April 28, 2024 - Fifth Sunday of Easter (Year B)

First Reading - Acts 9:26-31

    When Saul arrived in Jerusalem he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.

    Then Barnabas took charge of him and brought him to the apostles, and he reported to them how he had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus.

    Saul moved about freely with them in Jerusalem, and spoke out boldly in the name of the Lord. He also spoke and debated with the Hellenists, but they tried to kill him. And when the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him on his way to Tarsus.

    The Church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace. It was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord, and with the consolation of the Holy Spirit it grew in numbers.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 22

R –I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people! 

* I will fulfill my vows before those who fear the Lord. The lowly shall eat their fill. They who seek the Lord shall praise him: “May your hearts live forever!” R.

* All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord. All the families of the nations shall bow down before him. R.

* To him alone shall bow down all who sleep in the earth. Before him shall bend all who go down into the dust. R.

* And to him my soul shall live. My descendants shall serve him. Let the coming generation be told of the Lord, that they may proclaim to a people yet to be born the justice he has shown. R. 

Second Reading - 1 Jn 3:18-24

    Children, let us love not just in word or speech but in deed and truth. Now this is how we shall know that we belong to the truth and reassure our hearts before him in whatever our hearts condemn, for God is greater than our hearts and knows everything.

    Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confi- dence in God and receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.

    And his commandment is this: we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as he commanded us. Those who keep his commandments re- main in him, and he in them, and the way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit he gave us.

Gospel Acclamation - Jn 15:4.5

Alleluia! Alleluia! 
“Remain in me as I remain in you,” says the Lord. “Whoever remains in me will bear much fruit.” 

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 every one 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.” 

April 21, 2024 4th Sunday of Easter (Year B)

 

First Reading - Acts 4:8-12

    Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said: “Leaders of the people and Elders: If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a cripple, namely, by what means he was saved, then all of you and all the people of Israel should know that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene whom you crucified, and whom God raised from the dead. It is in his name that this man stands before you healed.

    He is ‘the stone rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.’ There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.”

Responsorial Psalm - Ps 118

R –The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone! 

* Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes. R 

* I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me and have been my savior. The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. By the Lord has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes. R.

* Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; we bless you from the house of the Lord. I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me and have been my savior. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his kindness endures forever. R. 

Second Reading - 1 Jn 3:1-2 

    Beloved: See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

    Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 

Gospel Acclamation Jn 10:14

Alleluia! Alleluia!
“I am the good shepherd,” says the Lord;
“I know my sheep, and mine know me.”
Alleluia! Alleluia!

Gospel - Jn 10:11-18 

    Jesus said: “I am the Good Shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep.

    I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Fa- ther; and I will lay down my life for the sheep.

    I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd.

    This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again. This command I have received from my Father.” 

1April 14, 2024 - Third Sunday of Easter (Year B)

 

First Reading - Acts 3:13-15.17-19

    Peter said to the people: “The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and denied in Pilate’s presence when he had decided to release him.

    You denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. The Author of Life you put to death, but God raised him from the dead. Of this we are witnesses.

    Now I know, brothers, that you acted out of ignorance, just as your leaders did; but God has thus brought to fulfillment what he had announced before- hand through the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer.

    Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away.”

Responsorial Psalm - Ps 4

R - Lord, let your face shine on us!

* When I call, answer me, O my just God, you who relieve me when I am in distress; have pity on me, and hear my prayer! R.

* Know that the Lord does wonders for his faithful one; the Lord will hear me when I call upon him. R.

* O Lord, let the light of your countenance shine upon us! You put gladness into my heart. R.

* As soon as I lied own, I fall peacefully asleep, for you alone, O Lord, bring security to my dwelling.

Second Reading - 1 Jn 2:1-5

    My children, I am writing this to you so that you may not commit sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous One. He is expiation for our sins, and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world.

    The way we may be sure that we know him is to keep his commandments. Those who say, “I know him,” but do not keep his commandments are liars, and the truth is not in them.

    But whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him.

Gospel Acclamation - Lk 24:32

Alleluia! Alleluia!
Lord Jesus, open the Scriptures to us; make our hearts burn while you speak to us.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

Gospel - Lk 24:35-48 

    The two disciples recounted what had taken place on the way, and how Jesus was made known to them in the breaking of bread.

    While they were still speaking about this, he stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost. Then he said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.” And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed, he asked them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of baked fish. He took it and ate it in front of them.

    He said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. And he said to them, “Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.”

April 7, 2024 - Second Sunday of Easter (Year B)

 

First Reading - Acts 4:32-35

    The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common.

    With great power, the apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great favor was accorded them all.

    There was no needy person among them, for those who owned property or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale, and put them at the feet of the apostles, and hey were distributed to each according to need.

Responsorial Psalm - Ps 118

R - 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.

* 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.

* The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. By the Lord has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes. This is the day the Lord has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it. R.

Second Reading - 1 Jn 5:1-6 

    Beloved: Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is begotten by God, and everyone who loves the Father loves also the one begotten by him.

    In this way we know that we love the children of God when we love God and obey his commandments. For the love of God is this: that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For whoever is begotten by God conquers the world. And the victory that conquers the world is our faith. Who indeed is the victor over the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

    This is the one who came through water and blood: Jesus Christ. Not by water alone, but by water and blood. The Spirit is the one that testifies, and the Spirit is truth. 

Gospel Acclamation - Jn 20:29

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! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Gospel - Jn 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 nail-marks 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. 

March 31, 2024 - Easter Sunday

 

First Reading - 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 healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are wit- nesses 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 day and 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 us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. T o him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Responsorial Psalm Ps 118

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.

* 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.

* The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. By the Lord has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes. R.

Second Reading - Col 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

C –With the ancient poet, let us proclaim the joy of Mary Magdalene at Jesus’ resurrection.

All –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. Y es, 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!

Gospel Acclamation - 1 Cor 5:7-8 

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

Gospel - Jn 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, who had arrived at the tomb first, also went in. He saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead. 

March 24, 2024 - PASSION/PALM SUNDAY / "ALAY KAPWA" SUNDAY (Year B)

 

Part 1: COMMEMORATION OF THE LORD’S ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM

Opening Antiphon

Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel. 
Hosanna in the highest.

Gospel - Mk 11:1-10 

    When Jesus and his disciples drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately on entering it, you will find a colt tethered on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone should say to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ reply, ‘The Master has need of it and will send it back here at once.’ ”

    So they went off and found a colt tethered at a gate outside on the street, and they untied it. Some of the bystanders said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” They answered them just as Jesus had told them to, and they permitted them to do it.

    So they brought the colt to Jesus and put their cloaks over it. And he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. Those preceding him as well as those following kept crying out: “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our father Da- vid that is to come! Hosanna in the highest!” 

Part 2: THE MASS

First Reading - Is 50:4-7 

    The Lord God has given me a well-trained tongue, that I might know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them.

    Morning after morning he opens my ear that I may hear; and I have not rebelled, have not turned back.

    I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard. My face I did not shield from buffets and spitting.

    The Lord God is my help, therefore I am not disgraced. I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame. 

Responsorial Psalm - Ps 22 

R –My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? 

* All who see me scoff at me; they mock me with parted lips, they wag their heads: “He relied on the Lord; let him deliver him, let him rescue him, if He loves him.” R.

* Indeed, many dogs surround me, a pack of evildoers closes in upon me. They have pierced my hands and my feet; I can count all my bones. R.

* They divide my garments among them, and for my vesture they cast lots. But you, O Lord, be not far from me; O my help, hasten to aid me! R.

* I will proclaim your name to my brethren; in the midst of the assembly I will praise you: “You who fear the Lord, praise him; all you descendants of Jacob, give glory to him; revere him, all you descendants of Israel!” R.

Second Reading - Phil 2:6-11 

    Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness. And found human in appearance, he hum bled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

    Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 

Verse before the Gospel

All –(Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory!)

Christ became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name. 

(Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory!) 

Gospel - Mk 15:1-39 

Characters: J: Jesus; N1: First Narrator; N2: Second Narrator; P: Pilate; C: Crowd, Chief priests; S: Soldier/Centurion

P – The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark

N1 –As soon as morning came, the chief priests, with the elders and the scribes, that is, the whole Sanhedrin, held a council. They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. Pilate questioned him, 

P –“Are you the king of the Jews?”

(N1 –He said to him in reply,)
J –“You say so.”
N2 –The chief priests accused him of many things. Again Pilate questioned him,
P –“Have you no answer? See how many things they accuse you of.”
N2 –Jesus gave him no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.
N1 –Now on the occasion of the feast Pilate used to release to them one prisoner whom they requested. A man called Barabbas was then in prison along with the rebels who had committed murder in a rebellion. The crowd came forward and began to ask Pilate to do for them as he was accustomed. 

N2 –Pilate answered,
P –“Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?”
N1 –For he knew that it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed him over. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas for them instead.

Pilate again said to them in reply,

P –“Then what do you want me to do with the man you call the king of the Jews?”
(N1 –They shouted repeatedly,) 

C –“Crucify him!”

(N1 –Pilate said to them,)
P –“Why? What evil has he done?”
N1 –They only shouted the louder,
C –“Crucify him!”
N2 –So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas to them and, after he had Jesus scourged, handed him over to be crucified.

N2 –The soldiers led him away inside the palace, that is, the praetorium, and assembled the whole cohort. They clothed him in purple and, weaving a crown of thorns, placed it on him. They began to salute him with,

S –“Hail, King of the Jews!” 

N2 –and kept striking his head with a reed and spitting upon him. They knelt before him in homage.

And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak, dressed him in his own clothes, and led him out to crucify him.
N1 –They pressed into service a passerby, Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. They brought him to the place called Golgotha – which is translated “Place of the Skull.”

They gave him wine drugged with myrrh, but he did not take it. Then they crucified him and divided his gar- ments by casting lots for them to see what each should take.

It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him. 

N2 –The inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.” With him they crucified two revolutionaries, one on his right and one on his left.

Those passing by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying,
C –“Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself by coming down from the cross!” 

N1 –Likewise the chief priests, with the scribes, mocked him among themselves and said,
C –“He saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe!” 

N2 –Those who were crucified with him also kept abusing him.

At noon darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice,

J –“Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?”
N2 –which is translated,
J –“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
N2 –Some of the bystanders who heard it said,
C –“Look, he is calling Elijah.”
N1 – One of them ran, soaked a sponge with wine, put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink, saying,
C –“Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to take him down.”
N1 –Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last.

(All kneel and pause for a while.)

The veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. When the centurion who stood facing him saw how Jesus breathed his last he said, 

S –“Truly this man was the Son of God!” 

March 17, 2024 - FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT (Year B)

 

First Reading - Jer 31:31-34

    The days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.

    It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers the day I took them by the hand to lead them forth from the land of Egypt; for they broke my covenant, and I had to show myself their master, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord. I will place my law within them and write it upon their hearts. I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer will they have need to teach their friends and relatives how to know the Lord. All, from least to greatest, shall know me, says the Lord, for I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sin no more.

Responsorial Psalm - Ps 51

R – Create a clean heart in me, O God! 

* Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense. Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me. R.

* A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me. Cast me not out from your presence, and your Holy Spirit take not from me. R.

* Give me back the joy of your salvation, and a willing spirit sustain in me. I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners shall return to you. R.

Second Reading - Heb 5:7-9 

In the days when Christ Jesus was in the flesh, he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the One who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.

Son though he was, Jesus learned obedience from what he suffered. And when he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.

Verse before the Gospel

All –(Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory!)

Whoever serves me must follow me, says the Lord; and where I am, there also will my servant be. 
(Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory!) 

Gospel - Jn 12:20-33 

Some Greeks who had come to worship at the Passover Feast came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we would like to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.

Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and who- ever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.

I am troubled now. Yet what should I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!” 

March 10, 2024 - 4TH SUNDAY OF LENT / LAETARE SUNDAY (Year B)

 

First Reading - 2 Chr 36:14-16. 19-23

    In those days, all the princes of Judah, the priests, and the people added infidelity to infidelity, practising all the abominations of the nations and polluting the Lord’s temple which he had consecrated in Jerusalem.

    Early and often did the Lord, the God of their fathers, send his messengers to them, for he had compassion on his people and his dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God, despised his warnings, and scoffed at his prophets, until the anger of the Lord against his people was so inflamed that there was no remedy. Their enemies burned the house of God, tore down the walls of Jerusalem, set all its palaces afire, and destroyed all its precious objects. Those who escaped the sword were carried captive to Babylon, where they became servants of the king of the Chaldeans and his sons un- til the kingdom of the Persians came to power. All this was to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah: “Until the land has retrieved its lost sabbaths, during all the time it lies waste it shall have rest while seventy years are fulfilled.” 

    In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord inspired King Cyrus of Persia to issue this proclamation throughout his kingdom, both by word of mouth and in writing: “Thus says Cyrus, king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth the Lord, the God of heaven, has given to me, and he has also charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever, therefore, among you belongs to any part of his people, let him go up, and may his God be with him!”

Responsorial Psalm - Ps 137

R–Let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you! 

 By the streams of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion. On the aspens of that land we hung up our harps. R.

* For there our captors asked of us the lyrics of our songs, and our despoilers urged us to be joyous: “Sing for us the songs of Zion!” R.

* How could we sing a song of the Lord in a foreign land? If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand be forgotten! R.

* May my tongue cleave to my palate if I remember you not, if I place not Jerusalem  ahead of my joy. R. 

Second Reading - Eph 2:4-10

    Brothers and sisters:

    God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love he had for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ. By grace you have been saved. He raised us up with him, and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

    For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so no one may boast.

    For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them. 

Verse before the Gospel

All –(Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory!)

God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so everyone who believes in him might have eternal life.
(Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory!) 

Gospel - Jn 3:14-21 

    Jesus said to Nicodemus:

    “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

    For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

    Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, be- cause he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

    And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.