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Today's Readings
Reading I
Acts 14:19-28
In those days, some Jews from Antioch and Iconium
arrived and won over the crowds.
They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city,
supposing that he was dead.
But when the disciples gathered around him,
he got up and entered the city.
On the following day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.
After they had proclaimed the good news to that city
and made a considerable number of disciples,
they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch.
They strengthened the spirits of the disciples
and exhorted them to persevere in the faith, saying,
"It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships
to enter the Kingdom of God."
They appointed presbyters for them in each Church and,
with prayer and fasting, commended them to the Lord
in whom they had put their faith.
Then they traveled through Pisidia and reached Pamphylia.
After proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia.
From there they sailed to Antioch,
where they had been commended to the grace of God
for the work they had now accomplished.
And when they arrived, they called the Church together
and reported what God had done with them
and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.
Then they spent no little time with the disciples.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 145:10-11, 12-13ab, 21
R. (see 12) Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious
splendor of your kingdom.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might.
R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of
your kingdom.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Making known to men your might
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is a kingdom for all ages,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of
your kingdom.
or:
R. Alleluia.
May my mouth speak the praise of the LORD,
and may all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.
R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of
your kingdom.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Gospel
Jn 14:27-31a
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
Not as the world gives do I give it to you.
Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.
You heard me tell you,
'I am going away and I will come back to you.'
If you loved me,
you would rejoice that I am going to the Father;
for the Father is greater than I.
And now I have told you this before it happens,
so that when it happens you may believe.
I will no longer speak much with you,
for the ruler of the world is coming.
He has no power over me,
but the world must know that I love the Father
and that I do just as the Father has commanded me."
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Saints Nereus and Archilleus,
Saint Pancras
May 12
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Saints Nereus and Achilles
Died c. 100. According to Pope Saint Damasus, Nereus and Achilles were
soldiers in the praetorian guard, who became Christians--baptized by Saint
Peter, it is said--and decided that they must give up fighting. They
escaped from the guard, but were discovered and sent into exile first to
the island of Pontia with Saint Flavia Domitilla and then to Terracina.
There in the reign of Emperor Trajan both saints were beheaded. Their
unreliable Acta, however, state that they were servants in the household
of Flavia Domitilla and were exiled with her.
The vault in which these martyrs were buried later became the cemetery of
Domitilla, situated on the Via Ardeatina. Later Christians erected a
church over the spot, and towards the end of the 4th century, Pope Saint
Damasus inscribed a tombstone in honor of the saints. It read:
"Nereus and Achilleus the martyrs joined the army and carried out the
cruel orders of the tyrant, obeying his will continually out of fear. Then
came a miracle of faith. They suddenly gave up their savagery, they were
converted, they fled the camp of their evil leader, throwing away their
shields, armor, and bloody spears. Professing the faith of Christ, they
are happy to witness to its triumph. From these words of Damasus
understand what great deeds can be brought about by Christ's glory" (Attwater,
Benedictines, Bentley).
In art, Nereus, Achilles and Pancras are presented as three richly dressed
boys holding palms. At other times they may be holding swords, or, when
pictured with Flavia Domitilla, as soldiers (Roeder). Sometimes just these
two are shown together without Pancras.
Saint Pancras
(also known as Pancratius)
Born in Syria or Phrygia; died in Rome, Italy, c. 304. All that is known
of Saint Pancras is that he was buried in the cemetery of Calepodius on
the Aurelian Way, which was later named after him. According to unreliable
tradition recorded in Cardinal Wiseman's Fabiola, St Pancras was orphaned
and brought to Rome by an uncle, where both were converted to
Christianity. As a boy of fourteen, he was beheaded in Rome for his faith
during the reign of Diocletian.
Pope Saint Symmachus, c. 500, built a church to mark his grave. As in the
church of Saint Felix of Nola, oaths taken in Saint Pancras's church at
Rome, were esteemed to have a special sacredness. In the 7th century, Pope
Saint Vitalian sent some of his relics to England, where they are
enshrined in his titular church in London, which gave his name to the
borough and the railway station. Another church in Canterbury was
dedicated in his honor by Saint Augustine of Canterbury (Attwater,
Benedictines, Delaney, Hoagland).
When Saint Pancras is not pictured with SS. Achilleus and Nereus, he is
portrayed as a very young knight with a palm and pennant and having a
cross on his lance. He may also be shown as a young, unarmed Christian
martyr or with a Saracen under his feet. Pancras is invoked against cramp,
false witness, headache, and perjury (Roeder).
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