Daily Readings for May 21, 2017

Sixth Sunday of Easter

1ST READING

The gift of the Holy Spirit was an important component of conversion in the early Church. Today, we must pray that the Holy Spirit manifests its grace, power and gifts in us. We need the Holy Spirit as individuals and as a Church.

Acts 8:5-8, 14-17

5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Christ to them. 6 With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing. 7 For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice, came out of many possessed people, and many paralyzed and crippled people were cured. 8 There was great joy in that city. 14 Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, 15 who went down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 for it had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.

P S A L M

Psalm 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20

R: Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

1 Shout joyfully to God, all the earth, 2 sing praise to the glory of his name; proclaim his glorious praise. 3 Say to God, “How tremendous are your deeds! (R) 4 Let all on earth worship and sing praise to you, sing praise to your name!” 5 Come and see the works of God, his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam. (R) 6 He has changed the sea into dry land; through the river they passed on foot; therefore let us rejoice in him. 7 He rules by his might forever. (R) 16 Hear now, all you who fear God, while I declare what he has done for me. 20 Blessed be God who refused me not my prayer or his kindness! (R)

2nd READING

St. Peter reminds us that we should be ready to tell the people why we have so much hope and joy in our life. We must explain the Gospel to them at a moment’s notice. We should prepare a short Gospel explanation and brief testimony on how the Gospel has changed our lives. Be prepared, Peter admonishes us.

1 Peter 3:15-18

15 Beloved: Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, 16 but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ may themselves be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that be the will of God, than for doing evil. 18 For Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous, that he might lead you to God. Put to death in the flesh, he was brought to life in the Spirit.

GOSPEL

Jesus will send an advocate to plead for us before our Father in heaven. This is a great blessing, but we seem to have forgotten about the Holy Spirit in our own spirituality. We are not encouraged enough to open our life to the power of the Spirit. The Church needs to fulfill its catechetical responsibility and educate the faithful about the powerful work of the Holy Spirit.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Whoever loves me will keep my word, says the Lord, and my Father will love him and we will come to him.

John 14:15-21

15 Jesus said to his disciples: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows him. But you know him, because he remains with you, and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. 19 In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me, because I live and you will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you. 21 Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”