FIRST READING
“We cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 4:13-21)
In those days:
When the rulers and elders and scribes
saw the boldness of Peter and John,
and perceived that they were uneducated, common men,
they wondered;
and they recognized that they had been with Jesus.
But seeing the man that had been healed standing beside them,
they had nothing to say in opposition.
But when they had commanded them
to go aside out of the council,
they conferred with one another, saying,
“What shall we do with these men?
For that a notable sign has been performed through them
is manifest to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
and we cannot deny it.
But in order that it may spread no further among the people,
let us warn them to speak no more to any one in this name.”
So they called them and charged them
not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
But Peter and John answered them,
“Whether it is right in the sight of God
to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge;
for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”
And when they had further threatened them,
they let them go,
finding no way to punish them, because of the people;
for all men praised God for what had happened.
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Ps 118:1 and 14- I5ab.15c-18.19-21 (R. 21a)
R/. I will thank you, Lord, for you have answered me.
or: Alleluia.
Give praise to the Lord, for he is good;
his mercy endures forever.
The Lord is my strength and my song;
he was my saviour.
There are shouts of joy and salvation
in the tents of the just. R/.
“The Lord’s right hand has done mighty deeds;
his right hand is exalted.
The Lord’s right hand has done mighty deeds.”
I shall not die, I shall live
and recount the deeds of the Lord.
The Lord punished me, punished me severely,
but did not hand me over to death. R/.
R/. I will thank you, Lord, for you have answered me.
or: Alleluia.
Open to me the gates of justice:
I will enter and thank the Lord.
This is the Lord’s own gate,
where the just enter.
I will thank you, for you have answered,
and you are my Saviour. R/.
ALLELUIA
Psalm 118:24
V/. Alleluia. R/. Alleluia.
V/. This is the day the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
R/. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
“Go into all the world and preach the Gospel.”
† A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mark 16:9- 15)
When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week,
he appeared first to Mary Magdalene,
from whom he had cast out seven demons.
She went and told those who had been with him,
as they mourned and wept.
But when they heard that he was alive
and had been seen by her,
they would not believe it.
After this he appeared in another form to two of them,
as they were walking into the country.
And they went back and told the rest,
but they did not believe them.
Afterwards he appeared to the Eleven themselves
as they sat at table;
and he upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness
of heart, because they had not believed those
who saw him after he had risen.
And he said to them, “Go into all the world
and preach the gospel to the whole creation.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
