Mass Readings

First Reading – Acts 18:1-8

Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. He went to visit them and, because he practiced the same trade, stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. Every sabbath, he entered into discussions in the synagogue, attempting to convince both Jews and Greeks. When Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul began to occupy himself totally with preaching the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. When they opposed him and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your heads! I am clear of responsibility. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” So he left there and went to a house belonging to a man named Titus Justus, a worshiper of God; his house was next to a synagogue. Crispus, the synagogue official, came to believe in the Lord along with his entire household, and many of the Corinthians who heard believed and were baptized.

Responsorial Psalm – 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4 (R.see 2b)

R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
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 16:16-20

Jesus said to his disciples: “A little while and you will no longer see me, and again a little while later and you will see me.” So some of his disciples said to one another, “What does this mean that he is saying to us, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” So they said, “What is this ‘little while’ of which he speaks? We do not know what he means.” Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Are you discussing with one another what I said, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.”

Featured Saints

St. Eleutherius, Pope (†189). He governed the Church during a time of peace afforded by the Emperor Commodus’ tolerance of Christians. He opposed the Gnostics and the Montanists.

St. Joseph Chang Song-jib, martyr (†1839). Korean pharmacist who converted to the Christian Faith. He was imprisoned and died in Seoul after suffering cruel torture.

St. Andrew Kaggwa, martyr (†1886). Executed in Uganda, during the persecutions unleashed by King Mwanga, for having preached the Gospel to the pagans and catechumens.

St. Pontian Ngondwe, martyr (†1886). Minister of the King of Uganda (Africa), he was pierced through by a lance during the persecution in that country.

St. Mariana de Jesús Paredes, virgin (†1645). Laywoman of the Franciscan Third Order in Quito, Ecuador, she lived as a religious in her home, serving the needy and giving spiritual assistance to the inhabitants of Quito.

Blessed Andrew Franchi, bishop (†1401). Dominican friar elected Bishop of Pistoia, Italy; he favoured peace and dedicated himself to restoring religious life in the convents of the Order after the Black Death.

Blessed Francisco Patrizi, priest (†1328). Fervant devotee of Our Lady, he entered the Servite Order, in Siena, Italy; eminent confessor and spiritual director.