of the Gospel?

This invitation aims to share with you the joy of the Gospel.
Everyone, without exception,
can experience that joy by opening their hearts
to the healing power of God’s word.

Available every day

Consideration
The end of the Acts of the Apostles raises quite a few questions. It is, after all, a very abrupt conclusion to a book. Did Luke know nothing of Paul’s martyrdom? The answer may lie in Luke’s intention. He does not write about Peter or Paul, but about the spread of the Good News. From the outset, we know that this message is spread from Jerusalem. It reaches Samaria, Galilee, Syria, Cyprus, Asia Minor and on to Greece and Rome. Rome is the centre of the Empire. All roads lead there. From there, all roads also depart. ‘To the ends of the earth’, including our own regions. Seen in this light, Luke’s book is concluded in Rome. At the same time, the ending emphasises once more that this message continues, even though the messengers are in chains. Nothing can stop the message.

FIRST READING                Acts 28, 16–20, 30–31
Paul remained in Rome and preached the Kingdom of God there.

From the Acts of the Apostles

On his arrival in Rome, Paul was granted permission to live on his own with the soldier who was guarding him.
Three days later, he summoned the leading Jews to him.
When they had gathered, he said to them:
“Brothers,
although I have done nothing against our people
or against our ancestral customs,
I was handed over from Jerusalem
as a prisoner to the Romans.
“After questioning me, they intended to release me
because I had committed no offence deserving the death penalty.
“But because the Jews objected to this,
I was compelled to appeal to the Emperor,
though not,
as if I had any charge to bring against my own people.
“That is why
I asked to see you and speak to you.
“It is for the hope of Israel
that I wear these chains.”

For a full two years Paul stayed there in a house he had rented himself,
and received all who came to him.
He preached the Kingdom of God
and taught the doctrine concerning the Lord Jesus Christ
with all boldness,
without any hindrance.

INTERLUDIUM                          Ps. 11(10), 5, 6, 8

God is righteous; He loves justice;
the righteous shall see Him.

The Lord in His holy temple,
the Lord, He is enthroned in heaven.
His eyes look down upon us,
his gaze searches the hearts of men.

He discerns the good and the wicked,
He hates those who love injustice.
For God is just, He loves justice,
the righteous shall see Him.

ALLELUIA                    John 16, 7 and 13

Alleluia.
I will send the Spirit of truth to you, says the Lord,
and He will guide you into all truth.
Alleluia

GOSPEL                    John  21, 20–25
This is the disciple who wrote this, and his testimony is true.

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

At that time,
when Peter turned round, he saw
that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them;
the same one who, at supper, had leaned back against Jesus’ breast
and had said:
‘Lord, who is it that will betray you?’
Now when Peter saw him, he asked Jesus:
“What then of him?”
To which Jesus said to him:
“If I will that he remain until I come,
is that your concern?
“You must follow Me!”
Thus a rumour arose among the brethren
that this disciple would not die.
Yet Jesus had not told him that he would not die,
but:
‘If I want him to remain until I come,
is that any of your concern?’

This is the disciple
who bears witness to these things and has written them down,
and we know that his testimony is true.
There are many other things that Jesus did.
But if they were all written down one by one,
I suppose that even the whole world
would not be big enough to contain the books that would have to be written.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Laudato Si

Encyclical of

POPE FRANCIS

On Care for Our Common Home

The need to protect work
124. In any attempt to develop an integral ecology that does not exclude human beings, it is
essential to take into account the value of work, which Saint
John Paul II so wisely developed in his encyclical *Laborem exercens*
. We recall that, according to the biblical account, God placed man in the
newly created garden (cf. Gen. 2:15) not only to take charge of what was
there (to keep it), but also to work there, so that it might bear fruit (to cultivate it).
Workers and artisans “preserve the goods of this world”
(Sir. 38:33). Human intervention that favours a prudent development of the
creation is the most appropriate way to care for it.
This also implies that man becomes an instrument of God to
help bring to the fore the potential that He Himself has placed in things:
“The Lord causes the earth to bring forth medicinal herbs
and a wise man does not despise them’ (Sir. 38:4).

To be continued
Every day at 1 am