Mass Readings

First Reading – Acts 1:1-11

In the first book, Theophilus, I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught until the day he was taken up, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them by many proofs after he had suffered, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While meeting with them, he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for “the promise of the Father about which you have heard me speak; for John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”  When they had gathered together they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He answered them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” When he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight. While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going, suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them. They said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.”

Responsorial Psalm – Ps 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9 (R.6)

R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
or:
R Alleluia.

All you peoples, clap your hands,
shout to God with cries of gladness,
For the LORD, the Most High, the awesome,
is the great king over all the earth. R.

God mounts his throne amid shouts of joy;
the LORD, amid trumpet blasts.
Sing praise to God, sing praise;
sing praise to our king, sing praise. R.

For king of all the earth is God;
sing hymns of praise.
God reigns over the nations,
God sits upon his holy throne. R.

Second Reading – Eph 1:17-23

Brothers and sisters: May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a Spirit of wisdom and revelation resulting in knowledge of him. May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call, what are the riches of glory in his inheritance among the holy ones, and what is the surpassing greatness of his power for us who believe, in accord with the exercise of his great might: which he worked in Christ, raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens, far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion, and every name that is named not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things beneath his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.

Or – Heb 9:24-28; 10:19-23

Christ did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands, a copy of the true one, but heaven itself, that he might now appear before God on our behalf. Not that he might offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters each year into the sanctuary with blood that is not his own; if that were so, he would have had to suffer repeatedly from the foundation of the world. But now once for all he has appeared at the end of the ages to take away sin by his sacrifice. Just as it is appointed that men and women die once, and after this the judgment, so also Christ, offered once to take away the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to take away sin but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await him.  Therefore, brothers and sisters, since through the blood of Jesus we have confidence of entrance into the sanctuary by the new and living way he opened for us through the veil, that is, his flesh, and since we have “a great priest over the house of God,” let us approach with a sincere heart and in absolute trust, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. Let us hold unwaveringly to our confession that gives us hope, for he who made the promise is trustworthy.

Gospel – Lk 24:46-53

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer
and rise from the dead on the third day
and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins,
would be preached in his name
to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
You are witnesses of these things.
And behold I am sending the promise of my Father upon you;
but stay in the city
until you are clothed with power from on high.”

Then he led them out as far as Bethany,
raised his hands, and blessed them.
As he blessed them he parted from them
and was taken up to heaven.
They did him homage
and then returned to Jerusalem with great joy,
and they were continually in the temple praising God.

Featured Saints

St. Maximinus of Trier, Bishop (†c. 346 France). Fearless defender of the Faith against the Arians, he welcomed St. Athanasius of Alexandria into his diocese, and for this was expelled from it by the emperor.

St. Bona de Pisa, virgin (†1207). She consecrated herself to God from her youth and embraced a life of poverty and austerity. She made frequent pilgrimages to the Holy land, to Rome and to Santiago of Compostela.

St. Ursula Ledochowska, virgin (†1939). Polish noble, foundress of the Congregation of the Ursulines of the Agonizing Heart of Jesus, and travelled untiringly on mission to Poland, Russia and Scandinavia.

Blessed Richard Thirkeld, priest and martyr (†1583). Hanged, drawn, and quartered in York, during the reign of Elizabeth I of England, for practicing his priestly ministry and for having reconciled many with the Church.

Blessed Joseph Gerard, priest (†1914). French missionary of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, he preached the Gospel first in Durban (Indian Ocean) and later in Basutoland, in South Africa.

Blessed William Arnaud and ten companions, martyrs (†1242). Dominican religious put to death by the sword by Cathars, near Toulouse, France, for having opposed this heresy. They died singing the Te Deum.

Blessed Gerardesca, widow (†1269). Married but childless, she decided to consecrate herself to God, together with her husband. He entered the Camaldolese monastery of Pisa, Italy, and she lived as an oblate in a cell built adjacent to the same monastery.

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