Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Easter

Readings
First Scripture Reading
Acts 12: 24 - 13: 5a
Gospel Reading
John 12: 44-50

Opening Prayer

Expansive and Missionary God, You continue to empty Yourself and spread Your life. In Jesus, we know You, and experience Your presence. Jesus is freedom from the bondage we create. He softens and brightens the darkness. His judgment is your compassion. His command is the mission to follow Paul, Barnabas, and so many others to proclaim Your good news of freedom and forgiveness. Give us the Spirit of their energy and conviction that we might speak and create communities of faith who are life-giving to Your world. May Your hands impose mission and Spirit upon us – and may we hand on the freedom, power, energy, and faith with which you have gifted us. Continue to expand us as we expand Your reign, Embracing God of Life.

Reading I Acts 12:24—13:5a

The word of God continued to spread and grow.

After Barnabas and Saul completed their relief mission,
they returned to Jerusalem,
taking with them John, who is called Mark.

Now there were in the Church at Antioch prophets and teachers:
Barnabas, Symeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene,
Manaen who was a close friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said,
“Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul
for the work to which I have called them.”
Then, completing their fasting and prayer,
they laid hands on them and sent them off.

So they, sent forth by the Holy Spirit,
went down to Seleucia
and from there sailed to Cyprus.
When they arrived in Salamis,
they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues.

 

Responsorial Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6 and 8

R.        (4)  O God, let all the nations praise you!
or:
R.        Alleluia.
May God have pity on us and bless us;
            may he let his face shine upon us.
So may your way be known upon earth;
            among all nations, your salvation.
R.        O God, let all the nations praise you!
or:
R.        Alleluia.
May the nations be glad and exult
            because you rule the peoples in equity;
            the nations on the earth you guide.
R.        O God, let all the nations praise you!
or:
R.        Alleluia.
May the peoples praise you, O God;
            may all the peoples praise you!
May God bless us,
            and may all the ends of the earth fear him!
R.        O God, let all the nations praise you!
or:
R.        Alleluia.

Alleluia Jn 8:12

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
whoever follows me will have the light of life.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Jn 12:44-50

Jesus cried out and said,
“Whoever believes in me believes not only in me
but also in the one who sent me,
and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me.
I came into the world as light,
so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness.
And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them,
I do not condemn him,
for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world.
Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words
has something to judge him: the word that I spoke,
it will condemn him on the last day,
because I did not speak on my own,
but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak.
And I know that his commandment is eternal life.
So what I say, I say as the Father told me.”

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Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

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