Posted on 06/02/2006 7:16:10 AM PDT by Salvation
Friday of the Seventh Week of Easter
Reading 1
Acts 25:13b-21
King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in Caesarea
on a visit to Festus.
Since they spent several days there,
Festus referred Pauls case to the king, saying,
There is a man here left in custody by Felix.
When I was in Jerusalem the chief priests and the elders of the Jews
brought charges against him and demanded his condemnation.
I answered them that it was not Roman practice
to hand over an accused person before he has faced his accusers
and had the opportunity to defend himself against their charge.
So when they came together here, I made no delay;
the next day I took my seat on the tribunal
and ordered the man to be brought in.
His accusers stood around him,
but did not charge him with any of the crimes I suspected.
Instead they had some issues with him about their own religion
and about a certain Jesus who had died
but who Paul claimed was alive.
Since I was at a loss how to investigate this controversy,
I asked if he were willing to go to Jerusalem
and there stand trial on these charges.
And when Paul appealed that he be held in custody
for the Emperors decision,
I ordered him held until I could send him to Caesar.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 103:1-2, 11-12, 19-20ab
R. (19a) The Lord has established his throne in heaven.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.
R. The Lord has established his throne in heaven.
or:
R. Alleluia.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.
R. The Lord has established his throne in heaven.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.
Bless the LORD, all you his angels,
you mighty in strength, who do his bidding.
R. The Lord has established his throne in heaven.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Gospel
Jn 21:15-19
After Jesus had revealed himself to his disciples and eaten breakfast with them,
he said to Simon Peter,
Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?
Simon Peter answered him, Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.
Jesus said to him, Feed my lambs.
He then said to Simon Peter a second time,
Simon, son of John, do you love me?
Simon Peter answered him, Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.
He said to him, Tend my sheep.
He said to him the third time,
Simon, son of John, do you love me?
Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time,
Do you love me? and he said to him,
Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.
Jesus said to him, Feed my sheep.
Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger,
you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted;
but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands,
and someone else will dress you
and lead you where you do not want to go.
He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God.
And when he had said this, he said to him, Follow me.
Pray for A Voice in the Desert |
Novena to the Holy Spirit Prayers for the Eighth Day To receive updates, email us. |
|
Most Reverend Harry J. Flynn Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA This action of the Archbishop is not related to any scandal We regret any inconvenience and humbly ask for your prayers. Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis Most Reverend Harry J. Flynn |
O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
Psalm 134 (135) |
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Praise the Lord, the wonder-worker |
Praise the name of the Lord: praise it, servants of the Lord, you who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God. Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing to his name, for it brings happiness. For the Lord chose Jacob for his own, he chose Israel for his possession. I know how great is the Lord, how great is our God above all gods. The Lord accomplishes all that he wills, in the heavens and on the earth, in the sea and the depths of the oceans. He brings in clouds from the ends of the earth, makes lightning for the rain-clouds, from his storehouse he calls forth the winds. He struck down the first-born of Egypt, of man and of beast alike. He sent signs and wonders among them, to Pharaoh and all his servants. He shattered nation after nation, killed powerful kings: Sihon, king of the Amorites, Og, the king of Bashan, all the kingdoms of Canaan. He gave their lands as a birthright, as a birthright for Israel his people. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
Psalm 134 (135) |
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Lord, your name is for ever; Lord, your name will be remembered by generation after generation. For the Lord will give judgement for his people, he will look with kindness upon his servants. The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of the hands of men. They have mouths but will not speak, they have eyes and will not see. They have ears and will not hear, there is no breath in their mouths. They will be like them, those who make them; and all who put their trust in them. House of Israel, bless the Lord; house of Aaron, bless the Lord; house of Levi, bless the Lord; you who fear the Lord, bless the Lord. Blessed be the Lord from Sion, whose abode is Jerusalem. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
Canticle | Apocalypse 15 |
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A hymn of adoration | |
Great and wonderful are your works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are your ways, King of all nations! Who, Lord, will not revere and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship in your presence, for your judgements have been seen by all. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
A short Bible reading and responsory may follow here. |
Canticle | Magnificat |
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My soul rejoices in the Lord | |
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation. For he has shown me such favour me, his lowly handmaiden. Now all generations will call me blessed, because the mighty one has done great things for me. His name is holy, his mercy lasts for generation after generation for those who revere him. He has put forth his strength: he has scattered the proud and conceited, torn princes from their thrones; but lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel, he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his children for ever. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
Some short prayers may follow here, to offer up the day's work to God. |
Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. |
A concluding prayer may follow here. |
May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life. |
A M E N |
Friday, June 02, 2006 Meditation Acts 25:13-21 Had Paul lost his touch? After three successful missionary journeys where many were converted, Paul got nowhere with Felix. Now his chances with Festus and King Agrippa were looking equally grim. Why was it that some seemed open to the gospel message, but others didnt? The truth is, Paul was preaching just as clearly to Felix and Agrippa as he did to Lydia and the Philippian jailerboth of whom had dramatic conversions. Ultimately, we must conclude that it is a mystery why some respond to the good news and others dont. Our job, like Pauls, is to keep trying to bring Christ to others, and leave it to the Lord to determine the timing and the depth of their response to our invitation. What can we learn from Pauls constant attempts to preach the gospel? Simply that we should do the same. We are to be ready in season and out of season, whether it is convenient or inconvenient, just as he counseled Timothy (2 Timothy 4:2). Bringing people to Christ does not have to mean banging them over the head in a pushy or obnoxious way. Extending a caring hand to a hurting neighbor, taking steps to heal a rift in a relationship, and faithfully working hard in our jobs are all ways that we can proclaim the truth that Jesus Christ is risen and lives in us. Of course, we should also look for openings the Lord gives us to speak about our faith and to explain how it helps us and strengthens us in our daily lives. But what about those I love who havent responded to my witness about the Lord? What about those who still seem far from Christ? Keep hoping! Keep praying! Keep trusting! The Lord may have this person on a ten-step path to conversion, and you may be playing a crucial role in step six or seven right now. So never give up, and never lose hope in Jesus. Jesus, I ask you to give me the heart of an apostlea heart that longs to be your witness in all that I do and say each day. Pour out a special blessing on my words to reach those I love with the gospel. Never let me lose hope in your power to heal and to save everyone! Psalm 103:1-2,11-12,19-20; John 21:15-19 |
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O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
This is an excellent moment for an examination of conscience. In a communal celebration of Compline, one of the penitential acts given in the Missal may be recited. |
A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
Psalm 87 (88) |
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The prayer of one gravely ill |
Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. |
Lord God, my saviour, I have cried out to you by day and by night. Let my prayer come before you: turn your ear to my request. For my soul is full of evils, my life has come close to its end. I am counted with those who go down to the pit: I am left without help. I am one of the dead, like the murdered who sleep in their tombs, who lie there forgotten, cut off from your care. You have thrust me down into the pit, to the gloom and the shadow of death. Your anger weighs heavy upon me; you have drowned me under your waves. You have taken my friends away from me: you have made me hateful in their sight, I am shut in, I may not go out. My eyes are weak from my sufferings. I have called to you, Lord, all the day; I have stretched out my hands to you. Is it for the dead that you perform your wonders? Will the ghosts rise up and proclaim you? In the tomb, will they tell of your kindness? Will they tell of your faithfulness in the place of the lost? Will your wonders be known in the darkness, or your righteousness in the land of oblivion? And so I have called out to you, Lord, and in the morning my prayer will come before you. With what purpose, Lord, do you reject my soul? Why do you hide your face from me? I am poor; from my youth I have been dying; I have borne the terrors you sent, I am lost in confusion. Your anger has overrun me, your terrors have broken me: they have flowed round me like water, they have besieged me all the day long. You have taken my friends and those close to me: all I have left is shadows. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. |
Reading | Jeremiah 14:9 |
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You, Lord, are in our midst, and we are called by your name; therefore do not abandon us, Lord, our God. |
Short Responsory | ? |
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Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit, alleluia, alleluia. - Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit, alleluia, alleluia. You have redeemed us, Lord, God of faithfulness, alleluia, alleluia. - Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit, alleluia, alleluia. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. - Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit, alleluia, alleluia. |
Canticle | Nunc Dimittis |
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Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace. Alleluia. | |
Now, Master, you let your servant go in peace. You have fulfilled your promise. My own eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all peoples. A light to bring the Gentiles from darkness; the glory of your people Israel. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
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Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace. Alleluia. |
Prayer | |
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Let us pray. Lord, let us be so united with your only Son that we become worthy to rise with him into new life, who lives and reigns for ever and ever, Amen. |
May the almighty Lord grant us a quiet night and a perfect end. |
A M E N |
Final Antiphon | |
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Queen of Heaven, be joyful, Alleluia. You who were worthy to bear him. Alleluia. He has risen, as he promised. Alleluia. Pray for us to God. Alleluia. |
Hope you keep a diary and write it up for us.
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