Saturday of the Fourth Week of Easter
Featured Saints
St. Joseph the Worker. Optional Memorial. Pope Pius XII instituted this commemoration in 1955, in order to provide a model and protector of labourers, and to highlight the Christian value of work.
St. Amator, bishop (†418). Acclaimed Bishop of Auxerre, France, he dedicated himself to rooting out pagan superstitions and encouraging veneration of the holy martyrs.
St. Peregrine Laziosi, priest (†1345). After a rebellious adolescence, he entered the Servites, in Siena, and founded a monastery of the Order in Forli, his birthplace.
St. Augustine Schoeffler, priest and martyr (†1851). Priest of the Foreign Missions Society, beheaded in Vietnam.
St. Jeremiah, prophet. He foretold the destruction of the Holy City and the deportation of the Jewish people. He endured many tribulations, for which the Church considers him a figure of the suffering Christ.
St. Richard Pampuri, religious (†1928). Italian doctor who worked with heroic Christian charity during the First World War. He joined the Hospitaller Order of St. John of God.
St. Sigismund of Burgundy, king (†524). A convert from the Arian heresy, he sought to repair the faults committed against the Faith with good works. He built the Abbey of Saint-Maurice-enValais, Switzerland.
Blessed Clement Sheptytsky, priest and martyr (†1951). Archimandrite from the Monastery of Univ of Studite monks; deported by the Soviet regime, he died in prison in Vladimir, Russia.
Blessed Mafalda, virgin (†1257). Daughter of King Sancho I of Portugal, she took the habit in the Abbey of Arouca, where she introduced the cistercian reform.
In Canada: St. Pius V, Pope (†1572). Optional Memorial. A Dominican religious, bishop and cardinal, he held offices of high responsibility in the Church. Elected Pope, he dedicated himself with energy to the propagation of the Faith and to divine worship. He brought together the Holy League, whose squadron was victorious in the Battle of Lepanto in 1571. See also: The Holy Rosary – Aid in Times of Trial. (Celebrated April 30 in the General Calendar.)
Mass Readings
First Reading – Acts 13:44-52
On the following sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and 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 it and 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 an instrument of salvation to the ends of the earth.”
The Gentiles were delighted when they heard this and glorified the word of the Lord. All who were destined for eternal life came to believe, and the word of the Lord continued to spread through the whole region. The Jews, however, incited the women of prominence who were worshipers and the leading men of the city, stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their territory. So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.
Responsorial Psalm – Ps 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for Him,
his holy arm. R.
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel. R.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.R.
Gospel – Jn 14:7-14
Jesus said to his disciples:
“If you know Me, then you will also know my Father.
From now on you do know Him and have seen Him.”
Philip said to Jesus,
“Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”
Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time
and you still do not know Me, Philip?
Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father.
How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me?
The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own.
The Father who dwells in Me is doing his works.
Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me,
or else, believe because of the works themselves.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever believes in me will do the works that I do,
and will do greater ones than these,
because I am going to the Father.
And whatever you ask in my name, I will do,
so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it.”
