Friday, 8 May 2026
Friday of the 5th week of Easter
Readings for the universal ChurchGeneral Roman Calendar, used by Catholics worldwide
First Reading
22Then it pleased the apostles and ancients, with the whole church, to choose men of their own company, and to send to Antioch, with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas, who was surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren. 23Writing by their hands: The apostles and ancients, brethren, to the brethren of the Gentiles that are at Antioch, and in Syria and Cilicia, greeting. 24Forasmuch as we have heard, that some going out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls; to whom we gave no commandment: 25It hath seemed good to us, being assembled together, to choose out men, and to send them unto you, with our well beloved Barnabas and Paul: 26Men that have given their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who themselves also will, by word of mouth, tell you the same things. 28For it hath seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us, to lay no further burden upon you than these necessary things: 29That you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication; from which things keeping yourselves, you shall do well. Fare ye well. 30They therefore being dismissed, went down to Antioch; and gathering together the multitude, delivered the epistle. 31Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation.
Responsorial Psalm
8My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready: I will Sing, and rehearse a psalm.
9Arise, O my glory, arise psaltery and harp: I will arise early.
10I will give praise to thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing a psalm to thee among the nations.
12Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: and thy glory above all the earth.
Gospel
12This is my commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you. 13Greater love than this no man hath, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14You are my friends, if you do the things that I command you. 15I will not now call you servants: for the servant knoweth not what his lord doth. But I have called you friends: because all things whatsoever I have heard of my Father, I have made known to you. 16You have not chosen me: but I have chosen you; and have appointed you, that you should go, and should bring forth fruit; and your fruit should remain: that whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. 17These things I command you, that you love one another.
Same readings worldwide and in the United States.
Text: Douay-Rheims (public domain). Reading citations: cpbjr/catholic-readings-api (MIT license). The Lectionary text used at Mass in the United States is the NABRE, which you can read at USCCB.