Entrance Antiphon Rv 19:7.6
Let us rejoice and be glad and give glory to God, for the Lord our God the Almighty reigns, alleluia.
Collect
Grant, almighty and merciful God, that we may in truth receive a share in the Resurrection of Christ your Son. Who lives and reigns with you…
FIRST READING
“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your house hold.”
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 16:22-34)
In those days: The crowd of Philippians joined in attacking Paul and Silas; and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely. Having received this charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out and said, “Men, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their wounds, and he was baptised at once, with all his family. Then he brought them up into his house, and set food before them; and he rejoiced with all his household that he had believed in God.
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 138: 1ac-2a.2bcd-3.7c-8 (see 7c)
R/. With your right hand you save me, O Lord.
I thank you, Lord, with all my heart;
you have heard the words of my mouth.
In the presence of the angels I praise you.
I bow down toward your holy temple. R.
I give thanks to your name
for your merciful love and your faithfulness.
You have exalted your name and your promise over all.
On the day I called, you answered me;
you increased the strength of my soul. R.
R/. With your right hand you save me, O Lord.
With your right hand you save me;
the Lord will accomplish this for me.
O Lord, your merciful love is eternal;
discard not the work of your hands. R.
ALLELUIA John 16:7.13
Alleluia. I will send the Spirit of truth to you, says the Lord; he will guide you into all the truth. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
“If I do not go away, the Counsellor will not come to you.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (John 16:5- 11)
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, ‘how I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going? ’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Counsellor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convince the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgement: of sin, because they do not believe in me; of righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more; of judgement, because the ruler of this world is judged.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Today’s Reflection
Paul says, “Have no anxiety about anything but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God” (Phil 4:6). One thing the Holy Spirit teaches us is the power of prayer and praise. Prayer and praise are powerful tools of the Holy Spirit to cause miraculous interventions of God. While Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God and the prisoners were listening, suddenly, God intervened in a mighty unexpected way. In the face of temptation, difficulty or crisis, pray and sing hymns to God-his intervention will be exceptional.