7 June 2025 (Saturday) / Easter Weekday

7 June 2025 (Saturday)

Easter Weekday.

Readings from the Bible of the Roman Catholic Church:

First Reading: Acts 28: 16-20, 30-31

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 11: 4, 5 and 7

Alleluia: John 16: 7, 13

Gospel: John 21: 20-25

First Reading: Acts 28: 16-20, 30-31

And when we were come to Rome, Paul was suffered to dwell by himself, with a soldier that kept him. And after the third day, he called together the chief of the Jews. And when they were assembled, he said to them: Men, brethren, I, having done nothing against the people, or the custom of our fathers, was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans;

18 Who, when they had examined me, would have released me, for that there was no cause of death in me; But the Jews contradicting it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar; not that I had any thing to accuse my nation of. For this cause therefore I desired to see you, and to speak to you. Because that for the hope of Israel, I am bound with this chain. And he remained two whole years in his own hired lodging; and he received all that came in to him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, without prohibition.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 11: 4, 5 and 7

R. (7b) The just will gaze on your face, O Lord.

or

R. Alleluia.

The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord’s throne is in heaven. His eyes look on the poor man: his eyelids examine the sons of men.

R. The just will gaze on your face, O Lord.

or

R. Alleluia.

The Lord trieth the just and the wicked: but he that loveth iniquity hateth his own soul. For the Lord is just, and hath loved justice: his countenance hath beheld righteousness.

R. The just will gaze on your face, O Lord.

or

R. Alleluia.

Alleluia: John 16: 7, 13

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

7, 13 I will send to you the Spirit of truth, says the Lord; he will guide you to all truth.

(7. Still, I am telling you the truth: it is for your own good that I am going, because unless I go, the Paraclete will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.

13. However, when the Spirit of truth comes he will lead you to the complete truth, since he will not be speaking of his own accord, but will say only what he has been told; and he will reveal to you the things to come).

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel: John 21: 20-25

Peter turning about, saw that disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also leaned on his breast at supper, and said: Lord, who is he that shall betray thee? Him therefore when Peter had seen, he saith to Jesus: Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith to him: So I will have him to remain till I come, what is it to thee? follow thou me. This saying therefore went abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die. And Jesus did not say to him: He should not die; but, So I will have him to remain till I come, what is it to thee? This is that disciple who giveth testimony of these things, and hath written these things; and we know that his testimony is true. But there are also many other things which Jesus did; which, if they were written every one, the world itself, I think, would not be able to contain the books that should be written.

For our reflection today:

The Evangelist alerts us: he is bearing witness to the truth of the facts (cf. Jn 21:24). And it is in the facts that the truth is to be sought. We can ask ourselves: are we capable of preserving the tenor of this relationship of Jesus with the disciples, according to his style that is so open, so frank, so direct, so humanly real? How is our relationship with Jesus? Is it like this, like that of the Apostles with Him? Are we not, instead, very often tempted to enclose the testimony of the Gospel in the cocoon of a ‘sugar-coated’ revelation, to which is added our own circumstantial veneration? This attitude, which seems respectful, actually distances us from the real Jesus, and even becomes the occasion for a very abstract, very self-referential, very worldly journey of faith, which is not the path of Jesus. Jesus is the Word of God made man, and He comports Himself as man, He speaks to us as man, God-man. And when we want to insert ourselves into other people’s lives, Jesus answers, “What is that to you? Follow me”. Beautiful. (Pope Francis, General Audience, 22 June 2022)

Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,

Most High Servant,

Jesus, Mary, Joseph Ministry of Love (Blessed  and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)