Friday
of the Third Week of Easter
FIRST
READING: Acts 9:
1 - 20
1
And Saul, as yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the
disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest,
2
And asked of him letters to Damascus, to the synagogues: that if he
found any men and women of this way, he might bring them bound to
Jerusalem.
3
And as he went on his journey, it came to pass that he drew nigh to
Damascus; and suddenly a light from heaven shined round about him.
4
And falling on the ground, he heard a voice saying to him: Saul,
Saul, why persecutest thou me?
5
Who said: Who art thou, Lord? And he: I am Jesus whom thou
persecutest. It is hard for thee to kick against the goad.
6
And he trembling and astonished, said: Lord, what wilt thou have me
to do?
7
And the Lord said to him: Arise, and go into the city, and there it
shall be told thee what thou must do. Now the men who went in company
with him, stood amazed, hearing indeed a voice, but seeing no man.
8
And Saul arose from the ground; and when his eyes were opened, he saw
nothing. But they leading him by the hands, brought him to Damascus.
9
And he was there three days, without sight, and he did neither eat
nor drink.
10
Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias. And the
Lord said to him in a vision: Ananias. And he said: Behold I am here,
Lord.
11
And the Lord said to him: Arise, and go into the street that is
called Stait, and seek in the house of Judas, one named Saul of
Tarsus. For behold he prayeth.
12
(And he saw a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hands upon
him, that he might receive his sight.)
13
But Ananias answered: Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how
much evil he hath done to thy saints in Jerusalem.
14
And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that
invoke thy name.
15
And the Lord said to him: Go thy way; for this man is to me a vessel
of election, to carry my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the
children of Israel.
16
For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's
sake.
17
And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house. And laying his
hands upon him, he said: Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus hath sent me,
he that appeared to thee in the way as thou camest; that thou mayest
receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
18
And immediately there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he
received his sight; and rising up, he was baptized.
19
And when he had taken meat, he was strengthened. And he was with the
disciples that were at Damascus, for some days.
20
And immediately he preached Jesus in the synagogues, that he is the
Son of God.
PSALM:
Psalms 117:
1 - 2
1
O praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.
2
For his mercy is confirmed upon us: and the truth of the Lord
remaineth for ever.
GOSPEL:
John 6:
52 - 59
52
If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever; and the bread
that I will give, is my flesh, for the life of the world.
53
The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying: How can this man
give us his flesh to eat?
54
Then Jesus said to them: Amen, amen I say unto you: Except you eat
the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you shall not have
life in you.
55
He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath everlasting
life: and I will raise him up in the last day.
56
For my flesh is meat indeed: and my blood is drink indeed.
57
He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, abideth in me, and I
in him.
58
As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father; so he
that eateth me, the same also shall live by me.
59
This is the bread that came down from heaven. Not as your fathers did
eat manna, and are dead. He that eateth this bread, shall live for
ever.
