Monday in the 4th Week of Easter
Mass Readings
First Reading – Acts 14:5-18
There was an attempt in Iconium by 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 Derbe and 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 feet.” He jumped up and began to walk about. When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they cried out in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in human form.” They called Barnabas “Zeus” and Paul “Hermes,” because he was the chief speaker. And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, for he together with the people intended to offer sacrifice. The Apostles Barnabas and Paul tore their garments when they heard this and rushed out into the crowd, shouting, “Men, why are you doing this? We are of the same nature as you, human beings. We proclaim to you good news that you should turn from these idols to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them. In past generations he allowed all Gentiles to go their own ways; yet, in bestowing his goodness, he did not leave himself without witness, for he gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, and filled you with nourishment and gladness for your hearts.” Even with these words, they scarcely restrained the crowds from offering sacrifice to them.
Responsorial Psalm – 115:1-2, 3-4, 15-16 (R.1ab)
R. Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Not to us, O LORD, not to us
but to your name give glory
because of your mercy, because of your truth.
Why should the pagans say,
“Where is their God?” R.
Our God is in heaven;
whatever he wills, he does.
Their idols are silver and gold,
the handiwork of men. R.
May you be blessed by the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
Heaven is the heaven of the LORD,
but the earth he has given to the children of men. R.
Gospel – Jn 14:21-26
Jesus said to his disciples: “Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.” Judas, not the Iscariot, said to him, “Master, then what happened that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; yet the word you hear is not mine but that of the Father who sent me. “I have told you this while I am with you. The Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name — he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.”
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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