23/05/2026
Saturday May 23, 2026
Weekday of Easter (7)
Vestment: White
Today’s Rosary: The Joyful Mysteries
FIRST READING
He lived in Rome, preaching the kingdom of God.
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 28:16-20.30-31)
When we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier that guarded him. After three days he called together the local leaders of the Jews; and when they had gathered, he said to them, “Brethren, though I had done nothing against the people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. When they had examined me, they wished to set me at liberty, because there was no reason for the death penalty in my case. But when the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar — though I had no charge to bring against my nation. For this reason therefore I have asked to see you and speak with you, since it is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.” And he lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ quite openly and unhindered.
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalms 11:4.5 and 7 (R. 7b)
R/. The upright shall behold your face, O Lord.
or: Alleluia.
The Lord is in His holy temple;
the throne of the Lord is in heaven.
His eyes behold the world;
His gaze probes the children of men. R/.
The Lord inspects the just and the wicked;
the lover of violence He hates.
For the Lord is just and loves deeds of justice;
the upright shall behold His face. R/.
ALLELUIA John 16:7.13
Alleluia. I will send the Spirit of truth to you, says the Lord; He will guide you into all the truth. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
“This is the disciple who has written these things, and his testimony is true.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (John 21:20-25)
At that time: Peter turned and saw following them the disciple whom Jesus loved, who had lain close to His breast at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!” The saying spread abroad among the brethren that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?” This is the disciple who is bearing witness to these things, and who has written these things; and we know that his testimony is true. But there are also many other things which Jesus did; were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.
The Gospel of the Lord.
TODAY’S REFLECTION
Not all that Jesus did and said is exhaustive in the Sacred Scripture because the scripture itself attested to this. The Gospel of John tells us that there are also many other things which Jesus did that no single book can contain (John 21:25). The Sacred Scripture is the written tradition. There is also the oral tradition. The scripture itself reveals it, “so then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth [oral tradition] or by letter [written tradition]” (2 Thess. 2:15). Let us hold firm to the traditions we received. Let us not be deceived by those who say, “Scripture alone”.
