Reading 1, Acts 22:30; 23:6-11
30 The next day, since he wanted to know for sure what charge the Jews were bringing, he freed Paul and gave orders for a meeting of the chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin; then he brought Paul down and set him in front of them.
6 Now Paul was well aware that one party was made up of Sadducees and the other of Pharisees, so he called out in the Sanhedrin, ‘Brothers, I am a Pharisee and the son of Pharisees. It is for our hope in the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.’
7 As soon as he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was split between the two parties.
8 For the Sadducees say there is neither resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit, while the Pharisees accept all three.
9 The shouting grew louder, and some of the scribes from the Pharisees’ party stood up and protested strongly, ‘We find nothing wrong with this man. Suppose a spirit has spoken to him, or an angel?’
10 Feeling was running high, and the tribune, afraid that they would tear Paul to pieces, ordered his troops to go down and haul him out and bring him into the fortress.
11 Next night, the Lord appeared to him and said, ‘Courage! You have borne witness for me in Jerusalem, now you must do the same in Rome.’
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11
1 [In a quiet voice Of David] Protect me, O God, in you is my refuge.
2 To Yahweh I say, ‘You are my Lord, my happiness is in none
5 My birthright, my cup is Yahweh; you, you alone, hold my lot secure.
7 I bless Yahweh who is my counsellor, even at night my heart instructs me.
8 I keep Yahweh before me always, for with him at my right hand, nothing can shake me.
9 So my heart rejoices, my soul delights, my body too will rest secure,
10 for you will not abandon me to Sheol, you cannot allow your faithful servant to see the abyss.
11 You will teach me the path of life, unbounded joy in your presence, at your right-hand delight for ever.
Gospel, John 17:20-26
20 I pray not only for these but also for those who through their teaching will come to believe in me.
21 May they all be one, just as, Father, you are in me and I am in you, so that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe it was you who sent me.
22 I have given them the glory you gave to me, that they may be one as we are one.
23 With me in them and you in me, may they be so perfected in unity that the world will recognise that it was you who sent me and that you have loved them as you have loved me.
24 Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, so that they may always see my glory which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
25 Father, Upright One, the world has not known you, but I have known you, and these have known that you have sent me.
26 I have made your name known to them and will continue to make it known, so that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and so that I may be in them.
