Daily Readings

The Apostles and the brothers who were in Judeaheard that the Gentiles too had accepted the word of God.So when Peter went up to Jerusalemthe circumcised believers confronted him, saying,‘You entered the house of uncircumcised people and ate with them.”Peter began and explained it to them step by step, saying,“I was at prayer in the city of Joppawhen in a trance I had a vision,something resembling a large sheet coming down,lowered from the sky by its four corners, and it came to me.Looking intently into it,I observed and saw the four-legged animals of the earth,the wild beasts, the reptiles, and the birds of the sky.I also heard a voice say to me, ‘Get up, Peter. Slaughter and eat.’But I said, ‘Certainly not, sir,because nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’But a second time a voice from heaven answered,‘What God has made clean, you are not to call profane.’This happened three times,and then everything was drawn up again into the sky.Just then three men appeared at the house where we were,who had been sent to me from Caesarea.The Spirit told me to accompany them without discriminating.These six brothers also went with me,and we entered the man’s house.He related to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, saying,‘Send someone to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter,who will speak words to youby which you and all your household will be saved.’As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon themas it had upon us at the beginning,and I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said,‘John baptized with waterbut you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’If then God gave them the same gift he gave to uswhen we came to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ,who was I to be able to hinder God?”When they heard this,they stopped objecting and glorified God, saying,“God has then granted life-giving repentance to the Gentiles too.”

R. (see 3a) Athirst is my soul for the living God.or:R. Alleluia.As the hind longs for the running waters,so my soul longs for you, O God.Athirst is my soul for God, the living God.When shall I go and behold the face of God?R. Athirst is my soul for the living God.or:R. Alleluia.Send forth your light and your fidelity;they shall lead me onAnd bring me to your holy mountain,to your dwelling-place.R. Athirst is my soul for the living God.or:R. Alleluia.Then will I go in to the altar of God,the God of my gladness and joy;Then will I give you thanks upon the harp,O God, my God!R. Athirst is my soul for the living God.or:R. Alleluia.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.I am the good shepherd, says the Lord;I know my sheep, and mine know me.R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Jesus said:“I am the good shepherd.A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.A hired man, who is not a shepherdand whose sheep are not his own,sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away,and the wolf catches and scatters them.This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep.I am the good shepherd,and I know mine and mine know me,just as the Father knows me and I know the Father;and I will lay down my life for the sheep.I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold.These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice,and there will be one flock, one shepherd.This is why the Father loves me,because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own.I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again.This command I have received from my Father.”

Then Peter stood up with the Eleven,raised his voice, and proclaimed:"Let the whole house of Israel know for certainthat God has made both Lord and Christ,this Jesus whom you crucified."Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart,and they asked Peter and the other apostles,"What are we to do, my brothers?"Peter said to them,"Repent and be baptized, every one of you,in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins;and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.For the promise is made to you and to your childrenand to all those far off,whomever the Lord our God will call."He testified with many other arguments, and was exhorting them,"Save yourselves from this corrupt generation."Those who accepted his message were baptized,and about three thousand persons were added that day. 

R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.or:R. Alleluia.The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.In verdant pastures he gives me repose;beside restful waters he leads me;he refreshes my soul.R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.or:R. Alleluia.He guides me in right pathsfor his name's sake.Even though I walk in the dark valleyI fear no evil; for you are at my side.With your rod and your staffthat give me courage.R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.or:R. Alleluia.You spread the table before mein the sight of my foes;you anoint my head with oil;my cup overflows. R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.or:R. Alleluia.Only goodness and kindness follow meall the days of my life;and I shall dwell in the house of the LORDfor years to come.R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.or:R. Alleluia. 

Beloved:If you are patient when you suffer for doing what is good,this is a grace before God.For to this you have been called,because Christ also suffered for you,leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps.He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.When he was insulted, he returned no insult;when he suffered, he did not threaten;instead, he handed himself over to the one who judges justly.He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross,so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness.By his wounds you have been healed.For you had gone astray like sheep,but you have now returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls. 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.I am the good shepherd, says the Lord;I know my sheep, and mine know me.R. Alleluia, alleluia. 

Jesus said:"Amen, amen, I say to you,whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gatebut climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber.But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice,as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.When he has driven out all his own,he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him,because they recognize his voice.But they will not follow a stranger;they will run away from him,because they do not recognize the voice of strangers."Although Jesus used this figure of speech,the Pharisees did not realize what he was trying to tell them.So Jesus said again, "Amen, amen, I say to you,I am the gate for the sheep.All who came before me are thieves and robbers,but the sheep did not listen to them.I am the gate.Whoever enters through me will be saved,and will come in and go out and find pasture.A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy;I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly." 

Beloved:    Clothe yourselves with humilityin your dealings with one another, for:

God opposes the proudbut bestows favor on the humble.

So humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God,that he may exalt you in due time.Cast all your worries upon him because he cares for you.

Be sober and vigilant.Your opponent the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lionlooking for someone to devour.Resist him, steadfast in faith,knowing that your brothers and sisters throughout the worldundergo the same sufferings.The God of all gracewho called you to his eternal glory through Christ Jesuswill himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish youafter you have suffered a little.To him be dominion forever.  Amen.

I write you this briefly through Silvanus,whom I consider a faithful brother,exhorting you and testifying that this is the true grace of God.Remain firm in it.The chosen one at Babylon sends you greeting, as does Mark, my son.Greet one another with a loving kiss.Peace to all of you who are in Christ.

R.    (2)  For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.or:R.    Alleluia.The favors of the LORD I will sing forever;through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness.For you have said, “My kindness is established forever”;in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.R.    For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.or:R.    Alleluia.The heavens proclaim your wonders, O LORD,and your faithfulness, in the assembly of the holy ones.For who in the skies can rank with the LORD?Who is like the LORD among the sons of God?R.    For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.or:R.    Alleluia.Blessed the people who know the joyful shout;in the light of your countenance, O LORD, they walk.At your name they rejoice all the day,and through your justice they are exalted.R.    For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.or:R.    Alleluia.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.We proclaim Christ crucified;he is the power of God and the wisdom of God.R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them:“Go into the whole worldand proclaim the Gospel to every creature.Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved;whoever does not believe will be condemned.These signs will accompany those who believe:in my name they will drive out demons,they will speak new languages.They will pick up serpents with their hands,and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them.They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them,was taken up into heavenand took his seat at the right hand of God.But they went forth and preached everywhere,while the Lord worked with themand confirmed the word through accompanying signs.