Preparing for the Mass of the 6th Sunday of Easter

What a pity that the Lectionary clips the passage from Peter’s First Letter so as to omit most of the reference to the Jesus’ descent to the dead, in the Resurrection, and his liberation of them.

In these days of Easter many communities use the Apostles’ Creed which makes reference to this profound and mythic event. It is is a truth of faith which reminds that the Resurrection is not ‘just’ an event in Jesus life but is an event of cosmic significance.

So much for what the reading does not offer us. What it does offer is a reminder of the continuing significance of the Resurrection – again not just an event in the life of Jesus, but in our on-going lives.

• Where in your life do you need fresh help?
• Where have you received it, and to what effect?

Second reading: 1 Peter 3:15-18

Suffering for Righteousness’ Sake
3.8 Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. ⁹ Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. ¹⁰ For

“Whoever desires to love life
and see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil
and his lips from speaking deceit;
¹¹  let him turn away from evil and do good;
let him seek peace and pursue it.
¹²  For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears are open to their prayer.
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

¹³ Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? ¹⁴ But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled,

¹⁵ but in your hearts honour Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defence to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, ¹⁶ having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behaviour in Christ may be put to shame. ¹⁷ For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

¹⁸ For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,

¹⁹ in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, ²⁰ because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. ²¹ Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ²² who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

Stewards of God’s Grace
4.1 Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, ² so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. ³ For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. ⁴ With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; ⁵ but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. ⁶ For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does.

⁷ The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. ⁸ Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. ⁹ Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. ¹⁰ As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: ¹¹ whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Photograph. Print of the liberation of the dead. Beatrizet. Collection of the British Museum. (c) 2017, Allen Morris

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Preparing for the Mass of the 6th Sunday of Easter

The Holy Spirit, a gift poured out for us by Father and Son, is a gift given to help sustain us in faithfulness. The Spirit helps us confront our challenges and concerns confident that fault and failing is never intended by God to separate us from him.

The Spirit strengthens us and sustains us in peace.

Like Judas in the passage below, we may want these gifts for ourselves, only. But they are gifts given to be shared. With us and by us – gifts for the whole world.

Gospel: John 14:15-21

I Am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life
14.1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. ² In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. ⁴ And you know the way to where I am going.” ⁵ Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” ⁶ Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷ If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

⁸ Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” ⁹ Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ¹⁰ Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. ¹¹ Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

¹² “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. ¹³ Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit
¹⁵ “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, ¹⁷ even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

¹⁸ “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. ¹⁹ Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. ²⁰ In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. ²¹ Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”

²² Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” ²³ Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. ²⁴ Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.

²⁵ “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. ²⁶ But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. ²⁷ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. ²⁸ You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. ²⁹ And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. ³⁰ I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, ³¹ but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.

Image of the Holy Spirit. St Andrew’s Cathedral, Glasgow. (c) 2019, Allen Morris

Preparing for the Mass of the 5th Sunday of Easter

Stephen is venerated as the first Martyr, venerated for his imitation of Christ in his teaching, in his humility and in his love even for those intent on his death.

But his first claim to fame, was being part of a team of people from a minority community called to service. Their task? To ensure that justice is done for all in the Church in the sharing of its resources in care of the needy and vulnerable…

• How do you share in this same work?
• Where and why do you resist its challenge?

First Reading: Acts 6:1-7

(NB the text set for Sunday is given below in bold and in ‘quote sections’ below; the rest is the immediate biblical text from which the Lectionary text is extracted)

 7.⁴² And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.

Seven Chosen to Serve
6.1 Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. ² And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. ³ Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. ⁴ But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” ⁵ And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. ⁶ These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.

⁷ And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.

Stephen Is Seized
⁸ And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. ⁹ Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen. ¹⁰ But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. ¹¹ Then they secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” ¹² And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council, ¹³ and they set up false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law, ¹⁴ for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.” ¹⁵ And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

Acknowledgements

• Translation of Scriptures: English Standard Version (c) 2001-9, Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
• Commentary: (c) 2020, Allen Morris
• Photo. Fresco of St Stephen, Chartreuse, Villeneuve les Avignon.(c) 2014, Allen Morris.

Preparing for the Mass of the 5th Sunday of Easter

The Lord’s love for his people is an active love.

It is love to which we properly respond to in song and praise.

Our contemplation of his goodness leads us to hope, to trust and to peace.
It enables us to live even now in the peace of his kingdom.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 32(33):1-2,4-5,18-19

(NB the text set for Sunday is given below in bold and in ‘quote sections’ below; the rest is the immediate biblical text from which the Lectionary text is extracted)

Psalm 33 (32)

¹     Ring out your joy to the Lord, O you just;
      for praise is fitting for the upright.
²     Give thanks to the Lord upon the harp;
      with a ten-stringed lute sing him songs.

³     O sing him a song that is new;
      play skillfully, with shouts of joy.

⁴     For the word of the Lord is faithful,
      and all his works to be trusted.
⁵     The Lord loves justice and right,
      and his merciful love fills the earth.

⁶     By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
      by the breath of his mouth all their host.
⁷     As in a flask, he collects the waves of the ocean;
      he stores up the depths of the sea.

⁸     Let all the earth fear the Lord,
      all who live in the world revere him.
⁹     He spoke, and it came to be.
      He commanded; it stood in place.

¹⁰   The Lord frustrates the designs of the nations;
      he defeats the plans of the peoples.
¹¹   The designs of the Lord stand forever,
      the plans of his heart from age to age.

¹²   Blessed the nation whose God is the Lord,
      the people he has chosen as his heritage.
¹³   From the heavens the Lord looks forth;
      he sees all the children of men.

¹⁴   From the place where he dwells he gazes
      on all the dwellers on the earth,
¹⁵   he who shapes the hearts of them all,
      and considers all their deeds.

¹⁶   A king is not saved by his great army,
      nor a warrior preserved by his great strength.
¹⁷   A vain hope for safety is the horse;
      despite its power it cannot save.

¹⁸   Yes, the Lord’s eyes are on those who fear him,
      who hope in his merciful love,
¹⁹   to rescue their souls from death,
      to keep them alive in famine.

²⁰   Our soul is waiting for the Lord.
      He is our help and our shield.
²¹   In him do our hearts find joy.
      We trust in his holy name.

²²   May your merciful love be upon us,
      as we hope in you, O Lord.

Acknowledgements

• Translation of Psalms: From The Revised Grail Psalms: A Liturgical Psalter. (c) 2010.
• Commentary: (c) 2020, Allen Morris
• Photo Sainte Croix, Bordeaux (c) 2018, Allen Morris.

Preparing for the Mass of the 5th Sunday of Easter

St Peter contrasts our inherent human fragility with the resilience that becomes ours in Christ.

We were as grass that withers, we are like new born infants in faith – but we are also, in Christ, living stones, a spiritual house.

And not passive but active – we are both Temple and the priestly community that serves God and people in the work proper to a Temple, but transferred from cult to daily life.

Second Reading: 1 Peter 2:4-9

(NB the text set for Sunday is given below in bold and in ‘quote sections’ below; the rest is the immediate biblical text from which the Lectionary text is extracted)

^1.22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, ²³ since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; ²⁴ for

“All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
²⁵  but the word of the Lord remains forever.”

And this word is the good news that was preached to you.

A Living Stone and a Holy People
2 .1 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. ² Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— ³ if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

⁴ As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, ⁵ you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ⁶ For it stands in Scripture:

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

⁷ So the honour is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,

“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”

⁸ and

“A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence.”

They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

⁹ But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.

¹⁰ Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

¹¹ Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. ¹² Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honourable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

Submission to Authority
¹³ Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, ¹⁴ or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. ¹⁵ For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. ¹⁶ Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. ¹⁷ honour everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. honour the emperor.

¹⁸ Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. ¹⁹ For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. ²⁰ For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. ²¹ For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. ²² He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. ²³ When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. ²⁴ He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. ²⁵ For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Acknowledgements

• Translation of Scriptures: English Standard Version (c) 2001-9, Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
• Commentary: (c) 2020, Allen Morris
• Photo. Stone cross, St Nicholas Boldmere.(c) 2015, Allen Morris.

Preparing for the Mass of the 5th Sunday of Easter

Teachers often say that there is no such thing as a stupid question.

We surely have reason to be grateful for the questions that come to Jesus from his disciples and that reveal their sometime exasperation at not understanding him better.

Their example helps us to be more patient with ourselves and our confusions and uncertainties. Those lacks of comprehension will not the final state – and not least because we are helped by the like of the questions posed by Philip in the Gospel passage below.

Additional help, by the grace of God, comes from the Holy Spirit, whose work continues the task of helping our understanding, and sustaining our faith and faithful living.

Gospel: John 14:1-12

I Am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life
14.1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. ² In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. ⁴ And you know the way to where I am going.” ⁵ Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” ⁶ Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷ If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

⁸ Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” ⁹ Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ¹⁰ Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. ¹¹ Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

¹² “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.

 ¹³ Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit
¹⁵ “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, ¹⁷ even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

¹⁸ “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. ¹⁹ Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. ²⁰ In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. ²¹ Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” ²² Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” ²³ Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. ²⁴ Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.

²⁵ “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. ²⁶ But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. ²⁷ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. ²⁸ You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. ²⁹ And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. ³⁰ I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, ³¹ but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.

Acknowledgements

• Translation of Scriptures: English Standard Version (c) 2001-9, Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
• Commentary: (c) 2020, Allen Morris
• Photo St Philip from church of St James the Less, Victoria, England.(c) 2019, Allen Morris.

Preparing for Mass on the 4th Sunday of Easter

We continue, this Sunday, to work our way through Chapter 2 of Acts of the Apostles.

Hopefully we find richness of themes here, and encouragement to consider how in our time we both bear witness to Christ and respond to him ourselves, knowing sorrow for our sins even as we rejoice at his compassion and hospitality.

The particular focus of the reading we hear this Sunday is the responsibility of some of his co-religionists for Jesus’ crucifixion, and the invitation to them to repent and receive afresh the life-giving, life-restoring mercy of God.

In that sense the passage from Acts is very specifically dealing with very particular people at a particular time and place. Christian piety however has long recognised that Christ dies for our sins too – it is not for us to be fixated on other peoples’ faults and failings – what ever they might be. We have our own to repent of, and bring before God for healing and forgiveness.

Peter speaks to us. Please God, we listen and hear…

First reading: Acts 2:14,36-41

(NB the text set for Sunday is given below in bold and in ‘quote sections’ below; the rest is the immediate biblical text from which the Lectionary text is extracted)

The Coming of the Holy Spirit
2.1 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. ² And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. ³ And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. ⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

⁵ Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. ⁶ And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. ⁷ And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸ And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? ⁹ Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, ¹¹ both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” ¹² And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” ¹³ But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”

Peter’s Sermon at Pentecost
¹⁴ But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words.

¹⁵ For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. ¹⁶ But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:

¹⁷  “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams;
¹⁸  even on my male servants and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
¹⁹  And I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke;
²⁰  the sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.

²¹  And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

²² “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— ²³ this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. ²⁴ God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. ²⁵ For David says concerning him,

“‘I saw the Lord always before me,
for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken;
²⁶  therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;
my flesh also will dwell in hope.
²⁷  For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,
or let your Holy One see corruption.
²⁸  You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’

²⁹ “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. ³⁰ Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, ³¹ he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. ³² This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. ³³ Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. ³⁴ For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,

“‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
³⁵  until I make your enemies your footstool.”’

³⁶ Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

³⁷ Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” ³⁸

And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”

⁴⁰ And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” ⁴¹ So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

The Fellowship of the Believers
⁴² And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. ⁴³ And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. ⁴⁴ And all who believed were together and had all things in common. ⁴⁵ And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. ⁴⁶ And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Acknowledgements

• Translation of Scriptures: English Standard Version (c) 2001-9, Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
• Commentary: (c) 2020, Allen Morris
• Photo (c) 2016, Allen Morris. St Peter, Basilica of St Paul outside the Walls, Rome.

Preparing for Mass on the 4th Sunday of Easter

In the image above the two central figures are the Good Shepherd and the Orantes figure (with hands raised in prayer) sometimes seen as a symbol of the Church. They seem to be aware of each other, perhaps responding to each other (unlike the two groups of three figures either side of them – and who are not identified)

The Good Shepherd and the Church at Prayer turned to each other, in a certain and mutually sustaining relationship. For sure the Good Shepherd supports the Church, but when we turn to the Lord in faith and trust and prayer, surely that is pleasing to him.

• Where in the past days have you been aware of the Lord’s support and care?
• Where, when have you expressed your thanks to him, or trusted to him your worries and concerns?

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 23 (22)

¹     A Psalm of David.

      The Lord is my shepherd;
      there is nothing I shall want.
²     Fresh and green are the pastures
      where he gives me repose.
      Near restful waters he leads me;
³     he revives my soul.

      He guides me along the right path,
      for the sake of his name.
⁴     Though I should walk in the valley of the shadow of death,
      no evil would I fear, for you are with me.
      Your crook and your staff will give me comfort.

⁵     You have prepared a table before me
      in the sight of my foes.
      My head you have anointed with oil;
      my cup is overflowing.

⁶     Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
      all the days of my life.
      In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell
      for length of days unending.

Acknowledgements

• Translation of Psalms: From The Revised Grail Psalms: A Liturgical Psalter. (c) 2010.
• Commentary: (c) 2020, Allen Morris
• Photo (c) 2014, Allen Morris. Fragment of early Christian sarcophagus. Musée Départemental Arles Antique