“… 6 the apostles[a] learned of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding country; 7 and there they continued proclaiming the good news.
Paul and Barnabas in Lystra and Derbe
8 In Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet and had never walked, for he had been crippled from birth. 9 He listened to Paul as he was speaking. And Paul, looking at him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, 10 said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And the man[b] sprang up and began to walk. 11 When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!” 12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. 13 The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city,[c] brought oxen and garlands to the gates; he and the crowds wanted to offer sacrifice. 14 When the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting, 15 “Friends,[d] why are you doing this? We are mortals just like you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. 16 In past generations he allowed all the nations to follow their own ways; 17 yet he has not left himself without a witness in doing good—giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, and filling you with food and your hearts with joy.” 18 Even with these words, they scarcely restrained the crowds from offering sacrifice to them. …”
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+14:6-18&version=NRSVCE;NR2006;SCH2000;ERV-HU;BDS
“The Lord wants us to be intimate with Him”
http://www.tlig.org/en/messages/1155/
John Paul II. and Patriarch Teoktist
The Book of Truth:
“
Mother of Salvation: As Christians, you must prepare to fight for your Faith.
My dear children, the suffering, which my Son endures, because of the sins of man, is intense at this time. The hatred against Him and His Most Holy Word – as contained in the Most Holy Bible – is manifested within the hearts of many people and this includes the false religions, where they do not acknowledge the Triune God, as well as those who profess to be Christians.
Every sin that is committed hurts my Son and every mortal sin is felt as a vicious blow inflicted upon His Body. For every act of heresy committed, it is as if another thorn is plunged into the Crown of Pain, which He already endures. As my Son’s suffering increases, at a time when every sin against God will be denied, so also will the suffering of true Christians increase.
While suffering is a terrible thing and while the pain of those who defend His Word is beyond endurance, it can be the way to become more intimate with my Son. If you accept suffering as a blessing, rather than see it as a curse, you will understand how my Son uses it to defeat the power of the evil one. When you accept the pain of abuse and ridicule, which you can always expect when you walk in union with my Son, many Graces are given to you. Not only will such pain make you stronger, but my Son will reveal to you His Compassion for others, whose sins He can wash away, because of your sacrifice for Him.
So many people do not realize that when you develop a closeness with my Son, and when He resides in certain souls, that this will always result in pain for those who agree to take up His Cross. My Son can only truly immerse Himself in the souls, which are open to Him and who are without pride, malice or self-love. But as soon as He resides fully in such souls, the Light of His Presence will be felt by many with whom they come into contact. They will draw others into becoming disciples of my Son. They will also become targets for the evil one, who will fight hard to draw them away from my Son. When the evil one fails to tempt these souls, his fight against them will become even fiercer and he will infest others in order to attack them; abuse them and slander them.
It is important that all Christians remain alert to the plans which have been drawn up by Satan, to devour the souls of those who love and serve my Son. He craves these souls more than any others and will never be satisfied until they succumb to his temptations.
As Christians, you must prepare to fight for your Faith, because everything you hold dear to your hearts will be stripped away, layer by layer. You must seek the Sacrament of Reconciliation as never before, because without it, you will find it impossible to withstand the infestation that is being wielded in the world at this time against Christianity.
Remind yourselves, dear children, of everything that my Son taught you, because His Word is to be challenged until it will become unrecognisable. Come and ask me, your beloved Mother, the Mother of Salvation, to pray for each one of you, so that you can remain loyal to the Truth, by reciting this Prayer to defend your Faith.
Crusade Prayer (151) To Defend the Faith:
O Mother of God, Immaculate Heart of Mary, Mother of Salvation, pray that we remain loyal to the True Word of God at all times. Prepare us to defend the Faith, to uphold the Truth and to reject heresy.
Protect all your children in times of hardship and give each of us the Graces to be courageous when we are challenged to reject the Truth and renounce your Son.
Pray, Holy Mother of God, that we are given the Divine Intervention to remain Christians, in accordance with the Holy Word of God. Amen.
You are each blessed with great courage when you recite this Crusade Prayer. Go in peace, my children, to love and serve my Son, Jesus Christ.
Your beloved Mother
Mother of Salvation”
“ ”
Paul Defends Himself before Agrippa
26.1 Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and began to defend himself:
2 “I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, 3 because you are especially familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews; therefore I beg of you to listen to me patiently.
4 “All the Jews know my way of life from my youth, a life spent from the beginning among my own people and in Jerusalem. 5 They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that I have belonged to the strictest sect of our religion and lived as a Pharisee.
…
Paul Tells of His Conversion
12 “With this in mind, I was traveling to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests, 13 when at midday along the road, your Excellency,[c] I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and my companions. 14 When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew[d] language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It hurts you to kick against the goads.’ 15 I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ The Lord answered, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 But get up and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you to serve and testify to the things in which you have seen me[e] and to those in which I will appear to you. 17 I will rescue you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you 18 to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
Paul Tells of His Preaching
19 “After that, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout the countryside of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God and do deeds consistent with repentance. …“
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+26&version=NRSVCE;NR2006;SCH2000;ERV-HU;BDS
—-
Roman Catholic:
“
Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Easter
Lectionary: 287
Reading 1 Acts 15:1-6
“Unless you are circumcised according to the Mosaic practice,
you cannot be saved.”
Because there arose no little dissension and debate
by Paul and Barnabas with them,
it was decided that Paul, Barnabas, and some of the others
should go up to Jerusalem to the Apostles and presbyters
about this question.
They were sent on their journey by the Church,
and passed through Phoenicia and Samaria
telling of the conversion of the Gentiles,
and brought great joy to all the brethren.
When they arrived in Jerusalem,
they were welcomed by the Church,
as well as by the Apostles and the presbyters,
and they reported what God had done with them.
But some from the party of the Pharisees who had become believers
stood up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them
and direct them to observe the Mosaic law.”The Apostles and the presbyters met together to see about this matter.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 122:1-2, 3-4ab, 4cd-5
or:
R. Alleluia.
I rejoiced because they said to me,
“We will go up to the house of the LORD.”
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Jerusalem, built as a city
with compact unity.
To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
According to the decree for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
In it are set up judgment seats,
seats for the house of David.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Alleluia Jn 15:4a, 5b
Remain in me, as I remain in you, says the Lord;
whoever remains in me will bear much fruit.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Jn 15:1-8
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.
He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit,
and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.
You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you.
Remain in me, as I remain in you.
Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own
unless it remains on the vine,
so neither can you unless you remain in me.
I am the vine, you are the branches.
Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit,
because without me you can do nothing.
Anyone who does not remain in me
will be thrown out like a branch and wither;
people will gather them and throw them into a fire
and they will be burned.
If you remain in me and my words remain in you,
ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you.
By this is my Father glorified,
that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.””
Orthodox (Greek Catholic):
“
An Invitation to Abundant Life
55 Ho, everyone who thirsts,
come to the waters;
and you that have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price.”
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+55&version=NRSVCE;NR2006;SCH2000;ERV-HU;BDS
“11 For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father.[a] For this reason Jesus[b] is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters,[c] 12 saying,
“I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters,[d]
in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.”
13 And again,
“I will put my trust in him.”
And again,
“Here am I and the children whom God has given me.”
14 Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death. 16 For it is clear that he did not come to help angels, but the descendants of Abraham. 17 Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters[e] in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.”
