Daily Readings

The Apostles and presbyters, in agreement with the whole Church, decided to choose representatives and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. The ones chosen were Judas, who was called Barsabbas, and Silas, leaders among the brothers. This is the letter delivered by them: “The Apostles and the presbyters, your brothers, to the brothers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia of Gentile origin: greetings. Since we have heard that some of our number who went out without any mandate from us have upset you with their teachings and disturbed your peace of mind, we have with one accord decided to choose representatives and to send them to you along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, who have dedicated their lives to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. So we are sending Judas and Silas who will also convey this same message by word of mouth: ‘It is the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us not to place on you any burden beyond these necessities, namely, to abstain from meat sacrificed to idols, from blood, from meats of strangled animals, and from unlawful marriage. If you keep free of these, you will be doing what is right. Farewell.’“ And so they were sent on their journey. Upon their arrival in Antioch they called the assembly together and delivered the letter. When the people read it, they were delighted with the exhortation.  

R.        (10a)  I will give you thanks among the peoples, O Lord. or: R.        Alleluia. My heart is steadfast, O God; my heart is steadfast;             I will sing and chant praise. Awake, O my soul; awake, lyre and harp!             I will wake the dawn. R.        I will give you thanks among the peoples, O Lord. or: R.        Alleluia. I will give thanks to you among the peoples, O LORD,             I will chant your praise among the nations. For your mercy towers to the heavens,             and your faithfulness to the skies. Be exalted above the heavens, O God;             above all the earth be your glory! R.        I will give you thanks among the peoples, O Lord. or: R.        Alleluia.

R. Alleluia, alleluia. I call you my friends, says the Lord, for I have made known to you all that the Father has told me. R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Jesus said to his disciples: “This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. This I command you: love one another.”

After much debate had taken place, Peter got up and said to the Apostles and the presbyters, “My brothers, you are well aware that from early days God made his choice among you that through my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the Gospel and believe. And God, who knows the heart, bore witness by granting them the Holy Spirit just as he did us. He made no distinction between us and them, for by faith he purified their hearts. Why, then, are you now putting God to the test by placing on the shoulders of the disciples a yoke that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear? On the contrary, we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they.” The whole assembly fell silent, and they listened while Paul and Barnabas described the signs and wonders God had worked among the Gentiles through them. After they had fallen silent, James responded, “My brothers, listen to me. Symeon has described how God first concerned himself with acquiring from among the Gentiles a people for his name. The words of the prophets agree with this, as is written:             After this I shall return                         and rebuild the fallen hut of David;             from its ruins I shall rebuild it                         and raise it up again,             so that the rest of humanity may seek out the Lord,                         even all the Gentiles on whom my name is invoked.             Thus says the Lord who accomplishes these things,                         known from of old. It is my judgment, therefore, that we ought to stop troubling the Gentiles who turn to God, but tell them by letter to avoid pollution from idols, unlawful marriage, the meat of strangled animals, and blood. For Moses, for generations now, has had those who proclaim him in every town, as he has been read in the synagogues every sabbath.”

R.        (3)  Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations. or: R.        Alleluia. Sing to the LORD a new song;             sing to the LORD, all you lands. Sing to the LORD; bless his name. R.        Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations. or: R.        Alleluia. Announce his salvation, day after day. Tell his glory among the nations;             among all peoples, his wondrous deeds. R.        Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations. or: R.        Alleluia. Say among the nations: The LORD is king. He has made the world firm, not to be moved;             he governs the peoples with equity. R.        Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations. or: R.        Alleluia.

R. Alleluia, alleluia. My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me. R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Jesus said to his disciples: “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. “I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete.”

Some who had come down from Judea were instructing the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the Mosaic practice, you cannot be saved.” Because there arose no little dissension and debate by Paul and Barnabas with them, it was decided that Paul, Barnabas, and some of the others should go up to Jerusalem to the Apostles and presbyters about this question. They were sent on their journey by the Church, and passed through Phoenicia and Samaria telling of the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brethren. When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the Church, as well as by the Apostles and the presbyters, and they reported what God had done with them. But some from the party of the Pharisees who had become believers stood up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and direct them to observe the Mosaic law.” The Apostles and the presbyters met together to see about this matter.

R.        (see 1)  Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord. or: R.        Alleluia. I rejoiced because they said to me,             “We will go up to the house of the LORD.” And now we have set foot             within your gates, O Jerusalem. R.        Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord. or: R.        Alleluia. Jerusalem, built as a city             with compact unity. To it the tribes go up,             the tribes of the LORD. R.        Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord. or: R.        Alleluia. According to the decree for Israel,             to give thanks to the name of the LORD. In it are set up judgment seats,             seats for the house of David. R.        Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord. or: R.        Alleluia.

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 everyone 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 own unless 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 me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and 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.”