Thursday in the 5th Week of Easter
Mass Readings
First Reading – Acts 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 days God made his choice among you that through my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the Gospel and believe. And God, who knows the heart, bore witness by granting them the Holy Spirit just 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 test by placing on the shoulders of the disciples a yoke that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear? On the contrary, we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they.” The whole assembly fell silent, and they listened while Paul and Barnabas described the signs and wonders God had worked among the Gentiles through them. After they had fallen silent, James responded, “My brothers, listen to me. Symeon has described how God first concerned himself with acquiring from among the Gentiles a people for his name. The words of the prophets agree with this, as is written: After this I shall return and rebuild the fallen hut of David; from its ruins I shall rebuild it and raise it up again, so that the rest of humanity may seek out the Lord, even all the Gentiles on whom my name is invoked. Thus says the Lord who accomplishes these things, known from of old. It is my judgment, therefore, that we ought to stop troubling the Gentiles who turn to God, but tell them by letter to avoid pollution from idols, unlawful marriage, the meat of strangled animals, and blood. For Moses, for generations now, has had those who proclaim him in every town, as he has been read in the synagogues every sabbath.”
Responsorial Psalm – 96:1-2a, 2b-3, 10 (R.3)
R. Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD; bless his name. R.
Announce his salvation, day after day.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds. R.
Say among the nations: The LORD is king.
He has made the world firm, not to be moved;
he governs the peoples with equity. Alleluia. R.
Gospel – Jn 15:9-11
Jesus said to his disciples: “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.
“I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete.”
Featured Saints
St. Urban I, Pope (†230). Faithfully governed the Church for eight years, after the martyrdom of St. Callixtus.
St. Crispin of Viterbo, religious (†1750). Capuchin lay brother who taught peasants the Catholic Faith while visiting villages asking for alms.
St. Dunstan of Canterbury, bishop (†988). Benedictine abbot elected Bishop of Worcester and later Archbishop of Canterbury. He rekindled the flame of monastic life in Great Britain.
St. Ives, priest (†1303). He dedicated his life to the practice of the virtue of justice, as a lawyer and later as a priest and ecclesiastical judge. He died at fifty years of age in a castle close to Treguier, in French Brittany.
St.Teophilus of Corte, priest (†1740). A great propagator of the “Sacred Retreats” in the Franciscan Order, evangelizing throughout Corsica and Italy. An ardent devotee of the Lord’s Passion and to the Virgin Mary.
Blessed Mary Bernard Bütler, virgin (†1924). Religious from the Monastery of Mary, Help of Christians in Altstätten, Switzerland, she departed with six companions for Ecuador, where she founded the Congregation of the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Mary, Help of Christians.
Blessed Agostino Novello, priest (†1310). Religious from the Order of the Hermits of St. Augustine, appointed papal confessor and apostolic penitentiary. After being elected Superior General, he organized the Augustinian provinces and sought to establish greater observance of the rule.
Blessed Juan of Cetina, priest, and Pedro of Dueñas, religious, martyrs (†1397). Both from the Franciscan Order, they undertook a mission to evangelize the Muslims of Granada (Spain), where they were killed by the sultan himself.
Blessed John Baptist Loir, priest and martyr (†1794). Capuchin priest who died while imprisoned during the French Revolution for refusing to take the oath of the Civil Constitution of the Clergy.
Blessed Raphael Louis Rafiringa, religious (†1919). Christian Brother and convert from paganism; he maintained the presence and vitality of the Church in Madagascar when all priests had been expelled.
Blessed Umiliana de’ Cerchi, widow (†1246). After the death of her husband, she became a Franciscan tertiary, leading an exemplary life of prayer, penance and charity.
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