Fifth Sunday of Easter (Year C)
First Reading - Acts 16.9-15a
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles.
During the night, Paul had a vision
of someone standing
and pleading with him, saying,
‘Come over to Macedonia, and help us.’
We immediately tried
to cross over
to Macedonia, convinced
that God had called us
to proclaim the gospel there.
We sailed direct from Troas
to the island of
Samo-thraki;
then the following day
to the coastal port
of Neapolis.
From there, we went inland
to Philippi, which is
the largest city
in Macedonia, and
a Roman colony;
and we remained there
for several days.
On the sabbath,
we went
out of the city,
to a place of prayer,
by the river,
and we sat down,
and spoke to the women who had gathered there.
Amongst them was Lydia,
a worshipper of God;
a dealer in purple cloth
from the city of Thya-tira.
The Lord opened
Lydia’s heart
to receive
Paul’s message.
She
and her entire household
were baptised.
And she invited us
to stay
at her home.
This is the word of the Lord.
Second Reading - Revelation 21.1-7
A reading from the book of Revelation.
Then I saw
a new heaven, and a new earth;
for the first heaven, and the first earth,
had passed away.
And I saw the holy city,
the new Jerusalem,
coming down, out of heaven, from God,
prepared as perfectly
as a bride
adorned
for her husband.
And I heard
a loud voice, from the throne, saying,
‘See, the home of God
is amongst mortals.
They will be my people,
and I will dwell amongst them.
I will wipe away
every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more; mourning
and crying and pain
will be no more.
See, I am making all things new.
Write this,
for these words
are trustworthy and true.
It is done!
I am the Alpha and the Omega,
the beginning and the end.
To the thirsty,
I will give water,
from the spring
of the water of life.
Those who conquer
will inherit these things,
and I will be their God,
and they will be my people.’
This is the word of the Lord.
Gospel - John 13.31a,33-35
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ
according to John.
As soon as Judas had left the supper,
Jesus said to his disciples:
‘The time has come
for the Son of Man
to be glorified.
I will be with you
only a little longer;
and where I am going,
you cannot come.
And now I give you a new commandment:
that you love one another
as I have loved you.
It is by this
that all will know
that you are my disciples -
if you have love
for one another.’
This is the Gospel of the Lord.