God reaches out to us even though we stray; We should respond with thankfulness, service & courage (Readings for May 5, 2019 annotated)

Key:

What these scriptures tell us about God

What these scriptures tell us to do

Hyperlinks to additional resources

Reading 1    Acts 5:27-32, 40B-41

When the captain and the court officers had brought the apostles in
and made them stand before the Sanhedrin, the high priest questioned them, "We gave you strict orders, did we not, to stop teaching in that name?
Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and want to bring this man's blood upon us."

But Peter and the apostles said in reply, "We must obey God rather than men. The God of our ancestors raised Jesus, though you had him killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins. We are witnesses of these things, as is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him."

The Sanhedrin ordered the apostles to stop speaking in the name of Jesus, and dismissed them. So they left the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11-12, 13

R. (2a) I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
I will extol you, O LORD, for you drew me clear and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.
O LORD, you brought me up from the netherworld; you preserved mefrom among those going down into the pit.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
Sing praise to the LORD, you his faithful ones, and give thanks to his holy name.For his anger lasts but a moment; a lifetime, his good will.
At nightfall, weeping enters in, but with the dawn, rejoicing.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
Hear, O LORD, and have pity on me; O LORD, be my helper.
You changed my mourning into dancing; O LORD, my God, forever will I give you thanks.R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.

Reading 2  Revelation 5:11-14

I, John, looked and heard the voices of many angels who surrounded the throne and the living creatures and the elders.
They were countless in number, and they cried out in a loud voice:
"Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches, wisdom and strength, honor and glory and blessing."
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, everything in the universe, cry out:
"To the one who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor, glory and might, forever and ever."
The four living creatures answered, "Amen, "and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Christ is risen, creator of all; he has shown pity on all people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel  John 21:1-19

At that time, Jesus revealed himself again to his disciplesat the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself in this way.
Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus,
Nathanael from Cana in Galilee,
Zebedee's sons, and two others of his disciples.
Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing."
They said to him, "We also will come with you."
So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore; but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.
Jesus said to them, "Children, have you caught anything to eat?"
They answered him, "No."
So he said to them, "Cast the net over the right side of the boat
and you will find something."
So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in
because of the number of fish.
So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord."
When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord,
he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad,
and jumped into the sea.
The other disciples came in the boat,
for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards,
dragging the net with the fish.
When they climbed out on shore,
they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread.
Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish you just caught."
So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore
full of one hundred fifty-three large fish.
Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.
Jesus said to them, "Come, have breakfast."
And none of the disciples dared to ask him, "Who are you?"
because they realized it was the Lord.
Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them,
and in like manner the fish.
This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples
after being raised from the dead.

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter,
"Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?"
Simon Peter answered him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."
Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs."
He then said to Simon Peter a second time,
"Simon, son of John, do you love me?"
Simon Peter answered him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."
Jesus said to him, "Tend my sheep."
Jesus said to him the third time,
"Simon, son of John, do you love me?"
Peter was distressed that Jesus had said to him a third time,
"Do you love me?" and he said to him,
"Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you."
Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep.
Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger,
you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted;
but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands,
and someone else will dress you
and lead you where you do not want to go."
He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God.
And when he had said this, he said to him, "Follow me."

What these scriptures tell us about God

The God of our ancestors raised Jesus

God exalted him

to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins

the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him

you have rescued me.
you drew me clear and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.
you brought me up from the netherworld; you preserved me

you have you have rescued me.
his anger lasts but a moment; a lifetime, his good will.
you have rescued me
You changed my mourning into dancing

you have rescued me.

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches, wisdom and strength, honor and glory and blessing."
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, everything in the universe, cry out:
To the one who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor, glory and might, forever and ever.

Christ is risen

creator of all

he has shown pity on all people.

Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples
Jesus said to them, "Children, have you caught anything to eat?"
They answered him, "No."
So he said to them, "Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something." So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish.
When they climbed out on shore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread.
Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.
Jesus said to them, "Come, have breakfast."
Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them, and in like manner the fish.

What these scriptures tell us to do

We must obey God rather than men

rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.

praise you
I will extol you

praise you

Sing praise to the LORD

give thanks to his holy name.
praise you

forever will I give you thanks.
praise you

love me more than these
Feed my lambs
Tend my sheep
Feed my sheep
Follow me

John 14:1 & 14:27 annotated

Key:

What these scriptures tell us about God

What these scriptures tell us to do

What these scriptures tell us not to do

Hyperlink to other resources

John 14:1

 Do not let your hearts be troubled. You trust in God, trust also in me.

John 14:27

Peace I bequeath to you,  my own peace I give you, a peace which the world cannot give, this is my gift to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.

What these scriptures tell us about God

Peace I bequeath to you,

my own peace I give you

a peace which the world cannot give

my gift to you. 

What these scriptures tell us to do

trust in God, trust also in me

What these scriptures tell us not to do

let your hearts be troubled

let your hearts be troubled or afraid

See also the scriptures collected in Wisdom Principles--Fortitude

Philippians 4:4-9 annotated

Philippians 4:4-9

Key

What these scriptures tell us about God

What these scriptures tell us to do

What these scriptures tell us not to do

Hyperlinks to additional resources

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. ⁵Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. ⁶Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ⁸Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable,whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ⁹Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

What these scriptures tell us about God

The Lord is near

the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

the God of peace will be with you.

What these scriptures tell us to do

Rejoice in the Lord always

Rejoice

Let your gentleness be known

in everything by prayer

supplication

thanksgiving

let your requests be made known to God. 

think about these things (whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise) 

Keep on doing the things that you have learned 

What these scriptures tell us not to do

Do not worry about anything

See also the scriptures collected  in Wisdom Principles--Fortitude

God is good in ways that surpass human expectations; thank, praise & actively follow Him (reading for April 28, 2019)

Key:

What these scriptures tell us about God

What these scriptures tell us to do

Hyperlinks to additional resources

Reading 1  Acts 5:12-16

Many signs and wonders were done among the people
at the hands of the apostles.
They were all together in Solomon's portico.
None of the others dared to join them, but the people esteemed them.
Yet more than ever, believers in the Lord,
great numbers of men and women, were added to them.
Thus they even carried the sick out into the streets
and laid them on cots and mats
so that when Peter came by,
at least his shadow might fall on one or another of them.
A large number of people from the towns
in the vicinity of Jerusalem also gathered,
bringing the sick and those disturbed by unclean spirits,
and they were all cured.

Responsorial Psalm  Psalm 118: 2-4, 13-15, 22-24

R. (1) Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.
Let the house of Israel say,
"His mercy endures forever."
Let the house of Aaron say,
"His mercy endures forever."
Let those who fear the LORD say,
"His mercy endures forever."
R. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.
I was hard pressed and was falling,
but the LORD helped me.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
The joyful shout of victory
in the tents of the just:
R. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.
The stone which the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
it is wonderfulin our eyes.
This is the day the LORD has made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it.
R. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.

Reading 2  Revelation 1: 9-11A, 12-13, 17-19

I, John, your brother, who share with you
the distress, the kingdom, and the endurance we have in Jesus,
found myself on the island called Patmos
because I proclaimed God's word and gave testimony to Jesus.
I was caught up in spirit on the Lord's day
and heard behind me a voice as loud as a trumpet, which said,
"Write on a scroll what you see."
Then I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me,
and when I turned, I saw seven gold lampstands
and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man,
wearing an ankle-length robe, with a gold sash around his chest.

When I caught sight of him, I fell down at his feet as though dead.
He touched me with his right hand and said, "Do not be afraid.
I am the first and the last, the one who lives.
Once I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever.
I hold the keys to death and the netherworld.
Write down, therefore, what you have seen,
and what is happening, and what will happen afterwards."

Alleluia     John 20:29 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
You believe in me, Thomas, because you have seen me, says the Lord;
blessed are those who have not seen me, but still believe!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel    John 20:19-31

On the evening of that first day of the week,
when the doors were locked, where the disciples were,
for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you."
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you."
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,"Receive the Holy Spirit.
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,
and whose sins you retain are retained."

Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve,
was not with them when Jesus came.
So the other disciples said to him, "We have seen the Lord."
But he said to them,"Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands
and put my finger into the nailmarks
and put my hand into his side, I will not believe."

Now a week later his disciples were again inside
and Thomas was with them.
Jesus came, although the doors were locked,
and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you."
Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands,
and bring your hand and put it into my side,
and do not be unbelieving, but believe."
Thomas answered and said to him, "My Lord and my God!"
Jesus said to him, "Have you come to believe because you have seen me?Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed."

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples
that are not written in this book.
But these are written that you may come to believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,
and that through this belief you may have life in his name.

What these scriptures tell us about God

Many signs and wonders were done among the people at the hands of the apostles.
great numbers of men and women, were added to them.
A large number of people from the towns in the vicinity of Jerusalem also gathered, bringing the sick and those disturbed by unclean spirits, and they were all cured.

he is good

his love is everlasting.
His mercy endures forever
His mercy endures forever
His mercy endures forever
he is good

his love is everlasting.
I was hard pressed and was falling, but the LORD helped me.
My strength and my courage is the LORD, he has been my savior.
he is good

his love is everlasting.
The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
it is he is good

his love is everlasting.

the distress, the kingdom, and the endurance we have in Jesus,
one like a son of man,
I am the first and the last

the one who lives.
Once I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever.
I hold the keys to death and the netherworld.
blessed are those who have not seen me, but still believe!

Jesus came and stood in their midst
said to them, "Peace be with you."

he showed them his hands and his side.
Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you.As the Father has sent me, so I send you."
Receive the Holy Spirit.
Jesus came, although the doors were locked

stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you."
he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe."
Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book.
Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,
through this belief you may have life in his name.

What these scriptures tell us to do

Give thanks to the Lord 

Give thanks to the Lord 

shout of victory
Give thanks to the Lord

be glad

rejoice in it
Give thanks to the Lord

As the Father has sent me, so I send you.
Receive the Holy Spirit.
come to believe because you have seen me?
Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.
come to believe

Easter Sunday Readings, Annotated

Key:

What these scriptures tell us about God

What these scriptures tell us to do

Hyperlinks to additional resources

Reading 1 Acts 10:34, 37-43

Peter proceeded to speak and said:
"You know what has happened all over Judea,
beginning in Galilee after the baptism
that John preached,
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Spirit and power.
He went about doing good
and healingall those oppressed by the devil,
for God was with him.
We are witnesses of all that he did
both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem.
They put him to death by hanging him on a tree.
This man God raised on the third dayand granted that he be visible,
not to all the people, but to us,
the witnesses chosen by God in advance,
who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
He commissioned usto preach to the people
and testify that he is the one appointed by God
as judge of the living and the dead.
To him all the prophets bear witness,
that everyone who believes in him
will receive forgiveness of sins through his name."

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23

R. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
Let the house of Israel say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
R. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
“The right hand of the LORD has struck with power;
the right hand of the LORD is exalted.
I shall not die, but live,
and declare the works of the LORD.”
R. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
The stone which the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
it is wonderfulin our eyes.
R. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.

Reading 2  Colossians 3:1-4

Brothers and sisters:
If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above,
where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.
For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ your life appears,
then you too will appear with him in glory.

Sequence Victimae Paschali Laudes

Christians, to the Paschal Victim
    Offer your thankful praises!
A Lamb the sheep redeems;
    Christ, who only is sinless,
    Reconciles sinners to the Father.
Death and life have contended in that combat stupendous:
    The Prince of life, who died, reigns immortal.
Speak, Mary, declaring
    What you saw, wayfaring.
“The tomb of Christ, who is living,
    The glory of Jesus’ resurrection;
bright angels attesting,
    The shroud and napkin resting.
Yes, Christ my hope is arisen;
    to Galilee he goes before you.”
Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining.
    Have mercy, victor King, ever reigning!
    Amen. Alleluia.

Alleluia 1 Corinthians 5:7-8

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Christ, our paschal lamb, has been sacrificed; let us then feast with joy in the Lord.R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel John 20:1-9

On the first day of the week,
Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning,
while it was still dark,
and saw the stone removed from the tomb.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,
“They have taken the Lord from the tomb,
and we don’t know where they put him.”
So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter
and arrived at the tomb first;
he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in.
When Simon Peter arrived after him,
he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there,
and the cloth that had covered his head,
not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.
Then the other disciple also went in,
the one who had arrived at the tomb first,
and he saw and believed.
For they did not yet understand the Scripture
that he had to rise from the dead.

What these scriptures tell us about God

God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power.
He went about doing good and healing

God was with him.
This man God raised 
He commissioned us

he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead.
To him all the prophets bear witness
everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name

This is the day the Lord has made

he is good
his mercy endures forever
His mercy endures forever
This is the day the Lord has made

The right hand of the LORD has struck with power
the right hand of the LORD is exalted

This is the day the Lord has made

The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done
it is wonderful

This is the day the Lord has made

When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.

Christ, who only is sinless, reconciles sinners to the Father.
The Prince of life, who died, reigns immortal.
The glory of Jesus’ resurrection
Christ my hope is arisen
Christ indeed from death is risen

our new life obtaining
King, ever reigning!
Christ, our paschal lamb

What these scriptures tell us to do

believes in him

rejoice and be glad
rejoice and be glad
declare the works of the LORD
rejoice and be glad.

rejoice and be glad

seek what is above
Think of what is above

Offer your thankful praises!

feast with joy in the Lord

came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark
she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them
They both ran

he saw and believed.