Reading I
Acts 16:22-34

The crowd in Philippi joined in the attack on Paul and Silas,
and the magistrates had them stripped
and ordered them to be beaten with rods.
After inflicting many blows on them,
they threw them into prison
and instructed the jailer to guard them securely.
When he received these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell
and secured their feet to a stake.

About midnight, while Paul and Silas were praying
and singing hymns to God as the prisoners listened,
there was suddenly such a severe earthquake
that the foundations of the jail shook;
all the doors flew open, and the chains of all were pulled loose. 
When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open,
he drew his sword and was about to kill himself,
thinking that the prisoners had escaped.
But Paul shouted out in a loud voice,
“Do no harm to yourself; we are all here.”
He asked for a light and rushed in and,
trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas.
Then he brought them out and said,
“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus
and you and your household will be saved.”
So they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to everyone in his house.
He took them in at that hour of the night and bathed their wounds;
then he and all his family were baptized at once.
He brought them up into his house and provided a meal
and with his household rejoiced at having come to faith in God.

Responsonrial Psalm
Ps 138:1-2. 2-3. 7-8

R. Your right hand saves me, O Lord!

or:
R.    Alleluia.


I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart,
    for you have heard the words of my mouth;
    in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;
I will worship at your holy temple,
    and give thanks to your name.


R.    Your right hand saves me, O Lord.
or:
R.    Alleluia.


Because of your kindness and your truth,
    you have made great above all things
    your name and your promise.
When I called, you answered me;
    you built up strength within me.


R.    Your right hand saves me, O Lord.
or:
R.    Alleluia.


Your right hand saves me.
The LORD will complete what he has done for me;
    your kindness, O LORD, endures forever;
    forsake not the work of your hands.


R.    Your right hand saves me, O Lord.
or:
R.    Alleluia.


Alleluia
See Jn 16:7, 13

R. Alleluia, alleluia.


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


R. Alleluia, alleluia.


GOSPEL
Jn 16:5-11

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Now I am going to the one who sent me,
and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’
But because I told you this, grief has filled your hearts.
But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go.
For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you.
But if I go, I will send him to you.
And when he comes he will convict the world
in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation:
sin, because they do not believe in me; 
righteousness, because I am going to the Father
and you will no longer see me;
condemnation, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.”


REFLECTION:

I notice how often Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit during this time after Easter, and as we approach the Ascension. The coming of the Spirit of Truth to us is clearly of great importance to Jesus. How important is it to me? Do I consciously rely on the grace of my confirmation, and recognise the reality of the Holy Spirit in my life?


PRAYER:

As I look at my life, I pray for the grace of the Holy Spirit to shed light, to bring truth and to be the consolation that Jesus promises.