RELIGION AND ART

SATURDAY SECOND WEEK IN EASTER MEN OF WISDOM AND GOOD REPUTATION First Reading Acts 6:1-7   They elected seven men full of the Holy Spirit About this time, when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenists made a complaint against the Hebrews: in the daily distribution their own widows were being overlooked. So the Twelve called a full meeting of the disciples and addressed them, ‘It would not be right for us to neglect the word of God so as to give out food; you, brothers, must select from among yourselves seven men of good reputation, filled with the Spirit and with wisdom; we will hand over this duty to them, and continue to devote ourselves to prayer and to the service of the word.’  Lectures The whole assembly approved of this proposal and elected Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, together with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus of Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these to the apostles, who prayed and l...

FRIDAY SECOND WEEK OF EASTER SUFFERING IN THE HONOR OF JESUS' CHRIST NAME First Reading Acts Acts 5:34-42  Readings Lectures They were glad to have had the honour of suffering humiliation for the sake of the name One member of the Sanhedrin, a Pharisee called Gamaliel, who was a doctor of the Law and respected by the whole people, stood up and asked to have the apostles taken outside for a time.  Then he addressed the Sanhedrin, ‘Men of Israel, be careful how you deal with these people. There was Theudas who became notorious not so long ago. He claimed to be someone important, and he even collected about four hundred followers; but when he was killed, all his followers scattered and that was the end of them. And then there was Judas the Galilean, at the time of the census, who attracted crowds of supporters; but he got killed too, and all his followers dispersed. What I suggest, therefore, is that you leave these men alone and let them go. If this enterprise, this movement of...

THURSDAY SECOND WEEK OF EASTER: GOD ENTRUSTED EVERYTHING TO CHRIST First Reading Acts 5:27-33  We are witnesses to all this, we and the Holy Spirit When the officials had brought the apostles in to face the Sanhedrin, the high priest demanded an explanation. ‘We gave you a formal warning’ he said ‘not to preach in this name, and what have you done? You have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and seem determined to fix the guilt of this man’s death on us.’ In reply Peter and the apostles said, ‘Obedience to God comes before obedience to men; it was the God of our ancestors who raised up Jesus, but it was you who had him executed by hanging on a tree. By his own right hand God has now raised him up to be leader and saviour, to give repentance and forgiveness of sins through him to Israel. We are witnesses to all this, we and the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.’  This so infuriated them that they wanted to put them to death.   Gospel John 3:31-36...

WEDNESDAY SECOND WEEK OF EASTER:  JESUS CHRIST OUR SAVIOUR First Reading Acts 5:17-26  The men you imprisoned are in the Temple,  preaching to the people The high priest intervened with all his supporters from the party of the Sadducees. Prompted by jealousy, they arrested the apostles and had them put in the common gaol. Readings But at night the angel of the Lord opened the prison gates and said as he led them out, ‘Go and stand in the Temple, and tell the people all about this new Life.’ They did as they were told; they went into the Temple at dawn and began to preach. Lectures When the high priest arrived, he and his supporters convened the Sanhedrin this was the full Senate of Israel and sent to the gaol for them to be brought. But when the officials arrived at the prison they found they were not inside, so they went back and reported, ‘We found the gaol securely locked and the warders on duty at the gates, but when we unlocked the door we found no one inside.’ When ...

 TUESDAY SECOND WEEK IN EASTER: UNITY OF PURPOSE First Reading Acts 4:32-37  Readings The whole group of believers was united, heart and soul The whole group of believers was united, heart and soul; no one claimed for his own use anything that he had, as everything they owned was held in common. Lectures The apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus with great power, and they were all given great respect.  None of their members was ever in want, as all those who owned land or houses would sell them, and bring the money from them, to present it to the apostles; it was then distributed to any members who might be in need.  There was a Levite of Cypriot origin called Joseph whom the apostles surnamed Barnabas (which means ‘son of encouragement’). He owned a piece of land and he sold it and brought the money, and presented it to the apostles. Gospel  John 3:7-15 Reflections No-one has gone up to heaven except the Son of Man who has come dow...

MONDAY SECOND WEEK IN EASTER :  25/04/2022 GO OUT TO THE WHOLE WORLD PROCLAIM THE GOOD NEWS First Reading 1 Peter 5:5-14   My son, Mark, sends you greeting s Readings All wrap yourselves in humility to be servants of each other, because God refuses the proud and will always favour the humble. Bow down, then, before the power of God now, and he will raise you up on the appointed day; unload all your worries on to him, since he is looking after you. Be calm but vigilant, because your enemy the devil is prowling round like a roaring lion, looking for someone to eat. Stand up to him, strong in faith and in the knowledge that your brothers all over the world are suffering the same things. You will have to suffer only for a little while: the God of all grace who called you to eternal glory in Christ will see that all is well again: he will confirm, strengthen and support you. His power lasts for ever and ever. Amen. Lectures I write these few words to you through Silvanus, wh...

SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER  GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD FOR HE IS GOOD,  HIS LOVE HAS NO END First Reading  Acts 5:12-16 Readings  The numbers of men and women who came to believe in the Lord increased steadily The faithful all used to meet by common consent in the Portico of Solomon. No one else ever dared to join them, but the people were loud in their praise and the numbers of men and women who came to believe in the Lord increased steadily. So many signs and wonders were worked among the people at the hands of the apostles that the sick were even taken out into the streets and laid on beds and sleeping-mats in the hope that at least the shadow of Peter might fall across some of them as he went past. People even came crowding in from the towns round about Jerusalem, bringing with them their sick and those tormented by unclean spirits, and all of them were cured. Lectures Responsorial Psalm: Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, for his love has no end Second Reading...

SATURDAY WITHIN EASTER OCTAVE:  GO OUT TO THE WHOLE WORLD  AND PROCLAIM THE GOOD NEWS First Reading Acts 4:13-21  We cannot promise to stop proclaiming what we have seen and heard The rulers, elders and scribes were astonished at the assurance shown by Peter and John, considering they were uneducated laymen; and they recognised them as associates of Jesus; but when they saw the man who had been cured standing by their side, they could find no answer. So they ordered them to stand outside while the Sanhedrin had a private discussion. ‘What are we going to do with these men?’ they asked. ‘It is obvious to everybody in Jerusalem that a miracle has been worked through them in public, and we cannot deny it. But to stop the whole thing spreading any further among the people, let us caution them never to speak to anyone in this name again.’ Lectures   Readings So they called them in and gave them a warning on no account to make statements or to teach in the name of Jesus. ...

FRIDAY IN EASTER OCTAVE: IT IS THE LORD First Reading Acts 4:1-12  The name of Jesus Christ is the only one by which we can be saved While Peter and John were talking to the people the priests came up to them, accompanied by the captain of the Temple and the Sadducees. They were extremely annoyed at their teaching the people the doctrine of the resurrection from the dead by proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus. They arrested them, but as it was already late, they held them till the next day. But many of those who had listened to their message became believers, the total number of whom had now risen to something like five thousand.  The next day the rulers, elders and scribes had a meeting in Jerusalem with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, Jonathan, Alexander and all the members of the high-priestly families. They made the prisoners stand in the middle and began to interrogate them, ‘By what power, and by whose name have you men done this?’ Readings, Lectures Then Peter, fill...

THURSDAY EASTER OCTAVE: FAITH IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST First Reading Acts 3:11-26  You killed the prince of life: God, however, raised him from the dead Everyone came running towards Peter and John in great excitement, to the Portico of Solomon, as it is called, where the man was still clinging to Peter and John. When Peter saw the people he addressed them, ‘Why are you so surprised at this? Why are you staring at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power or holiness? You are Israelites, and it is  the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our ancestors, who has glorified his servant  Jesus, the same Jesus you handed over and then disowned in the presence of Pilate after Pilate had decided to release him. It was you who accused the Holy One, the Just One, you who demanded the reprieve of a murderer while you killed the prince of life. God, however, raised him from the dead, and to that fact we are the witnesses; and it is the name of Jesus which, th...

 WEDNESDAY OF EASTER: THE BEAUTIFUL GATE First Reading Acts:1-10  I will give you what I have: in the name of Jesus, walk! Once, when Peter and John were going up to the Temple for the prayers at the ninth hour, it happened that there was a man being carried past. He was a cripple from birth; and they used to put him down every day near the Temple entrance called the Beautiful Gate so that he could beg from the people going in. Readings  When this man saw Peter and John on their way into the Temple he begged from them. Both Peter and John looked straight at him and said, ‘Look at us.’ He turned to them expectantly, hoping to get something from them, but Peter said, ‘I have neither silver nor gold, but I will give you what I have: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, walk!’ Peter then took him by the hand and helped him to stand up. Lectures Instantly his feet and ankles became firm, he jumped up, stood, and began to walk, and he went with them into the Temple, walkin...