May they all be one as you, Father, are in me and I in you that the world may believe that you sent me, says the Lord - Daily Bible Readings May 21,2015

1ST READING   Paul set the Pharisees and Sadducees against one another by raising the issue of the resurrection. This diverted their attention from his case. We should do whatever is necessary to further the work of the Kingdom of God, even to the extent of creating confusion in the ranks of those who oppose us.   Acts 22:30; 23:6-11 30 Wishing to determine the truth about why Paul was being accused by the Jews, the commander freed him and ordered the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin to convene. Then he brought Paul down and made him stand before them. 23:6 Paul was aware that some were Sadducees and some Pharisees, so he called out before the Sanhedrin, “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees; I am on trial for hope in the resurrection of the dead.” 7 When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the group became divided. 8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection or angels or spirits, while the Pharisees acknowledge all three. 9 A great uproar occurred, and some scribes belonging to the Pharisee party stood up and sharply argued, “We find nothing wrong with this man. Suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” 10 The dispute was so serious that the commander, afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, ordered his troops to go down and rescue Paul from their midst and take him into the compound. 11 The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage. For just as you have borne witness to my cause in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness in Rome.”   P S A L M   Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11 R: Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope. 1 Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge; 2 I say to the Lord, “My Lord are you.” 5 O Lord, my allotted portion and my cup, you it is who hold fast my lot. (R) 7 I bless the Lord who counsels me; even in the night my heart exhorts me. 8 I set the Lord ever before me; with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed. (R) 9 Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices, my body, too, abides in confidence; 10 Because you will not abandon my soul to the nether world, nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption. (R) 11 You will show me the path to life, fullness of joys in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever. (R)   GOSPEL   Jesus prays for His disciples and us — His followers — in the millennia to come. It is comforting to know that Jesus has been praying for us long before we were even born. For me, this shows God’s commitment to the work of the Gospel and our salvation. It also shows that being a disciple of Jesus is not easy. Let us draw strength from Jesus who prays that we may persevere in our faith.   GOSPEL ACCLAMATION May they all be one as you, Father, are in me and I in you that the world may believe that you sent me, says the Lord.   John 17:20-26 20 Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed, saying: “I pray not only for these, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me. 22 And I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may be brought to perfection as one, that the world may know that you sent me, and that you loved them even as you loved me. 24 Father, they are your gift to me. I wish that where I am they also may be with me, that they may see my glory that you gave me, because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 25 Righteous Father, the world also does not know you, but I know you, and they know that you sent me. 26 I made known to them your name and I will make it known, that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in them.”   think: Let us draw strength from Jesus who prays that we may persevere in our faith.   T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST Thank You Lord for: __________________   ____________________________________   God’s special verse/thought for me today_ _____________________________________   READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR 1 Samuel 13-16