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The Promise of the Holy Spirit
1.1 In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning 2 until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. 4 While staying[a] with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. “This,” he said, “is what you have heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with[b] the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
The Ascension of Jesus
6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.””
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+1%3A1-8&version=NRSVCE;NR2006;SCH2000;ERV-HU;BDS
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https://oca.org/readings/daily/2019/04/28
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The Book of Truth:
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April 29, 2014 @ 9:00am
My dearly beloved daughter, many may wonder how God, the Father Almighty Creator of all that Is and will Be forever, could suffer. The Truth is that My Father, perfect in all that can be, is infused with Love. Because He is the Creator of Love, when rebuked, it causes Sorrow in His Heart.
God’s children rejected His Great Gift of Paradise, through the sin of Adam and Eve, when they fell from His Favour. Instead, they allowed themselves to be seduced by the cunning deception, placed before them, by the evil one. How My Father suffered, because of this betrayal then and how He still suffers because of the sin of betrayal in today’s world. Nothing has changed, except the Miracle of Redemption, which He bequeathed the world, through My Sacrifice for mankind.
My Father’s Love for all of you is so Great that His Sorrow, which has been caused by man’s blindness and rejection of His Great Mercy, is also His Gift to humanity. Because of His Sorrow, He pines for souls and, as such, will reach out and grasp even the most reluctant non-believer. To those, who do not believe in God, but who desire proof and any sign that will bring them comfort in their wretchedness, I say this. I, Jesus Christ, came the first time, not to merely save those who accepted the Truth – I came to save those who were incapable of believing in God. I do the same now. While the believers will fight amongst themselves, arguing as to whether or not it is I, Jesus Christ, Who communicates to the world, at this time, I promise you this. I will, out of My Love for you, prove to you that it is indeed I, Who speaks now and that I have, once again, been sent by My Father to save you.
This time I come to renew the Earth, to re-establish My Kingdom on Earth – the Paradise created by My Father, for Adam and Eve. That Day will dawn soon and before the time comes, I will enlighten your mind, body and soul. I will shock you with My Power – My Divinity, but you will feel such a surge of love that you will be left in no doubt that this could only come from Me. That is My Promise. It is the children of God, who do not know Him, nor believe in Him, that I will reach out to first. Most of them will come running to Me, because they will have no preconceived ideas, which can evolve from too much knowledge of spiritual matters. At the same time, I will reach out to those souls who are in great darkness, who are desperate, lost and laden with great sorrow in their hearts. So when you read My Word, contained herein, know that My Messages are not aimed at those who love Me only – they are being given to reach out to you.
I give you peace. I bring you great news, for I have carved out a glorious future for you, where death will have no power over you. I await that Day, with great joy. Please await, with patience and trust, for when I open your heart, your worries will be no more.
Your beloved Jesus”
“
Gospel Jn 20:19-31
when the doors were locked, where the disciples were,
for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood in their midst
and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
“Receive the Holy Spirit.
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,
and whose sins you retain are retained.”Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve,
was not with them when Jesus came.
So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”
But he said to them,
“Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands
and put my finger into the nailmarks
and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”Now a week later his disciples were again inside
and Thomas was with them.
Jesus came, although the doors were locked,
and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.”
Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands,
and bring your hand and put it into my side,
and do not be unbelieving, but believe.”
Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me?
Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples
that are not written in this book.
But these are written that you may come to believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,
and that through this belief you may have life in his name.”
Roman Catholic:
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Memorial of Saint Catherine of Siena, Virgin and Doctor of the Church
Lectionary: 267
Reading 1 Acts 4:23-31
and reported what the chief priests and elders had told them.
And when they heard it,
they raised their voices to God with one accord
and said, “Sovereign Lord, maker of heaven and earth
and the sea and all that is in them,
you said by the Holy Spirit
through the mouth of our father David, your servant:Why did the Gentiles rage
and the peoples entertain folly?
The kings of the earth took their stand
and the princes gathered together
against the Lord and against his anointed.Indeed they gathered in this city
against your holy servant Jesus whom you anointed,
Herod and Pontius Pilate,
together with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,
to do what your hand and your will
had long ago planned to take place.
And now, Lord, take note of their threats,
and enable your servants to speak your word
with all boldness, as you stretch forth your hand to heal,
and signs and wonders are done
through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
As they prayed, the place where they were gathered shook,
and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit
and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 2:1-3, 4-7a, 7b-9
or:
R. Alleluia.
Why do the nations rage
and the peoples utter folly?
The kings of the earth rise up,
and the princes conspire together
against the LORD and against his anointed:
“Let us break their fetters
and cast their bonds from us!”
R. Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He who is throned in heaven laughs;
the LORD derides them.
Then in anger he speaks to them;
he terrifies them in his wrath:
“I myself have set up my king
on Zion, my holy mountain.”
I will proclaim the decree of the LORD.
R. Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD said to me, “You are my Son;
this day I have begotten you.
Ask of me and I will give you
the nations for an inheritance
and the ends of the earth for your possession.
You shall rule them with an iron rod;
you shall shatter them like an earthen dish.”
R. Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Alleluia Col 3:1
If then you were raised with Christ,
seek what is above,
where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Jn 3:1-8
He came to Jesus at night and said to him,
“Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God,
for no one can do these signs that you are doing
unless God is with him.”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless one is born from above, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
Nicodemus said to him,
“How can a man once grown old be born again?
Surely he cannot reenter his mother’s womb and be born again, can he?”
Jesus answered,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless one is born of water and Spirit
he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.
What is born of flesh is flesh
and what is born of spirit is spirit.
Do not be amazed that I told you,
‘You must be born from above.’
The wind blows where it wills,
and you can hear the sound it makes,
but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes;
so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.””
Memorial of Saint Catherine of Siena, Virgin and Doctor of the Church
Lectionary: 267
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Orthodox (Greek Catholic):
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Jesus Appears to the Disciples
19 When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 22 When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
Jesus and Thomas
24 But Thomas (who was called the Twin[a]), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.””
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+20:19-25&version=NRSVCE;NR2006;SCH2000;ERV-HU;BDS
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The Resurrection of Jesus
28.1 After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. 5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he[a] lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead,[b] and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ This is my message for you.” 8 So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
The Report of the Guard
11 While they were going, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests everything that had happened. 12 After the priests[c] had assembled with the elders, they devised a plan to give a large sum of money to the soldiers, 13 telling them, “You must say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ 14 If this comes to the governor’s ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15 So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story is still told among the Jews to this day.
The Commissioning of the Disciples
16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”[d] …”
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https://oca.org/readings/daily/2019/04/29
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“27 April 2014 @ 6:00pm
…
Please remember My Teachings and live your lives according to what I told you. When you find your hearts troubled, full of anguish or hatred, you must always seek out My help. For if you do not, then this sense of despair and hatred will devour you. You must accept the fact that you will always succumb to sin, but also know that you must show true remorse, before you will feel any kind of peace or calm in your soul.
Your Jesus”