Tuesday in the 6th Week of Easter
Optional memorial of St. Simon Stock, priest (†1265). After living as a hermit in England, he entered the Carmelite Order, of which he served as Prior General. Especially known as the apostle of devotion to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel from whom he received the scapular of his Order in an apparition. Memorial in Great Britain.
Mass Readings
First Reading – Acts 16:22-34
The crowd in Philippi joined in the attack on Paul and Silas, and the magistrates had them stripped and ordered them to be beaten with rods. After inflicting many blows on them, they threw them into prison and instructed the jailer to guard them securely. When he received these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell and secured their feet to a stake. About midnight, while Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God as the prisoners listened, there was suddenly such a severe earthquake that the foundations of the jail shook; all the doors flew open, and the chains of all were pulled loose. When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, thinking that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted out in a loud voice, “Do no harm to yourself; we are all here.” He asked for a light and rushed in and, trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you and your household will be saved.” So they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to everyone in his house. He took them in at that hour of the night and bathed their wounds; then he and all his family were baptized at once. He brought them up into his house and provided a meal and with his household rejoiced at having come to faith in God.
Responsorial Psalm – Ps 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 7c-8 (R. 7c)
R.Your right hand saves me, O Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I will give thanks to You, O LORD, with all my heart,
for You have heard the words of my mouth;
in the presence of the angels I will sing Your praise;
I will worship at Your holy temple,
and give thanks to Your name. R.
Because of Your kindness and Your truth,
You have made great above all things
Your name and Your promise.
When I called, You answered me;
You built up strength within me. R.
Your right hand saves me.
The LORD will complete what He has done for me;
Your kindness, O LORD, endures forever;
forsake not the work of Your hands. R.
Gospel – Jn 16:5-11
Jesus said to His disciples: “Now I am going to the one who sent Me, and not one of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ But because I told you this, grief has filled your hearts. But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send Him to you. And when He comes He will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation: sin, because they do not believe in Me; righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see Me; condemnation, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.”
Featured Saints
St. Brendan the Navigator, abade († circa 577 ). Founder of the large abbey at Clonfert, Ireland, an important centre of learning; he laboured with zeal to spread the monastic life several other areas of Ireland. St. Brendan is most celebrated for the several sea voyages he made as a missionary.
St. Ubaldo, bishop (†1160). Reformed community life of the canons of the cathedral, in Gubbio (Italy).
St. Possidius, bishop (†440). As Bishop of Calama, in the Roman province of Numidia, in A, he vigorously fought against the donatist heresy. He was the biographer, friend and disciple of St. Augustine, and was present at his death.
St. Andrew Bobola, priest and martyr (†1657). Polish Jesuit killed by a band of Cossacks in Pinsk (present-day Belarus) after suffering unspeakable torture.
Blessed Michael Wozniak, priest and martyr (†1942). Deported by the Nazis from his native Poland to Dachau concentration camp in Germany, where he endured cruel torment before dying.
Blessed Vidal Vladimir Bajrak, priest and martyr (†1946). Ukrainian priest from the Order of St. Josaphat, he died in prison, condemned for having denounced the religious persecutions of the Soviet regime.
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