Seventh Sunday of Easter (Year B)
First Reading - Acts 15.12-20,29
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles.
After Peter had spoken,
the whole assembly listened in silence
as Paul and Barnabas
told of all the signs and wonders
that God had done
through them
amongst the Gentiles.
When Paul and Barnabas
had finished speaking,
James responded,
saying, ‘We have heard today
that God has begun to call,
from amongst the Gentiles, a people
to be known by God’s name.
And this was foretold in the scriptures,
where God declares, “I will return, to rebuild
the city of David from its ruins,
that all may seek the Lord, including
the Gentiles I will call by my name.”
So I also conclude
that we should not
place burdens
on the Gentiles who are turning to God,
but should write to them, telling them only
to abstain from sexual immorality,
from idolatry,
and from meat with the blood still in it;
and that we impose
upon them
no further burden than these.’
This is the word of the Lord.
Second Reading - 1 John 4.11-12,16b,18-21
A reading from the first letter of John.
My brothers and sisters,
as God has loved us,
so we should love one another.
No one has ever seen God;
and yet, if we love one another,
God lives in us,
and God’s love
is perfected in us.
God is love,
and those who live in love
live in God, and God lives in them.
There is no fear in love,
for perfect love
casts out all fear.
We love
because God first loved us.
No one can claim
to love the God we cannot see
if they hate the brother or sister they can see.
So we have this command from God:
that those who love God
must also love their brothers and sisters.
This is the word of the Lord.
Gospel - John 17.6-19
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ
according to John.
Jesus looked up to heaven, and said,
‘Father, I have made your name known
to those you gave me
from the world.
They were yours,
and you gave them to me;
and they have trusted your word.
They know
that everything I have
comes from you.
I have passed on to them
the words that you gave to me,
and they have received and trusted them.
And they know that I myself
came from you.
I pray for them now;
praying not for the whole world,
but for those you have given to me,
because they are yours,
and they have honoured me.
Now I am departing from the world,
to return to you;
but they will remain in the world.
Father, protect them,
for the honour of your name,
the name that you entrusted to me.
May they be one,
as we are one.
While I have been with them,
I have protected them,
and none has been lost,
(except the son of destruction,
as the scriptures foretold).
And now, I am coming to you.
And my prayer
is that they come to know
within themselves
the fullness of my joy.
The world has hated them
because they do not
belong to the world,
just as I do not
belong to the world.
I am not asking you
to take them out of the world,
but I ask you to protect them
from all evil and harm.
You sent me
into the world;
and now I send them
into the world.
Father, make them holy
in the truth of your word.
It is for their sake
that I offer myself up
entirely to you.
May they also
be entirely yours.’
This is the Gospel of the Lord.