Sunday, May 06, 2012
Fifth Sunday of Easter
Fifth Sunday of Easter
FIRST READING
Acts 9: 26
– 31
26 And when he had come to Jerusalem he
attempted to join the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, for they did
not believe that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him, and
brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how on the road he had seen
the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the
name of Jesus. 28 So he went in and out among them at
Jerusalem, 29 preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. And he spoke
and disputed against the Hellenists; but they were seeking to kill him. 30
And
when the brethren knew it, they brought him down to Caesare'a, and sent him off
to Tarsus. 31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and
Sama'ria had peace and was built up; and walking in the fear of the Lord and in
the comfort of the Holy Spirit it was multiplied
PSALM RESPONSES
Psalms 22: 26 - 28, 30 – 32
26 The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied;
those who seek him shall praise the LORD! May your hearts live for ever! 27
All
the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD; and all the families
of the nations shall worship before him. 28 For dominion belongs to the
LORD, and he rules over the nations.
30 Posterity shall serve him;
men shall tell of the Lord to the coming generation, 31 and
proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn, that he has wrought it.
SECOND READING
1 John 3: 18
– 24
18 Little children, let us not love in word or
speech but in deed and in truth. 19 By this we shall know that
we are of the truth, and reassure our hearts before him 20 whenever
our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows
everything. 21 Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we
have confidence before God; 22 and we receive from him whatever we ask,
because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. 23 And
this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus
Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. 24 All
who keep his commandments abide in him, and he in them. And by this we know
that he abides in us, by the Spirit which he has given us.
GOSPEL
John 15: 1 –
8
1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is
the vinedresser. 2 Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he
takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear
more fruit. 3 You are already made clean by the word which I have
spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch
cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you,
unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He
who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from
me you can do nothing. 6 If a man does not abide in me, he is cast
forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the
fire and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in
you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. 8 By
this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my
disciples.
Separate
me from myself and from all that is not you, in order to unite and incorporate
me with you. Empty me of myself and of all things, destroy me utterly, in order
to fill me with yourself and to form and establish yourself in me. Cause me
henceforth to be a perfect image of yourself; just as you are a most perfect
image of your Father. - St. John Eudes
The Holy Bible
