The 12th of May, 2023 is Friday in the Fifth Week of Easter. The Bible scriptures for the holy mass readings for this day came from the Year 2023 of Liturgical Calendar.
Reading 1: ACTS 15:22-31
The first reading from the Acts of the Apostles.
Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole assembly, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brothers.
They wrote these things by their hand: “The apostles, the elders, and the brothers, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: greetings.
Because we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, ‘You must be circumcised and keep the law,’ to whom we gave no commandment; it seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose out men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who themselves will also tell you the same things by word of mouth.
For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay no greater burden on you than these necessary things: that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality, from which if you keep yourselves, it will be well with you. Farewell.”
So, when they were sent off, they came to Antioch. Having gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter.
When they had read it, they rejoiced over the encouragement.
Responsorial Psalm: PS 57:7-8, 9 and 11
Response: I will give thanks to you, Lord, among the peoples.
My heart is steadfast, God. My heart is steadfast. I will sing, yes, I will sing praises.
Wake up, my glory! Wake up, lute and harp! I will wake up the dawn.
R: I will give thanks to you, Lord, among the peoples.
I will give thanks to you, Lord, among the peoples. I will sing praises to you among the nations.
Be exalted, God, above the heavens. Let your glory be over all the earth.
R: I will give thanks to you, Lord, among the peoples.
Gospel of the Day: JN 15:12-17
From the gospel verse according to John.
“This is my commandment, that you love one another, even as I have loved you.
Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
You are my friends if you do whatever I command you.
No longer do I call you servants, for the servant doesn’t know what his lord does. But I have called you friends, for everything that I heard from my Father, I have made known to you.
You didn’t choose me, but I chose you and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you will ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”
“I command these things to you, that you may love one another.”
Other Celebration
An optional celebration on this day is the Memorial of Saints Nereus and Achilleus, Martyrs as well as Saint Pancras, Martyr.
