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First Reading: Acts 5:17-26
The High Priest and all his supporters, that is the party of the Sadducees, became very jealous of the apostles; so they arrested them and had them thrown into the public jail. But an angel of the Lord opened the door of the prison during the night, brought them out, and said to them, "Go and stand in the Temple court and tell the people the whole of this living message." Accordingly they entered the Temple at dawn and resumed their teaching.
When the High Priest and his supporters arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin, that is the full Council of the elders of Israel. They sent word to the jail to have the prisoners brought in. But when the Temple guards arrived at the jail, they did not find them inside, so they returned with the news, "We found the prison securely locked and the prison guards at their post outside the gate, but when we opened the gate, we found no one inside."
Upon hearing these words, the captain of the Temple guard and the high priests were baffled, wondering where all of this would end. Just then someone arrived with the report, "Look, those men whom you put in prison are standing in the Temple, teaching the people." Then the captain went off with the guards and brought them back, but without any show of force, for fear of being stoned by the people.
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9
R./ The Lord hears the cry of the poor. or Alleluia.
I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the Lord;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.
R./ The Lord hears the cry of the poor. or Alleluia.
Glorify the Lord with me,
let us together extol his name.
I sought the Lord, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
R./ The Lord hears the cry of the poor. or Alleluia.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the Lord heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.
R./ The Lord hears the cry of the poor. or Alleluia.
The angel of the Lord encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Taste and see how good the Lord is;
blessed the man who takes refuge in him.
R./ The Lord hears the cry of the poor. or Alleluia.
Gospel Reading: Jn 3:16-21
Jesus said to Nicodemus, "Yes, God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in him may not be lost, but may have eternal life. God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world; instead, through him the world is to be saved. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned. He who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the Name of the only Son of God.
"This is how the Judgment is made: Light has come into the world and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For whoever does wrong hates the light and doesn't come to the light for fear that his deeds will be shown as evil. But whoever lives according to the truth comes into the light so that it can be clearly seen that his works have been done in God."
Introduction
God sent his only Son into the world to save us. Salvation. Do we need salvation? We have become so self-sufficient and proud of our human achievements that we often think that salvation belongs to another world - not ours. But when in our sober moments we sit down and reflect, we have to face deeper realities: which achievements? For what? Have they made us happier? Have we made the world a better place to live in? And then we realize that we cannot do it alone. We need salvation - from ourselves, from our achievements, from our so-called progress. And then we become grateful for Jesus, not merely a person-for-others, but God's Son, who is with us and who can still get us out of the mess we are often making.
Opening Prayer
Lord our God,
you loved the world - that is us - so much
that you gave us your only Son
to save us from ourselves
and to give us eternal life.
Do not condemn us, Lord,
do not leave us to ourselves
and to our little schemes
but give us your Son now to stay with us
and to make love and justice and peace
ever new realities among us,
your people reborn in your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
General Intercessions
- That like God the Church may so love the world as to make Jesus known to all and giving him to all peoples far and near, we pray:
- That those who cannot believe in God because life is very hard on them, they may see God's love reflected in good people, we pray:
- That we may not condemn anyone, but accept people the way God accepts us, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord our God,
as your Son Jesus Christ is present here
and shares himself with us at his table,
may he also be present in our lives
and be the meaning of all we do.
May we learn from him
to do what we are incapable of when left to ourselves:
to forget injuries and to pardon enemies,
to be patient with those who do not understand,
to bring freedom to those who do not appreciate it.
Let Jesus work all this in us
for he is our Lord for ever.
Prayer after Communion
Lord, you hear the cries of the poor,
you sent your Son into the world
not to condemn it but to save it.
Give us the strength not to condemn
but to build up,
not to judge, but to heal and help,
not to curse, but to bless.
And when our clumsy efforts fail us,
remind us that your Son stays with us
and that he can do better, even through us,
than we could ever dare to expect.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord.
Blessing
God did not send Jesus into the world to condemn it. With Jesus and through him we are part of that plan. May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
