Thursday
of the Third Week of Easter
FIRST
READING:
Acts 8:
26-40
26
Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying: Arise, go towards
the south, to the way that goeth down from Jerusalem into Gaza: this
is desert.
27
And rising up, he went. And behold a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch, of
great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had
charge over all her treasures, had come to Jerusalem to adore.
28
And he was returning, sitting in his chariot, and reading Isaias the
prophet.
29
And the Spirit said to Philip: Go near, and join thyself to this
chariot.
30
And Philip running thither, heard him reading the prophet Isaias. And
he said: Thinkest thou that thou understandest what thou readest?
31
Who said: And how can I, unless some man shew me? And he desired
Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
32
And the place of the scripture which he was reading was this: He was
led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb without voice before
his shearer, so openeth he not his mouth.
33
In humility his judgment was taken away. His generation who shall
declare, for his life shall be taken from the earth?
34
And the eunuch answering Philip, said: I beseech thee, of whom doth
the prophet speak this? of himself, or of some other man?
35
Then Philip, opening his mouth, and beginning at this scripture,
preached unto him Jesus.
36
And as they went on their way, they came to a certain water; and the
eunuch said: See, here is water: what doth hinder me from being
baptized?
37
And Philip said: If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest.
And he answering, said: I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of
God.
38
And he commanded the chariot to stand still; and they went down into
the water, both Philip and the eunuch: and he baptized him.
39
And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord
took away Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more. And he went on his
way rejoicing.
40
But Philip was found in Azotus; and passing through, he preached the
gospel to all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.
PSALM:
Psalms 66:
8-9, 16-17, 20
8
O bless our God, ye Gentiles: and make the voice of his praise to be
heard.
9
Who hath set my soul to live: and hath not suffered my feet to be
moved:
16
Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will tell you what great
things he hath done for my soul.
17
I cried to him with my mouth: and I extolled him with my tongue.
20
Blessed be God, who hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy
from me.
GOSPEL:
John 6:
44-51
44
No man can come to me, except the Father, who hath sent me, draw him;
and I will raise him up in the last day.
45
It is written in the prophets: And they shall all be taught of God.
Every one that hath heard of the Father, and hath learned, cometh to
me.
46
Not that any man hath seen the Father; but he who is of God, he hath
seen the Father.
47
Amen, amen I say unto you: He that believeth in me, hath everlasting
life.
48
I am the bread of life.
49
Your fathers did eat manna in the desert, and are dead.
50
This is the bread which cometh down from heaven; that if any man eat
of it, he may not die.
51
I am the living bread which came down from heaven.
