RELIGION AND ART

WEDNESDAY THIRD WEEK OF EASTER:  THE BITTER PERSECUTION AGAINST THE CHURCH First Reading Acts 8:1-8  They went from place to place, preaching the Good News That day a bitter persecution started against the church in Jerusalem, and everyone except the apostles fled to the country districts of Judaea and Samaria. Readings Lectures There were some devout people, however, who buried Stephen and made great mourning for him.  Saul then worked for the total destruction of the Church; he went from house to house arresting both men and women and sending them to prison. Reflections Those who had escaped went from place to place preaching the Good News. One of them was Philip who went to a Samaritan town and proclaimed the Christ to them. The people united in welcoming the message Philip preached, either because they had heard of the miracles he worked or because they saw them for themselves. There were, for example, unclean spirits that came shrieking out of many who were possessed, and several

TUESDAY THIRD WEEK OF EASTER WHATEVER YOU ASK FOR ANYTHING IN MY NAME I WILL DO   Readings First Reading  1 Corinthians 15:1-8  The Lord appeared to James, and then to all the apostles Brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, the gospel that you received and in which you are firmly established; because the gospel will save you only if you keep believing exactly what I preached to you – believing anything else will not lead to anything. Lectures Well then, in the first place, I taught you what I had been taught myself, namely that Christ died for our sins, in accordance with the scriptures; that he was buried; and that he was raised to life on the third day, in accordance with the scriptures; that he appeared first to Cephas and secondly to the Twelve. Next he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died; then he appeared to James, and then to all the apostles; and last of all he appeared

MONDAY THIRD WEEK OF EASTER:  PROMTED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT First Reading Acts 6:8-15 Readings   They could not get the better of Stephen because the Spirit prompted what he said   Stephen was filled with grace and power and began to work miracles and great signs among the people. But then certain people came forward to debate with Stephen, some from Cyrene and Alexandria who were members of the synagogue called the Synagogue of Freedmen, and others from Cilicia and Asia. They found they could not get the better of him because of his wisdom, and because it was the Spirit that prompted what he said. Lectures   Reflections   So they procured some men to say, ‘We heard him using blasphemous language against Moses and against God.’ Having in this way turned the people against him as well as the elders and scribes, they took Stephen by surprise, and arrested him and brought him before the Sanhedrin. There they put up false witnesses to say, ‘This man is always making speeches against this Hol

THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER  FEAST OF SAINT JOSEPH  THE WORKER -  WORKERS DAY FIRST OF MAY First Reading Acts  5:27-32,40-41  We are witnesses to all this: we and the Holy Spirit The high priest demanded an explanation of the Apostles. ‘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.’   Readings   Lectures 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.’ They warned the apostles not to speak in the name of Jesus and released them. And so they left the presence of