Reading 1 Acts 15:1-6
“Unless you are circumcised according to the Mosaic practice,
you cannot be saved.”
Because there arose no little dissension and debate
by Paul and Barnabas with them,
it was decided that Paul, Barnabas, and some of the others
should go up to Jerusalem to the Apostles and presbyters
about this question.
They were sent on their journey by the Church,
and passed through Phoenicia and Samaria
telling of the conversion of the Gentiles,
and brought great joy to all the brethren.
When they arrived in Jerusalem,
they were welcomed by the Church,
as well as by the Apostles and the presbyters,
and they reported what God had done with them.
But some from the party of the Pharisees who had become believers
stood up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them
and direct them to observe the Mosaic law.”
The Apostles and the presbyters met together to see about this matter.
Responsorial Psalm PS 122:1-2, 3-4ab, 4cd-5
or:
R. Alleluia.
I rejoiced because they said to me,
“We will go up to the house of the LORD.”
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Jerusalem, built as a city
with compact unity.
To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
According to the decree for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
In it are set up judgment seats,
seats for the house of David.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Alleluia Jn 15:4a, 5b
Remain in me, as I remain in you, says the Lord;
whoever remains in me will bear much fruit.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Jn 15:1-8
Jesus said to his disciples:“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.
He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit,
and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.
You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you.
Remain in me, as I remain in you.
Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own
unless it remains on the vine,
so neither can you unless you remain in me.
I am the vine, you are the branches.
Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit,
because without me you can do nothing.
Anyone who does not remain in me
will be thrown out like a branch and wither;
people will gather them and throw them into a fire
and they will be burned.
If you remain in me and my words remain in you,
ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you.
By this is my Father glorified,
that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”
THE ULTIMATE SPRING CLEANING
"You are clean already, thanks to the word I have spoken to you." –John 15:3
We must let the Lord clean us so that we can bear fruit abundantly. If we don't let the Lord clean us "in the bath of water by the power of the word" (Eph 5:26), we will be thrown into the fire to be burned (Jn 15:6). "Blessed are the clean of heart" (Mt 5:8, our transl).
In nine days, we will begin praying the Pentecost novena. This can be a time of miraculous cleansing, leading to unprecedented fruitfulness. If we let the Lord have His way, this will probably be the greatest novena in history, with hundreds of millions of people praying together for a new coming of the Holy Spirit.
Try to clear your schedule as much as possible so that you can devote prime time to this novena. Inform others of this Pentecost novena and decide to pray together in your own upper rooms (see Acts 1:13-14). "If you, with all your sins, know how to give your children good things, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him" (Lk 11:13). Come, Holy Spirit!
| PRAYER: | Father, help me pray the greatest novena of my life. |
| PROMISE: | "Their story caused great joy." –Acts 15:3 |
| PRAISE: | Donald prepared for Pentecost with holy hours before the Blessed Sacrament. |
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