17 MAY  Mon Easter Weekday Acts 19:1-8/Jn 16:29-33 

18 Tue Easter Weekday [Saint John I, Pope and Martyr] Acts 20:17-27/Jn 17:1-11a

19 Wed Easter Weekday Acts 20:28-38/Jn 17:11b-19 

20 Thu Easter Weekday [Saint Bernardine of Siena, Priest] Acts 22:30; 23:6-11/Jn 17:20-26

21 Fri Easter Weekday [Saint Christopher Magallanes, Priest, and Companions, Martyrs]

Acts 25:13b-21/Jn 21:15-19 

22 Sat Easter Weekday Saint Rita of Cascia] Acts 28:16-20, 30-31/Jn 21:20-25 

23 SUN PENTECOST SUNDAY Solemnity

Vigil: Gn 11:1-9 or Ex 19:3-8a, 16-20b or Ez 37:1-14 or Jl 3:1-5/Rom 8:22-27/Jn 7:37-39 

Day: Acts 2:1-11/1 Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13 or Gal 5:16-25/Jn 20:19-23 or Jn 15:26-27; 16:12-15 

This week, from May 16 to 24, Catholics everywhere are uniting to take the next steps in our journey toward better care of creation, as Pope Francis has urged us in his encyclical Laudato si’, issued  May 24, 2015. Here’s Pope Francis :

For this week’s homily, please play the video file below:

Catholics everywhere are uniting May 16-24 to take the next steps in our groundbreaking journey toward better care of creation. You are called to join us.

We hope to join in the important week from this humble blog. Take a look at what’s being planned

Source: Laudato Si’ Week

May 10 Mon Easter Weekday. [Saint John of Ávila, Priest and Doctor of the Church; USA: Saint Damien de Veuster, Priest] Acts 16:11-15/Jn 15:26—16:4a 

11 Tue Easter Weekday Acts 16:22-34/Jn 16:5-11 

12 Wed Easter Weekday [Saints Nereus and Achilleus, Martyrs; Saint Pancras, Martyr] Acts 17:15, 22—18:1/Jn 16:12-15 

 13 Thu THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD Solemnity Acts 1:1-11/Eph 1:17-23 or Eph 4:1-13 or 4:1-7, 11-13/Mk 16:15-20 

14 Fri Saint Matthias, Apostle  Feast Acts 1:15-17, 20-26/Jn 15:9-17

15 Sat Easter Weekday [USA: Saint Isidore] Acts 18:23-28/Jn 16:23b-28

16 SUN SEVENTH SUNDAY OF EASTER Acts 1:15-17, 20a, 20c-26/1 Jn 4:11-16/Jn 17:11b-19 

The Feast of the Ascension is celebrated on Thursday this week in the Eastern United States where I live but on Sunday in the western dioceses. Better to celebrate this feast at the same time, I think.

In the Acts of the Apostles, Paul takes the stage at Athens, the intellectual capitol of the Roman world, but his words chosen carefully are met mostly with rejection or curiosity. “We would like to hear you some other time.” (Wednesday)

Friday is the feast of St. Matthias, chosen to be an apostle to take the place of Judas who betrayed the Lord.

On Friday the ordinary readings tell us that Paul after his rejection at Athens,  gets a better reception in Corinth, not far from Athens, but worlds away from the proud self sufficient city. “Do not be afraid. Go on speaking, and do not be silent, for I am with you.” Jesus says to Paul in a vision. 

In the reading from Acts on Saturday, Luke reminds us that Paul had great people with him like Priscilla and Aquila, the wife and husband, who instruct Apollos, a good speaker but weak in his theology.  “When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the Way of God more accurately.”

Some time ago I told a cousin of mine recently who wasn’t sure about a sermon she heard in church. “You may be right and he’s wrong.”

For this week’s homily, please play the video file below:

For this week’s homily please watch the video below.