SATURDAY  13  MAY

Saint John the Silent

Our LADY OF FATIMA

Also known as St John the Hesychast he was a Christian saint known for living alone for seventy-six years. He was given the surname because he loved recollection and silence.

Entrance Antiphon: Col 2: 12

You have been buried with Christ in Baptism, through which you also rose again by faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead, alleluia.

Collect

Almighty and eternal God, who, through the regenerating power of Baptism, have been pleased to confer on us heavenly life, grant, we pray, that those you render capable of immortality by justifying them may by your guidance attain the fullness of glory. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

First reading: Acts 16:1-10

From Cilicia Paul went to Derbe, and then on to Lystra. Here there was a disciple called Timothy, whose mother was a Jewess who had become a believer; but his father was a Greek. The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of Timothy, and Paul, who wanted to have him as a travelling companion, had him circumcised. This was on account of the Jews in the locality where everyone knew his father was a Greek. As they visited one town after another, they passed on the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem, with instructions to respect them. So the Churches grew strong in the faith, as well as growing daily in numbers. They travelled through Phrygia and the Galatian country, having been told by the Holy Spirit not to preach the word in Asia. When they reached the frontier of Mysia they thought to cross it into Bithynia, but as the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them, they went through Mysia and came down to Troas. One night Paul had a vision: a Macedonian appeared and appealed to him in these words, “Come across to Macedonia and help us.” Once he had seen this vision we lost no time in arranging a passage to Macedonia, convinced that God had called us to bring them the Good News.

Psalm 99:1-3, 5

R/ Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth.

Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing for joy.

Know that he, the Lord, is God. He made us, we belong to him. We are his people, the sheep of his flock.

Indeed, how good is the Lord, eternal his merciful love. He is faithful from age to age.

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia, alleluia! The Lord, who hung for us upon the tree, has risen from the tomb. Alleluia!

Gospel: John 15:18-21

Jesus said to his disciples: “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me before you. If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you do not belong to the world, because my choice withdrew you from the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the words I said to you: A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you too; if they kept my word, they will keep yours as well. But it will be on my account that they will do all this, because they do not know the one who sent me.”

Prayer over the Offerings

Accept in compassion, Lord, we pray, the offerings of your family, that under your protective care, they may never lose what they have received, but attain the gifts that are eternal. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon: Jn 17: 20-21

Father, I pray for them, that they may be one in us, so that the world may believe it was you who sent me, says the Lord, alleluia.

Prayer after Communion

Keep safe, O Lord, we pray, those whom you have saved by your kindness, that, redeemed by the Passion of your Son, they may rejoice in his Resurrection. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.

Meditation

Being a follower of Jesus sometimes means making unpopular choices. Am I ready to stand up and be counted as a Christian? Maybe there is something I need to do or say now as a Christian, but I am afraid to do. So I ask Jesus now for courage. I remind myself that it is only human to refrain from taking a position that others may not like. Maybe I have failed to do this in the past. I speak honestly to Jesus about it, knowing that he loves me no matter how I have behaved, just as he continued to love his friend Peter even after Peter denied him.