Reading 1, Acts 25:13-21
13Â Some days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in Caesarea and paid their respects to Festus.
14 Their visit lasted several days, and Festus put Paul’s case before the king, saying, ‘There is a man here whom Felix left behind in custody,
15 and while I was in Jerusalem the chief priests and elders of the Jews laid information against him, demanding his condemnation.
16 But I told them that Romans are not in the habit of surrendering any man, until the accused confronts his accusers and is given an opportunity to defend himself against the charge.
17 So they came here with me, and I wasted no time but took my seat on the tribunal the very next day and had the man brought in.
18Â When confronted with him, his accusers did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected;
19 but they had some argument or other with him about their own religion and about a dead man called Jesus whom Paul alleged to be alive.
20 Not feeling qualified to deal with questions of this sort, I asked him if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem to be tried there on this issue.
21Â But Paul put in an appeal for his case to be reserved for the judgement of the emperor, so I ordered him to be remanded until I could send him to Caesar.’
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 103:1-2, 11-12, 19-20
1Â [Of David] Bless Yahweh, my soul, from the depths of my being, his holy name;
2 bless Yahweh, my soul, never forget all his acts of kindness.
11 As the height of heaven above earth, so strong is his faithful love for those who fear him.
12Â As the distance of east from west, so far from us does he put our faults.
19 Yahweh has fixed his throne in heaven, his sovereign power rules over all.
20Â Bless Yahweh, all his angels, mighty warriors who fulfil his commands, attentive to the sound of his words.
Gospel, John 21:15-19
15 When they had eaten, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others do?’ He answered, ‘Yes, Lord, you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’
16 A second time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ He replied, ‘Yes, Lord, you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Look after my sheep.’
17 Then he said to him a third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was hurt that he asked him a third time, ‘Do you love me?’ and said, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.
18 In all truth I tell you, when you were young you put on your own belt and walked where you liked; but when you grow old you will stretch out your hands, and somebody else will put a belt round you and take you where you would rather not go.’
19 In these words he indicated the kind of death by which Peter would give glory to God. After this he said, ‘Follow me.’
