May 23, 2012
Wednesday of the Seventh Week of Easter
We hope that today is a good day.
Today's Bible story based on the calendar of the Catholic Church.
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/calendar.php
Most of these contents are things of The World English Bible.
http://ebible.org/web/
We hope that everyone in the peace of the Lord.
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+ Saints:
St. Jane Antide Thouret
St. Euphrosyne of Polatsk
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+ First Reading: Acts 20:28-38
28 Take heed, therefore, to yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the assembly of the Lord and ‡ God which he purchased with his own blood.
29 For I know that after my departure, vicious wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
30 Men will arise from among your own selves, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.
31 Therefore watch, remembering that for a period of three years I didn't cease to admonish everyone night and day with tears.
32 Now, brothers,§ I entrust you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build up, and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
33 I coveted no one's silver, or gold, or clothing.
34 You yourselves know that these hands served my necessities, and those who were with me.
35 In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring you ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
36 When he had spoken these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.
37 They all wept a lot, and fell on Paul's neck and kissed him,
38 sorrowing most of all because of the word which he had spoken, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship.
‡20:28: TR, NU omit "the Lord and"
§20:32: The word for "brothers" here and where the context allows may also be correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or "siblings."
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+ Psalm: Psalms 68:28-29, 32-35ab
28 Your God has commanded your strength.
Strengthen, God, that which you have done for us.
29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem,
kings shall bring presents to you.
32 Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth!
Sing praises to the Lord!
Selah.
33 To him who rides on the heaven of heavens, which are of old;
behold, he utters his voice, a mighty voice.
34 Ascribe strength to God!
His excellency is over Israel,
his strength is in the skies.
35ab You are awesome, God, in your sanctuaries.
The God of Israel gives strength and power to his people.
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+ Gospel: John 17:11b-19
11b Holy Father, keep them through your name which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are.
12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in your name. Those whom you have given me I have kept. None of them is lost, except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
13 But now I come to you, and I say these things in the world, that they may have my joy made full in themselves.
14 I have given them your word. The world hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
15 I pray not that you would take them from the world, but that you would keep them from the evil one.
16 They are not of the world even as I am not of the world.
17 Sanctify them in your truth. Your word is truth.*
18 As you sent me into the world, even so I have sent them into the world.
19 For their sakes I sanctify myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.
*17:17: Psalm 119:142
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+ Today's Reading: Acts 27:1-20
1 When it was determined that we should sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners to a centurion named Julius, of the Augustan band.
2 Embarking in a ship of Adramyttium, which was about to sail to places on the coast of Asia, we put to sea; Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us.
3 The next day, we touched at Sidon. Julius treated Paul kindly, and gave him permission to go to his friends and refresh himself.
4 Putting to sea from there, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary.
5 When we had sailed across the sea which is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia.
6 There the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing for Italy, and he put us on board.
7 When we had sailed slowly many days, and had come with difficulty opposite Cnidus, the wind not allowing us further, we sailed under the lee of Crete, opposite Salmone.
8 With difficulty sailing along it we came to a certain place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea.
9 When much time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous, because the Fast had now already gone by, Paul admonished them,
10 and said to them, "Sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives."
11 But the centurion gave more heed to the master and to the owner of the ship than to those things which were spoken by Paul.
12 Because the haven was not suitable to winter in, the majority advised going to sea from there, if by any means they could reach Phoenix, and winter there, which is a port of Crete, looking northeast and southeast.
13 When the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, close to shore.
14 But before long, a stormy wind beat down from shore, which is called Euroclydon. *
15 When the ship was caught, and couldn't face the wind, we gave way to it, and were driven along.
16 Running under the lee of a small island called Clauda, we were able, with difficulty, to secure the boat.
17 After they had hoisted it up, they used cables to help reinforce the ship. Fearing that they would run aground on the Syrtis sand bars, they lowered the sea anchor, and so were driven along.
18 As we labored exceedingly with the storm, the next day they began to throw things overboard.
19 On the third day, they threw out the ship's tackle with their own hands.
20 When neither sun nor stars shone on us for many days, and no small storm pressed on us, all hope that we would be saved was now taken away.
*27:14: Or, "a northeaster."
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