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May 10, 2008                             Saturday of the Seventh Week of Easter                                     Mass in the Morning       Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Acts 28:16-20, 30-31 When he entered Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself,with the soldier who was guarding him. Three days later he called together the leaders of the Jews.When they had gathered he said to them, “My brothers,although I had done nothing against our peopleor our ancestral customs,I was handed over to the Romans as a prisoner from Jerusalem.After trying my...

May 9, 2008                                 Friday of the Seventh Week of Easter       Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Acts 25:13b-21 King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in Caesareaon a visit to Festus.Since they spent several days there,Festus referred Paul’s 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 Jewsbrought charges against him and demanded his condemnation.I answered them that it was not Roman practiceto hand over an accused person before he has faced his accusersand had the...

May 8, 2008 Thursday of the Seventh Week of Easter Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Acts 22:30; 23:6-11 Wishing to determine the truthabout why Paul was being accused by the Jews,the commander freed himand ordered the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin to convene.Then he brought Paul down and made him stand before them. Paul was aware that some were Sadducees and some Pharisees,so he called out before the Sanhedrin,“My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees;I am on trial for hope in the resurrection of the dead.”When he said this,a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees,and...

May 7, 2008 Wednesday of the Seventh Week of Easter Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Acts 20:28-38 At Miletus, Paul spoke to the presbyters of the Church of Ephesus:“Keep watch over yourselves and over the whole flockof which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers,in which you tend the Church of Godthat he acquired with his own Blood.I know that after my departure savage wolves will come among you,and they will not spare the flock.And from your own group, men will come forward perverting the truthto draw the disciples away after them.So be vigilant and remember that for three years, night...

May 6, 2008 Tuesday of the Seventh Week of Easter Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Acts 20:17-27 From Miletus Paul had the presbytersof the Church at Ephesus summoned.When they came to him, he addressed them,“You know how I lived among youthe whole time from the day I first came to the province of Asia.I served the Lord with all humilityand with the tears and trials that came to mebecause of the plots of the Jews,and I did not at all shrink from telling youwhat was for your benefit,or from teaching you in public or in your homes.I earnestly bore witness for...

“He Cares for You” (John 17:1-5; 1 Peter 5:6-7)“He Cares for You.” Yes, he does, God cares for you very much. St. Peter tells you this when he encourages you to be “casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” So that’s what we want to do today. We will cast all our anxieties on God, and we will hear how, and how much, our God cares for us. What are your anxieties, and what is God’s care that deals with those anxieties? Those are the questions we’ll be asking. The first and greatest anxiety that people...

May 5, 2008 Monday of the Seventh Week of Easter Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Acts 19:1-8 While Apollos was in Corinth,Paul traveled through the interior of the countryand down to Ephesus where he found some disciples. He said to them,“Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?”They answered him,“We have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”He said, “How were you baptized?”They replied, “With the baptism of John.”Paul then said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance,telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him,that is, in Jesus.”When they heard this,they...

May 4, 2008 Seventh Sunday of Easter Reading 1Responsorial PsalmReading 2Gospel Reading 1Acts 1:12-14 After Jesus had been taken up to heaven the apostlesreturned to Jerusalemfrom the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem,a sabbath day’s journey away. When they entered the citythey went to the upper room where they were staying,Peter and John and James and Andrew,Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew,James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot,and Judas son of James.All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer,together with some women,and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. Responsorial PsalmPs 27:1, 4, 7-8 R. (13) I...

May 3, 2008 Feast of Saints Philip and James, Apostles Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 11 Cor 15:1-8 I am reminding you, brothers and sisters,of the Gospel I preached to you,which you indeed received and in which you also stand.Through it you are also being saved,if you hold fast to the word I preached to you,unless you believed in vain.For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received:that Christ died for our sinsin accordance with the Scriptures;that he was buried;that he was raised on the third dayin accordance with the Scriptures;that he appeared to Cephas,...

May 2, 2008 Memorial of Saint Athanasius, bishop and doctor of the Church Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Acts 18:9-18 One night while Paul was in Corinth, the Lord said to him in a vision,“Do not be afraid.Go on speaking, and do not be silent, for I am with you.No one will attack and harm you,for I have many people in this city.”He settled there for a year and a halfand taught the word of God among them. But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia,the Jews rose up together against Pauland brought him to the tribunal, saying,“This man is inducing people...

May 1, 2008 The Ascension of the Lord Reading 1Responsorial PsalmReading 2Gospel Reading 1Acts 1:1-11 In the first book, Theophilus,I dealt with all that Jesus did and taughtuntil the day he was taken up,after giving instructions through the Holy Spiritto the apostles whom he had chosen.He presented himself alive to themby many proofs after he had suffered,appearing to them during forty daysand speaking about the kingdom of God.While meeting with the them,he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem,but to wait for “the promise of the Fatherabout which you have heard me speak;for John baptized with water,but in a few...

April 30, 2008 Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Acts 17:15, 22—18:1 After Paul’s escorts had taken him to Athens,they came away with instructions for Silas and Timothyto join him as soon as possible. Then Paul stood up at the Areopagus and said:“You Athenians, I see that in every respect you are very religious.For as I walked around looking carefully at your shrines,I even discovered an altar inscribed, ‘To an Unknown God.’What therefore you unknowingly worship, I proclaim to you.The God who made the world and all that is in it,the Lord of heaven and...

April 29, 2008 Memorial of Saint Catherine of Siena, virgin and doctor of the Church Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Acts 16:22-34 The crowd in Philippi joined in the attack on Paul and Silas,and the magistrates had them strippedand ordered them to be beaten with rods.After inflicting many blows on them,they threw them into prisonand instructed the jailer to guard them securely.When he received these instructions, he put them in the innermost celland secured their feet to a stake. About midnight, while Paul and Silas were prayingand singing hymns to God as the prisoners listened,there was suddenly such a severe earthquakethat...

April 28, 2008 Monday of the Sixth Week of Easter Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Acts 16:11-15 We set sail from Troas, making a straight run for Samothrace,and on the next day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi,a leading city in that district of Macedonia and a Roman colony.We spent some time in that city.On the sabbath we went outside the city gate along the riverwhere we thought there would be a place of prayer.We sat and spoke with the women who had gathered there.One of them, a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth,from the city of Thyatira,...

April 27, 2008 Sixth Sunday of Easter Reading 1Responsorial PsalmReading 2Gospel Reading 1Acts 8:5-8, 14-17 Philip went down to the city of Samariaand proclaimed the Christ to them.With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philipwhen they heard it and saw the signs he was doing.For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice,came out of many possessed people,and many paralyzed or crippled people were cured.There was great joy in that city. Now when the apostles in Jerusalemheard that Samaria had accepted the word of God,they sent them Peter and John,who went down and prayed for...

“The Hope That Is In You . . . Comes Out You” (1 Peter 3:13-22)During this Easter season, we are hearing a lot about hope. A few weeks ago the Epistle reading from 1 Peter 1 told us that God “has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” Last week’s sermon said that we in the church are “Living in Camp Hope,” that we have hope for an eternal future because our Lord Christ has gone to prepare a place for us. Hope--the hope that we have in...

MarkChapter 16 1 1 When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go and anoint him. 2 Very early when the sun had risen, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb. 3 They were saying to one another, "Who will roll back the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?" 4 When they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back; it was very large. 5 On entering the tomb they saw a young man sitting on...

Patriarch calls for preservation of Kosovo covenant 26 April 2008 | 18:13 | Source: B92, Beta BELGRADE -- On the eve of the greatest Christian holiday, His Holiness Patriarch Pavle's Easter message to the members of the Serbian Orthodox Church was read. At the beginning of the Holy Week, the patriarch called on the faithful to fulfill their Kosovo covenant, "because Kosovo is not merely a question of Serb territory, but of the Serb spiritual being, because we were born, grew, lived and matured with Kosovo and Metohija as individuals, and as a nation. We have lived and died by...

April 26, 2008 Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Acts 16:1-10 Paul reached also Derbe and Lystrawhere there was a disciple named Timothy,the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer,but his father was a Greek.The brothers in Lystra and Iconium spoke highly of him,and Paul wanted him to come along with him.On account of the Jews of that region, Paul had him circumcised,for they all knew that his father was a Greek.As they traveled from city to city,they handed on to the people for observance the decisionsreached by the Apostles and presbyters in...

April 25, 2008 Feast of Saint Mark, evangelist Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 11 Pt 5:5b-14 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 sistersthroughout the worldundergo the same sufferings.The God of all gracewho called you to his...

April 24, 2008 Thursday of the Fifth Week of Easter Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Acts 15:7-21 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 daysGod made his choice among you that through my mouththe Gentiles would hear the word of the Gospel and believe.And God, who knows the heart,bore witness by granting them the Holy Spiritjust 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 testby placing on...

April 23, 2008 Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Easter Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Acts 15:1-6 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 debateby Paul and Barnabas with them,it was decided that Paul, Barnabas, and some of the othersshould go up to Jerusalem to the Apostles and presbytersabout this question.They were sent on their journey by the Church,and passed through Phoenicia and Samariatelling of the conversion of the Gentiles,and brought great joy to all the brethren.When they arrived in...

April 22, 2008 Tuesday of Fifth Week of Easter Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Acts 14:19-28 In those days, some Jews from Antioch and Iconiumarrived and won over the crowds.They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city,supposing that he was dead.But when the disciples gathered around him,he got up and entered the city. On the following day he left with Barnabas for Derbe. After they had proclaimed the good news to that cityand made a considerable number of disciples,they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch.They strengthened the spirits of the disciplesand exhorted them to persevere in...

April 21, 2008 Monday of the Fifth Week of Easter Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Acts 14:5-18 There was an attempt in Iconiumby both the Gentiles and the Jews,together with their leaders,to attack and stone Paul and Barnabas.They realized it,and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbeand to the surrounding countryside,where they continued to proclaim the Good News. At Lystra there was a crippled man, lame from birth,who had never walked.He listened to Paul speaking, who looked intently at him,saw that he had the faith to be healed,and called out in a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your...

“Living in Camp Hope” (John 14:1-14)Yesterday our Men’s Club held a big fundraiser for Camp Hope. Camp Hope is a place where disabled veterans can come and find a little “R & R,” rest and relaxation, or you could say, rest and recuperation, rehabilitation, and recreation. Camp Hope is a place where these men can find healing, help, and hope. Hope. These disabled veterans need hope. These men go off to war healthy and whole and vigorous, and they come back wounded--physically, to be sure, but often mentally and emotionally wounded also. Now they have the rest of their lives...

April 20, 2008 Fifth Sunday of Easter Reading 1Responsorial PsalmReading 2Gospel Reading 1Acts 6:1-7 As the number of disciples continued to grow,the Hellenists complained against the Hebrewsbecause their widowswere being neglected in the daily distribution.So the Twelve called together the community of the disciples and said,“It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table.Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men,filled with the Spirit and wisdom,whom we shall appoint to this task,whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayerand to the ministry of the word.”The proposal was acceptable to the whole community,so they chose...

April 19, 2008 Saturday of the Fourth Week of Easter Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Acts 13:44-52 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...

April 18, 2008 Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Acts 13:26-33 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 prophetsthat 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...

April 17, 2008 Thursday of the Fourth Week of Easter Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Acts 13:13-25 From Paphos, Paul and his companionsset sail and arrived at Perga in Pamphylia.But John left them and returned to Jerusalem.They continued on from Perga and reached Antioch in Pisidia.On the sabbath they entered into the synagogue and took their seats.After the reading of the law and the prophets,the synagogue officials sent word to them,“My brothers, if one of you has a word of exhortationfor the people, please speak.” So Paul got up, motioned with his hand, and said,“Fellow children of Israel and you others...

April 16, 2008 Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Easter Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Acts 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 Saulfor the work to which I have called them.”Then, completing...

Reading 1Acts 11:19-26 Those who had been scattered by the persecutionthat arose because of Stephenwent as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch,preaching the word to no one but Jews.There were some Cypriots and Cyrenians among them, however,who came to Antioch and began to speak to the Greeks as well,proclaiming the Lord Jesus.The hand of the Lord was with themand a great number who believed turned to the Lord.The news about them reached the ears of the Church in Jerusalem,and they sent Barnabas to go to Antioch.When he arrived and saw the grace of God,he rejoiced and encouraged them allto remain...

April 14, 2008 Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter Reading 1 Responsorial Psalm Gospel Reading 1 Acts 11:1-18 The Apostles and the brothers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles too had accepted the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem the 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 Joppa when in a trance I had a vision, something resembling a large sheet coming down, lowered from...

“Suffering Sheep and Their Good Shepherd” (1 Peter 2:19-25)This day is known in the church as “Good Shepherd Sunday.” The readings from Psalm 23 and John 10, the Collect of the Day, the hymns--all these carry the theme of the Lord as our Good Shepherd. The images that come to our mind on Good Shepherd Sunday usually are very peaceful and pleasant ones. We think of sheep safely grazing in green pastures, being led beside still waters. We picture Jesus carrying a lamb in his arms or a sheep across his shoulders. This is all well and good. The shepherd...

April 13, 2008                                     Fourth Sunday of Easter       Reading 1Responsorial PsalmReading 2Gospel Reading 1Acts 2:14a, 36-41 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...

April 12, 2008                                 Saturday of the Third Week of Easter       Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Acts 9:31-42 The Church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samariawas at peace.She was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord,and with the consolation of the Holy Spirit she grew in numbers. As Peter was passing through every region,he went down to the holy ones living in Lydda.There he found a man named Aeneas,who had been confined to bed for eight years, for he was paralyzed.Peter said to him,“Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals...

April 10, 2008                                 Thursday of the Third Week of Easter       Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Acts 8:26-40 The angel of the Lord spoke to Philip,“Get up and head south on the roadthat goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza, the desert route.”So he got up and set out.Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch,a court official of the Candace,that is, the queen of the Ethiopians,in charge of her entire treasury,who had come to Jerusalem to worship, and was returning home.Seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah.The Spirit said to...

April 9, 2008                                 Wednesday of the Third Week of Easter       Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Acts 8:1b-8 There broke out a severe persecution of the Church in Jerusalem,and all were scatteredthroughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria,except the Apostles.Devout men buried Stephen and made a loud lament over him.Saul, meanwhile, was trying to destroy the Church;entering house after house and dragging out men and women,he handed them over for imprisonment. Now those who had been scattered went aboutpreaching the word.Thus Philip went down to the city of Samariaand proclaimed the...

“Redeemed: From What? With What? So What?” (1 Peter 1:17-25)First of all I want to say that, from what I’ve seen of it over the last couple of years, the English Standard Version overall is a very good translation. But as with any translation, you come across a place here and there where you wish they would have translated it a little different. Today is such a case, in our Epistle from 1 Peter 1. In verse 18 the ESV has, “knowing that you were ransomed.” All the other major English translations--the New American Standard Bible, the New International Version,...

April 8, 2008                                 Tuesday of the Third Week of Easter       Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Acts 7:51—8:1a Stephen said to the people, the elders, and the scribes:“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears,you always oppose the Holy Spirit;you are just like your ancestors.Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute?They put to death those who foretold the coming of the righteous one,whose betrayers and murderers you have now become.You received the law as transmitted by angels,but you did not observe it.” When they heard this, they were infuriated,and...

April 6, 2008                                         Third Sunday of Easter       Reading 1Responsorial PsalmReading 2Gospel Reading 1Acts 2:14, 22-33 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven,raised his voice, and proclaimed:“You who are Jews, indeed all of you staying in Jerusalem.Let this be known to you, and listen to my words.You who are Israelites, hear these words.Jesus the Nazarene was a man commended to you by Godwith mighty deeds, wonders, and signs,which God worked through him in your midst, as you yourselves know.This man, delivered up by the set plan and foreknowledge...

“On the Road and at the Table” (Luke 24:13-35)Many of you I’m sure have seen this painting before. The original German title is “Gang nach Emmaus,” the “Walk to Emmaus,” by 19th century Swiss artist, Robert Zünd. It’s a picture of Christ and the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. Of course it’s based on the Holy Gospel for today. It’s a lovely painting. And what a wonderful walk it must have been! To have Jesus there at your side as you walk along! You feel like you’d like to put yourself into the picture, so you could just...

April 5, 2008                                     Saturday of the Second Week of Easter       Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Acts 6:1-7 As the number of disciples continued to grow,the Hellenists complained against the Hebrewsbecause their widowswere being neglected in the daily distribution.So the Twelve called together the community of the disciples and said,“It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table.Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men,filled with the Spirit and wisdom,whom we shall appoint to this task,whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayerand to...

April 4, 2008                                 Friday of the Second Week of Easter       Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Acts 5:34-42 A Pharisee in the Sanhedrin named Gamaliel,a teacher of the law, respected by all the people,stood up, ordered the Apostles to be put outside for a short time,and said to the Sanhedrin, “Fellow children of Israel,be careful what you are about to do to these men.Some time ago, Theudas appeared, claiming to be someone important,and about four hundred men joined him, but he was killed,and all those who were loyal to himwere disbanded...

April 3, 2008                                   Thursday of the Second Week of Easter       Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Acts 5:27-33 When the court officers had brought the Apostles inand made them stand before the Sanhedrin,the high priest questioned them,“We gave you strict orders did we not,to stop teaching in that name.Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teachingand want to bring this man’s blood upon us.”But Peter and the Apostles said in reply,“We must obey God rather than men.The God of our ancestors raised Jesus, though you had him killed by hanging him on a tree.God exalted him at his right...

April 2, 2008                                 Wednesday of the Second Week of Easter       Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Acts 5:17-26 The high priest rose up and all his companions,that is, the party of the Sadducees,and, filled with jealousy,laid hands upon the Apostles and put them in the public jail.But during the night, the angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison,led them out, and said,“Go and take your place in the temple area,and tell the people everything about this life.”When they heard this,they went to the temple early in the morning and taught.When the high priest and his companions...

As a regular churchgoer who is Catholic, I get frustrated with a certain group of people who give religion a bad name, especially when such small easy steps could be taken to fix their image. These people are called "Christers," the combination of the words Christmas and Easter. Obviously, these are the two most important holidays to any Christian, and personally they're my favorite — great food is cooked and spending time with the extended crazy family is always fun. But since I go to church every Sunday and usually sit in the front row with my family, I hate...

Cardinal Francis George has long opposed politics at the communion rail. But Sunday's anti-war protest at the start of his Easter homily spotlighted a frustrated faction in the Roman Catholic Church who believe committed Catholics must do more than preach and pray for peace. Chicago police charged six protesters Sunday with felony criminal defacement of property and two counts of simple battery for spattering parishioners' clothes with stage blood. Five of the protesters are being held in lieu of $25,000 bail. The sixth, who served time in prison for illegally entering a U.S. military installation, received $35,000 bail. Gerard Powers...

April 1, 2008                                     Tuesday of the Second Week of Easter     Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Acts 4:32-37 The community of believers was of one heart and mind,and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own,but they had everything in common.With great power the Apostles bore witnessto the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,and great favor was accorded them all.There was no needy person among them,for those who owned property or houses would sell them,bring the proceeds of the sale,and put them at the feet of the Apostles,and they...

Beirut - Lebanese Christian and Muslim voices have spoken out in unison as the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad coincided with Easter. With the presidency vacant since November, religious leaders used celebrations to urge politicians to action. Maronite Cardinal Sfeir said: "We need only look around us to see that some countries have made their deserts into habitable towns, while we have almost turned our gardens into deserts." Political stand-off in Lebanon has left its large Christian minority feeling particularly vulnerable. The standing power-sharing agreement reserves the office of president for a Maronite Christian. Many now fear that the vacancy...