First Reading

Acts 6:1-7 (JB)

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles

They elected seven men filled with the Spirit and wisdom.

About this time, when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenists made a complaint against the Hebrews: in the daily distribution their own widows were being overlooked. So the Twelve called a full meeting of the disciples and addressed them, ‘It would not be right for us to neglect the word of God so as to give out food; you, brothers, must select from among yourselves seven men of good reputation, filled with the Spirit and with wisdom; we will hand over this duty to them, and continue to devote ourselves to prayer and to the service of the word.’ The whole assembly approved of this proposal and elected Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, together with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus of Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

The word of the Lord continued to spread: the number of disciples in Jerusalem was greatly increased, and a large group of priests made their submission to the faith.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Acts 6:1-7 (NRSV)

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles

Now during those days,

when the disciples were increasing in number,

the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews

because their widows were being neglected

in the daily distribution of food.

And the twelve called together

the whole community of the disciples and said,

“It is not right that we should neglect the word of God

in order to wait on tables.

Therefore, friends,

select from among yourselves seven men of good standing,

full of the Spirit and of wisdom,

whom we may appoint to this task,

while we, for our part,

will devote ourselves to prayer and to serving the word.”

What they said pleased the whole community,

and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit,

together with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor,

Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a convert of Antioch.

They had these men stand before the apostles,

who prayed and laid their hands on them.

The word of God continued to spread;

the number of the disciples increased greatly in Jerusalem,

and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 32:1-2, 4-5, 18-19 (JB)

R. Lord, let your mercy be on us,

as we place our trust in you.

or

R. Alleluia.

Ring out your joy to the Lord, O you just;

for praise is fitting for loyal hearts.

Give thanks to the Lord upon the harp,

with a ten-stringed lute sing him songs. R.

For the word of the Lord is faithful

and all his works to be trusted.

The Lord loves justice and right

and fills the earth with his love. R.

The Lord looks on those who revere him,

on those who hope in his love,

to rescue their souls from death,

to keep them alive in famine. R.

Second Reading

1 Peter 2:4-9 (JB)

A reading from the first letter of St Peter

You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood.

The Lord is the living stone, rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him; set yourselves close to him so that you too, the holy priesthood that offers the spiritual sacrifices which Jesus Christ has made acceptable to God, may be living stones making a spiritual house. As scripture says: See how I lay in Zion a precious cornerstone that I have chosen and the man who rests his trust on it will not be disappointed. That means that for you who are believers, it is precious; but for unbelievers, the stone rejected by the builders has proved to be the keystone, a stone to stumble over, a rock to bring men down. They stumble over it because they do not believe in the word; it was the fate in store for them.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a people set apart to sing the praises of God who called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

1 Peter 2:4-9 (NRSV)

A reading from the first letter of Peter

Come to the Lord, a living stone,

though rejected by mortals

yet chosen and precious in God’s sight.

Like living stones,

let yourselves be built into a spiritual house,

to be a holy priesthood,

to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God

through Jesus Christ.

For it stands in scripture:

“See, I am laying in Zion a stone,

a cornerstone chosen and precious;

and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

To you then who believe, he is precious;

but for those who do not believe,

“The stone that the builders rejected

has become the very head of the corner,” and

“A stone that makes them stumble,

and a rock that makes them fall.”

They stumble because they disobey the word,

as they were destined to do.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood,

a holy nation, God’s own people,

in order that you may proclaim

the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness

into his marvellous light.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Gospel Acclamation

John 14:6 (JB)

Alleluia, alleluia!

I am the way, the truth, and the life, says the Lord;

no one comes to the Father, except through me.

Alleluia!

John 14:16 (NRSV)

Alleluia, alleluia!

I am the way, the truth, and the life, says the Lord;

no one comes to the Father, except through me.

Alleluia!

Gospel

John 14:1-12 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John

I am the way, the truth, and the life.

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘Do not let your hearts be troubled.

Trust in God still, and trust in me.

There are many rooms in my Father’s house;

if there were not, I should have told you.

I am now going to prepare a place for you,

and after I have gone and prepared you a place,

I shall return to take you with me;

so that where I am you may be too.

You know the way to the place where I am going.’

Thomas said, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going, so how can we know the way?’ Jesus said:

‘I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.

No one can come to the Father except through me.

If you know me, you know my Father too.

From this moment you know him and have seen him.’

Philip said, ‘Lord, let us see the Father and then we shall be satisfied.’ ‘Have I been with you all this time, Philip,’ said Jesus to him ‘and you still do not know me?

‘To have seen me is to have seen the Father,

so how can you say, “Let us see the Father”?

Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?

The words I say to you I do not speak as from myself:

it is the Father, living in me, who is doing this work.

You must believe me when I say

that I am in the Father and the Father is in me;

believe it on the evidence of this work, if for no other reason.

‘I tell you most solemnly,

whoever believes in me

will perform the same works as I do myself,

he will perform even greater works,

because I am going to the Father.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

John 14:1-12 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to John

Jesus said to his disciples:

“Do not let your hearts be troubled.

Believe in God, believe also in me.

In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.

If it were not so, would I have told you

that I go to prepare a place for you?

And if I go and prepare a place for you,

I will come again and will take you to myself,

so that where I am, there you may be also.

And you know the way to the place where I am going.”

Thomas said to him,

“Lord, we do not know where you are going.

How can we know the way?”

Jesus said to him,

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life.

No one comes to the Father except through me.

If you know me, you will know my Father also.

From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

Philip said to him,

“Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.”

Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip,

and you still do not know me?

Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.

How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?

The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own

but the Father who dwells in me does his works.

Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me;

but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves.

Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me

will also do the works that I do and, in fact,

will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.