Frist Reading

Acts of the Apostles (Acts 28: 16-20, 30-31)

He remained in Rome, proclaimed the kingdom of God.

When he entered Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself,
with the soldier who was guarding him.

Three days later he called together the leaders of the Jews.
When they had gathered he said to them,

“My brothers,
although I had done nothing against our people
or our ancestral customs,
I was handed over to the Romans as a prisoner from Jerusalem.
After trying my case the Romans wanted to release me,
because they found nothing against me deserving the death penalty.
But when the Jews objected, I was obliged to appeal to Caesar,
even though I had no accusation to make against my own nation.
This is the reason, then, I have requested to see you
and to speak with you, for it is on account of the hope of Israel
that I wear these chains.”

He remained for two full years in his lodgings.
He received all who came to him, and with complete assurance
and without hindrance he proclaimed the Kingdom of God
and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.

— The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 11: 4, 5 and 7

The just will gaze on your face, O Lord.

The LORD is in his holy temple;
the LORD's throne is in heaven.
His eyes behold,
his searching glance is on mankind.

The LORD searches the just and the wicked;
the lover of violence he hates.
For the LORD is just, he loves just deeds;
the upright shall see his face.

Gospel

Alleluia, alleluia.

I will send to you the Spirit of truth, says the Lord; he will guide you to all truth.

Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint (Jn 21: 20-25)

This is the disciple who has written these things, and his testimony is true.

Peter turned and saw the disciple following whom Jesus loved,
the one who had also reclined upon his chest during the supper
and had said,

“Master, who is the one who will betray you?”

When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus,

“Lord, what about him?”

Jesus said to him,

“What if I want him to remain until I come?
What concern is it of yours?
You follow me.”

So the word spread among the brothers that that disciple would not die.
But Jesus had not told him that he would not die,
just “What if I want him to remain until I come?
What concern is it of yours?”

It is this disciple who testifies to these things
and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true.
There are also many other things that Jesus did,
but if these were to be described individually,
I do not think the whole world would contain the books
that would be written.

— The Gospel of the Lord.

First Reading

Acts of the Apostles (Acts 25: 13b-21)

A certain Jesus who had died but who Paul claimed was alive.

King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in Caesarea
on a visit to Festus.
Since they spent several days there,
Festus referred Paul's case to the king, saying,

“There is a man here left in custody by Felix.
When I was in Jerusalem the chief priests and the elders of the Jews
brought charges against him and demanded his condemnation.
I answered them that it was not Roman practice
to hand over an accused person before he has faced his accusers
and had the opportunity to defend himself against their charge.
So when they came together here, I made no delay;
the next day I took my seat on the tribunal
and ordered the man to be brought in.
His accusers stood around him,
but did not charge him with any of the crimes I suspected.
Instead they had some issues with him about their own religion
and about a certain Jesus who had died
but who Paul claimed was alive.
Since I was at a loss how to investigate this controversy,
I asked if he were willing to go to Jerusalem
and there stand trial on these charges.
And when Paul appealed that he be held in custody
for the Emperor's decision,
I ordered him held until I could send him to Caesar.”

— The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 103: 1-2, 11-12, 19-20ab

The Lord has established his throne in heaven.

Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.

For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.

The LORD has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.
Bless the LORD, all you his angels,
you mighty in strength, who do his bidding.

Gospel

Alleluia, alleluia.

The Holy Spirit will teach you everything and remind you of all I told you.

Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John (Jn 21: 15-19)

Feed my lambs. Tend my sheep.

After Jesus had revealed himself to his disciples and eaten breakfast with them,
he said to Simon Peter,

“Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”

Simon Peter answered him,

“Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus said to him,

“Feed my lambs.”

He then said to Simon Peter a second time,

“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”

Simon Peter answered him,

“Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

He said to him,

“Tend my sheep.”

He said to him the third time,

“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time,

“Do you love me?”

and he said to him,

“Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.”

Jesus said to him,

“Feed my sheep.
Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger,
you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted;
but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands,
and someone else will dress you
and lead you where you do not want to go.”

He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God.
And when he had said this, he said to him,

“Follow me.”

— The Gospel of the Lord.

First Reading

Acts of the Apostles (Acts 22: 30; 23: 6-11)

You must also bear witness in Rome.

Wishing to determine the truth
about why Paul was being accused by the Jews,
the commander freed him
and ordered the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin to convene.
Then he brought Paul down and made him stand before them.

Paul was aware that some were Sadducees and some Pharisees,
so he called out before the Sanhedrin,

“My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees;
I am on trial for hope in the resurrection of the dead.”

When he said this,
a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees,
and the group became divided.
For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection
or angels or spirits,
while the Pharisees acknowledge all three.
A great uproar occurred,
and some scribes belonging to the Pharisee party
stood up and sharply argued,

“We find nothing wrong with this man.
Suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”

The dispute was so serious that the commander,
afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them,
ordered his troops to go down and rescue Paul from their midst
and take him into the compound.
The following night the Lord stood by him and said,

“Take courage.
For just as you have borne witness to my cause in Jerusalem,
so you must also bear witness in Rome.”

— The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 16: 1-2a and 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11

Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.

Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge;
I say to the LORD, “My Lord are you.”
O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup,
you it is who hold fast my lot.

I bless the LORD who counsels me;
even in the night my heart exhorts me.
I set the LORD ever before me;
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.

Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices,
my body, too, abides in confidence;
Because you will not abandon my soul to the nether world,
nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption.

You will show me the path to life,
fullness of joys in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.

Gospel

Alleluia, alleluia.

May they all be one as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that the world may believe that you sent me, says the Lord.

Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John (Jn 17: 20-26)

They may be brought to perfection as one.

Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed saying:

“I pray not only for these,
but also for those who will believe in me through their word,
so that they may all be one,
as you, Father, are in me and I in you,
that they also may be in us,
that the world may believe that you sent me.
And I have given them the glory you gave me,
so that they may be one, as we are one,
I in them and you in me,
that they may be brought to perfection as one,
that the world may know that you sent me,
and that you loved them even as you loved me.
Father, they are your gift to me.
I wish that where I am they also may be with me,
that they may see my glory that you gave me,
because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
Righteous Father, the world also does not know you,
but I know you, and they know that you sent me.
I made known to them your name and I will make it known,
that the love with which you loved me
may be in them and I in them.”

— The Gospel of the Lord.