Master, To Whom Shall We Go?

APRIL 20, 2024 - SATURDAY 
Saturday of the Third Week of Easter (White)
Lectionary: 278
CYCLE B - YEAR II

Reading 1
Acts 9:31-42

The Church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria
was at peace.
She was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord,
and with the consolation of the Holy Spirit she grew in numbers.
As Peter was passing through every region,
he went down to the holy ones living in Lydda.
There he found a man named Aeneas,
who had been confined to bed for eight years, for he was paralyzed.
Peter said to him,
"Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed."
He got up at once.
And all the inhabitants of Lydda and Sharon saw him,
and they turned to the Lord.
Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha
(which translated is Dorcas).
She was completely occupied with good deeds and almsgiving.
Now during those days she fell sick and died,
so after washing her, they laid her out in a room upstairs.
Since Lydda was near Joppa,
the disciples, hearing that Peter was there,
sent two men to him with the request,
"Please come to us without delay."
So Peter got up and went with them.
When he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs
where all the widows came to him weeping
and showing him the tunics and cloaks
that Dorcas had made while she was with them.
Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed.
Then he turned to her body and said, "Tabitha, rise up."
She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up.
He gave her his hand and raised her up,
and when he had called the holy ones and the widows,
he presented her alive.
This became known all over Joppa,
and many came to believe in the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 116:12-13, 14-15, 16-17

R. (12) How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?
or:
R. Alleluia.

How shall I make a return to the LORD
for all the good he has done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD

R. How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?
or:
R. Alleluia.

My vows to the LORD I will pay
in the presence of all his people.
Precious in the eyes of the LORD
is the death of his faithful ones.

R. How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?
or:
R. Alleluia.

O LORD, I am your servant;
I am your servant, the son of your handmaid;
you have loosed my bonds.
To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.

R. How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?
or:
R. Alleluia.

Alleluia 
Jn 6:63c, 68c

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life;
you have the words of everlasting life.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Jn 6:60-69

Many of the disciples of Jesus who were listening said,
"This saying is hard; who can accept it?"
Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this,
he said to them, "Does this shock you?
What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?
It is the Spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail.
The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life.
But there are some of you who do not believe."
Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe
and the one who would betray him.
And he said, "For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me
unless it is granted him by my Father."
As a result of this,
many of his disciples returned to their former way of life
and no longer walked with him.
Jesus then said to the Twelve, "Do you also want to leave?"
Simon Peter answered him, "Master, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life.
We have come to believe
and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God."

REFLECTION:

“What about you, do you want to go away too?” The teaching and miracles of Jesus left his hearers with a decision: to believe and follow Jesus or to follow the crowd and go their separate ways. Today is no different: fewer practice their faith and truly open themselves to the guidance of the Holy Spirit when they have decisions to make.

“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the message of eternal life? If this is truly so, that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, then the Lord will surely give us the strength to withstand the jibes, the ridicule and give us the courage to follow our convictions trusting the Lord will be with us to enlighten our decisions and the grace to carry them through. Have you made a decision recently which put you among the Lord’s followers?

PRAYER:

Lord, draw me close to you, and be spirit and life for me.

Many Disciples Deserts Jesus

August 22, 2021, Sunday 
Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time (Green)
CYCLE B - YEAR I
Lectionary: 122

Reading I
Jos 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b

Joshua gathered together all the tribes of Israel at Shechem,
summoning their elders, their leaders,
their judges, and their officers. 
When they stood in ranks before God,
Joshua addressed all the people:
“If it does not please you to serve the LORD,
decide today whom you will serve,
the gods your fathers served beyond the River
or the gods of the Amorites in whose country you are now dwelling. 
As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”
But the people answered,
“Far be it from us to forsake the LORD
for the service of other gods. 
For it was the LORD, our God,
who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt,
out of a state of slavery. 
He performed those great miracles before our very eyes
and protected us along our entire journey
and among the peoples through whom we passed. 
Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God.”

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 34:2-3, 16-17, 18-19, 20-21

R. (9a)  Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

I will bless the LORD at all times;
       his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
       the lowly will hear me and be glad.

R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

The LORD has eyes for the just,
       and ears for their cry.
The LORD confronts the evildoers,
       to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.

R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,
       and from all their distress he rescues them.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
       and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.

R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

Many are the troubles of the just one,
       but out of them all the LORD delivers him;
he watches over all his bones;
      not one of them shall be broken.

R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

Reading II
Eph 5:21-32 or 5:2a, 25-32

Brothers and sisters:
Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ. 
Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord.
For the husband is head of his wife
just as Christ is head of the church,
he himself the savior of the body. 
As the church is subordinate to Christ,
so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives,
even as Christ loved the church
and handed himself over for her to sanctify her,
cleansing her by the bath of water with the word,
that he might present to himself the church in splendor,
without spot or wrinkle or any such thing,
that she might be holy and without blemish. 
So also husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. 
He who loves his wife loves himself. 
For no one hates his own flesh
but rather nourishes and cherishes it, 
even as Christ does the church,
because we are members of his body.
    For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother
        and be joined to his wife,
    and the two shall become one flesh.
This is a great mystery,
but I speak in reference to Christ and the church.

OR:

Brothers and sisters:
Live in love, as Christ loved us. 
Husbands, love your wives,
even as Christ loved the church
and handed himself over for her to sanctify her,
cleansing her by the bath of water with the word,
that he might present to himself the church in splendor,
without spot or wrinkle or any such thing,
that she might be holy and without blemish. 
So also husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. 
He who loves his wife loves himself. 
For no one hates his own flesh
but rather nourishes and cherishes it, 
even as Christ does the church,
because we are members of his body.
    For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother
        and be joined to his wife,
    and the two shall become one flesh.
This is a great mystery,
but I speak in reference to Christ and the church.

Alleluia
Jn 6:63c, 68c

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life;
you have the words of everlasting life.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL
Jn 6:60-69

Many of Jesus’ disciples who were listening said,
“This saying is hard; who can accept it?”
Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this,
he said to them, “Does this shock you?
What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending
to where he was before? 
It is the spirit that gives life,
while the flesh is of no avail.
The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life.
But there are some of you who do not believe.”
Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe
and the one who would betray him. 
And he said,
“For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me
unless it is granted him by my Father.”
As a result of this,
many of his disciples returned to their former way of life
and no longer accompanied him.
Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?” 
Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go? 
You have the words of eternal life. 
We have come to believe
and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”

REFLECTION:

“What about you, do you want to go away too?” The teaching and miracles of Jesus left his hearers with a decision: to believe and follow Jesus or to follow the crowd and go their separate ways. Today is no different: fewer practice their faith and truly open themselves to the guidance of the Holy Spirit when they have decisions to make.

“Lord, to whom shall we go?" You have the message of eternal life? If this is truly so, that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, then the Lord will surely give us the strength to withstand the jibes, the ridicule and give us the courage to follow our convictions trusting the Lord will be with us to enlighten our decisions and the grace to carry them through. Have you made a decision recently which put you among the Lord’s followers?

PRAYER:

Lord, draw me close to you, and be spirit and life for me.

Lord, to Whom Shall we Go?

April 24, 2021, Saturday
Saturday of the Third Week of Easter (White)
Optional Memorial of Saint Fidelis of Sigmaringen, Priest and Martyr (Red)
CYCLE B - YEAR I
Lectionary: 278

Reading I
Acts 9:31-42

The Church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria
was at peace. 
She was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord,
and with the consolation of the Holy Spirit she grew in numbers.
As Peter was passing through every region,
he went down to the holy ones living in Lydda. 
There he found a man named Aeneas,
who had been confined to bed for eight years, for he was paralyzed. 
Peter said to him,
“Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed.” 
He got up at once. 
And all the inhabitants of Lydda and Sharon saw him,
and they turned to the Lord.
Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha
(which translated is Dorcas). 
She was completely occupied with good deeds and almsgiving. 
Now during those days she fell sick and died,
so after washing her, they laid her out in a room upstairs. 
Since Lydda was near Joppa,
the disciples, hearing that Peter was there,
sent two men to him with the request,
“Please come to us without delay.” 
So Peter got up and went with them. 
When he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs
where all the widows came to him weeping
and showing him the tunics and cloaks
that Dorcas had made while she was with them. 
Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed. 
Then he turned to her body and said, “Tabitha, rise up.” 
She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up. 
He gave her his hand and raised her up,
and when he had called the holy ones and the widows,
he presented her alive. 
This became known all over Joppa,
and many came to believe in the Lord. 

Responsorial Psalm
116:12-13, 14-15, 16-17

R.    (12) How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?

or:

R.    Alleluia.

How shall I make a return to the LORD
    for all the good he has done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up,
    and I will call upon the name of the LORD

R.    How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?

or:

R.    Alleluia.

My vows to the LORD I will pay
    in the presence of all his people.
Precious in the eyes of the LORD
    is the death of his faithful ones.

R.    How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?

or:

R.    Alleluia.

O LORD, I am your servant;
    I am your servant, the son of your handmaid;
    you have loosed my bonds.
To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving,
    and I will call upon the name of the LORD.

R.    How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?

or:

R.    Alleluia.

Alleluia
See Jn 6:63c, 68c

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life;
you have the words of everlasting life.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL
Jn 6:60-69

Many of the disciples of Jesus who were listening said,
“This saying is hard; who can accept it?”
Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this,
he said to them, “Does this shock you?
What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?
It is the Spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail.
The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life.
But there are some of you who do not believe.”
Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe
and the one who would betray him.
And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me
unless it is granted him by my Father.”
As a result of this,
many of his disciples returned to their former way of life
and no longer walked with him.
Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?”
Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life.
We have come to believe
and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”

REFLECTION:

“What about you, do you want to go away too?” The teaching and miracles of Jesus left his hearers with a decision: to believe and follow Jesus or to follow the crowd and go their separate ways. Today is no different: fewer practice their faith and truly open themselves to the guidance of the Holy Spirit when they have decisions to make.

“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the message of eternal life? If this is truly so, that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, then the Lord will surely give us the strength to withstand the jibes, the ridicule and give us the courage to follow our convictions trusting the Lord will be with us to enlighten our decisions and the grace to carry them through. Have you made a decision recently which put you among the Lord’s followers?

PRAYER:

Lord, draw me close to you, and be spirit and life for me.