Saturday of The 5th Week of Easter, 16 May 2020

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Opening:

Almighty, ever-living God, you gave us the life of heaven by the new birth of baptism; you implanted in us the seed of eternity by your gift of grace. Lead us, in your providence, to the fullness of glory. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven,
where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand.

Psalm 100 (Enter In)) – People and Songs

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A Reading from the Book of Acts: Acts 16:1-10(NLT)

Paul’s Second Missionary Journey

Paul went first to Derbe and then to Lystra, where there was a young disciple named Timothy. His mother was a Jewish believer, but his father was a Greek. Timothy was well thought of by the believers in Lystra and Iconium, so Paul wanted him to join them on their journey. In deference to the Jews of the area, he arranged for Timothy to be circumcised before they left, for everyone knew that his father was a Greek. Then they went from town to town, instructing the believers to follow the decisions made by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. So the churches were strengthened in their faith and grew larger every day.

A Call from Macedonia

Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time. Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed north for the province of Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there. So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas.

That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” So we decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there.
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Responsorial Psalm 100(NLT)

+ Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth!

Worship the Lord with gladness.
Come before him, singing with joy.

Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
He made us, and we are his.
We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

+ Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth!

Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
go into his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him and praise his name.

For the Lord is good.
His unfailing love continues forever,
and his faithfulness continues to each generation.

+ Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth!
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A Reading from the Gospels: John 15:18-21 (NLT)

“If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you. They will do all this to you because of me, for they have rejected the one who sent me.
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Psalm 100 – Chris Tomlin

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Closing: Colossians 3:1 (NLT)

Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.