First Reading

Reading from the Acts of the Apostles

Acts 20, 28-38

In those days, Paul said to the elders of the Christian community in Ephesus: “Watch over yourselves and over the whole flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the Church of God that he obtained with the blood of his own Son.

I know that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves some will arise, speaking perverse doctrines, to draw the disciples after them. Therefore be alert. Remember that for three years I did not cease night or day to warn everyone with tears.

And now I commend you to God and to the message of his grace, a message that is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all who are sanctified. I coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothing. You know for yourselves that I worked with my own hands to support myself and my companions. In all this I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, for he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’ ”.

When he had finished speaking, he knelt down with them all and prayed. There was much weeping among them all; they embraced Paul and kissed him, grieving especially because of what he had said, that they would not see him again. Then they brought him to the ship.

Gospel

Reading from the holy Gospel according to John

John 17, 11-19

At that time, Jesus looked up to heaven and said: “Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them in your name that you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost, so that the Scripture might be fulfilled.

But now I am coming to you, and while I am still in the world, I say these things so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I am asking you to protect them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.

Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth.”