"I FORGIVE WITH ALL MY HEART THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR MY DEATH,

AND I ASK GOD THAT THE SHEDDING OF MY BLOOD SERVE THE PEACE OF OUR DIVIDED MEXICO."

                                                           - Saint Christopher Magallanes

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊    

Acts 22:30; 23:6-11

The next day,

The commander wanted to know for certain the charges the Jews were making against Paul.

So, he released him from prison and called together the High Priest and the whole Council;

and they brought Paul down and made him stand before them.

 

Paul knew that part of the Council were Sadducees and others werePharisees;

so he spoke out in the Council, "Brothers, I am a Pharisee, son of a Pharisee.

It is for the hope in the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial here."

At these words, an argument broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees,

and the whole assembly was divided.

For the Sadducees claim that there is neither resurrection, nor angels nor spirits;

while the Pharisees acknowledge all these things. Then, the shouting grew louder;

and some teachers of the law of the Pharisee party protested, "We find nothing wrong with this man.

 

Maybe a spirit or an angel has spoken to him." With this, the argument became so violent

that the commander feared that Paul would be torn to pieces by them.

He, therefore, ordered the soldiers to go down and rescue him from their midst,

and take him back to the fortress.

That night, the Lord stood by Paul and said, "Courage!

As you have borne witness to me here, in Jerusalem, so must you do in Rome."

 

Ps 16:1-2a, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11

 Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊     

John 17:20-26

I pray not only for these, but also for those who through their word will believe in me.

May they all be one, as you Father are in me and I am in you. May they be one in us,

so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory you have given me,

that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. Thus they shall reach perfection in unity;

and the world shall know that you have sent me, and that I have loved them, just as you loved me.

 

Father, since you have given them to me, I want them to be with me where I am,

and see the glory you gave me, for you loved me before the foundation of the world.

Righteous Father, the world has not known you, but I have known you, and these have known

that you have sent me. As I revealed your name to them, so will I continue to reveal it,

so that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and I also may be in them."

 

Gospel Reflection ：

To preach the Gospel to all nations.

Ecumenical dialogue is a vital aspect of our Catholic faith. We believe that all religions,

especially those that profess the Christian faith, share a common goal: to preach the Gospel to all nations.

This proclamation is most effective through preaching and, more importantly, by living out our faith daily.

 

Jesus' prayer to the Father for all people serves as the foundation

for ecumenical dialogue within the Church throughout the centuries.

By approaching others of different faiths as our sisters and brothers, we continue Christ's mission,

which is to ensure that all may be saved. God the Father, in His plan, desires to restore all of us as part of His family.