May 25, 2014

First Reading

Acts 8: 5-8, 14-17

8:5 Now Philip, descending to a city of Samaria, was preaching Christ to them.

8:6 And the crowd was listening intently and with one accord to those things which were being said by Philip, and they were watching the signs which he was accomplishing.

8:7 For many of them had unclean spirits, and, crying out with a loud voice, these departed from them.

8:8 And many of the paralytics and the lame were cured.

8:14 Now when the Apostles who were in Jerusalem had heard that Samaria had received the Word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.

8:15 And when they had arrived, they prayed for them, so that they might receive the Holy Spirit.

8:16 For he had not yet come to any among them, since they were only baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

8:17 Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

Second Reading

Peter 3: 15-18

3:15 But sanctify Christ the Lord in your hearts, being always ready to give an explanation to all who ask you the reason for that hope which is in you.

3:16 But do so with meekness and fear, having a good conscience, so that, in whatever matter they may slander you, they shall be confounded, since they falsely accuse your good behavior in Christ.

3:17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if it is the will of God, than for doing evil.

3:18 For Christ also died once for our sins, the Just One on behalf of the unjust, so that he might offer us to God, having died, certainly, in the flesh, but having been enlivened by the Spirit.

Gospel

John 14: 15-21

14:15 If you love me, keep my commandments.

14:16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give another Advocate to you, so that he may abide with you for eternity:

14:17 the Spirit of Truth, whom the world is not able to accept, because it neither perceives him nor knows him. But you shall know him. For he will remain with you, and he will be in you.

14:18 I will not leave you orphans. I will return to you.

14:19 Yet a little while and the world will not see me any longer. But you will see me. For I live, and you shall live.

14:20 In that day, you shall know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.

14:21 Whoever holds to my commandments and keeps them: it is he who loves me. And whoever loves me shall be loved by my Father. And I will love him, and I will manifest myself to him.”