First Reading
Acts 8, 5-8.14-17
Philip went down to a town of Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. All the people
paid close attention to what Philip said as they listened to him and saw the miraculous
signs which he did. For in cases of possession, the unclean spirits came out shrieking
loudly. Many people who were paralyzed or crippled were healed. So there was great
joy in that town. Now, when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that the Samaritans had
accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. They went down and
prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for he had not as yet come
down upon any of them since they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord
Jesus. So Peter and John laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.
Responsorial Psalm
In you, O Lord, I seek refuge;
let me not be disgraced.
In your justice help me and deliver me,
turn your ear to me and save me!
Be my rock of refuge, a stronghold to give me safety,
for you are my rock and my fortress.
All the earth bows down to you,
making music in praise of you,
singing in honor of your name."
Come and see God's wonders,
his deeds awesome for humans.
He has turned the sea into dry land,
and the river was crossed on foot.
Let us, therefore, rejoice in him.
He rules by his might forever,
his eyes keeping watch on the peoples,
his arm holding the rebels in check.
All you who fear God, come and listen;
let me tell you what he has done.
May God be blessed!
He has not rejected my prayer;
nor withheld his love from me.
Second Reading
1 Pe 3, 15-18
Reverence the Lord Christ in your hearts and always have an answer ready when you
are called upon to account for your hope, but give it simply and with respect. Keep
your conscience clear so that those who slander you may be put to shame by your
upright, Christian living. Better to suffer for doing good, if it is God's will, than for
doing wrong. Remember how Christ died, once and for all, for our sins. He, the just
one, died for the unjust in order to lead us to God. He died as humans do, but was
raised to life by the Spirit.
Gospel
Jn 14,15-21
Jesus said to his disciples: If you love me, you will keep my commandments; and I
will ask the Father and he will give you another Helper to be with you forever, that
Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows
him. But you know him for he is with you and will be in you. I will not leave you
orphans, I am coming to you. A little while and the world will see me no more, but
you will see me because I live and you will also live. On that day you will know that I
am in my Father and you in me, and I in you. Whoever keeps my commandments is
the one who loves me. If he loves me, he will also be loved by my Father; I too shall
love him and show myself clearly to him."