Free Republic

13 May 2024 Monday of the 7th week of Eastertide Basilica of Our Lady of Fatima, Ourém, Portugal Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: White. Year: B(II).First readingActs 19:1-8 ©The moment Paul laid hands on them the Holy Spirit came down on themWhile Apollos was in Corinth, Paul made his way overland as far as Ephesus, where he found a number of disciples. When he asked, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?’ they answered, ‘No, we were never even told there was such a thing as a Holy Spirit.’ ‘Then how were you baptised?’ he asked. ‘With...

Sunday 12 May 2024 The Ascension of the Lord SolemnitySt. Pancras, Glendale NYReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: White. Year: B(II).These readings are for the Vigil Mass on the evening before the feast.These readings are for the day of the feast itself.These readings are for the Vigil Mass on the evening before the feast.First readingActs 1:1-11 ©Jesus was lifted up while they looked onIn my earlier work, Theophilus, I dealt with everything Jesus had done and taught from the beginning until the day he gave his instructions to the apostles he had chosen through the Holy Spirit, and was taken up...

11 May 2024 Saturday before Ascension Sunday Saint-Gengoult, Toul, France Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: White. Year: B(II).First readingActs 18:23-28 ©Apollos demonstrated from the scriptures that Jesus was the ChristPaul came down to Antioch, where he spent a short time before continuing his journey through the Galatian country and then through Phrygia, encouraging all the followers. An Alexandrian Jew named Apollos now arrived in Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, with a sound knowledge of the scriptures, and yet, though he had been given instruction in the Way of the Lord and preached with great spiritual earnestness and was accurate...

10 May 2024Friday before Ascension Sunday Church of the Incarnation, Montilla, Córdoba, Spain final resting place of St. John of Ávila Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: White. Year: B(II).First readingActs 18:9-18 ©'I have many people on my side in this city'At Corinth one night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision, ‘Do not be afraid to speak out, nor allow yourself to be silenced: I am with you. I have so many people on my side in this city that no one will even attempt to hurt you.’ So Paul stayed there preaching the word of God among them...

9 May 2024 Thursday before Ascension SundayThe Remains of Fr. Preca, Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, Blata l-Bajda, Malta Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: White. Year: B(II).In some dioceses the Ascension of the Lord is celebrated today. If this applies to you, please reconfigure Universalis to use the appropriate local calendar.First readingActs 18:1-8 ©Paul lodged with them and worked, and held debates in the synagoguesPaul left Athens and went to Corinth, where he met a Jew called Aquila whose family came from Pontus. He and his wife Priscilla had recently left Italy because an edict of Claudius...

Wednesday 8 May 2024 Wednesday of the 6th week of Eastertide Hermitage of St. Arsenius, Decatur Texas (Eastern Orthodox) Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: White. Year: B(II).First readingActs 17:15,22-18:1 ©I proclaim the God you already worship without knowing itPaul’s escort took him as far as Athens, and went back with instructions for Silas and Timothy to rejoin Paul as soon as they could. So Paul stood before the whole Council of the Areopagus and made this speech: ‘Men of Athens, I have seen for myself how extremely scrupulous you are in all religious matters, because I noticed, as I strolled round...

7 May 2024 Tuesday of the 6th week of Eastertide St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church, Wilmington, DelawareReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: White. Year: B(II).First readingActs 16:22-34 ©Become a believer and you will be saved, and your household tooThe crowd joined in and showed their hostility to Paul and Silas, so the magistrates had them stripped and ordered them to be flogged. They were given many lashes and then thrown into prison, and the gaoler was told to keep a close watch on them. So, following his instructions, he threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the...

6 May 2024 Monday of the 6th week of Eastertide St. Dominic Savio Parish in Bellflower, CA Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: White. Year: B(II).First readingActs 16:11-15 ©The Lord opened Lydia's heart to accept what Paul was sayingSailing from Troas we made a straight run for Samothrace; the next day for Neapolis, and from there for Philippi, a Roman colony and the principal city of that particular district of Macedonia. After a few days in this city we went along the river outside the gates as it was the sabbath and this was a customary place for prayer. We sat...

5 May 2024 6th Sunday of Easter Edmund Rice Heritage Centre, Mount Sion, Waterford, Ireland Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: White. Year: B(II).If the Ascension of the Lord is going to be celebrated next Sunday, the alternative Second Reading and Gospel shown here (which would otherwise have been read on that Sunday) may be used today.First readingActs 10:25-26,34-35,44-48 ©The pagans have received the Holy Spirit just as much as we haveAs Peter reached the house Cornelius went out to meet him, knelt at his feet and prostrated himself. But Peter helped him up. ‘Stand up,’ he said ‘I am only...

If any man be devout and love God, let him enjoy this fair and radiant triumphal feast. If any man be a wise servant, let him rejoicing enter into the joy of his Lord. If any have labored long in fasting, let him now receive his recompense. If any have wrought from the first hour, let him today receive his just reward. If any have come at the third hour, let him with thankfulness keep the feast. If any have arrived at the sixth hour, let him have no misgivings; because he shall in nowise be deprived thereof. If any...

4 May 2024 Saturday of the 5th week of Eastertide San Ciriaco – Ancona's Cathedral Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: White. Year: B(II).First readingActs 16:1-10 ©'Come across to Macedonia and help us'From Cilicia Paul went to Derbe, and then on to Lystra. Here there was a disciple called Timothy, whose mother was a Jewess who had become a believer; but his father was a Greek. The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of Timothy, and Paul, who wanted to have him as a travelling companion, had him circumcised. This was on account of the Jews in the locality where...

Friday 3 May 2024 Saints Philip and James, Apostles Feast St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church, Flower Mound, Texas Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: Red. Year: B(II).First reading1 Corinthians 15:1-8 ©The Lord appeared to James, and then to all the apostlesBrothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, the gospel that you received and in which you are firmly established; because the gospel will save you only if you keep believing exactly what I preached to you – believing anything else will not lead to anything. Well then, in the first place, I taught you...

2 May 2024 Saint Athanasius, Bishop, Doctor on Thursday of the 5th week of Eastertide St Athanasius R.C. Church - Carluke, ScotlandReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: White. Year: B(II).Readings for the feriaReadings for the memorialThese are the readings for the feriaFirst readingActs 15:7-21 ©I rule that we do not make things more difficult for the pagans who turn to GodAfter the discussion had gone on a long time, Peter stood up and addressed the apostles and the elders. ‘My brothers,’ he said ‘you know perfectly well that in the early days God made his choice among you: the pagans were...

1 May 2024 Wednesday of the 5th week of Eastertide Saint James Cathedral in the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: White. Year: B(II).First readingActs 15:1-6 ©They were to go up to Jerusalem and discuss the problem with the apostles and eldersSome men came down from Judaea and taught the brothers, ‘Unless you have yourselves circumcised in the tradition of Moses you cannot be saved.’ This led to disagreement, and after Paul and Barnabas had had a long argument with these men it was arranged that Paul and Barnabas and others of the church should go up to...

30 April 2024 Tuesday of the 5th week of Eastertide Pope Saint Pius V Church, in Saint Louis, Missouri Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: White. Year: B(II).First readingActs 14:19-28 ©They gave an account of how God had opened the door of faith to the pagansSome Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium, and turned the people against the apostles. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the town, thinking he was dead. The disciples came crowding round him but, as they did so, he stood up and went back to the town. The next day he and Barnabas went off to...

29 April 2024Saint Catherine of Siena, Virgin, Doctor on Monday of the 5th week of Eastertide Chapel of Saint Catherine of Siena (Basilica of San Domenico) Siena, Tuscany, ItalyReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: White. Year: B(II).Readings for the feriaReadings for the memorialThese are the readings for the feriaFirst readingActs 14:5-18 ©We have come with good news to turn you to the living GodEventually with the connivance of the authorities a move was made by pagans as well as Jews to make attacks on the apostles and to stone them. When the apostles came to hear of this, they went off for...

Sunday 28 April 20245th Sunday of Easter St. Louis de Montfort Parish, Litchfield, CT Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: White. Year: B(II).First readingActs 9:26-31 ©Barnabas explained how the Lord had appeared to Saul on his journeyWhen Saul got to Jerusalem he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him: they could not believe he was really a disciple. Barnabas, however, took charge of him, introduced him to the apostles, and explained how the Lord had appeared to Saul and spoken to him on his journey, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name...

“Abide in the Vine” (John 15:1-8) About a year and a half ago, some friends and I went up to western Michigan, and, among our stops, we visited a vineyard. We walked over to where the grapes were growing, and saw them up close. Clusters of big, juicy-looking grapes hanging from the branches! Just beautiful! And what did all these clusters of grapes have in common? They were all on branches that were attached to the vine. There weren’t any broken-off branches lying on the ground that had beautiful grapes on them. No, just the branches that were attached to...

27 April 2024 Saturday of the 4th week of EastertideSaint Lupita remembered for simplicity and devotion to poor and sick, RomeReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: White. Year: B(II).First readingActs 13:44-52 ©Since you have rejected the word of God, we must turn to the pagansThe next sabbath almost the whole town assembled to hear the word of God. When they saw the crowds, the Jews, prompted by jealousy, used blasphemies and contradicted everything Paul said. Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly. ‘We had to proclaim the word of God to you first, but since you have rejected it, since you...

26 April 2024 Friday of the 4th week of Eastertide The tomb of Rafael Arnáiz Barón in Venta de Baños, Spain Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: White. Year: B(II).First readingActs 13:26-33 ©God has fulfilled his promise by raising Jesus from the deadPaul stood up in the synagogue at Antioch in Pisidia, held up a hand for silence and began to speak: ‘My brothers, sons of Abraham’s race, and all you who fear God, this message of salvation is meant for you. What the people of Jerusalem and their rulers did, though they did not realise it, was in fact to...