Today’s Readings

When Saul arrived in Jerusalem he tried to join the disciples,but they were all afraid of him,not believing that he was a disciple.Then Barnabas took charge of him and brought him to the apostles,and he reported to them how he had seen the Lord,and that he had spoken to him,and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus.He moved about freely with them in Jerusalem,and spoke out boldly in the name of the Lord.He also spoke and debated with the Hellenists,but they tried to kill him.And when the brothers learned of this,they took him down to Caesareaand sent him on his way to Tarsus.The church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace.It was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord,and with the consolation of the Holy Spirit it grew in numbers.

R. (26a) I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.or:R. Alleluia.I will fulfill my vows before those who fear the LORD.The lowly shall eat their fill;they who seek the LORD shall praise him:"May your hearts live forever!"R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.or:R. Alleluia.All the ends of the earthshall remember and turn to the LORD;all the families of the nationsshall bow down before him.R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.or:R. Alleluia.To him alone shall bow downall who sleep in the earth;before him shall bendall who go down into the dust. R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.or:R. Alleluia.And to him my soul shall live;my descendants shall serve him.Let the coming generation be told of the LORDthat they may proclaim to a people yet to be bornthe justice he has shown.R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.or:R. Alleluia.

Children, let us love not in word or speechbut in deed and truth.Now this is how we shall know that we belong to the truthand reassure our hearts before himin whatever our hearts condemn,for God is greater than our hearts and knows everything.Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us,we have confidence in Godand receive from him whatever we ask,because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.And his commandment is this:we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ,and love one another just as he commanded us.Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them,and the way we know that he remains in usis from the Spirit he gave us.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.Remain in me as I remain in you, says the Lord.Whoever remains in me will bear much fruit.R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Jesus said to his disciples:"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit,and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you.Remain in me, as I remain in you.Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its ownunless it remains on the vine,so neither can you unless you remain in me.I am the vine, you are the branches.Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit,because without me you can do nothing.Anyone who does not remain in mewill be thrown out like a branch and wither;people will gather them and throw them into a fireand they will be burned.If you remain in me and my words remain in you,ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you.By this is my Father glorified,that you bear much fruit and become my disciples."

On the following sabbathalmost the whole citygathered to hear the word of the Lord.When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousyand with violent abuse contradicted what Paul said.Both Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said,“It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first,but since you reject itand condemn yourselves as unworthy of eternal life,we now turn to the Gentiles.For so the Lord has commanded us,I have made you a light to the Gentiles,that you may be an instrument of salvationto the ends of the earth.”

The Gentiles were delighted when they heard thisand glorified the word of the Lord.All who were destined for eternal life came to believe,and the word of the Lord continued to spreadthrough the whole region.The Jews, however, incited the women of prominence who were worshipersand the leading men of the city,stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas,and expelled them from their territory.So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against themand went to Iconium.The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.

R.    (3cd)  All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.or:R.    Alleluia.Sing to the LORD a new song,for he has done wondrous deeds;His right hand has won victory for him,his holy arm.R.    All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.or:R.    Alleluia.The LORD has made his salvation known:in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulnesstoward the house of Israel.R.    All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.or:R.    Alleluia.All the ends of the earth have seenthe salvation by our God.Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;break into song; sing praise.R.    All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.or:R.    Alleluia.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples,and you will know the truth, says the Lord.R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Jesus said to his disciples:“If you know me, then you will also know my Father.From now on you do know him and have seen him.”Philip said to Jesus,“Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a timeand you still do not know me, Philip?Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own.The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me,or else, believe because of the works themselves.Amen, amen, I say to you,whoever believes in me will do the works that I do,and will do greater ones than these,because I am going to the Father.And whatever you ask in my name, I will do,so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it.”

When Paul came to Antioch in Pisidia, he said in the synagogue:  “My brothers, children of the family of Abraham, and those others among you who are God-fearing, to us this word of salvation has been sent. The inhabitants of Jerusalem and their leaders failed to recognize him, and by condemning him they fulfilled the oracles of the prophets that are read sabbath after sabbath. For even though they found no grounds for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him put to death, and when they had accomplished all that was written about him, they took him down from the tree and placed him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead, and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. These are now his witnesses before the people. We ourselves are proclaiming this good news to you that what God promised our fathers he has brought to fulfillment for us, their children, by raising up Jesus, as it is written in the second psalm,     You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.”

R.        (7bc)  You are my Son; this day I have begotten you. or: R.        Alleluia. “I myself have set up my king             on Zion, my holy mountain.” I will proclaim the decree of the LORD:             The LORD said to me, “You are my Son;             this day I have begotten you.” R.        You are my Son; this day I have begotten you. or: R.        Alleluia. “Ask of me and I will give you             the nations for an inheritance             and the ends of the earth for your possession. You shall rule them with an iron rod;             you shall shatter them like an earthen dish.” R.        You are my Son; this day I have begotten you. or: R.        Alleluia. And now, O kings, give heed;             take warning, you rulers of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice before him;             with trembling rejoice. R.        You are my Son; this day I have begotten you. or: R.        Alleluia.

R. Alleluia, alleluia. I am the way and the truth and the life, says the Lord; no one comes to the Father except through me.R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. Where I am going you know the way.” Thomas said to him, “Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”