Reading 1, Acts 28:16-20, 30-31
16Β On our arrival inΒ RomeΒ Paul was allowed to stay in lodgings of his own with the soldier who guarded him.
17Β After three days he called together the leading Jews. When they had assembled, he said to them, ‘Brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, I was arrested inΒ JerusalemΒ and handed over to the Romans.
18Β They examined me and would have set me free, since they found me guilty of nothing involving the death penalty;
19Β but theΒ JewsΒ lodged an objection, and I was forced to appeal to Caesar, though not because I had any accusation to make against my own nation.
20Β That is why I have urged you to see me and have a discussion with me, for it is on account of theΒ hopeΒ of Israel that I wear this chain.’
30Β He spent the whole of the two years in his own rented lodging. He welcomed all who came to visit him,
31Β proclaiming the kingdom ofΒ GodΒ and teaching theΒ truthΒ about theΒ LordΒ JesusΒ Christ with complete fearlessness and without any hindrance from anyone.
Responsorial Psalm,Β Psalms 11:4, 5, 7
4Β Yahweh in his holy temple! Yahweh, hisΒ throneΒ is in heaven; his eyes watch over the world, his gaze scrutinises theΒ childrenΒ of Adam.
5Β Yahweh examines the upright and the wicked, the lover ofΒ violenceΒ he detests.
7Β ForΒ YahwehΒ is upright and loves uprightness, the honestΒ willΒ ever see his face.
Gospel,Β John 21:20-25
20Β Peter turned and saw theΒ discipleΒ whomΒ JesusΒ loved following them — the one who had leant back close to his chest at the supper and had said to him, ‘Lord, who is it thatΒ willΒ betray you?’
21Β Seeing him, Peter said to Jesus, ‘What about him, Lord?’
22Β Jesus answered, ‘If I want him to stay behind till I come, what does itΒ matterΒ to you? You are to follow me.’
23Β The rumour then went out among the brothers that thisΒ discipleΒ would not die. YetΒ JesusΒ had not said to Peter, ‘HeΒ willΒ not die,’ but, ‘If I want him to stay behind till I come.’
24Β ThisΒ discipleΒ is the one who vouches for these things and has written them down, and we know that his testimony is true.
25Β There was much else thatΒ JesusΒ did; if it were written down in detail, I do not suppose the world itself would hold all the books that would be written.
